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owlyreadsalot's review against another edition
2.0
Here was a book that I wanted to love so much, especially because it included Christmas. That's the main reason I picked up this book, because I wanted a good feels, Christmas miracle story. But, that's far from what this book was and I wasn't prepared for any of it. And yes, all of that made a big difference in how I rated this, but also other parts that really didn't sit well with me.
"When the oxygen masks come down from the ceiling you've got to put your own one on first, haven't you? That's what they tell you. Before you can do anything to save your loved ones, right?' 'Okay, I get it,' muttered Kate. 'A bit of a tortured analogy, but fair enough. I get it. To help Jack I have to help myself be well first."
That's where this all goes wrong. Kate doesn't do much throughout the story to help herself get out of all that surrounds her, and the craziness that keeps trying to take over. And every time I thought some of the story might change for the better, I was proven that it could only go downhill, which is not what I wanted to read during the holidays.
Plus, as the story progresses, the reader is made to feel like there might be a great relationship being setup between Kate and Daniel, but much of that falls flat with everything that keeps getting piled on. Believe me, there is A LOT that gets added in here, much of that is the money issues Kate has (all the way 'til the end of the book) and Daniel's loss, which never truly gets closer. It's really not the holiday read I was expecting, or needing at the time.
"She was sobbing openly as she walked through the teeming crowds on the pavement. People stared; an older woman looked concerned. But nobody approached her, and she was glad. She was on her own again. Just her and Jack against the world."
If this story was marked as a different type of read, meant for a very different time (really not something for the holidays), it might have worked better. It's written in the synopsis that this was "Kate's countdown to the best Christmas ever", which you can see by the quote above (a quote in the last chapters), that it isn't so at all. And when the end finally comes along (STOP HERE if you don't want more spoilers), everything gets wrapped up in the worst possible way.
"I have so much to tell you. What do you need?' 'Money for Maureen's nursing home.' 'Done.' 'A career.' 'Done.' 'A school for Jack.' 'Okay, erm, done. Somehow."
Yup, all of this book, the "I'm going to help myself be well first" never happened. Instead, Daniel comes in and saves the day. Yeah, what did I just read? Not only is the school system made to look bad here also, but Jack never gets his happy ending with all of it. Nothing gets resolved with Kate's work, which I wanted to see her rise above it and win, but hey Daniel is going to give her a career now so no biggy. This book just wasn't for me and that makes me all kinds of sad.
***I received this copy from Orion, through a Goodreads giveaway, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
"When the oxygen masks come down from the ceiling you've got to put your own one on first, haven't you? That's what they tell you. Before you can do anything to save your loved ones, right?' 'Okay, I get it,' muttered Kate. 'A bit of a tortured analogy, but fair enough. I get it. To help Jack I have to help myself be well first."
That's where this all goes wrong. Kate doesn't do much throughout the story to help herself get out of all that surrounds her, and the craziness that keeps trying to take over. And every time I thought some of the story might change for the better, I was proven that it could only go downhill, which is not what I wanted to read during the holidays.
Plus, as the story progresses, the reader is made to feel like there might be a great relationship being setup between Kate and Daniel, but much of that falls flat with everything that keeps getting piled on. Believe me, there is A LOT that gets added in here, much of that is the money issues Kate has (all the way 'til the end of the book) and Daniel's loss, which never truly gets closer. It's really not the holiday read I was expecting, or needing at the time.
"She was sobbing openly as she walked through the teeming crowds on the pavement. People stared; an older woman looked concerned. But nobody approached her, and she was glad. She was on her own again. Just her and Jack against the world."
If this story was marked as a different type of read, meant for a very different time (really not something for the holidays), it might have worked better. It's written in the synopsis that this was "Kate's countdown to the best Christmas ever", which you can see by the quote above (a quote in the last chapters), that it isn't so at all. And when the end finally comes along (STOP HERE if you don't want more spoilers), everything gets wrapped up in the worst possible way.
