Twelve Days to Save Christmas

by Elizabeth Neep

On the first day of Christmas, my true love… dumped me.

Poppy loves Christmas and always goes all out to make this magical time of the year extra special for her boyfriend George. But George is strangely not in the spirit this year. As Poppy wrestles him into her Christmas jumper built for two for a holiday snapshot, she finds out why.

He’s leaving her. And she only has twelve more days until he moves out.

Poppy is heartbroken. But she’s not going to give up on their five-year relationship without a fight. George is the love of her life, and his warm and stable family are worlds away from her own chaotic upbringing. And she is sure he still loves her too – she just needs to remind him of all the reasons why. Twelve days: twelve chances to get her man back and save Christmas.

But festive surprises aren’t only found under the tree. As Poppy’s twelve days count down and she goes to ever more ambitious lengths to prove to George she’s exactly the kind of girl he wants, she starts to realise that maybe the Christmas miracle she’s working towards is not the one she really needs. And that the person she’s truly meant to spend Christmas with is closer than she thought…

This bittersweet and uplifting festive read is perfect for anyone who has ever worried they’re not enough as they are. Fans of One Day in December, Beth O’Leary and Mhairi McFarlane will be completely enchanted by this witty and warm story about friendship, love and finding yourself.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Holiday, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Forced Proximity

297 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2021

About the author

Elizabeth Neep studied Law and Australian Law (University of Nottingham, University of New South Wales) before getting into publishing, where she now works as a senior commissioning editor for an independent press. She has written features for numerous publications including Cosmopolitan, Dazed Digital and PETRIe, is a trustee for a mental health charity and draws and paints in her spare time. She can usually be found with a flat white or glass of wine in hand around her home in London Bridge.

Reviews

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun festive read! Poppies boyfriend of five years George dumps her right before Christmas. Poppy is devastated, who is she without George? Determined to show George that she is still the upbeat independent girl he fell in love with Poppy makes a 12 day plan to get him back. Loved Poppy she was so sparkly and authentic. Quite honestly I think George did Poppy a huge favor by breaking up with her. He and his friends seem so superficial compared to poppies authenticity. The break up gave Poppy an opportunity to really find herself. She joined a choir, volunteered at the community center, and maybe met a man more suited to her. This book would make a perfect hallmark Christmas movie, it gave me all the festive feels. Another amazing story by Elizabeth Neep.

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve Days to Save Christmas by Elizabeth Neep is a contemporary romance that is of course set during the Christmas holiday season. The romance side of this is the character trying to save her romance which turns into a tale of self discovery too.

Poppy has been in a relationship with her boyfriend, George, for five years now and is planning a wonderful Christmas with George’s family. However, George tells Poppy he just isn’t happy and wants to end their relationship right before the holidays which gives Poppy twelve days to change George’s mind and save their Christmas.

Twelve Days to Save Christmas by Elizabeth Neep was a humorous Christmas story. I’m not overly a fan of chasing down a boyfriend so I went into this one a bit on the hesitant side with maybe a couple of eye rolls here and there. However, I did for the most part enjoy the humor and definitely enjoyed the character growth along the way which made this one for an alright read in the end for me.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

[Veronica ⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve days to Save Christmas is a fun, upbeat romance read.

Poppy is a girl in love, totally devoted to her long term boyfriend George who is part of an up and coming boy band. I immediately warmed to Poppy she exudes fun and happiness and is fully supportive of George, buying him coffees, meeting him for lunch and attending all his gigs. When George breaks up with her saying she is too needy, Poppy sees this as a challenge; she has twelve days to make George remember just how much he loves her.

As Poppy distances herself from George to prove to him she is not needy she starts to make new friends and try new ventures like volunteering at a church based community centre and joining a choir.

Poppy feels that her whole life is George. All her friends were his friends, his family is her only family. She is nobody without George.

"I don't know who I am without him." - Poppy (Twelve Days to Save Christmas)

Anyone who has been dumped by the love of their life will certainly relate to Poppy and be cheering her on as she starts to discover and accept who she really is. The split with George forcing her to confront her past and start to make decisions and do things to please herself.

I enjoyed the way Elizabeth Neep included a nod to the Twelve Days of Christmas song throughout the story; in the song sung by the choir, in the chapter headings and in all the cute things Poppy did for George.

Twelve Days to Save Christmas is a heart-warming tale of finding your true self, finding friends in the most unlikeliest places and the real meaning of family.

