The windowed mother, who has twins in 5th grade, but yet ends up having feeling for the school principal was such a fun read! So many fun moments because of the cookie committee, and of course all the things go wrong and have to be solved, putting the mother and principal together.
Such a sweet, clean, and funny romance!

*The Christmas Cookie Wars* by Eliza Evans is a charming holiday romance with a competitive twist. The story revolves around two rival bakers who find themselves in a Christmas cookie contest that heats up both in the kitchen and in their hearts. The writing is light and fun, perfect for cozying up with during the holiday season. However, while the characters are likable, they can feel a bit one-dimensional, and the plot follows familiar tropes without much surprise. Fans of sweet, feel-good stories will likely enjoy it, but it doesn’t quite stand out in the crowded holiday romance genre.

I will definitely be recommending this book this holiday season! It was such a fun, festive read. I loved the concept and enjoyed the character development along the way.

A sweet Christmas story to get you in the mood for the holidays! I enjoyed the characters and the shenanigans that stood in their way.

I really liked “The Christmas Cookie Wars” by Eliza Evans. It is a story that touches on grief, acceptance, second chances and the ever moving forward thing called life. A sweet, low spice romance set in a small town during the Christmas season that will make you want to indulge in cookies and all sorts of holiday traditions.

Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans is a light, festive read that captures the fun and chaos of small-town holiday traditions. The story centers around two rival bakers competing in a high-stakes cookie competition, and the premise is as sweet as it sounds. The holiday atmosphere is delightful, with plenty of warm, cozy moments and descriptions of mouthwatering treats.

However, the book feels somewhat predictable, with a plot that doesn’t venture far from familiar tropes. While the characters are charming, their development is limited, and the romantic subplot lacks the depth needed to make the connection truly engaging. The pacing is uneven, with some scenes feeling rushed while others drag.

I did really enjoy the behind the scenes look at a reality tv baking competition. I am not sure how realistic the author's take is but I found it interesting and added value to the book.

Overall, Christmas Cookie Wars is an enjoyable but forgettable holiday rom-com. It’s perfect for readers looking for a quick, festive escape, but it might not satisfy those hoping for something more substantial or unique.

this is probably one of my favorite FMCs i’ve read lately - she was so relatable and just perfectly imperfect. She shed so much REAL light on grief and just motherhood that you don’t always see in books. Generally FMC single moms are depicted in unrelatable ways.

Overall the plot was enjoyable and gave a more low key christmasy / wintery vibe and i liked that. A lot of christmas books are generally all the same plot wise, but this was different and fun.

The “enemies” to lovers vibe did its job here, but just add cookies to everything and you’ll be laughing, smiling & wanting to bake immediately.

I would definitely recommend this to my peers!

I really loved this book. It's such a fun and sweet read, while also being heartfelt and heartwarming. A beautiful holiday romance full of fun traditions that makes me want to start more of my own. Will recommend to everyone this holiday season.

Absolutely loved this book! It really helped me get in the Christmas Spirit and honestly made me want to bake (or buy more than likely lol) Christmas cookies! Melody’s kids were two of my favorite characters in the book as they were determined to win the competition and I loved how they are portrayed as normal aged boys but have the world against them in school like so many young boys do. Will be recommending this book to my book friends for the Holidays.

Another new-to-me author writing an absolutely darling book that I instantly fell in love with!

Melody is a widowed, single mother of ten year old twin boys, Finn and Tate. Her husband, Thomas, passed away six years ago and she’s been doing her best since then, focusing all of her love and attention on her boys.

It’s December - a crazy and hectic month that also brings magic and wonder when children are involved. But Melody is stressed especially when the boys principal, Mr. Jonathan Braxton, wants to speak with her in his office. Again. He points out the boys have been tardy four times in the past month, reminding her of the essential academic time being missed due to their tardiness.

As if her day couldn’t get any worse, the annual community tradition, Cookie Daze, has been canceled. The one thing her ten year old boys are looking forward to. They’re growing up and starting to question Santa’s existence so Melody is trying to hold onto their childhood with the strength only a parent can muster.

Determined to continue this tradition, and to spend quality time with Finn and Tate, Melody offers to take on the role as leader of the Cookie Daze committee much to Mr. Braxton’s astonishment. Knowing Melody isn’t much of a baker, the principal Jonathan, offers up his baking talents to help her. Spending lots of time baking with his grandmother, Jonathan has a reputation of being a whiz in the kitchen, much to the delight of many school moms.