"I have so much to tell you. What do you need?' 'Money for Maureen's nursing home.' 'Done.' 'A career.' 'Done.' 'A school for Jack.' 'Okay, erm, done. Somehow."
Yup, all of this book, the "I'm going to help myself be well first" never happened. Instead, Daniel comes in and saves the day. Yeah, what did I just read? Not only is the school system made to look bad here also, but Jack never gets his happy ending with all of it. Nothing gets resolved with Kate's work, which I wanted to see her rise above it and win, but hey Daniel is going to give her a career now so no biggy. This book just wasn't for me and that makes me all kinds of sad.
***I received this copy from Orion, through a Goodreads giveaway, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.***
stratfam's review against another edition
3.0
A Hallmark movie in a book. A down and out single mother finds ways to make Christmas magical for her son. It gave me some insight into the struggles of being poor.
smalltownbookmom's review
3.0
3.5 - Not the typical light and fluffy Christmas story but I liked that about it. This was a dual perspective light romance that follows single mom Kate who is struggling to make Christmas a happy one for her son this year. When her path crosses with Daniel, another lonely soul struggling during the season, the two start hanging out. Both Kate and Daniel are grieving the loss of loved ones and not feeling the festive season. Daniel also works as a suicide hotline helper and there’s some heavy mental health and suicide mentions.
I enjoyed that this book addresses real things people grapple with during the holidays and wasn’t just a sweet happy story. There is a happy ending though so don’t fear that this book is all dark. Kate’s son Jack also brings much needed levity to the story and I felt so much for Kate dealing with a child with special learning needs but lacking the financial capacity to pay for the best help. Recommended for fans of Always, in December or One day in December.
⚠️CW: death of a loved one, suicide, Alzheimers
I enjoyed that this book addresses real things people grapple with during the holidays and wasn’t just a sweet happy story. There is a happy ending though so don’t fear that this book is all dark. Kate’s son Jack also brings much needed levity to the story and I felt so much for Kate dealing with a child with special learning needs but lacking the financial capacity to pay for the best help. Recommended for fans of Always, in December or One day in December.
⚠️CW: death of a loved one, suicide, Alzheimers
nikki1211's review against another edition
3.0
Young widow Kate cannot catch a break, whether its working for a terrible company, dealing with the mean moms at her son’s school, dealing with the school admin who make her son feel less than welcome, and missing her husband terribly during a time of year she used to love the most. Daniel is grieving himself and the thought of Kate - whom he has yearned from a far - brings him joy when most things do not. Will these lonely souls bring back the holiday spirit for each other?
I whipped through it in a day. This one is not a cheery, sugar cookie read. It’s more in line with It's a Wonderful Life, where you watch and hope for goodness to come, and come fast. It counts down until Christmas, but the holiday is not really the focal point. It’s more about the challenges and setbacks Kate keeps experiencing while trying to keep Christmas - and life in general - merry for her son, Jack. It would be a Lifetime movie versus Hallmark. For fans of A Christmas Carol (as well as Its a Wonderful Life).
I have to say that I adore the book cover illustrated by Nathan Burton!
Thank you William Morrow for gifting me my first holiday read of the season!
To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
I whipped through it in a day. This one is not a cheery, sugar cookie read. It’s more in line with It's a Wonderful Life, where you watch and hope for goodness to come, and come fast. It counts down until Christmas, but the holiday is not really the focal point. It’s more about the challenges and setbacks Kate keeps experiencing while trying to keep Christmas - and life in general - merry for her son, Jack. It would be a Lifetime movie versus Hallmark. For fans of A Christmas Carol (as well as Its a Wonderful Life).
I have to say that I adore the book cover illustrated by Nathan Burton!
Thank you William Morrow for gifting me my first holiday read of the season!
