Small Business BookTok ARC Reviews: “The Christmas Cookie Wars” by Eliza Evans

Note: This ARC was given to me for free by the author and I am reviewing this book voluntarily.

’Tis the season for holiday baking and cheer! Things aren’t looking much like Christmas for Melody Monroe, however, as she fears her sons have lost the Christmas spirit after their father’s death, and the school’s Yuletide Cookie Club is thinking about shutting down due to disagreements in team-building. Determined to make this Christmas memorable for her sons, she takes leadership of the club and unintentionally starts a small-town bake-off. Can she pull off this seasonal event? Could this be what brings her family closer than ever? Furthermore, why is the school principal and her baking rival, Jonathan Braxton, suddenly making her heart rise like cookie dough in a baking oven?

After reading Eliza Evans’s debut book “The Christmas Café” last Christmas, I just knew that her future novels would become new holiday staples that I couldn’t miss out on! With her second book, “The Christmas Cookie Wars”, I was proven right! Eliza Evans’s writing and world-building have all the makings of the fun “Lifetime” and “Hallmark” holiday romance storylines we all know and love: a protagonist who overcomes grief and attempts to find the holiday spirit for herself and others, holiday treats and festivities, an irresistible rivals-turned-romance plot, and a dash of small-town hijinks! The chemistry between Melody and Jonathan, in particular, was truly entertaining to read and follow as Evans perfectly combines comedic banter with wholesome feels, and you can’t help but root for the two to have their holly-jolly happily-ever-after. I could go on about this book, but something tells me you need to check out this contemporary romance when it hits shelves on October 22, 2024, if you want to get in on this seasonal literary treat!

Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Meter: 1/5 🌶

Tropes to Expect: Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, Cozy Vibes, Lifetime/Hallmark Movie Vibes, Small-Town Romance Narrative, Single Baking Club Mom x Single Professor Dad, Rivals-to-Lovers, Baking Contest, School Baking Club Narrative, and Found Family Narrative.

Trigger Warnings: Discussion of Loss of a Loved One and Grief, Relationship Conflict, Depictions of Societal/Parental Cliques, and Family Conflict.

Solid four stars. Loved melody so much. She’s got a lot going on and she’s very messy, but she’s relatable. she’s doing her best to survive motherhood. The drama with the committee was a bit much at times.
Some of the time I did make the book a little bit more enjoyable though. I like the two main love interests. I love the enemies to lovers trope. It was very cute and I loved the ending

Thanks for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. This book was like watching three Hallmark movies rolled into one, and I mean this as a compliment because I love Hallmark movies. Widowed mom of twin boys, grumpy principal, and trouble making nemesis, all working for and against each other. Frazzled mom who doesn’t bake takes over cookie palooza, will it flop or flourish. Grumpy relationship to feelings. This book has it all. Perfect holiday book.

I want to thank Net Galley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I read this authors book, The Christmas Cafe last year and really liked it. This book is in a similar vein, a fun light Christmas romance. It is the story of Melody and Jonathon. Melody is the widowed mother of twin boys. Jonathon is the principal of the boys school. He is divorced and good looking. Melody runs a boutique and designs clothes, along with raising her boys. Melody has strong family support, her sister and parents , and she is doing ok, but has not started dating after 5 years. The central plot concerns the towns annual Cookie Festival. Every year they have a cookie swap, cookie contest , etc to raise money for the school stem program,. This year, Charlene, who usually runs it, has dropped out. Melody agrees to take over. It is a fun and heartwarming Christmas book!

The Christmas Cookie Wars evokes all the feelings you'd expect from a cute contemporary holiday romance. In a story fit for a Hallmark movie, single mom and widow Melody is trying to keep the magic of Christmas alive for her twin boys, Finn and Tate. She fills their days with holiday traditions and is heart-sore to see how some of those warm family activities are starting to lose their charm for her children. So when she learns that the chair of the parent-led Cookie Daze activities has stepped down, Melody springs into action. Not only does she love and enjoy all of the Cookie Daze events, but the funds raised support the school's STEM program--something Finn and Tate would be lost without.