This story screams big screen! It was very visual and I could see it all being played out as I read. If you love feel good stories that make you smile you will love Twelve Days to Save Christmas. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
*I received an ecopy from the publisher via Netgalley

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy has found in George, her boyfriend of five years, all the family she needs. When he breaks up with her a month before Christmas, she has to do everything she can to save the relationship and the only family she has known.

Although the title and the cover suggest a festive and light read, the story also cover some deeper topics. I liked the development of the main character, and as with all Elizabeth Neep's books, I love that the main point of the story is not finding love but finding your true self (and love may or may not come after that).

** Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion. **

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poppy loves Christmas more than any other day of the year. And Poppy loves George. But while trying to fit him into a couples sweater with her in November, he breaks up with her. After calculating that she only has twelve days with him at home before they go their separate ways, she plans to use those days to get George back. She stumbles into her local Community Center accidentally and volunteers. She goes on a date. She joins a choir. All in an attempt to make George see that she can stand on her own. She thinks she's doing good by helping people along the way, but she doesn't realize how much they end up helping her.

This book truly touched me. I truly felt the author understood how Poppy felt. Having grown up without much family of my own, and now just having my husband and children, she truly captured how Poppy felt leaving George. He wasn't just her boyfriend, he was her whole world. While it may have taken her a bit to realize just how much of a difference her and George shared, it was a well crafted beautiful story of a woman finding her true self and finally accepting who she is. Scars and all. This is a perfect blend of Christmas joy, female empowerment, and a sweet growing love story in the background. Release date is October 19.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Thank you to Elizabeth Neep, Bookouture, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Poppy's looking forward to another festive season with her boyfriend George when out of the blue he announces he wants to break up. Not ready to give up on them, she embarks on a twelve day quest to convince George to change his mind. Along the way though Poppy finds a purpose and a family she didn't realize she was looking for. This holiday book is full of heart and reminds us all that the true meaning of Christmas is giving to others. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

[Liva's reading antics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adorable and heartbreaking Christmas story that inspires to do better.

Through this holiday story, we follow Poppy, who loves two things in the world more than anything else - Christmas and George. While Christmas is approaching, George has decided to move forward without her by breaking up right before the holiday season starts. Poppy has twelve days to win his heart back. She comes up with a plan on how to convince the love of her life that she is not as "needy" as he thinks. While fulfilling the scheme, she discovers a lot about herself and the community around her.

This is an adorable coming-of-age story of a person that has been hurt and left disappointed over and over again. While this hopeful story ends positively, it is actually very sorrowful and made me swallow lumps in my neck for all the length of the story.😥 Reading about their unhealthy relationship made me very queasy, while one red flag popped up after another. I wanted to grab Poppy by her shoulders and shake some sense into her. I think the author did a great job of letting main character come to terms with herself.

While I would categorize this story as Romance, it did not take a central stage in it. It was more about learning to accept yourself, acknowledging the past, and understanding that our experiences make us who we are. There were some very annoying exaggerations, especially towards her so-called friends. However, the author made me feel way more than I expected from this story, so I vouch for this to be worth reading!

Thanks to NetGalley, Elizabeth Neep, and Bookouture for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.🤗

[Kendra States · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this book and everything about it. There were times in this book that I just wanted to tell Poppy that George was clearly not worth it and that anyone that leaves you the second things get hard isn’t worth it. Poppy and George are the perfect couple until Poppy lost her job and George felt she was around too much. Insert Poppy making all the attempts to show George that she is still the girl that he fell in love with.

Poppy is the kindest, sweetest and honestly, naïve girl in the beginning. We see her grow and throw herself into everything she sets her mind to. She makes a game plan to get George back, she volunteers at Church street on Church street and social media work. She has a hard background that has made this whole thing harder but she’s determined to not let that keep her from creating the new family she’s already built.

George is the most self centered person in this entire book. He didn’t deserve the love that Poppy gives. I have nothing else to say without spoiling the book but I disliked George with everything in me.

Theo: I LOVED THEO. Theo is a volunteer at Church street. He’s also a selfless character in the story. He is a little awkward and is such a real character.

This is a book I could definitely see being made into a rom com style Christmas movie. It’s definitely not HEAVY on the romance and is a very PG book throughout the majority of the book. The majority of the story is as the blurb states, Poppy is determined to get George back. Whether or not it works and what role does Theo play? You’ll have to read it to find out. Overall this is a strong 4/5 for me. I definitely recommend you get your copy!

