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.

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.

The Christmas Cookie Wars was a very sweet Christmas Rom-Com. I love any rom-com with a baking element. This one did not disappoint. Perfect quick and light read to put you in the Christmas spirit.

I enjoyed Eliza Evans' The Christmas Cafe last year and was excited when I found her new book. Loved this one, too! The story was sweet and romantic, loved the cookie contest - the characters are fun and it's an enjoyable holiday romance.

A fast, easy Christmas story - could totally be a Hallmark movie, in fact it's mentioned in the book itself. Melody lost her husband a few years ago, and Christmas just hadn't been the same - she's trying extra hard this year to bring back some joy to the season. She was counting on the town's holiday activities around the Cookie Walk to help - until she finds out from her son's principal, Jonathan, that it's all been canceled because another parent didn't want to run it. So she takes it up and ends up spending a lot of time with Jonathan planning and participating.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

3.5

This was a charming, fast-paced read appropriate for all ages. It is perfect for Christmas when you have so much else to do that you may try to skip the pleasures of reading about the holidays.


It has lovely Christmas themes and an interesting tiny mystery added to keep you on your toes. The romance is adorable and wholesome. I must say that I would have loved to see their romance evolve and, of course, end in marriage, but it wasn't to be. Maybe there will be a part 2!

*ARC was supplied by the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons, the author, and NetGalley.

I loved this book! Although I am a little biased due to my love of Christmas, the story line was wonderful. It follows Melody and her twin boys as they navigate their new found role as the head of the Christmas Cookie Committee. There is romance, mischief, and holiday magic — three very important components of a great holiday book.
I would recommend this book for anyone who loves the holiday romance books!

Christmas books are my favorite and this one continued that thought process. All the Christmas fun and the drama made this book so much fun to read. The plot was enthralling with drama and romance and much much more. I highly recommend for anyone who loves Christmas books.

The Christmas Cookie Wars is a sweet story of second chance love. It follows a busy mom of twins as she tries to save a town tradition and keep the magic of the season alive for her boys!

This was such a fun holiday read (makes me ready for Christmas trees and hot chocolate)! Melody is determine to infuse some Christmas cheer into the lives of her grieving boys. She takes over the Christmas Cookie committee and the kids school, even though that means she has to deal with the insufferable principal.

This book was very well written and the grief the main characters experience felt real and relatable. The banter between Melody and Jonathon is fabulous and the story is just a feel good romcom. The spice level is 1 (think Hallmark Christmas movie spice).

I’m sad I’m done with this book. It was so good and festive and I loved all of the characters.

Melody was so relatable as a mother. Although she’s suffered loss, the way she cared for her children and the little things she did made her character feel so real. I think I would be good friends with her in real life.

Also-
Describing the love interest as “a homegrown Idris Elba” was an A++ choice. I continued to picture him this way for the duration of the book and it made his character that much more dreamy 😍

*This is a holiday rom-com, there is no spice aside from romantic kissing among Christmas lights. *

Christmas in August?!

Truly, this is just what I needed to get through this Texas heatwave.

Christmas, cookies, principals who may be a lil grumpy, and a touch of sadness mixed in but so much more love.

It’s everything you could want in a rom com and a Christmas book.

Melody’s love for her boys just pours through this book. The fact that there’s a small town rivalry between Melody and Jonathon, the principal, was so fun. And then a small town-wide Christmas cookie bake off?! What more could you want?!

And we love enemies to lovers in rom coms OF COURSE!!

This was such a fun and cute read and makes me really excited for Christmas cookies, Christmas, and rom coms.

It feels like watching hallmark Christmas movies with my meme and fills me with so much joy.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the eArc and to allow me to read this book early for my honest review 🩷

Such a cute romance! This is perfect to get you into that Christmas spirit! Clean romance!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This story sounds like a heartwarming holiday romance with a delightful mix of competition and charm. The setup of Melody Monroe striving to rekindle the Christmas spirit for her grieving twin boys provides an emotional core that’s both relatable and touching. Her determination to restore the holiday joy through the school’s cookie committee is a sweet and engaging way to frame the narrative.

I always want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of the book! I really liked this book! It was my first book by this author and I really liked their writing style!

Navigating through grief at Christmas, this was a wonderfully uplifting tale of holiday cheer and romance. I loved the banter and I adored the kids. This book will definitely put you in a festive mood!

This book is the perfect dose of holiday magic! The Christmas Cookie Wars felt like stepping into a Hallmark Christmas movie, and I was here for it! Melody’s (the main character) determination to bring Christmas spirit back into her boys’ lives, even if it means taking on the school cookie committee and the mean girl that ran it, made for such a heartwarming story. I loved the small-town vibes, the community coming together, and of course, the sweet (pun intended) romance between Melody and Jonathan.

The banter between them was hilarious, and it was touching to see how they both handled love after loss. This book really nailed the festive feels and had me craving cookies the entire time. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this gets picked up as a holiday film someday, it’s got all the right ingredients! If you’re in the mood for something light, sweet, and full of Christmas cheer, this one’s for you.

Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for sending this eARC for review consideration. All opinions are my own.