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Dating Mr. December

by Phillipa Ashley (Goodreads Author)

3.31 of 5 stars 3.31 · rating details · 651 ratings · 117 reviews

Praise for Phillipa Ashley:

"Ashley's writing is deft, sexy, and full of humor."
-Trashionista.com

"Lovely books filled with warm and likeable characters. Great fun!"
-internationally bestselling author Jill Mansell

"Sharp, sexy, and exuberant."
-SingleTitles.com

"She doesn't need rescuing, she only needs a change of scenery..."

After a disastrous discovery loses Emma Tremayne...more

Paperback, 294 pages

Published November 1st 2010 by Sourcebooks Landmark (first published August 5th 2010)

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Community Reviews

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Dec 03, 2010 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010-book-challenge, from-publisher-author

There is such a desolate wasteland for a good Chick Lit book this time of the year, that the timing on this release couldn't have been better. I didn't realize that this book was the inspiration for a Lifetime movie (The Twelve Men of Christmas) until I started to write this review. I kept thinking that this story would make an excellent movie and some one beat me to it! Now, I will have to go track down a copy. It stars Kristin Chenoweth as EJ (Emma) and is set in NYC, but I think the main plot...more

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Nov 03, 2010 Samantha rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Phillipa Ashley is a funny, entertainingly romantic author that will have readers sighing and believing in love.

Let me just start by stating that I love this book. I need to get all of my gushing out of the way. I have nothing but praises to dish out because this is exactly what I expect in my romance books. Dating Mr. December is a wonderfully, well written love story.

Emma Tremayne is a PR officer working for the Lake District’s tourist board and her first assignment is to help the mountain re...more Phillipa Ashley is a funny, entertainingly romantic author that will have readers sighing and believing in love.

Let me just start by stating that I love this book. I need to get all of my gushing out of the way. I have nothing but praises to dish out because this is exactly what I expect in my romance books. Dating Mr. December is a wonderfully, well written love story.

Emma Tremayne is a PR officer working for the Lake District’s tourist board and her first assignment is to help the mountain rescue team. They are in need of some serious money and in order to raise the cash, Emma proposes for the team to do a nude calendar. The idea is preposterous but the members take it in stride, knowing the money and exposure is what they need. All is in agreement except the stubborn Will Tennant, the small town’s wealthy entrepreneur.

Will and Emma ideas clash and they are not too friendly with one another. In fact, the initial banter between the two is funny. The dialogue is witty and humorous. Eventually Will concedes and is the last man in the calendar—Mr. December. Sure enough Will is sexy and is the perfect candidate but Emma refuses to let him know. She has had enough heartache in her past and she is not ready to tumble down that path again but it is so hard because she can’t fight her attraction to Will.

Prior to her arrival in Bannerdale, Emma was a top PR consultant in London with a dream client. Too bad she was sleeping with her client and he was sleeping with her boss (no spoiler). Needless to say, when Emma’s boss forces him to choose between the two, Emma makes the decision for them by throwing smoothies at them and getting fired. Now she is starting a new life in Bannerdale and she will not fall into the same trap.

Will is the rumored bad boy of the town. Everyone is still whispering over the fact that he left his fiancée two years ago, leaving him with this love them and leave them perception. He really doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him because he knows the truth of his failed engagement. Meeting Emma changes Will’s perception on everything and the two fight their feelings until the end.

As the story progresses, Will and Emma find themselves around each other a lot and they grow to like each other. The development of Will and Emma’s relationship is a slow progression but it is so well written and the story flows so nicely. They are both likeable characters. At first, Will is a bit standoffish and uses his snarky humor to take jabs at Emma but the author does a great job showing how Will fights his attraction to Emma and that he is not as cold as I had initial thought. Later on, when Will’s past is revealed, his behavior is more understandable. Emma is so sweet and hilarious. It is fun to watch her gain her confidence back and fall in love.