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

A month before Christmas Poppy's live-in boyfriend of 5 years, George, tells her he wants to break-up as she is too needy. The lease goes to the end of the year and he will sleep on the couch pull out until then. Poppy had quit her job to explore what she really wanted to do and had been spending her free time with George. The 12 days refers to the free days George has when not working or in his band rehearsals; the days she has left to convince him he is making a mistake and she can find other things to do to give him space. She starts volunteering at a community center and joins a choir. Cute story but Poppy takes a long time learning to stand on her own.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, a really good all rounder self discovery story. Its a solid story. Some bits are repetitive and it's gets frustrating keep being told the information over and over and did spoil it a bit. As my eye roll got tiring. However a good read and a warm and cozy Christmas read.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were parts of the book where I wanted to shake some sense into Poppy and other parts that made me want to comfort her. The writer does a brilliant job of making all of the characters, not just the main ones, have a unique personality and you truly do like parts of everyone’s character - they bring the book to life.

I really enjoyed this book and the journey it took me on. I would recommend to anyone after a Christmassy, feel good read. Would be interesting to see this as a film adaptation!

*Thanks to Bookouture / Net Galley for this ARC*

[RateTheRomance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a slower-paced Brit-Lit romance centered on the holidays. TWELVE DAYS TO SAVE CHRISTMAS has all the feels and is a sweet and wonderfully complex holiday romance.

Poppy and George have been together for 5 years and Poppy has centered her entire world around their relationship. But when George wants to take "a break", right before Christmas, Poppy decides to win him back in time for the holidays. Poppy is quirky and likable and the true strength of this book is seeing her change and open herself up as she tries to find her way back to her boyfriend.

Poppy soon finds herself volunteering at a community center and participating in new activities with new friends. The writing is so great that we see Poppy begin to grow and change very slowly, but the story never seems to drag.

The last bit of this book is mildly frustrating, but only because the reader loves Poppy so much and knows what she needs! This book is very low-steam, but so sweetly satisfying and wonderfully complex that it's well worth the read, even if you prefer a steamier romance.

TWELVE DAYS TO SAVE CHRISTMAS is filled with complex relationships, lots of character development, and so much holiday cheer. It's about friendship, found family, and true vulnerability. I read the final page with a happy sigh. This would make an excellent Book Club read for the holidays.

RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated PG
TRIGGERS: alcoholism, foster care
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5 - So many feels you might tear up a little.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3vntj3P (aff)

👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
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[Grass monster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blurb :
Poppy loves Christmas and always goes all out to make this magical time of the year extra special for her boyfriend George. But George is strangely not in the Yuletide spirit this year. As Poppy wrestles him into her Christmas jumper built for two for a holiday snapshot, she finds out why.
He’s leaving her. With only twelve days to spend together until Christmas.
Poppy is heartbroken. George is the love of her life, and what would Christmas be without kisses under the mistletoe, his mum’s delicious homemade gingerbread or their super-competitive games of Pictionary?
She’s determined to win George back. So, anxious to prove to him she can be spontaneous, she signs up as a Christmas volunteer at the local community centre. What she doesn’t know is that there’s a festive surprise coming her way…
As Poppy throws herself into her new role – mulling vats of hot cider and hanging fairy lights off everything within reach – she discovers an inner strength she never knew she had. And there’s also Theo. Her new boss. Grumpy and opinionated, he’s everything she doesn’t want.
But as the snow starts to fall, she begins to notice other things about him – like his twinkling green eyes, how he makes her laugh, and how much he cares about the people he’s trying to help.


