**Thank you to Alcove Press for this free digital review copy.**

This was a cute Christmas read that felt pretty low stakes because while there were some major hurdles to jump over, I never doubted that things would work out in the end. A small-town baker who learned everything he knows from his precious Nana meets and falls for the VP of marketing for a big chain cookie place that is moving into his territory. Can they make the relationship work? Sure! Will they fall apart because of miscommunication? Only very briefly! It really helped that the FMC didn't like her job or have any real loyalty to the chain cookie place, so while she wanted to succeed at her job, when another opportunity presented itself, it wasn't hard to leave and switch her loyalty to her love interest. There were semi-complicated family dynamics, but even those were really not bad, especially considering the drama and the trauma I've read about in a few other novels recently. I appreciated the lighter feel of this book and only rolled my eyes at its cheesiness occasionally.

Talk about a sweet holiday romcom that will warm your heart! "The Christmas Crush" is a delightful holiday romance that captures the magic of small-town charm and the clash of corporate ambition. Noelle Douglas weaves a tale of love, cookies, and community that will leave readers with a smile on their faces.

New Hope, Pennsylvania, is a picturesque town where everyone knows each other's business. Local baker Lawrence Higgins, along with his loyal dog Sugar, has been a beloved fixture in the community for years. Their cozy bakery specializes in homemade cookies, and Lawrence takes pride in creating treats that warm the hearts of his customers.

Enter Elena Voss, a career-focused marketing executive from Sparkle Cookie, a large cookie conglomerate. When Sparkle Cookie opens a new branch in New Hope, Elena sees it as her chance to climb the corporate ladder. But the townsfolk aren't thrilled about the arrival of a big company that threatens their small-town feel. Lawrence, in particular, is determined to protect his bakery from being overshadowed by mass-produced cookies.

Elena and Lawrence butt heads at a town hall meeting, their opposing goals clear. Elena wants to prove herself and make the new branch a success, while Lawrence wants to preserve the heart of New Hope. When a cookie competition forces them to work together, sparks fly—both in the kitchen and outside of it. Their chemistry is undeniable, but can they find common ground between corporate ambition and hometown values?

Elena is driven, ambitious, and fiercely competitive. Her determination to succeed clashes with Lawrence's passion for tradition and community. Lawrence, with his flour-dusted apron and warm smile, embodies the spirit of New Hope. Sugar, the adorable canine sidekick, steals scenes with his antics.

As Elena and Lawrence navigate their differences, their relationship blossoms. The slow burn romance is heartwarming, and readers will root for them to find common ground. Noelle Douglas skillfully balances the sweet moments with the challenges they face, making their journey all the more satisfying.

"The Christmas Crush" captures the essence of the holiday season—the warmth of freshly baked cookies, the joy of community, and the magic of unexpected love. It's a feel-good read that reminds us of the importance of connection, especially during the most wonderful time of the year.

Noelle Douglas has crafted a charming romcom that combines humour, heart, and a dash of holiday magic. If you're a fan of Tessa Bailey and Maggie Knox, this book is a must-read. Grab a cozy blanket, a plate of cookies, and immerse yourself in the enchanting world of "The Christmas Crush."

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️/5

Tropes:
🍪 Rivals to Lovers
🍪 Forced Proximity
🍪 Small Town

This was my first cozy read for the festive season and it set a pretty high bar, it was lighthearted, warm and was everything I wanted (it is responsible for me eating cookies at 10pm).

Elena is a career woman with a difficult boss, who she is eager to please for the promotion she’s gunning for and Lawrence (the hot baker) owns his own mom and pop bakery in an idyllic small town. They couldn’t be more different until their rivalry heats up and they start to question how thin the line between love and hate really is.

I enjoyed this, it was an easy cozy read and I liked Elena and Lawrence’s dynamic. This book explored corporations vs independently owned shops and the impact they have on one another by exploring mass producing vs making a batch of a family recipe from scratch and while I’m sure it wasn’t that deep, I was on board with Sparkle Cookies ✨downfall ✨

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the ARC it was the best title to kick start my festive reading tbr.

This was such a sweet Christmas romance book! I got all the Hallmark feels and was swooning over Lawrence and Elena's relationship!

I enjoyed the concept of big city girl who works at a large cookie corporation falling for small town baker. I liked the journey of self discovery that Elena's takes while trying to find her own voice.

Ugh, I always feel like such a grinch DNF'ing Christmaq books but I just thought this wasn't that well written. I didn't get far in at all and yet there are already so many things that don't make sense. The female main character is written extremely inconsistantly, and the guy is just kind of there. He's an extremely forgettable main character. The plot is also so incredibly cliche, and there's 0 nuance to it. I was on the fence about DNF'ing it but after reading MANY reviews I just came to the conclusion that this book at its very, very best will probably barely hit a 3 star for me, and that honestly isn't worth the hastle I'm already experiencing with this book. Christmas romances are supposed to be an enjoyable time!

Do you like cheesy and cute hallmark movies? This is for youu!

The Christmas Crush need to turn into a Christmas special movie for sure! I could totally see it playing out in my head as I was reading it. ❤️💚

Add it to your holiday TBR!!

