Holiday speed dating. 12 dates in 24 days. Could Lizzie be any more desperate or insane?
It’s been three years since Lizzie’s last date. If she wants to get married and have kids, then she’ll have to put her heart on the line again. Thus the holiday speed dating event her best friend drags her to. Crazy? Yes. Foolish? The jury’s still out. With each disastrous date, Lizzie questions her sanity. Is the algorithm off? The one thing keeping her going: Will. She has to report each date to him, and their video chats are the highlight of her nights. The problem: he’s the one man she can’t have. If only she could meet him under the mistletoe…but that’s against the rules.
Will’s usually a rule follower, but when it comes to Lizzie, his rebellious side leaks out. Hearing about her dates with other men? Torture. Hearing her voice and seeing her face? Pure bliss, especially that dimple he can’t get enough of. He’ll bake up a storm while riding out her twelve dates, and then he can ask her out.
But when Lizzie’s contract ends on Christmas Eve and she’s free to date, a secret comes to light that could smash their chance at happiness like a shattered snowglobe.
If you like contemporary romance with a touch of humor, forbidden love, and sweet stories with just kisses, then you’ll love 12 Kisses to Christmas by award-winning author Lisa Swinton.
Award-winning author Lisa Swinton loves romance, travel, Disney, Jane Austen, and tidying up, not necessarily in that order. When she's not writing and being a mom, you might find her singing on stage.
This was a fun, humorous and sweet Christmas book playing off of the 12 days of Christmas theme. Except Lizzie has 12 blind dates from her speed dating adventure that her friend dragged her into. Each of those dates try to kiss her in some way. What she doesn't expect is falling for the moderator whom she checks in with after each date.
Will was wonderful. Poor guy having to listen to all of Lizzie's failed dates and her good dates as well (the little green jealousy monster might have tried to emerge for those ones)! But he definitely had the upperhand to all of those speed dating guys by being able to talk with Lizzie and really learn who the real her is.
I laughed at many of Lizzie's dates. I thought the author did a great job of creating different personalities for each of those dates. It was great. Some of them I really liked and others I was like, "send them packing now Lizzie!!!" Will thought the same thing as me! ;-) Unfortunately they both signed a contract to not have any connection with the moderator/moderatee (ok, not really a word but I'm going with it in this instance) while participating in the dating. So Will is gonna bide his time, bake a lot, and try to win her over in the little ways he can!
It was really a charming and fun read! Sure to have you smiling and laughing and kicking a few men to the curb (the speed dating men that is)!
Content: Clean. Some kisses but nothing further than kisses. No language or anything graphic or explicit.
I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.
This book reads like a Hallmark movie. I loved the forced twelve dates before Christmas. The awkwardness, and the sweet mini-dates Lizzie had as she debriefed about her dates with Will. I read this through the Kindle Vella program and stayed up way too late binge reading only to realize that all of the chapters weren’t out yet. That was a rude awakening! This was a story I didn’t want to put down (or wait a week at a time for). My only complaint is that after all the bad dates, I wanted more for her at the end. She deserves it ;). She needs an epilogue! All in all, this was an adorable Christmas read. It will make you want to cuddle up in your jammies with hot cocoa.
This story has a fun premise and felt fresh to me. Will and Lizzie get to know each other through video calls after Lizzie has a string of mostly horrible blind dates she is contractually obligated to. I felt like this gave them a good rapport and a curiosity for more. Lizzie's dates are crazy. How did the author think all of them up?! I hope it wasn't from personal experience!! This is a sweet, slow burn romance.
I loved, loved, loved this book. Lizzie’s friend Charlee gets her to go to a speed dating event. When they register Lizzie feels a connection with one of the workers, Will. But, she’s contracted for 12 dates. Will becomes her moderator and she has to check in with him after every date. Some of her dates were outrageous, but I laughed out loud when Will exploded the frozen peas on his head. This is a great book and a wonderful holiday read.