My Thoughts :
Firstly I love the Festive feel of the front cover of this book, I knew it had to be read and I wasnt disappointed when I read the Blurb.
We meet Poppy, head over heels in love with her boyfriend George of 5 years, she gets the shock of her life when he tells her he wants to break up with her just before Christmas. Poppy is devastated that he thinks she is too needy and now has 12 days before George moves out to win him back and save their relationship by getting on with things and showing George she can stand on her own two feet and doesnt need him all the time.
As Poppy grows and takes on her life, we see her getting involved with the local community centre and getting out there with her friends and trying new things.
Elizabeth Neep draws the reader in from the very start, the story flows perfectly and brings the characters into their own.
Its a heart warming tale full of love, friends and finding oneself. There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Janette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve days to save Christmas
Poppy loves Christmas and has this year’s celebrations all sorted out. However, a month before Christmas Eve, her boyfriend Greg drops a bombshell and tells her that he feels they should break up saying that she is too needy. They will continue to share the flat until the end of the year and during that time there will be 12 days when Greg and Poppy will be in the flat together so Poppy has those days to try and convince him that he is wrong.
In a bid to show him that she is not needy, she ends up volunteering at a local community centre run by Theo and also joins a choir. As she becomes more involved with the centre, its staff and visitors, she begins to think more about her own past and to consider who she really is.
I really enjoyed this and completed it in one sitting. There are some very funny moments as well as some touching ones. One or two of the characters felt a bit like stock characters and didn’t come across as real but I loved Poppy and her journey through this novel. I felt that there were some real issues raised in this novel about the personalities that we show to other people and how real they are as well as it being a real romantic comedy. I also loved the ending which I felt was hopeful rather than being an outright happy ending.
Thank you to the publishers and Net Galley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Leith Devine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute Christmas read with serious themes underneath the romance. Poppy’s boyfriend George breaks up with her just before Christmas, and she figures she’s got 12 stars to win him back. Poppy lost her job and has been trying to freelance, so when George breaks up with her she decides to try something different, because he didn’t like the old Poppy.
She goes on a date and makes a friend, starts volunteering at a homeless shelter, and joins a choir, and realizes that the new Poppy might not want the same things as the old one did.
I liked the characters, except George is a self-centered guy who wants her back after she’s not paying attention to him every second. Poppy is a good character, but it frustrated me that she thought her background as a foster child would change the way people thought of her.
Overall it was enjoyable. 3 stars.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story
Poppy has been in love with George for five years and feels like he is her family. When he suddenly breaks up with her a few weeks before Christmas, she is devastated. George believes that she has been too obsessed with him, not living her own life. Poppy puts together a plan to woo George back in the twelve days that she will see him before Christmas. But she ends up broadening her own horizons instead. Will it be enough to win back?

My thoughts
This is the third book of Elizabeth Neep’s that I have read, and I do believe it’s her strongest writing. There are subtle Christmas messages woven into the story. Poppy starts to understand what the true meaning of love is, being selfless and not selfish. I loved how Poppy’s character grew and developed as Christmas approaches. It’s a sweet read, perfect for the holiday season! 🌲 🔔 🤶

I read an eARC copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.

[Jane Shambler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heart warming of someone who finds her independence and a new life after she is dumped by her long term boyfriend just before christmas. The problem was he was her life. He is in a boy band and comes across as selfish. But the excuse he uses is that she is too needy. She felt she was being supportive.

I liked Poppy a lot. She was easy to warm too. She sets out to save her christmas in twelve days. But what she finds is new friends and new things to do. She finds a new her not in anyway related to the person she was.

In some ways it's sad because she got dumped. But then a whole new world opens up. She does it to prove George (oh yeah that's the guys name) wrong. But she gets more.

I love a happy ending. But you're going to have to read it to find out.

Enjoy!

[Charm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved all the layers to the story! At first you’re thinking why in tarnation is she going through all this when she should just let it go BUT you start to see her becoming who she really is, who she’s always been hidden from the fear of losing her bf. I loved seeing the side of her helping around the community center, joining the choir, and helping those who actually deserve it. When she’s around her bf and his friends she even realizes how shallow they are. Nothing like being around ppl that suck out of the joy from the air! & the ending of this one, especially the train ride scene was perfect 👌🏽

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You may only be visiting but you already belong here."

This book took me by surprise in the best way! Poppy is expecting an engagement ring for Christmas from her boyfriend of 5 years, George. Instead, she gets dumped. During the break up George tells her that she's needy and essentially needs a life of her own. Poppy, maybe for the wrong reasons, decides to do just that -with the help of her new friend Marie. Poppy is on a journey to "get George back" but really she's discovering a lot about herself. I loved her journey in this book. Towards the end I was super frustrated, how could she not see what George and her friends were doing and how they were downplaying her accomplishments. They were super judgemental people and I loved it when Poppy finally stood up for herself.

This was such a wonderful story of finding yourself, realizing what's important, and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas. Highly recommend!

[Holly Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve Days to Save Christmas is a lovely book filled with characters who show us the real meaning of Christmas.

Poppy is such a likeable character, and her personal growth throughout the book is a journey that the reader will be glad to be taking. There is humour, romance, friendship, and, friends who became family.

This is an enjoyable read and definitely worth curling up on a wintery evening with to get you into the Christmas spirit.