This book has everything that I’m looking for in a “feel good” love story. The characters are great. The story moves at a great pace. You can actually sit back on a cold day with hot cocoa and read this straight through. There is enough angst and conflict without distracting and taking away from the romance. Though the two main characters bickered the author does a great job revealing their emotions and you actually believe that they are falling in love with one another. It is not an overnight affair. The ending is real cute and sigh-worthy. Bottom line is that this book left me feeling good.

Honestly, since I’ve seen the movie before reading the book (something I never do), I can say that this book is just as cute and entertaining as the movie (Lifetime’s 12 Men of Christmas). There are subtle differences such as physical descriptions and locations but the overall premise is the same.

Overall, I recommend Dating Mr. December for true romantics who will want some holiday cheer this season. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

(less)

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Dec 21, 2007 Keris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

The plot - city girl meets rugged and handsome outdoor guy - is sprinkled with twists and misunderstandings which keep you turning the pages. The characters are well-drawn, so you keep rooting for them to sort it all out, although there were moments when I thought 'oh just speak to each other!''

Decent Exposure is a light romantic read for a rainy afternoon, with fabulous descriptions of life in a tight-knit Lake District community and a very sexy male lead.

The only bit I really disliked was the...more

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Jan 12, 2013 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: heroine-junkie, romance-sort-of

This witty, sexy romance finds a formerly high-profile PR agent, Emma Tremayne, trying to convince the local mountain rescue team that a "nudie" calendar - featuring the team members - would be the perfect way to raise the funds necessary for the much-needed renovations to their rescue station. She assures the now nervous team that by nude, she means that they will be undressed but covered (think of the film “Calendar Girls” and you’ll get a basic sense of the plot). She manages to convince all...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Laura Ashlee rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, romance

I can’t remember exactly how I got my hands on this. I think it was really cheap on Kobo or something. I’ve had it for a while though and I was waiting until Christmas time to give it a read. I had some other things ahead of it, so I didn’t get to finish it until after Christmas, but it’s really not a Christmas book so it doesn’t matter. With that in mind, can I just say that the cover kind of sucks. It makes it look like there’s a Christmas theme… which there’s not.

For a short contemporary roma...more I can’t remember exactly how I got my hands on this. I think it was really cheap on Kobo or something. I’ve had it for a while though and I was waiting until Christmas time to give it a read. I had some other things ahead of it, so I didn’t get to finish it until after Christmas, but it’s really not a Christmas book so it doesn’t matter. With that in mind, can I just say that the cover kind of sucks. It makes it look like there’s a Christmas theme… which there’s not.

For a short contemporary romance, this turned out to be a pretty cute book. If there’s something I can respect about good romance authors, it’s their ability to make a three days of sex feel like true love. Unfortunately, this book felt backwards. It felt like it occurred within three days, but it was more like three months time. The whole falling in love part felt really rushed. It’s like he batted his eyes at her and she was in love. There was no real development to it, and I blame that on the length. I think if the book were a little longer with some character and romance development it could easily have gotten a better rating.

I liked the characters enough to finish, but I thought they were a little lacking in depth. Will was charming, if a little arrogant. He was also indecisive and scared of commitment, which are things I find unattractive. It took away from his character a little bit. I liked him better once he got his shit together. I never became very fond of Emma. She was a gossip and judgmental. I would never make assumptions about a persons past if I didn’t really know any details, especially their romantic past. There’s just so much you don’t know about relationships when you’re in them. I think what actually kept me reading was my own curiosity about what happened in Will’s past to make him who he was.

It was okay, but not what I was expecting. I was thinking it would be a short, sexy romance with little else involved. It turned out to be a short contemporary romance with little sexual content. I did read that it was made into a Lifetime movie though. I might check it out. It definitely has the Lifetime Movie Network feel so I might like it better in movie form.(less)

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Mar 05, 2012 Aisha Oaktree rated it 5 of 5 stars

As i am reading Dating Mr. December I realize this sounds a lot like a movie i watched last year on Lifetime, called the 12 Men of Christmas. Boy, whew nothing new in the world huh, so I kept reading, then I'm like no really this is like word for word, "Holy Crap she stole the idea from the movie," then I was like "Holy Crap did she know they stole her book and made it into a t.v. movie." Why yes my loves I love to talk to myself while reading.