As Melody hesitantly accepts Jonathan’s help, she ends up bringing success to the activities, with the additional help of her fellow committee members which includes her sister, mother, aunt, and friends. But when salt is switched with sugar during a live bake-off, it seems someone is determined to make the holiday season a disaster; and points the finger at Finn and Tate! As Jonathan stands up for the two, Melody begins to experience feelings she hasn’t in the past six years.

As her feelings grow every time she spends with Jonathan, she’s more determined than ever to make the holidays the best ever! Will a stressed and overwhelmed Melody bring success to the annual Cookie Daze? Or will a Grinch succeed in ruining the holidays?

I HIGHLY recommend this charming holiday read that reminds readers that second chances at love exist and that even the biggest Grinch’s deserve patience and understanding.

What a fun and sweet (literally) Christmas romance! I once I started this I got invested really quickly. I loved the characters and their quirks and I really loved how Mr. Braxton slowly started letting his true feelings show. There was a lot of romantic suspense but also some really funny/sweet moments. I definitely recommend this if you’re ready to get into the Christmas spirit! I LOVED the audiobook version of this book.

Thank you netgalley for the advanced reader copy of the christmas cookie wars. Set in a picturesque winter town filled with cookie themed events this novel is the perfect backdrop for a Christmas story. Melody lost her husband Thomas several years ago and is raising their twin boys Finn and Tate herself. The school principal Mr. Braxton is a divorced single father. The two end up joining forces for the cookie events and end up falling in love. Very cute seasonal read four stars.

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I’m already excited to pick up more of her work. I truly enjoyed this sweet and wholesome Christmas romance. It’s completely clean, with no strong language or steamy scenes (closed-door romance)—just a couple of adorable kissing scenes.

If you’re a fan of Christmas romance Hallmark movies and festive reads that fill you with holiday cheer, this book is perfect for you. The characters are all incredibly likable, and the setting feels straight out of a Christmas movie, complete with that magical small-town charm. It’s delightfully seasonal and guaranteed to get you into the Christmas spirit!

I really enjoyed getting to know Melody and Jonathan as characters and watching their romance blossom. Jonathan is the principal at the elementary school attended by Melody’s two sons, and their interactions were heartwarming. I especially loved seeing Melody navigate life as a single mom, balancing her relationship with her kids and her growing connection with Jonathan. The playful rivalry between Jonathan and her boys during the Christmas challenges was absolutely adorable and added a lot of charm.

We also met Melody’s mother, sister, and aunt, and I enjoyed the supportive family dynamics as they rallied around her during the holidays. Watching Melody step into a new relationship while caring for her children felt both touching and relatable. Jonathan, being a father to a young daughter, added another layer to the story, and it was beautiful to see their families beginning to blend.

That said, at times, the way everyone got along so easily felt almost too perfect. From personal experience, blending families often comes with its own set of challenges, and this story’s smooth resolution didn’t feel entirely realistic. Still, it was a sweet and heartwarming read!

At times, the story felt like it dragged on longer than necessary and could have benefited from being more concise. Additionally, the drama and gossip at the school, particularly among the moms and during PTA meetings, became a bit tedious and repetitive. I found myself wishing the focus had stayed more on the romance between Melody and Jonathan rather than getting sidetracked by the school-related conflicts.

Overall, this is an adorable, sweet read, perfect for the holiday season. While it can be a bit cheesy at times, it’s exactly the kind of light-hearted story I enjoy when I want something cozy. Fair warning—you might find yourself craving Christmas cookies while reading! I absolutely loved the vivid food descriptions and the charming baking scenes. The wintry Colorado setting was spot on, and as someone who lives in the state, I really appreciated how beautifully it was portrayed. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. These are my own thoughts and opinions.

This was an ok book but something was off about it. The relationship felt forced and the family stuff felt stiff and unnatural most of the time. Lots of busybodies and nosy neighbors. There was no natural progression of the romance, just goes from what a weird guy he is to omg I love him he’s so sexy. Some of the plots were odd too like lying, scheming etc and even the principal lying at times which isn’t very cool. I guess overall the plot was a good idea but the title doesn’t take sense since there’s not really a Christmas cookie war just one bake off and some other lightly mentioned events.

3.5 Stars

This was a sweet Holiday story. Melody is determined to make Christmas special for her twin boys as it’s a hard time of year since they lost their father. When the annual cookie war celebration is at risk to be cancelled Melody goes all in to save it and the holiday for her boys.

