25 Days 'Til Christmas: A Novel

Written by Poppy Alexander

Narrated by Helen Keeley

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Oct 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9780062959188

Poppy Alexander

Poppy Alexander wrote her first book when she was five. There was a long gap in her writing career while she was at school, and after studying classical music at university, she decided the world of music was better off without her and took up public relations, campaigning, political lobbying, and a bit of journalism instead. She takes an anthropological interest in family, friends, and life in her West Sussex village (think The Archers crossed with Twin Peaks), where she lives with her husband, children, and various other pets.

Reviews for 25 Days 'Til Christmas

[Taryn Newville · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Lovable, believable character s who stand their ground (when pushed hard enough) and a great, feel good story.

[beckyglou · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked the book and plot, but the ending was a little too Cinderella for me. She has all these people rush in and solve all of her problems and she just seemed to fail on her own. I wanted the main character to figure out a little bit more.

[jana.spoerer · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It was a wonderful listen!
It tugged at my heartstrings and I would definitely recommend this!
The characters were both very likable and there was great chemistry between them.

[Laura M · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The characters were so vivid and natural and the storyline was great!

[Summer Fazzone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Liked this quite a bit. There were a few moments where I was a bit fed up with Kate but for the most part I liked her a lot and felt for her and her son. I also loved Daniel. He is by far my favorite character. This isn’t a feel good book but it is what reality looks like for many families. Everyone deserves a happy ending!

[tuf25995 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yes, the cover is a bit deceiving. Is this a super happy everything is wonderful Christmassy book? No. However, I still found it to be full of Christmas spirit and a pleasure to read. It is sad but it is real. Life can really beat you to a pulp, no matter what time of year it is. Figgy pudding or not. It was all wrapped up in a crisp, tidy bow a little too quickly at the end, I’d say, but that said, it was an enjoyable ride.

[maydacat_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kate, a widow with a six-year-old son, is lonely and barely getting by on her meager salary. She in inundated with problems, and it seems like every day brings a new struggle. Daniel is lonely, too, having lost his sister in the past year. But getting these two people, who to the reader are meant for each other, takes a bit doing on the author’s part. This book is much more than a typical Christmas book whose only purpose is to give the reader a warm fuzzy feeling. It deals with death, suicide, mental illness, child behavior problems, sexual harassment, loneliness, and more, and yet it offers hope and encouragement and solutions in a positive way. And it’s all tied together with Christmas as its foundation.

[slevyr26 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yes, the cover is a bit deceiving. Is this a super happy everything is wonderful Christmassy book? No. However, I still found it to be full of Christmas spirit and a pleasure to read. It is sad but it is real. Life can really beat you to a pulp, no matter what time of year it is. Figgy pudding or not. It was all wrapped up in a crisp, tidy bow a little too quickly at the end, I’d say, but that said, it was an enjoyable ride.