Then I did some research,because this was too freaky...more As i am reading Dating Mr. December I realize this sounds a lot like a movie i watched last year on Lifetime, called the 12 Men of Christmas. Boy, whew nothing new in the world huh, so I kept reading, then I'm like no really this is like word for word, "Holy Crap she stole the idea from the movie," then I was like "Holy Crap did she know they stole her book and made it into a t.v. movie." Why yes my loves I love to talk to myself while reading.

Then I did some research,because this was too freaky. Ok they changed somethings, some of the names, where it's located(brought it all the way cross the pond to the USA), but it's the story. So now I'm like freaking out, I go on Imdb and am really looking everything over when I realize.... err.... duh!!! Her name, Phillipa Ashley, is right at the top as writer for the novel. LOL I fell over cracking up. Since i saw the movie first I loved the movie, now that I have read the original works? Love it even more.

To help save a local rescue squad, PR expert Emma comes up with a unique twist on a fund raising activity. Think Calendar girls but for men. And there is resistance in the ranks in the form of sexy bachelor Will Tennat. Throw in Christmas, some hot men getting nekkid and you have both the movie and the book,. Although I liked the book more because they skipped a whole lot in the movie, some smoking hot love scenes and the ending was very different. Someone (a review of the movie) pointed out that in the show they went from hating each other to "bumping uglies"(so not my words) with no showing of how they got there, it's all in the book believe me.

i loved Kristin Chenoweth as the lead character in the movie, and I kinda brought her over into the book as the voice of the lead character (I just threw a British accent on there, not Madonna British, but you know a real Britsh accent like Kiera Knightley or maybe Emma Watson) This is a recommended read, I loved Bridget Jones Diary and this one reminds me kinda of that, the high jinks and the witty conversations, Yeah this is a good read. Check it out if you have the chance, as well as the movie, since it will be showing soon again for Christmas.

Have fun my loves(less)

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Jun 08, 2011 Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebooks, free-ebooks, read-in-2011

I think I would have liked this book a lot more if there weren't regional speech differences creating a chasm of WTF? between me and the characters. I've read plenty of books by authors who don't live in the US and I rarely have a tough time with the vocabulary quirks that come from them living on one continent and me on another. This book got me, though. It got me good.

Now, this has nothing to do with the writing style, the plot (which I actually enjoyed. And there weren't even any werewolves....more

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Nov 07, 2010 Cheryl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Public Relations consultant, Emma Tremayne lost her job. She now finds herself in the middle of nowhere Ville, Lake District trying to convince the men of Bannerdale Mountain Rescue Team to pose nude for a twelve month calendar spread. It is for a good cause. The Bannerdale Mountain Rescue Team could really use the money. Their building is in need of a paint job among other things. There is just one big obstacle standing between Emma and her goal…his name is Will Tennant.

Will sees Emma as one f...more

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Nov 06, 2010 Amy Jacobs rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own

I didn't know that this book had been previously published in the UK and even had a Lifetime movie made based on it called 12 Men of Christmas. It was a delightful surprise to find out since I enjoyed the book and had the pleasure of featuring a guest post by the author just a few days ago.

Emma Tremayne starts the story off by trying to convince the local mountain rescue team to do a fund raiser featuring the men in a nude calendar. While most of the crew is ready to give it a go, Will Tennant...more

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Dec 26, 2010 Becky R. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Although titled Dating Mr. December, this romantic story isn't really set in December or centered on Christmas at all. In fact, as I was reading it, I hoped that readers wouldn't get caught up in the title and put off reading it until the holidays! This is definitely a tense, sexy read.

The initial lead in to Emma and Will (hunky Mr. December) meeting one another and becoming attracted was pretty short. Those kinds of "I like you baby" leads sometimes have me rolling my eyes a bit, since I'm eve...more

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Nov 17, 2010 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

If you are looking for a hot romance to warm up your winter evenings, Dating Mr. December is the book for you. Previously published in the U.K., Dating Mr. December just came out in the U.S. this month.

