Welcome to my review of 12 Days to say I Love You by Olivia Poulet & Laurence Dobiesz. This book has a beautiful, attractive cover and a great blurb which called to me in the bookshop. A lovely story of the love story between Pippa and Steve.
Whir, beep, click, breath. Whir, beep, click, breath.
Pippa Gallagher is rushed in to hospital following a traffic accident.
As Pippa lies unconscious, fragments of the past flash through her mind. The day she met Steve Gallagher, the man who would become the love of her life. The heartbreak she felt tonight as she got into her car, her eyes blurry from tears.
Meanwhile Steve sits at her bedside, his eyes fixed on her pale, still face. He has no idea where his wife was going when she crashed. No clue as to why she became distracted behind the wheel. All he knows is that she is his world. And that he wasn’t there when she needed him most.
For the next twelve hours, Steve tells Pippa all the reasons he loves her.
But is it too late? Can Pippa find her way back to him?
Olivia Poulet
Olivia Poulet is a writer and actor living in London.
Her play, #BLESSED, which she wrote with her husband Laurence Dobiesz, was pick of the week for BBC Radio 4.
In 2019 she started up production company 100 NAMES FILMS with a group of like-minded film makers. They have completed two short films as part of THE REPERTORY SHORTS. The first, DELIVER ME, was written by and starred Olivia and Laurence. It won the Special Jury Award at the 2020 London City Film Awards.
As an actor, she is known for THE THICK OF IT, IN THE LOOP, BACK, DOC MARTIN and HOLBY CITY.
12 HOURS TO SAY I LOVE YOU IS her first novel.
Laurence Dobiesz
Laurence Dobiesz is a writer and actor, living in London.
12 HOURS TO SAY I LOVE YOU, written with his wife Olivia Poulet, is his debut novel. It is published in the UK by Headline in Spring 2022.
As a team, Laurence and Olivia wrote the radio drama, #BLESSED, which was BBC Radio 4’s Pick of the Week.
Their short film DELIVER ME won the Special Jury Award at the 2020 London City Film Awards. It was the first instalment from THE REPERTORY SHORTS, which sees them write and act in a series of shorts alongside an ensemble of film makers. Their second film, JUST DO IT, which he co-directed, is being released late 2021.
I saw this book while browsing my local bookshop. I kept going back to look because I loved the cover so much and was really drawn to it and the blurb (great marketing there, by the way!) that I found myself skipping home (which you wouldn’t have recognised if you had seen it, it looked much like walking but with a smile on my face) with my very own copy along with a few others, much to my husband’s disappointment!
Interestingly, this is written by both a male and female author with varying perspectives throughout the book. We follow the story of Pippa and Steve, a couple who have been together for a long time. Pippa is currently in hospital, in a coma after a tragic accident, and Steve has 12 hours to tell her why he loves her. Each chapter goes between the present and a series of flashbacks. The past is where we learn about their relationship and life together. It’s suddenly vital that Steve tells Pippa why he loves her, but he is also consumed by where she was going when she got into the car accident.
The characters are well developed, and you are drawn into the story well, especially in the audio version (which I later received from NetGalley) where the Whir, beep, click, breath. Whir, beep, click, breath really comes to life. I felt desperate to know how Pippa has ended up having her accident due to the numerous questions from the author. I was drawn into the love story as Steve relives their past, which has its moments at times but is relatable and compelling to read. They have been through several sensitive issues handled brilliantly by the author, which may upset some readers.
I felt invested in the story, willing Pippa to wake up and return to Steve. I particularly enjoyed the hospital scenes, which were so intense I could hear the noises and felt the sadness and confusion surrounding the situation.
The only read this wasn’t a five-star read for me was that I felt the ending was a little too abrupt. Otherwise, it’s a love story that is a fabulous, emotional and thought-provoking read with some laugh out loud funny moments at times, especially in the most awkward circumstances!
Great narration enhanced this book, I would like to thank NetGalley, the authors and publishers for my audio copy.
| Title | 12 Days to say I Love You |
| Author | Olivia Poulet & Laurence Dobiesz |
| Series | N/A |
| Format | Kindle / Sudiobook |
| Page Count | 403 Pages |
| Genre | Contemporary Romance |
| Publisher | Review |
| Release Date | 1st January 2022 |
Click The Cover To Read Amazon’s Sample Today!