While everyone from the school principal, Jonathan, to her own parents and sister may have doubts about Melody leading the charge, she is confident that her enthusiasm and joy for the traditions of her small town will make this a holiday to remember.

Charges of cheating, cookie catastrophes, and crackling chemistry between Melody and Jonathan fill the pages of this sweet story. If you're looking for a way to jump-start your holiday spirit, this may be the book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the free ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

I was unable to finish this book and thus will not be posting a full review. I found myself bored and there were so many similar characters that I had a hard time keeping track. Thank you for the opportunity and consideration.

I enjoyed this novel, I found the female main character (Melody) to be very likable and relatable. I felt that the set up of Melody's backstory at the beginning was rushed so I didn't really understand the connect with the male main character (Jonathan) at first. The middle of the story was sweet and had little gems of a Christmas magic. I felt like the ending was again rushed but that might be more the length of the book (235 pages) than the writing style.

Thank you Putnam and Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was the sweetest thing ever! It reminded me so much of a holiday Hallmark movie and I enjoyed every minute of it. The various antics that the twins got up to made me so happy and I there were I few times where the different scenes made me laugh out loud. I appreciated the romance aspect of the story and think it was great to see how Jonathan’s and Melody’s families came together at the end

Thank you to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and the author for the eARC.

If you’re looking for a perfect little hallmark Christmas story…but with more substance and humor…look no further!! This book had me hooked! I love Melody and her family and her journey through grief and finding love again. Also there’s an entire scenario that had me laughing out loud so hard. This book brought me all the feels in the best way and got me into the Christmas spirit. I highly recommend!!!

A cute, heatwarming, and easy holiday read! It reminded me of Bad Moms but with a Hallmark vibe.
Melody was such a relatable character - I too cannot bake for shit & this book tugged at my heart strings as she tried so hard to keep up with Christmas traditions as her boys were getting older.

The school mom drama was good. I wish the cookie contest scene lasted longer too. That chapter felt rushed & it happened pretty early on in the book that once you got to the middle, the title of this book stated to lose merit. Over all, I really enjoyed the ending & themes of a second chance at love & found family.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.


"The Christmas Cookie Wars" by Eliza Evans is a delightful holiday romance that effortlessly blends festive cheer with heartfelt moments. Melody Monroe is a single mom determined to rekindle the Christmas spirit for her twin boys, who are struggling after the loss of their father. Her plan to save the town's cookie committee from cancellation sets off a delightful battle with the school principal, Jonathan Braxton, sparking both competition and unexpected romance.

The novel captures the essence of small-town charm with its whimsical cookie-baking contests and charming community dynamics. Melody's journey through managing her family's holiday traditions while navigating the ups and downs of her bake-off with Jonathan is both endearing and relatable. The book paints a vivid picture of a cozy Christmas setting, complete with festive treats and warm interactions.

While the story occasionally leans heavily into its romance and could benefit from a bit more focus on the cookie competition's intrigue, it remains an enjoyable and feel-good read. Perfect for a holiday escape, "The Christmas Cookie Wars" will leave readers with a smile and a craving for both cookies and love.

The Christmas Cookie Wars is a lighthearted, clean holiday romance that everyone will enjoy.

The main character is a single mom trying to find her work/life balance while also coming to grips with the fact her boys are growing up. She is a relatable and lovable character.

I enjoyed the small town starting off the holidays with cookie related events. Each of the events was fun to read about and made me wish I could participate. Along the way we see someone is secretly sabotaging the events. I do think this took a backseat to the romance throughout the story and became less of a focus. I wished there had been a little more war or equal parts romance. I did enjoy the romance aspect and was rooting for the character to find love again.

I lost interest about halfway through the book. Dialog and the storyline became repetitious and went on longer than felt necessary. Overall still a cute holiday romance that shouldn't be missed this season.

This book does mention death of a spouse/parent, but no details are given.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book is absolutely adorable! If Hallmark movies were books, this would be it. Highly recommend for the holiday season, Christmas in July, or a light book club read.

This book is perfect for the holiday season. It has the exact feel of a Hallmark movie and I loved that. I love how this book is written well enough that the characters seem like people you could meet in real life. This book is a perfect for a cozy read on a winter day. It was really nice to see the feelings develop throughout this book. I also love that in the beginning he seems like a stuffy school principle and as the story goes one we learn that he is not that.