Emma Tremayne has moved to the Lake District (northern England) to become a PR director for the local tourist board after discovering her boyfriend is having an affair with her boss. To help the local Bannerdale Mountain Rescue Team raise money to build a new station, Emma formulates a plan for th...more

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Sep 04, 2007 Jet rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: RomCom addicts

Shelves: fluffybooks

It is extraordinarily difficult writing a review for a RomCom book- because it is, as I mentioned in the last review of Devil Served Tortellini, brainless and pure fluff. That is, not much thought process.

Decent Exposure is an archetypal RomCom: protagonists who don't get along, thrown together in an outrageous project, physical sparks fly, some angst thrown in for good measure in between, and a happy ending. It started out funnier but it made way for romantic fluff.

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Jul 25, 2012 Nicola rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge-books, 2012-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 01, 2010 Patti Loves FAB Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

As Dating Mr. December opens, Emma Tremayne is trying to convince the local mountain rescue team that a "nudie" calendar - featuring the team members - would be just the fund raiser they need to earn enough money for much-needed renovations to their rescue station. She's got just about everyone convinced, except Will Tennant, one of the senior members of the team. He thinks it will turn their team into a laughingstock. After everyone else on the team votes to do the calendar, Will reluctantly ag...more As Dating Mr. December opens, Emma Tremayne is trying to convince the local mountain rescue team that a "nudie" calendar - featuring the team members - would be just the fund raiser they need to earn enough money for much-needed renovations to their rescue station. She's got just about everyone convinced, except Will Tennant, one of the senior members of the team. He thinks it will turn their team into a laughingstock. After everyone else on the team votes to do the calendar, Will reluctantly agrees to participate.

Emma decides she's not going to let Will get to her, even though he's tall, sexy, and wrong about the calendar. She needs the calendar to succeed, to prove that she's as good at PR as she says she is. She's still stinging from the betrayal of discovering her boyfriend and boss had been seeing each other behind her back, and when she was fired, she fled to Bannerdale to get away from London and start over.

Will doesn't want to like the new PR agent, but she's sexy and fearless and he might be falling for her. He's got a few issues of his own, like never falling in love after his fiancee broke his heart two years ago.

Dating Mr. December is a cute, romantic story set in the small, mountainous town of Bannerdale, England. Emma was a bit of a fish-out-of-water, which was endearing. Her character was sweet I felt so sorry for her broken heart, however - I wanted to smack her for being such an idiot with Will. In that same vein, Will was sweet and sexy, but I wanted to shake him and tell him he was being an idiot with Emma. These two were so hot and cold I couldn't keep up with who was mad at who. The way they'd crash together and then jump away was a bit frustrating to this reader; I felt like there was no basis for the relationship to move forward.

Those frustrations aside, I liked the story - it reminded me of the movie Calendar Girls. Dating Mr. December is an entertaining contemporary romance that had me wishing I could visit the town and meet the characters. I also enjoyed Ms. Ashley's descriptions of the mountains and lakes - it sounds like a beautiful place. The epilogue was a satisfying conclusion to Emma and Will's story. I'm interested in the Lifetime movie (although they changed the setting to Montana) and will be looking that up in the future.(less)

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Feb 29, 2012 Barbara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a delightfully British story set in the English Lake District about a young woman, Emma Tremayne, who was not only dumped by her boyfriend in favor of her boss, but fired from her great job in public relations as well. She takes a job in Bannerdale working for the Tourist Board and offers to help the local rescue team raise money for a new base camp using her PR skills. Her idea is to publish a nude calendar with all twelve of the rescue personnel, including Will Tennant. Although he th...more

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Feb 29, 2012 Rebecca Emin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sparks fly all over the place in this book. It is set in the Lake District and contains some interesting characters as the cover blurb would suggest.

The hero in this book is absolutely wonderful, from everything I read I have ended up with a mental picture of Mr Perfect. But, like everyone, he does have his flaws.

A great read for lovers of passionate romance.

