Jenny Bayliss lives in a small seaside town in the UK with her husband, their children having left home for big adventures. After having been a professional cake-baker for many years, she went back to college at age thirty-nine to study part-time for a degree in Creative and Professional Writing. Bayliss likes long walks, baking days, stationery, and shamelessly wearing party dresses to the supermarket. The Twelve Dates of Christmas is her debut novel.

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY READ: With its high-concept premise, charming small-town setting, generous infusion of Christmas spirit, and funny, uplifting romance, The Twelve Dates of Christmas is the feel-good read of the season. It's perfect for consumers looking for a cozy seasonal read or for a fun stocking stuffer for friends/family-or both!A SPARKLING NEW ROM-COM VOICE: Romantic comedies continue to be in great demand, and Bayliss's wit, warmth, and relatable characters-paired with her smart, hilarious depiction of the trials and tribulations of modern dating-make her a welcome new addition to the genre.WE OWN TWO BOOKS: We believe so strongly in Bayliss's talent that we invested in a second book from her; she has the capacity to branch out beyond the Christmas market to become a star in the mainstream rom-com arena.SIMULTANEOUS UK PUBLICATION: UK rights to The Twelve Dates of Christmas were won at auction by Pan Macmillan, who will publish at the same time as Putnam. The novel's cheerful and homey British village setting is sure to bring out the Anglophile in every reader.IDEAL FORMAT: As we've seen with the popularity of Mutts and Mistletoe (Putnam, October 2018), the trade paperback format is a winner for both the Christmas and rom-com markets, and will stand out from the crowd of mass market and hardcover Christmas novels.

'Tis the season for finding romance in this hilarious and uplifting holiday readWhen it comes to relationships, thirty-four-year-old Kate Turner is ready to say "Bah, humbug." The sleepy town of Blexford, England, isn't exactly brimming with prospects, and anyway, Kate's found fulfillment in her career as a designer, and in her delicious side job baking for her old friend Matt's neighborhood café. But then her best friend signs her up for a dating agency that promises to help singles find love before the holidays. Twenty-three days until Christmas. Twelve dates with twelve different men. The odds must finally be in her favor…right?Yet with each new date more disastrous than the one before-and the whole town keeping tabs on her misadventures-Kate must remind herself that sometimes love, like mistletoe, shows up where it's least expected. And maybe, just maybe, it's been right under her nose all along….Story Locale: Blexford, England (fictional)