[Krystal - nerdy_book_lover_1987 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute read for Christmas time! I love Poppys journey of losing her boyfriend and trying to win him back but changing herself for the better without even realizing it within twelve days before Christmas. All the characters were so lovable and relatable in some sort of way. Definitely a feel good book perfect for this upcoming holiday season.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one got me crying

[Louise Pledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story to be quite heartwarming. Poppy is a delightful character who is struggling from the recent loss of her job and the recent loss of a five-year romantic relationship. When she finds herself at "Church Street", she meets many interesting and diverse people who help her to discover who she really is. One, upon hearing about her broken heart, challenges Poppy to win George back by Christmas. Basically, this is the story of the twelve days he will be available in order for her to do that. The last part dragged a little (I felt), but the ending was worth it!

Thanks, NetGalley for allowing me to read this early.

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'Twelve Days To save Christmas' by Elizabeth Neep.

Read and reviewed via NetGalley for Elizabeth Neep, Bookouture publishers and Bookouture anonymous

Publication date 19th October 2021.

This is the third book I have read by this author. I have previously read 'The New Me' and 'Never Say No' which I highly recommend.


I was originally drawn to this book by its beautiful eye catching cover and its intriguing synopsis and title. The synopsis stated that 'Fans of One Day in December, Beth O’Leary and Mhairi McFarlane will be completely enchanted by this witty and warm festive story about friendship, love and finding yourself.' I am a huge fan of 'One Day In December' so am looking forward to seeing if this lives up to this statement. I am also a huge fan of Elizabeth and if this is half as good as 'Never Say No' and 'The New Me' it is sure to be a page turning read. I must admit I was also biased due to the publisher being Bookouture. I have yet to read a book published by Bookouture that I haven't enjoyed. Hopefully this won't be the first... Watch this space! (Written before I started reading the book).

This novel consists of 30 chapters. The chapters are short to medium in length so possible to read 'just one more chapter' before bed...OK, I know yeah right, but still just in case!

This book is based in London , England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 , UK 🇬🇧. The bonus for me of books that are partly or fully based in the UK is that I live in the UK and have sometimes visited places mentioned in the book which makes it easier to picture. I have actually been on holiday to both on several occasions so am looking forward to seeing if I recognise anywhere that Elizabeth has based the book on.

This book is written in first person perspective and the main protagonist is Poppy. The benefits of books written in first person perspective are as long as they are well written it makes you feel that you are being spoken to by the protagonist and it can create more of a bond between yourselves and them.

🎶 It's begging to look a lot like Christmas 🎶 in this gorgeous festive heart warmer!!!

Well done Elizabeth!! Yet another amazingly successful page turner!!! I absolutely LOVED IT, considering I loved 'Never Say No' and 'The New Me' though I shouldn't be surprised, your a very talented author!!

This book is extremely well written and the writing flows beautifully. It felt like Poppy was telling me her story from across the table. The vivid descriptions brought the story to life along with the scents and sounds of the Christmas markets. The synopsis, title and cover work perfectly with the storyline.

I was absolutely hooked from page one until the fantastic ending. I completely absorbed this page turner in one sitting. I've read so many crime novels lately thay I really enjoyed reading something so light hearted that made me laugh out loud on several occasions. The storyline was unique and realistic and it just shows how easy it is for one thing to make you feel that your life is spiralling out of control. It also really shows the reader about what love is and what it should and shouldn't be about. I seriously could not put it down and every time a chapter ended and I thought I could go to sleep each one left me wanting more. An absolute breathe of fresh air!! The storyline is filled with friendship, envy, love, romance, hertbreak, tears and laughter. I thought the headings of some of the chapters were fantastic and a great little addition to the festivities. . The book ended perfectly although I would definitely love to read more about what they all get up to next.

The characters are all realistic, strong and well defined. I really enjoyed getting to know them all. However Poppy did make me want to scream and shout at her in several occasions. In fact I actually did a few times causing me to get a few odd looks off my partner and children!!! She is such a lovely person and her infatuation just drove me mad!!! However it does go to show how easy it is to forget everything and everyone when you think you need something else. I loved seeing Poppy grow on her own and it was a shame and heartbreaking really how she didn't see the difference she was making along with something else that happened. It is sooooo hard to say how I felt about her and George without giving too much away so sadly I think I will have to leave it there and let you see for yourselves. I wasn't a fan of Charlie, Linda, Becca, Andy, Frankie either although I did warm to Dee slightly by the end.I absolutely LOVED meeting Marie, Aran, Theo, Avery, Linda, Stanley, Ruth, Roger and everyone at the community centre. I really felt like I had become part of the family and was absolutely gutted to have to say goodbye. I would absolutely love to read more about Church Street. Although this book is light hearted and such a fun read it definitely leaves you thinking. It is a good reminder to be yourself for you and make sure you are happy while making others happy too!! It was lovely to see all the different relationships between the characters grow, develop and change. Hopefully, you never know, there may be a Church Street spin off.... Hint hint Elizabeth 😉!!