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Oct 02, 2011 Katie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Got this one at Border's going out of business sale for a little over a dollar. Cover looked fun, book jacket looked moderately interesting, so I got it. Thank goodness I only paid a dollar, because I would not have been pleased if I had paid the full price of $9.99. It started out really slow and didn't get much better although I had some hope for it. It's a classic love tale, you know how it's going to end, and the stuff in the middle isn't really that interesting. There's some sex thrown in,...more

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Dec 11, 2010 Staci rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Staci by: Sourcebooks

Shelves: 2010-reads

Philippa Ashley is the author of this British based romance book published in November, 2010 . It's about Emma Tremayne who leaves a high-powered PR job and ends up in a slow paced community. She's hoping to mend her broken heart and to move on with her life. Little does she know that life is just starting to get good when she meets Will Tennant. Overall I thought this was a very fun, sexy, and believable romantic book. I liked Emma and a few times wanted her job. I found myself daydreaming over...more

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Nov 22, 2010 Meg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, read-in-2010, sent-for-review

Phillipa Ashley's Dating Mr. December is a classic nice-girl-meets-supposedly-bad-boy storyline, sprinkling in a few new details for flavor. Will is broody and difficult, but also devastatingly handsome and charismatic; Emma is serious and hurt -- a bit timid from her recent heartbreak -- but also wildly attracted to Will. It's a recipe for . . . well, not disaster. But entertaining foibles, sure.

Going into the novel, I'll admit I was expecting something a little more holiday themed. Will is "Mr...more Phillipa Ashley's Dating Mr. December is a classic nice-girl-meets-supposedly-bad-boy storyline, sprinkling in a few new details for flavor. Will is broody and difficult, but also devastatingly handsome and charismatic; Emma is serious and hurt -- a bit timid from her recent heartbreak -- but also wildly attracted to Will. It's a recipe for . . . well, not disaster. But entertaining foibles, sure.

Going into the novel, I'll admit I was expecting something a little more holiday themed. Will is "Mr. December," the featured man for the calendar's December, but the book doesn't take place at Christmastime. Also? What Will and Emma are doing, for the vast majority of the book, couldn't be called "dating." It could be called fantasizing, building sexual tension, bantering and throwing longing looks, yes, but definitely not "dating."

That nit-picky stuff aside, I enjoyed this story -- a light romp through the British countryside with two people who met as strangers -- or even adversaries -- but found a way to work together . . . and even fall in love. Emma and Will's conversations were fluid and fun, and Will's unexpected romantic side was definitely swoon-worthy. Unlike some of the romance novels I've read recently, author Ashley wasn't eager to just throw these two into bed; the plot built slowly but realistically, and I didn't feel as though their feelings had been forced or manipulated.

There were times I was a little annoyed at some of the obvious tropes -- like Emma constantly needing Will, a member of a rescue team, to rescue her -- but I still enjoyed her character. Smarting from that betrayal, Emma was delicate and in need of some TLC. And fortunately for her, Will wasn't the woman-using scoundrel the folks of Bannerdale made him out to be. I liked him, too.

Fans of romance will find this story charming and quick -- and not lacking on the sexy scale. But don't let the Santa hat on the cover fool you (and that's not supposed to be Emma, is it? She's a brunette) -- it's less about the holly-jolly and more about the misunderstandings between would-be romantic partners. But, you know -- that's fun, too.(less)

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Mar 04, 2012 Hilary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well, I loved this in its UK guise Decent Exposure, and I love it no less with its bright and breezy US cover and new title. It's fun, and it's romantic. Phillipa Ashley has a great ear and eye for her characters, and wanting to know what happened to them kept me engaged. This is an accomplished romantic novel, and as such, strictly for pleasure!

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Jun 21, 2011 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Phillipa Ashely has written a charming, warm, fun to read romantic novel. The characters are interesting and likable, causing you to be drawn into their story.