To read my reviews visit: www.saturdaynitereader.com
rcoffey22's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
okiegirl4's review against another edition
3.0
Not what I expected but it was a good Christmas story.
booklover1974's review
3.0
I enjoy Christmas reads and every year I read at least 15 of them.
25 days 'Til Christmas is a Christmas read but I think it was on the verge of being a depressing book. I didn't feel a lot of hope, instead misery was the main focus.
If the story had been a little more cheerful, I would have liked it better. The writing was good and the characters were well developed.
25 days 'Til Christmas is a Christmas read but I think it was on the verge of being a depressing book. I didn't feel a lot of hope, instead misery was the main focus.
If the story had been a little more cheerful, I would have liked it better. The writing was good and the characters were well developed.
the_spines's review against another edition
2.0
If it's Christmas, then why am I so sad reading this book? Truly hitting me over the head with misfortune at literally every turn. This was really not for me and the heartwarming bits were def overshadowed by the very sad bits. Not a Christmas book I would recommend.
meganfuhr's review against another edition
2.0
I just finished this. My thoughts are a little scattered, so bare with me.
At first I enjoyed the book, but the more I read on, the more I disliked it.
To start, it felt like the only personally we got from out MC was that, "Oh. She's a poor single mother, with no husband, oh, what will she do with her life?" And after fourteen chapters of this. I was about ready to just close the book. We got a single chapter about a guy who seen her, because she works at a Christmas tree farm, and he remembered her from all the years past that he went there with his, now dead, wife.
The thing that was also annoying was the guy only wanted to talk to her mainly based on looks and physical attraction, there was no meet cute, or personal getting to know each other, and it just came off as weird to me.
Besides that, our MC constantly complains that child care is too expensive, her house is too small. It gets too cold, life sucks, yadda yadda, which to me is terribly depressing for the Christmas season.
Also there is this really weird sub plot where her kid has sever anxiety, and some problems with learning, and they keep referring to him as a "special needs kid." Like sure, he needs a little more help than maybe some other kids, but the teachers were acting like it was the worst thing they'd ever saw, and how dare he be a little slow reading!
I started skipping whole segments about midway through because it would just be her basically just saying, "Oh. I'm so poor, my son has problems, and I don't have a mate." And it got really repetitive.
This book really wasn't for me, it was far too sad, and really, just full to the brim.with misfortune, and we barely got their "happy ending" it was more like she just threw it together and said, "Yeah, that's good enough."
I would not recommend this to anyone who wants happy cozy Christmas books, because it is terribly depressing.
At first I enjoyed the book, but the more I read on, the more I disliked it.
To start, it felt like the only personally we got from out MC was that, "Oh. She's a poor single mother, with no husband, oh, what will she do with her life?" And after fourteen chapters of this. I was about ready to just close the book. We got a single chapter about a guy who seen her, because she works at a Christmas tree farm, and he remembered her from all the years past that he went there with his, now dead, wife.
The thing that was also annoying was the guy only wanted to talk to her mainly based on looks and physical attraction, there was no meet cute, or personal getting to know each other, and it just came off as weird to me.
Besides that, our MC constantly complains that child care is too expensive, her house is too small. It gets too cold, life sucks, yadda yadda, which to me is terribly depressing for the Christmas season.
Also there is this really weird sub plot where her kid has sever anxiety, and some problems with learning, and they keep referring to him as a "special needs kid." Like sure, he needs a little more help than maybe some other kids, but the teachers were acting like it was the worst thing they'd ever saw, and how dare he be a little slow reading!
I started skipping whole segments about midway through because it would just be her basically just saying, "Oh. I'm so poor, my son has problems, and I don't have a mate." And it got really repetitive.
This book really wasn't for me, it was far too sad, and really, just full to the brim.with misfortune, and we barely got their "happy ending" it was more like she just threw it together and said, "Yeah, that's good enough."
I would not recommend this to anyone who wants happy cozy Christmas books, because it is terribly depressing.