Another HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO Elizabeth on this fantastic book. I'm looking forward to your next success!! I would also love to see this book turned into a movie, Bridget Jones watch out!


Overall a beautifully written, festive, light hearted breathe of fresh air that is perfect to read anywhere and everywhere.


Genres covered in this novel include Romance Novel, Humorous Fiction, Contemporary Romance and Holiday Fiction amongst others.


I would recommend this book to the fans of the above as well as fans of Bridget Jones,'One Day In December' and anyone looking for a light hearted page turner.


382 pages.

This book is just 99p to purchase on kindle via Amazon which I think is an absolute bargain for this book!!!

Rated 5 /5 (I LOVED it ) on Goodreads, Instagram, Amazon UK and Amazon US and on over 30 Facebook pages plus my blog on Facebook.

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[Reanne Wagliardo · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this book we follow Poppy our main character who has been struggling with her recent "unemployment" (relatable), and to top it all off, her long time boyfriend George decides it's time for them to break up. Poppy being heartbroken by the thought of losing her one true love decides to use the twelve days that they have together to try to remind George of why he should resend his breakup. In order to prove to George that Poppy's life doesn't "revolve around him" as George literally put it in the book, Poppy stumbles upon a volunteer opportunity AND a choir she joins.

**Fair warning this contains spoilers**

My opinions on characters: George is quite literally the worst in my opinion. If he was a real person there would be so many red flags popping up you'd have to be blind to not see them. After spending five years with Poppy, he decides that she's around too much and has nothing going on in her life other than being with him. Then when Poppy actually starts becoming busy with the Church Street Community Center (where she volunteers), and meets friends like Theo, Aran, Avery, and Marie, all of a sudden she's good enough to warrant George's time and love again? Like Poppy acknowledges in the book, the only reason that George wanted to get back together with Poppy is because he was jealous that she was no longer giving 100% of her time to him.

Poppy's character also ended up getting on my nerves. While I understand that her past plays a lot into her not wanting to give up on her relationship with George, she NEVER stands up for herself. It was. a struggle to get through parts of Poppy's journey, from the time that George first "gets her back" til the end of the Cotswolds trip. George's friends make fun of Poppy and her wanting to be in a choir, they belittle her accomplishments and are just plain mean. And during the whole trip she knows that they are making fun of her and the new friends that she's made, and she still continues to make excuses for them and again ignore all of the red flags.

Marie and Aran however are probably the best part of this book. They helped Poppy understand her worth and realize that she's better than just accepting her life the way it was. When Marie told Poppy that if George really loved her wouldn't he be supportive of her, I have never agreed with anything more. Theo's character also was a plus, he definitely told Poppy how it is, and I am glad that the author didn't push these characters together in the end. I felt like there wasn't as much of a connection between the two to make sense that they would be together by the time the book ended. So I actually do appreciate that it was left with a possibility of them being together rather than them for sure being together.

Strangely, I felt that if this book was actually a movie, I would have really liked it. However as a book, it felt as if there wasn't enough development between characters. The will they/won't they between Poppy and George was predictable to me that they never would, especially because of the band, that was quite literally my first reading red flag where I knew they weren't going to make it. Any character that puts his band before his girlfriend, isn't it. And because I knew that they weren't actually going to make it, it made the process drawn out and at parts unnecessary. Bottom line, I wouldn't really recommend this to anyone.

*Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Frankie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy – who is one of the best characters I’ve ‘met’ in a long time she is wonderful a very realistic and relatable young woman who mere weeks before her favourite time of the year; Christmas he beloved boyfriend, the man she loves before everything else decides this is it, he’s had enough of her ‘clinginess’ of how ‘needy’ she is and whats to end their relationship. Heartbreak alert!!