Overall I'm giving this book a 4.5/5 stars. I really liked it. The only thing I wish this book had is a dual POV. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a Hallmark movie in a book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

What a good book! I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. This is a first by this author but will not be my last! I read this in one sitting because I just couldn’t put it down.

This was a cozy little Christmas story about a mother struggling to maintain the holiday spirit in her home and her town. It was reminiscent of every Christmas movie I’ve ever seen on hallmark, but this was much more wholesome and slightly less corny.

It was a really quick, easy holiday read with so many feel good moments. I enjoyed the romance within this story very much. The characters were really enjoyable, the town was a literal Christmas dream, and the plot was easy to follow.

I’d highly recommend reading The Christmas Cookie Wars this holiday season if you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit!!

This was not the cozy read I thought it would be! But I found myself really invested in Melody's plights haha
It touched on real issues of loss, traditions, family and communical support.
All Melody wants to do is spend more time with her twin boys and when she found out a Christmas tradition would be canceled due to one woman's petty attitude, she decided to step up!
Too bad someone was out to sabbage her efforts! Causing her more stress and issues with her sons 😔
Her boys were so sweet though, and she found support in unexpected ways. After spending so much time with a certain principal, she may also have found more than friendship 🤭
Charlene was an adult bully and got on my nerves. I also didn't like how Jonathan handled certain issues but....otherwise I really enjoyed this book!
It realistically portrayed single parenthood and that ache of letting go, of wanting to find love and of family! The kids were both cute and ridiculous and I loved that they too saw that their mom needed more. I could picture this as a Hallmark holiday movie hehe

Such a cute and quick love story! Lovers to enemies. Great for the upcoming season!

Cover definitely got. I am a sucker for anything gingerbread

Oh boy was this book cute! It had allll the Christmas and feel good vibes. I truly loved being placed within the cookie bake off. I could see it all happening before me.
Melody is such a likable character. She was sweet and fun and quirky. I loved her zest for the holidays and her love for her twin boys! She has a lot going on and her life is sometimes a little messy but the best kind of messy! I see a Reese Witherspoon when I think of Melody.
I loved the enemies to lovers and how their fake hateful friendship turns to romance. The playful relationship was easy to naturally love and root for them. You want it to just all work out in the end.
Jonathan, the leading male character is also a good one! Handsome, caring and his whole persona is a good one. He's a grumpy principal and the one of Melody's boys school. But actually not grumpy at all! Which Melody soon discovers. I loved his daughter as well.
The imagery was cute and you could sense the magical Christmas moments throughout.
Some silly little predictable parts but that didn't break the overall feel!

Super big thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam Publishing for this early release copy in return of my honest opinion!! This is a solid 3.7 STARS! Would for sure tune in and watch this as a movie and would recommend to a friend!!

This is the sweet story of a widow with twin 9-yr old boys. Melody has been struggling to raise her sons, while operating her fashion boutique and keeping holiday traditions intact. She has the love and support of her family, but at times her burdens can be overwhelming. Melody is a horrible baker who finds herself assuming the chairmanship of a committee for the community’s Christmas cookie festival. Jonathan is the school’s principal and a skilled baker. He also has a 15-yr old daughter, who is staying with him over the holiday. Melody and Jonathan navigate plot twists as they begin to acknowledge their attraction for each other. This book has school-mom politics, cute kids, character growth, romance, along with a HEA. The emotions and relationships in this story felt very genuine and relatable.

I would downgrade a quarter-star for two small things. First, I wondered how Melody’s husband died and where were his family or friends? Second, a supporting character said that Jonathan looks like a particular actor, rapper and hip-hop artist now in his 50s. That statement was the only clue (other than the cover art) that this is a biracial romance. It’s not clear if it was intended to suggest an age difference between the characters, that race influenced people’s reactions – or just that the MMC looks like that actor. The analogy was a distraction. Ultimately though, this is a romantic, sympathetic and engaging story of a woman’s path to finding happiness again. I received an advance copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.