I was given this advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
This sweet, funny and charming romance touched my heart and left me smiling happily. I will confess that the ending nearly left me in tears too. Lizzie has been wary of dating after the last romantic disaster that left her heartbroken. Her friend prodded her to go to the speed dating event and wouldn’t let her to refuse to go on the dates. She kept going for that reason and because the moderator who contacted after each date was Will, the man she felt a connection to during the speed dating event. He talks to her about the dates…..what she liked and disliked, if she wanted a second date etc. He is easy to talk to and always seem to be baking or cooking during their video calls. He never rushes to end their conversations either. They gradually find out more about each other and discover they have a lot in common. Lizzie’s dates never seem to work out (some are hilariously disastrous), and she doesn’t feel a connection to any of the men like she does with Will. However, she did agree to going on dates with the 12 men picked for her by the matchmaker, Will’s sister. He also must adhere to the rules his sister gave him, though he might have stretched a few for Lizzie. All Lizzie can think of is finishing the dates and being free to date who she wants…..Will. Does he feel the same? He hasn’t been dating only moderating. Maybe he is interested in someone else? Lizzie is afraid to trust her instincts, afraid to hope, but maybe this time, with the help of some Christmas magic, she will finally have her chance at a happily ever after.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This was a super-fun romantic comedy with several laugh out loud moments. Lizzie hasn't dated in several years and since she's kind of an introvert and works from home her chances of meeting someone new are kind of slim. So she lets her bestie drag her into a holiday speed-dating event to meet some new people, and go on a few dates. The algorithm matches people based on their profiles and Lizzie is contracted to date 12 different guys before Christmas!! That's a lot of blind dates!!
Poor Lizzie! Some of those dates were terrible from the start and somehow end date ended with Lizzie getting an unexpected and unwanted kiss. The matches were so off, Lizzie mentioned it to Will, her moderator. He's the guy she reports to after each date, answering questions such as how was the date? Would you go on a second date? Through all of this Lizzie and Will have a great connection with each other but unfortunately, they can't date until she completes the 12 dates Lizzie agreed to do. Stupid contract!!
I loved both Lizzie and Will. Lizzie is a better woman than me because I would've ended up leaving some of those guys before the evening even started. I loved Lizzie's routine of a cup of herbal tea and cuddling with her cats. Will is great boyfriend material--he really listened to Lizzie when they talked and the man bakes!!! I loved how they were able to get to know each other through their video chats.
This is an adorable Christmas romance that also has a few serious moments to balance the lighthearted parts. I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
Romance, sweet, contemporary Lizzie and Will's story waa a cute matchmaker speed dating story setting. The bad dates and Lizzie and Will's cute attraction for each other made for a cute fun read. Had a bit of an issue with Will baking as part of the story, but generally a fun, sweet romance.
12 dates in 24 days spring boarding from a holiday speed dating event – What could go wrong?
Poor Lizzie. Not only was she an unwilling participant in the circus of speed dating, but the men she ended up on full dates with were a pretty interesting in many bad ways. Some of the dates were just laugh out loud funny. Others were the kind that, if real, would have made anyone swear off of relationships forever. Thankfully, Lizzie had Will in her corner to encourage and lift her spirits. Their attraction was sweet and I loved that Will baked yummy sounding treats to help him cope with being on the sidelines.
The conflict at the end was a little overdone and I did struggle with Lizzie not walking away from the contract after some horrible dates but in the end the right man won her heart.
"12 Kisses to Christmas" was a fun read. Its entertaining fast-paced plot was focused on a young lady's trials of going on a series of dates to find that truly special person while she secretly showed interest in Will, the guy who debriefed her after each date. Will secretly showed interest in Lizzie (the young lady) as well. It was Will's sister's company that had brought the couples together for their dates. The plot was funny and interesting. However, the narrative had several errors that needed better proofreading. Nevertheless, I liked the amusing storyline, the engaging characters, and the author's vivid descriptions. I received a copy for free, and I am voluntarily giving my honest review.