She has spent the last five years loving him, she is devastated how can he think that she is too much? She just likes to show him how much she loves him and that’s ok, right? It’s fine to shower him with love every day, well that is what she thinks and I do think that George (her boyfriend) has a point she has invested her five years of her life to him, I do think that she is a little tied up to making him happy instead of looking after herself too. But, still, you want to get the ice cream out and sob with her in front of a boxset.

So our Poppy comes up with a devilish plan, she isn’t going to sit around sobbing while George walks out of her life, she comes up with a plan to not only save her relationship but to save her Christmas too. So the Twelve Days to Save Christmas begins and this is when the story gets interesting!

Once you fully sink into the story and start reading between the lines it’s a story all about not saving Christmas or saving a relationship this is all about finding your own feet. Poppy is hugely insecure, she is clingy and she is in a bad place of not knowing herself or even what she wants she has relied on the fact that George has always been there, she has lost a part of herself in her need to make him happy, which I found rather sad. But in her plan to save her relationship and her Christmas she starts to come out of her shell, she finds friends finds a purpose and more than that she finds her self worth.

I loved watching Poppy grow from a meek insecure young woman who has no self-confidence to a stronger more self-assured woman who learnt how to live life instead of living through someone else. She went out of her comfort zone and by the end through all the turmoil’s she was much happier for it.

This is my first book by Elizabeth Neep and I was hooked!! I loved her fun, laugh out loud, romantic, and hugely festive and feel-good writing, this book has it all. It’s a little chaotic – but when is Christmas not a huge chaotic mess? I loved it, it’s the perfect book for winding down, having a jolly good laugh and feeling all Christmassy, what more could you want?

Overall, this is a charming and delightfully funny book, full of Christmas spirit and perfect for the festive season.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Give yourself the gift of laughter this winter with the latest fun, feel-good and hilarious romantic comedy from Elizabeth Neep: Twelve Days to Save Christmas.

Christmas is Poppy’s favourite time of year. Every December, she goes all out to ensure that the holiday season is absolutely perfect for her and her boyfriend, George. However, this year George doesn’t seem to be full of the Yuletide spirit and Poppy soon discovers why: he is leaving her! Poppy is naturally distraught, but she will not let the man she loves walk out of her life so easily. She vows to win him back over the twelve days of Christmas and she soon sets a plan in motion. Will Poppy get her man back? Or will the coming weeks be full of surprising revelations that will make her realise that she needs to look further afield to find the happiness she is seeking?

Determined to prove to George that she can be spontaneous, Poppy signs up to be a Christmas volunteer at the local community centre. Poppy throws herself fully into this role and is soon completely and utterly immersed in her new job – which is just as well as her new boss Theo is a man who isn’t easily impressed. However, Poppy’s volunteer work lights a fire deep within her that makes her realise that she is a strong, capable and determined woman who doesn’t need George to be happy – especially as she cannot stop herself from wanting to kiss Theo under the mistletoe!

Will Poppy find the one thing she has always wanted under the Christmas tree this Yuletide: her one true love? Or will all her best laid plans end up going awry?

In Twelve Days to Save Christmas, Elizabeth Neep has written a hilarious Yuletide romp that made me laugh out loud on plenty of occasions. Heartwarming, uplifting and simply magical, this fantastic romantic comedy charms and delight from beginning to end with a great mix of brilliant characters, rib-tickling humour and plenty of Christmas magic.

A gorgeous holiday romance that will melt your heart, Elizabeth Neep’s Twelve Days to Save Christmas is an immensely enjoyable tale you are simply going to love.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[B.S. Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poppy loves Christmas. It's her favourite time of the year, but this year George doesn't quite seem to be into it. He doesn't want to wear the adorable matching christmas jumper with her, he doesn't want to talk about their Christmas plans ... and he doesn't want to be together anymore.

Ever since she was made redundant and started freelancing, he said she's too needy, too clingy, just too much. So now, she is loveless, almost homeless, and the owner of a cute matching jumper set with nobody to wear them with. She works out they have about twelve days left together before they move out of the flat they'd spent the last two years in together and her life officially falls apart. She's not going to give up that easy though, so she sets to work on a miracle to save their relationship - but as she sets to work, she might just find the Christmas Miracle she needs isn't the one she wants after all.

A Christmas love story with that signature Neep feel-good glow, this is definitely getting added to my festive reading lists for the future. Elizabeth Neep always has a way to find the chaos in everyday life and sprinkle it with something truly magical.

