25 Days ‘Til Christmas
by Poppy Alexander
My thoughts:
25 Days ‘Til Christmas was nothing like what I expected. It’s much more complex than any other Christmas books I’ve read, dealing with some tough issues like depression, death, lonliness, suicide, and learning disorders.
In this story we read about Kate and Daniel, both living in Bristol, England, who are now suffering grief after loss. Kate’s husband (Tom) passed away after leaving for the army and she’s left to care for their young son (Jake) with little support. Daniel lost his sister (Zoe) due to a heart condition that was left untreated.
The holidays are a trigger for sadness and depression for many people, and Christmas is just another day–one that Kate would love to avoid altogether. Having Jake though, it seems obligatory to celebrate Christmas, and Kate wants him to be happy. The issue is that Kate’s depressed and misses her husband. Not only that, even though Kate works very hard selling Christmas trees and has some side work, she’s living paycheck to paycheck and consistently has to count pennies to be sure there’s enough food on the table. What she needs is to find a social connection, to get outside her comfort zone, and to get back to living life. With the help of a friend and by using an advent calendar, she makes an effort to do something Christmassy with Jack every day in December leading up to Christmas day. With new problems on the horizon, Kate isn’t sure she can manage all these struggles, and questions how anything can possibly work out.
Daniel’s story is also unfortunate. After losing his sister just under a year ago, he can’t stand the thought of spending this next Christmas without her. In his spare time he volunteers on a crisis helpline that assists people who are struggling with mental health issues–mainly suicidal thoughts. He genuinely wants to help others. Daniel strives to connect with someone he’s met in the past, someone he calls ‘The Christmas Tree Girl’, but he isn’t sure the best way to go about it.
I was invested in these characters from the very start. The story felt realistic and believable because every conflict faced by these characters is logical and part of everyday life for many of us. As much as I love the holidays, they always seem to evoke some sadness and depression in me due to lost loved ones, and that made the book feel relevant to me. My emotions were running high throughout.
The author’s writing is great, but the story was honestly somewhat of a slow burn for me; it was insufferable at times because it was so depressing. For once, I just wanted something to work out for Kate, Jake, and Daniel, and situations just seemed to gradually get worse. With that said, there were some happier parts within the story, and the final pages of the book left me totally satisfied, so I’m glad to have made it through. This book brought me down, but it also built me back up again. Even though the ending was rushed, it was lovely.
4****
Find this book on Goodreads and Amazon:
- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks (October 8, 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0062958798
- ISBN-13: 978-0062958792
Blurb:
In this heartwarming, feel-good holiday novel, one woman needs to find a little inspiration in the 25 days leading up to Christmas to help her remember the magic of the season and the magic of falling in love—perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan and Josie Silver.
Kate Potter used to love Christmas. A few years ago, she would have been wrapping her presents in September and baking mince pies on Halloween, counting down the days and hours to Christmas. But that was before Kate’s husband left for the army and never came home. Now she can hardly stand December at all.
Kate can’t deny she’s lonely, yet she doesn’t think she’s ready for romance. She knows that her son, Jack, needs a Christmas to remember—just like Kate needs a miracle to help her finally move forward with her life. So she’s decided if there isn’t a miracle on its way, she’ll just have to make her own.
As Kate’s advent countdown to the best Christmas ever begins, she soon realizes that even with the best laid plans, you can’t plan for the unexpected. For when the path of the loneliest woman in town crosses with that of the loneliest man, these two destined hearts might find a way to save the holiday for both of them.
This is book #4 for the 20 Books For Christmas reading challenge. To see my progress, you can click the image below.
Enter the giveaway to win a free print copy of 25 Days ‘Til Christmas!
2 Winners – open to USA only.
Simply leave a comment below and you’ll be entered into the drawing which ends on Thursday November 14th, 2019. Winners will be announced Friday, November 15th, 2019.
Thanks for reading my review! What Christmas books are you reading this year? Comment below and you’ll be entered into the giveaway for a free print copy of 25 Days ‘Til Christmas!
♥️💚♥️ Mischenko
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Lovely, thoughtful review, M! Please don’t enter me because I have the book, but I appreciate knowing ahead of time it’s a bit of a slow burn and an emotional one too.
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Thanks, Jen! ♥️
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Thanks for such a wonderful and thoughtful review Jen. This is definitely a different story than what I would have expected from the cover. Definitely a realistic story though. I was going to read this one, but not sure if I have the emotional fortitude for this story, I will have to see. Thanks for the chance to win this one.
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Thanks, Carla. I felt the same after reading it. The blurb doesn’t make it sound very depressing. You might end up loving it though. Personally, I was very happy with the conclusion. I’ll announce winners on Friday. Good luck! ♥️
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Thanks Jen.
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I love your review! It gave me such a good insight into the story without revealing too much. I would definitely need to be in the right mood to jump into it though.
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Thanks, Kristina. I think it’s totally worth a read. I’m interested in your thoughts on it. ☺️ Thanks for your comment.
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I’m interested to see what I’d think of it. 🙂
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If I’m reading a Christmas story, I prefer it to be more light-hearted. Glad the last few pages made up for it!
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I know what you mean, Teri. In the end I’m glad I read it. 😊 Thx
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Sounds emotional and realistic book. Wonderful review!
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Thanks, Yesha! ♥️
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I’ve read several books lately where the depressing story line nearly broke me two, however, I’d rather read realistic holiday stories than some of the saccharine sweet ones that are out there right now. They make me feel as though I’m the only person in the world who isn’t living a “happily ever after” story in real life. I’ll add this one to my reading list for this season. Great review as always!
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I agree with you there, Mackey. So far I feel like I’ve been lucky with a nice variety of Christmas stories this year. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one! Thank you so much. ♥️
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Excellent review, Mischenko! I could tell how you must have been feeling while you were reading this. Sincere, honest and fair review. Loved it!🥰
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Thank you, Noriko! I appreciate that so much. ♥️
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Great review Mischenko!! I don’t typically read very many Christmas books but this year I have several I’m going to be reading and I am looking for more. This has definitely intrigued me!! 🤞
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Thank you, Misty! I hope you enjoy some festive reads this year. I’ll be drawing names Thurs. night. Good luck!
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Thank you!! I hope so too!! 🤞
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Sounds inspirational too. Especially if all works out for the best in the end. Grieving is never easy but moving on with life is necessary for the living.
I will forever remember the ‘great’ Christmas’s with beloved family members who are in heaven now.
Nice review! Thx for sharing! 🙂💕🎄❄️
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I agree! I’ll always remember those Christmases too. Thanks for your thoughts!
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Awesome giveaway and Loving the review! Thanks so much for the chance to win and Happy Holidays to you and your family.
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Thank you! You too 😊
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