12 Kisses to Christmas is a sweet, fun, charming, heartwarming romance. I kept reading well past bedtime because I had to see the next, disastrous date poor Lizzie would have to endure. I also enjoyed her date reviews with Will. I did correctly figure out why her dates were so bad, but it did not lessen my enjoyment of this well written book. Will certainly pulled out all the stops to plan the perfect date! You do not want to miss this book!
I loved this book of Christmas Romance! Full of Fun, Laughter misunderstandings and confusion of feelings. Great story lines especially about a speed dating mishaps. I highly recommend this book!
This is such a fun story. The 12 dates are sometimes hilarious and sometimes just fun. The relationship between Lizzie and Will was a very unusual one and brilliantly thought out. This is a super fun, page turning, sweet, clean romance.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT Holiday speed dating. 12 dates in 24 days. Could Lizzie be any more desperate or insane?
It’s been three years since Lizzie’s last date. If she wants to get married and have kids, then she’ll have to put her heart on the line again. Thus the holiday speed dating event her best friend drags her to. Crazy? Yes. Foolish? The jury’s still out. With each disastrous date, Lizzie questions her sanity. Is the algorithm off? The one thing keeping her going: Will. She has to report each date to him, and their video chats are the highlight of her nights. The problem: he’s the one man she can’t have. If only she could meet him under the mistletoe…but that’s against the rules.
Will’s usually a rule follower, but when it comes to Lizzie, his rebellious side leaks out. Hearing about her dates with other men? Torture. Hearing her voice and seeing her face? Pure bliss, especially that dimple he can’t get enough of. He’ll bake up a storm while riding out her twelve dates, and then he can ask her out.
But when Lizzie’s contract ends on Christmas Eve and she’s free to date, a secret comes to light that could smash their chance at happiness like a shattered snowglobe.
MY TAKE What a charming story. My heart just went out to Lizzie. She hadn't wanted to do the speed dating thing anyway, and she put up with a lot more than I would have. I guess she's a nicer person than me because I could totally see why some of those guys were single. And some really took advantage of her niceness.
Having Will be her mentor was a hoot as he's prohibited from making things personal between them even though he's dying to. And he has to rehash her dates with her--and it kills him. Especially when each of the guys kisses her (wanted or not). To make things even more fun, he's involved with a youth group and spends a lot of his evening baking Christmas goodies.
The resolution, with it warts and delights, is swoony. Thank heavens for her forgiving heart.
"12 Kisses to Christmas" written by Lisa Swinton, was originally a 28 episode Kindle Vella series. I read the Vella series first, and then read this book. I laughed and cried while reading them both. This story is about Lizzie who is hornswoggled into going with her best girlfriend Charlee and joining in on a a speed-dating event. Lizzie went to the speedy dating event, and before it even began, she became interested in the handsome man at the reception desk, Will, who wound up being the dating business owner, Kara's, younger brother. Lizzie went through the motions of meeting about a third of the men in the room, and then Kara set her up on a schedule of 12 dates. These dates were supposed to be complete matches for Lizzie, but what most of them turned out to be were total nightmares. Only 2 of the first 11 dates were deemed worthy of a possible 2nd date. Will, Kara's brother, was assigned by Kara as Lizzie's moderator who would ask Lizzie questions about each of the dates. What actually happened was that Lizzie and Will got close through video chatting with each other. Lizzie couldn't wait to get finished with her date, go home, get into comfy clothes and warm socks, snuggle with her two cats, Oreo and Hazel, and talk to Will online. Will struggled through her dates, waiting impatiently and either watching TV or baking cookies and cakes, just waiting for Lizzie to video chat with him. I really, really, really loved the series and the full-length book, and gave them a 5 star rating. I plan on reading more books by Lisa Swinton.