This was a delightful story not just about loving someone else, but loving yourself and finding your place. I loved Poppy, despite the fact she was a neurotic, insecure mess, with almost no identity outside of her relationships. At first I really thought I wasn't going to be able to connect with her, but she starts to grow and learn page by page, helped by the people she meets along the way. After taking over the marketing for a homeless shelter/coffee shop/church group, joining a christmas choir, making new friends and trying dating again, we're there with her for her entire journey. The relationships throughout all progress so naturally and believably, each character so fully formed and memorable.

I once described Elizabeth Neeps writing as a 'glorious chaotic mess' and I still stand by that statement. This was a Christmas Adventure full of fun and laughter, witty and warm and a definite Christmas classic in the making.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

12 Days to Save Christmas follows the story of Poppy and George, who are a couple who have been together for a few years and Poppy's favourite time of the year is Christmas time. However, this Christmas time is going to send Poppy's head for a spin, as her world starts to fall apart in ways she did not seeing coming from a mile away. George drops the bomb that he wants to end their relationship, so close to Christmas where they've got plans as a couple to see through. However, after meeting some new people, Poppy sees this as a chance to show George what he's missing out on as she tries to win him back with the 12 days they have left in their apartment before Christmas and they part ways forever. Poppy stumbles upon the community centre that is based at the local church. Poppy sees this as an opportunity to show George she isn't needy and can make new friends without George. This is where Poppy starts to question her life and what it's become. What will Poppy do now?

I truly loved this book! I found it so incredibly easy to read and get caught up in within the story. It was such a wild ride following Poppy's story, as she grew as a person and realised what she wanted from her life. Through this story, the reader is able to cheer Poppy on as she realises to grow as a person she has to come and confront her past and tell others her story from her past and how she became the Poppy that everyone from George to everyone at the community centre loves. I loved the themes of finding and becoming true to yourself, finding friends in places you weren't expecting and what the real meaning of family is.

All of the individuals at the community centre were absolutely beautiful characters, no matter how rough around the edges they were. Theo, the 'boss' of the community centre was a soft cinnamon bun with the classic hard exterior. I loved reading any scene with Poppy and Theo, especially as Poppy became more involved within the community centre, as Theo didn't want Poppy to join the community centre, have people at the centre get attached and then Poppy leave out of the blue.

Although I loved majority of this book, I will say that the only things I didn't like was certain characters and how they treated Poppy. Poppy and George's friends who you meet later in the book, I hated the way they treated her when they found out she volunteered and also did a bit of work at the church community centre and how she had joined their choir. I also found the way that George communicates with Poppy later in the book to be terrible and this was also around their terrible friends. But in saying this, I do get the vibe that these friends weren't supposed to be liked and to show how much Poppy had grown and how important the people at the church community centre had become to Poppy and her life.

This book screams a classic hallmark Christmas movie on the big screen, and I truly hope that one day this does happen! This is the first book of Elizabeth Neep's that I've read and I can tell I will be seeking out more of her books in the future, as I just love her writing style and can't wait to meet other characters and follow other story lines of hers.

Thank you very much to Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this novel and allowing me to participate in the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

[Karen Axnick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost gave up on this book several times, and I’m glad I stuck it out to the finish.

Poppy’s five year relationship with her true love goes off the tracks when George, the afore-mentioned love, declares she is too needy and too present ever since she lost her job. Just weeks before Christmas, he initiates the break-up, but stays in their apartment with her until the lease expires at the end of the year. Poppy is devastated – she has been struggling to establish herself as a free-lance public relations consultant and now is losing her relationship and her home. Determined to make the most of the time remaining – about twelve days of shared time and space – Poppy crafts a plan to show George that she can be the confident, successful woman he fell in love with and reverse his decision.

So here’s why I almost bailed on this book. Poppy is a poster child for codependency. She has catered to George’s every whim, supported his dreams and asked for little, if nothing, in return. Her obsessive behavior is rooted in her painful childhood, which is understandable, but becomes tedious as she puts reuniting with George as the motivation of all her choices. What made the story worthwhile is that Poppy begins slowly, but steadily, to develop her sense of self-worth, to cultivate new friends based on her own values, and to realize she must embrace her past in order to heal. The ending felt satisfying and realistic.

This is an unusual Christmas story. It is described in the promotional material as a “delightfully fun, festive romantic comedy.” Given all the angst that Poppy experiences, this would not be my choice of adjectives for this book. It definitely imparts a positive message at the end of this heroine’s journey and for that I was grateful, but it was an emotionally bumpy trek for the majority of the book.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.