Melody doesn’t anticipate developing a friendship and eventually romantic feelings for the boys principal.

Naturally there’s a lot of Cookie baking going on which dragged a little bit, the sabotage and mystery piece in the story that added more fun to the story.

As Melody gets to know Jonathon better her heart begins to heal from the loss of her husband and she allows herself to feel a joy she didn’t think she would feel again.

Melody and Jonathon were a couple the more we got together, the more I wanted to cheer for them!

Thank you NetGalley, Eliza Evans, and Putnam Books for my gifted ARC.

Romance Content: Just Kissing

There isn’t a holiday that makes me think about cookies more than Christmas, which is what makes Eliza Evans’ The Christmas Cookie Wars a fun and festive read. I am familiar with Eliza by way of her previous novel, The Christmas Cafe, and while The Christmas Cookie Wars wasn’t quite as engaging as its predecessor, it is still an enjoyable read, especially if you are into sweet and sappy holiday romance movies.

In this novel, Melody, a widow of twin boys, takes over her sons’ school’s Christmas Cookie Club, except there’s one problem - she is no baker, and pretty soon, everyone is going to know it. As Melody tries to coordinate cookie swaps and baking challenges (while not wrecking everyone’s fun due to her lack of skills and experience in the cookie department), she keeps finding herself entangled in holiday hijinks with the school’s swoony principal. Is it possible that something OTHER than cookies is being whipped up in Melody’s kitchen?

The Christmas Cookie Wars is a mixed bag, providing lots of opportunities for readers to indulge in some holiday baking while not having to take on the task themselves, but it also suffers from a bit of ennui. Melody’s relationship with her sons and the fact that she is utterly hopeless in the kitchen are the highlights of this novel, whereas the romance, which is supposed to be the focal point, falls to the wayside, failing to keep me engaged or invested. That’s not a dealbreaker for me, especially considering the fact that I don’t understand why so many holiday novels are written as romances - yes, you can have Christmas without a love interest - but overall, this book is just lacking in spark and spunk.

This was such a sweet, funny, and heartwarming story. As the mom of a 10 year old son, I felt all the feelings of my sweet baby growing up and becoming a young man just like in this book. I laughed, I swooned, and I cried. This book, while heartwarming and sweet, does tackle a difficult subject. I enjoyed the hijinks and loved all of the Christmas events that took place throughout the book. I wish I lived in a small town like this! If you are looking for a sweet Christmas romance, take this one for a spin!

Melody is a widow raising energetic twin sons and running a successful fashion design business in a small mountain town. She manages it all successfully - even if the boys are late to school occasionally and their cookies are baked from store bought dough. When the school's Queen Bee mom who runs all the things quits the Cookie committee, Melody volunteers to keep the fun traditions going for the town, especially her kids. The hunky principal has reservations; she is the mom with the tardy kids and store bought cookies after all and he is the three time winner of the cookie contest.

With the help of her family, Melody gets all of the cookie events back on track. Along the way, there are some funny near-catastrophes, lots of holiday festivities in a town that loves its cookies, and a sweet love connection. Jonathan is the definition of a hidden cinnamon roll love interest.

I loved Melody's family and how close and supportive they are. The third act conflict was realistic and believable. I really liked how much grace and kindness Melody showed to the bullying types. She also has to navigate grief, keep memories of her husband alive for her children, and adjust to the boys growing up. How does that make Christmas look this year?

My only disappointment is that the advance reader copy didn't have the recipes because I want to make Jonathan's grandma's cookies.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this. #TheChristmasCookieWars #NetGalley

This book was not my favorite. While I liked Melody and Jonathon together, the writing was sososo dry and repetitive. While the actually events changed, the same things kinda just kept repeating over and over and got really old after the first few times.

I liked the kid’s bonds throughout the book, but they all kinda felt one dimensional to me. This definitely wasn’t bad, but I also would not recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the advanced copy!

3.5 ⭐️

Recipe for this book:
1 cup holiday
1 cup second chances
1/2 cup “competitors” to lovers
2 cups heartwarming

Warm, fuzzy, and sweet, The Christmas Cookie Wars was the perfect way to kick off my holiday reading. If you like Hallmark movies and enjoy a Gilmore Girls Stars Hollow feel, this is a great book for you!

Thank you Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnams’s Sons and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.