Emma Tremayne Is working for the tourist board in Bannerdale as a PR person. Trying to help out the local Bannerdale Mountain Rescue Team raise fund for a new outpost She proposes a Calendar one month for each of the male rescuers. ( nude, well almost ) The one member of the team against the idea is Will Tennant. Though he finally agrees...more

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Dec 07, 2010 Ashley (Bookaholic Does Blogging) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-own, 2010-reads, november-2010

Dating Mr. December
Author: Phillipa Ashley
Characters: 3 out of 5
Plot: 4 out of 5
Overall: 3 out of 5

Description: (Author Website) When a nice girl asks twelve men to get naked, it’s sure to cause a scandal…

Emma Tremayne leaves her high-powered PR job and moves to the Lake District looking for peace, quiet-and celibacy. So perhaps it’s not the best idea when, in the spirit of “community-mindedness,” she agrees to help the local mountain rescue team fund raise by putting together a “tasteful” nude...more Dating Mr. December
Author: Phillipa Ashley
Characters: 3 out of 5
Plot: 4 out of 5
Overall: 3 out of 5

Description: (Author Website) When a nice girl asks twelve men to get naked, it’s sure to cause a scandal…

Emma Tremayne leaves her high-powered PR job and moves to the Lake District looking for peace, quiet-and celibacy. So perhaps it’s not the best idea when, in the spirit of “community-mindedness,” she agrees to help the local mountain rescue team fund raise by putting together a “tasteful” nude calendar. Especially since quite a lot of the community seems to mind what she’s up to-including the tall, dark and handsome Mr. December, Will Tennant, who appears to have gotten the wrong impression about Emma’s intentions. So how does she convince him that he’s more than just the flavor of the month?

From My Point of View: This book had me torn. There was so much to love about it, but on the other hand, so much that annoyed me. First, I thought the plot was great. Although I did feel like it moved too fast in the beginning. When we finally got to the juicy fight and makeup at the end, it felt too soon in Emma and Will's relationship. But maybe that was just me. The author made sure to mention "x number of months passed since the photoshoot... since the proofs came back... since etc. etc." but I felt like I needed more story to feel that passage of time, as opposed to that one line.

As far as the characters go, they were both good characters, but I felt they had flaws that kept them from being great. Emma was so hung up on the fact that Will had a reputation and bad history that she focused on nothing but that and didn't even care to make sure she got the truth. That annoyed me. Will was perfect when he was moody and arrogant, but he said "sweetheart" way too much for my liking when he was playing nice. It got to the point that the sweethearts were so annoying they distracted me from the story (but, then again, I hate the word sweetheart, so that is probably just me and my quirks)!

With that being said, this novel would make a great light and quirky read. Perfect for when the stress of the holiday becomes too much and you need a way out.(less)

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Nov 15, 2010 Kelly Moran rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: my-reviews

Author Phillipa Ashley studied English and Literature at Oxford University before working as a journalist and freelance writer. She didn't start writing fiction until 2005 when she joined an internet creative writing site. Other titles include: It Should Have Been Me, Just Say Yes, and Wish You Were Here. She resides in Staffordshire Village in England with her husband and daughter.

Emma Tremayne wasn't expecting a move from London to the Lake District, but she had no choice. After a disastrous...more
Author Phillipa Ashley studied English and Literature at Oxford University before working as a journalist and freelance writer. She didn't start writing fiction until 2005 when she joined an internet creative writing site. Other titles include: It Should Have Been Me, Just Say Yes, and Wish You Were Here. She resides in Staffordshire Village in England with her husband and daughter.

Emma Tremayne wasn't expecting a move from London to the Lake District, but she had no choice. After a disastrous event makes her lose her boyfriend and her high-profile PR job in the course of a day, she takes a job far from the city she knows and loves with a small town tourist board. Finally she feels as if she's regaining her esteem and confidence after settling in-- that is until she's asked to be responsible for a fundraising effort for the Mountain Rescue Team. An effort that involves a calendar for twelve naked men! As if the task wasn't challenging enough, sexy and rich rescuer, Will Tennant, is opposed to the idea. He thinks it'll make them a laughing stock. But as all things in life, Will is more than he appears. Much, much more. Can these two set aside their differences long enough to not kill each other... or fall in love?