Disclaimer: I got this book for free on Kindle. I participated in stuff your kindle day where I got a bunch of romance books for free, roughly 2,000 books. I normally do not read romance books but I wanted to try the genre. I typically read fantasy, science fiction, biographies, and classics so this is way out of my comfort zone. My plan is to draw a book at random without reading the summary, title, and avoiding looking at the cover. As long as the book is not too graphic for me or leads into something uncomfortable, I will be attempting to finish as many of these books as I can in 2025. I understand that many of these books will likely not be top tier but I am hoping that I can learn something about the romance genre as a whole and figure out if any types of books in this genre are for me.
My Review: Dear Penthouse Forum, it finally happened to me... I really liked this book! The romance was cute. I felt real connection between the characters. Progression in this book made sense! Romance authors, do this more. Its crazy to me how much better I feel about romance after this one. I'd give it 4.5 if I could. My only complaint was the plot was too obvious. Within the first few chapters, I predicted what was going to happen. I'm not knocking it down fully for that as this was a free Kindle read. I can totally see myself reading this one again next Christmas.
A sweet modern romance with hints of Pride and Prejudice! Lizzy’s best friend tricks her into participating in a speed dating event that is followed up by 12 dates with different men. The service also provides a mediator from the company to debrief after each one - Will. The more time Will and Lizzy spend talking, the more they wish it could be more than a professional relationship.
The author’s creativity behind each date is fun and amazing.
This was a cute book. I really liked the premise of speed dating follow up with 12 dates between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and how the author snuck in all the different kisses was clever. I was a little disappointed to find near the end that I was more interested in the horrible dates than in the following scene between the hero and heroine, but, hey, maybe that was just because the dates were so crazy horrible they were funny.
This was the cutest darn thing I've read in a while. Strangers-to-lovers with a slow burn and a Christmas theme? Sign me up! A quick read full of humor, warmth, and a genuine connection built over time. I like that the story was told from the point of view of both characters - it definitely shed better light on their developing feelings and the inner turmoil given their circumstances. Highly recommend!
A story of speed dating and ways it could go wrong. This book could be funny to some. Truthfully, if a girl is put in some of the situations this girl was, she should walk away immediately and not feel bad about leaving. The author does a good job of trying to justify the woman staying.
A quick short read, I devoured it in under 3 hours. Watching the relationship progress as that poor girl went on date after disastrous date had me both laughing and cringing for her, so the ending was a perfect wrap up for the story. HEA guaranteed. No spice. 10/10 good holiday read.
Great story, likable characters, truly clean! Not especially Christian ( characters were okay with alternative lifestyles and depended on the universe instead of the providence of God) but I don’t remember if the book description ever claimed to be Christian so that may be my mistake… still it is a great story and it is clean!
Such a fantastic read for the holidays! I love how the author crafted the story, sending the main character on 12 disaster dates while she fell in love with the mediator who was in charge of monitoring her dates. Totally cute ending.
I completely loved Will and Lizzie’s interactions! My poor husband had to hear several funny parts, because I had to share! I was a whole lot worried at the end, but it worked out. Phew! Now I’m dying to know how her friend did!
The first few dates were funny but they got more and more ridiculous. One of the dates sounded like she should have left long before she did - realistically her life could have been in danger. Not really a book for me.
Can love overcome a lie? A sister's love for her brother caused her to pretend everything was on the up and up. All along she was keeping a big secret from him. Read to see if things go her way.
The dates were quite creative, but the storyline structure was a bit redundant. I wish I saw more input and interactions with her best friend to give the story more depth.
12 Kisses to Christmas: Here best dragged to a speed date thing and didn't want go but she did it any way. The hot man that was taking the papers near the entrance was perfect eye candy. It was a great story with a happy ending.
A real surprise. The hilarious and sometimes touching pitfalls of blind dates while you report about them after the date to the person you really love. Great characters. Very fast moving plot. Funny and touching in equal measure. I loved it!