This book wasn't for me. I felt a little bit bored while reading it. I also think the start of this book was a little bit confusing. I have read a book by this author before and I don't think her books are for me. Her writing style doesn't work for me.

I just love Christmas romances. I need them every December. This one was just what I wanted. Lawrence is our local small-town baker. In rolls in Elena with Sparkle, the big cookie conglomerate. Elena needs to prove herself and Lawrence needs to make sure his business survives. They immediately butt heads. Their banter is so funny. The romance is sweet. I adored them. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is a super cute holiday romance. Great pacing and conflict between characters. I loved that yes there is an initial meet disaster and some bickering between the main characters but that they reign it in pretty early on with maturity and eventual understanding. This is like a more developed and legit Hallmark movie and I do NOT mean that as an insult. Like if you've ever watched one of those movies and just wanted more, more character backstory, more chemistry, this book will do that for you. The corporate lady and small town baker pairing to the max.

My one criticism is that some of the relationship and intimacy building is off page. This book was culminating to a fun snowed in trope and then had some fade to black moments so just fyi no spice. And there is nothing inherently wrong with a fade to black or closed door romance, BUT if they are going to hook up so early on and it's got to be an integral aspect of their relationship there needs to be more relationship building on page and not just assumed that off page shenanigans = falling in love (in my opinion).

But still, really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to Alcove Press for this eARC! It really hits for the season.

If I could give this book 0 stars I would. It was like a knock off wanna be hallmark movie. Was not entertaining or anything it was like watching paint dry trying to read this

The Christmas Crush is the perfect book for fans of closed door, Hallmark movie style books. You get backing, big city girl coming to a small town, charming townspeople and family, and a work villain. I enjoyed reading it and looked forward to seeing how it all came together at the end. And it made me extremely hungry for cookies.

This was such a cute book. It felt like a hallmark Christmas movie mixed with some type of reality baking show. I mean there was no baking competition but it was giving the vibes. The whole book was Christmas vibes and a cute romance.

In "The Christmas Crush" by Noelle Douglas, career-focused Elena is determined to climb the corporate ladder at Sparkle Cookie. When the company opens a new branch in New Hope, Pennsylvania, she seizes the opportunity to impress her bosses. However, the townsfolk, including local baker Lawrence and his dog Sugar, are not thrilled about the large company disrupting their small-town charm. Lawrence, whose bakery specializes in cookies, fears that Sparkle Cookie will crush his business. Sparks fly when Elena and Lawrence butt heads at a town hall meeting, but a cookie competition forces them to join forces. As they work together, they must decide what price they are willing to pay to achieve their goals.

This book is a delightful holiday romcom that perfectly captures the magic of the season. The story of career-driven Elena and local baker Lawrence is filled with charm, humor, and heart. Their initial rivalry and eventual collaboration in a cookie competition make for an engaging and heartwarming read. The small-town setting of New Hope, Pennsylvania, adds to the cozy, festive atmosphere. This book is a must-read for fans of holiday romances and anyone looking for a feel-good story to get into the Christmas spirit. Highly recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The book was cute! It was a great hallmark movie style book, predictable and cozy but still good! Some parts were a little long and draggy, but loved the characters!

This was a fun, upbeat, Christmas read. Perfect for getting in the holiday spirit. I can't wait for the next one!

Cute premise but I was not able to finish the story so I won't be leaving a full review. Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

I loved it. Perfect for the holiday feels. This one is a small town sweet holiday enemies to lovers romance story and has the perfect cute holiday vibe that everyone needs for this upcoming season. Set in a small town - competition between bakeries. Easy to read, Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was so cute! I knew exactly what was going to happen throughout the whole thing, but I still loved seeing how it unfolded. It was such a cute little small town holiday romance. The characters were lovable and I was invested in it. I liked that the main character/baker was a male. It made the hallmark film vibe feel new.

It was super cute, sweet, heartwarming and cosy. New Hope was one of those places that make you wish they were real so you can go and visit.
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Lawrence is the perfect golden retriever guy, owner of the only bakery on the main street of New Hope, and the best homemade cookies in the entire small town that looks like something out of a Hallmark movie.
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But with the opening of the new branch of Sparkle, the most popular brand of cookies on the market, it is threatened, not only with losing customers.
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Elena Voss is in a complicated situation at work, and everything depends on her not only making the opening of the new branch a success, she needs to beat the competition and win over the people of this small town that seems like something out of a Christmas movie.
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And she thinks it's an easy thing until at the town meeting she crosses paths with the handsome owner of the competition and in the first conversation, sparks not only ignite the chemistry and make them begin to bring the best of their game to beat the other.
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What can I say, it is a perfect book for this time of year, sweet and with very little angst that gives you a very nice ending and also it comes with a recipe that I am dying to try. It’s the perfect book to start feeling the spirit of the season.
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Thanks to Noelle Douglas and Alcove Press for give me a copy of this beautiful book in exchange for my honest and voluntary opinion.

This one wasn’t for me. Lawrence and Elena just seemed mismatched from the start, and not in a fun way. Imagine having a job that required you to only wear their colors. Very odd. And how would Lawrence even consider dating the person who works for the company that is trying to steal his business? Makes no sense really. The trope just didn’t work here in a smal, town.