This book was originally published under the title "Decent Exposure" in 2006 in the UK, by Little Black Dress Publishing. This has also been adapted into a Lifetime channel television movie in 2009 called "12 Men of Christmas," starring Kristin Chenoweth, Josh Hopkins, and Anna Chlumsky. Unknowingly, I had seen the TV movie last Christmas season before agreeing to review the book this year. The movie was set in the States and varied pretty drastically from the book, though followed a similar storyline. Though the movie was a cute fluff holiday piece, I enjoyed the book much more. Readers can enjoy the movie before the book, or vice versa, as neither should disrupt the other.

Even more than the witty romance, it's the secondary characters in the small town of Bannerdale that makes this book pop. A group of ordinary people that will capture your heart. With dry humor and candid dialog, I was laughing aloud several times. The book also had it's share of "Aww" moments. Whether you're in the mood for a little Christmas spirit, a funny story, or a heartfelt romance, this is the perfect book to cuddle up with. Highly recommended.

Kelly Moran
Author and Reviewer
Bookpleasures
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Jul 26, 2011 Bella rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was my first LBD Book , Lovely Story , Romantic and Sexy, Emma and Will are perfect together , first thing i thought when i read the book it should be made into a Movie , and it did happen , recommend to all readers who like Romance . it's a very Happy Read .

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Mar 18, 2013 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Surprisingly I really enjoyed this book. I think I could relate to the characters Emma and Will, who had been hurt before in love and were trying to protect themselves by being tough and keeping people at arm's length. The ending was predictable but the twists and turns along the way actually caused tears in my eyes (or maybe I was just spelling onions LOL) - maybe because I could relate to it so much - there have been times where you wonder if something will happen with someone and then it does...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christmas-romances

Let's say this upfront: This is not a Christmas book. It doesn't even take place anywhere near Christmas (I think in the middle of the book it's May). The title and cover are misleading; I mean, I understand that the main male character IS Mr. December, but that has absolutely no bearing on the rest of the book.

So. With that said, this wasn't a bad chick-lit/romance novel. I enjoyed it more than most, until closer to the end when it got extremely sappy. That is when the woman and the man are bo...more

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Sep 02, 2009 Fluffychick rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2009

Does just what it says - light, romantic, sexy read - perfect for a lazy afternoon. It's easy to be dismissive about chicklit but it has all the perfect elements, rugged hero, sassy heroine, all set in the lakes. Lovely!

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Sep 26, 2011 Jen rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, chick-lit, ebooks, general-fiction

The writing was almost painfully bad. The characters seemed confused - not just from chapter to chapter, but from page to page and even sentence to sentence. The only reason I even finished this book is because I've been leaving so many books unfinished recently. I felt like I needed to break the streak. ;-)

Seriously, don't read this if you are over 18 years old. The mood swings and manufactured drama are just not understandable unless you're still in high school. Unfortunately, it's written abo...more

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Jan 09, 2011 Amanda rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-regret-reading, 2011-reads

So this is the book that knocked me out of my Hallmark movie type book phase. The fact that the plot line was painfully predictable wouldn't have been a problem, who is ever shocked by the ending of a Hallmark movie? The writing was clunky, the sentences insulted my intelligence and I got a headache from all of the involuntary eye rolling I couldn't stop myself from doing. I started this book in 2010 but ended it in 2011 and can say it is the worst book I read all year. Even though it is the fir...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Carol Pendlebury rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved this book, i go to the lake district a lot where the book is set so as i read it i could imagine the places they mentioned. Emma and Will are lovely characters.

1 like · like · see review

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About Phillipa Ashley

I write lively, sexy, funny contemporary romance. My first novel, Decent Exposure (titled Dating Mr December in the US) won the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Award in 2007 and was made into the Lifetime TV movie, 12 Men of Christmas, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Josh Hopkins.

My next release is It Happened One Night in June 2013. My previous book, Miranda's Mount won the 2012 Festiva...more

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