Eliza Evans has become an auto-read author for me. I loved <i>The Christmas Cafe</i> last year, and this one was super cute as well.

This book follows Melody, a widow with twin sons, as she ends up in charge of the Christmas cookie club, though she’s not much of a baker. She ends up clashing with her sons’ principal Jonathan, who is a fantastic baker.

This book was chock-full of Christmassy vibes! I loved all of the events that the characters attend. Ice skating, drinking hot chocolate, Christmas shopping, Christmas traditions, this book had it all! And of course all the cookies sounded yummy and I wanted to participate in all of the cookie events!

I liked the characters a lot as well. Melody has a close relationship with her sister and parents, who have really stepped up to help her after her husband’s death. I liked how close the family was. Jonathan wasn’t my favorite love interest ever, but he was a good dad to his daughter and he and Melody did have some cute moments.

I would highly recommend this one, especially for those who love Christmas stories. It will make you crave Christmas cookies and hot chocolate!

a cute book where the FMC"s stubborn nature and unwillingness to ask for help can put her at odds with the supposedly too-perfect MMC, who is of course much nicer than she originally gives him credit for.

What is there not to love about Christmas in the summer! I mean small town romance is my absolute favorite! Small town Christmas romance hallmark!! I love the characters, I love Melody who brought a new view of a the ultimate mom! The second chance at love it’s everything !

Wow. This was such a wonderful book. I absolutely could not put it down. I loved the second chance that both MCs get. Their stories are unique but they make a perfect match. I loved the Christmas cookie competitions, they gave a perfect look into small town holiday life. You couldn’t help but love each of the MCs kids. They really added depth and dynamic to the story. I can’t wait to read more from Eliza!

If you're looking for the perfect Hallmark feel good Christmas book that makes you want to start your Holiday baking early then this is the book! This was such a fun read and inherently predictable but in a comforting way.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

🎄The Christmas Cookie Wars 🎄

Christmas in July, anyone?!!

Thank you for my early copy!

I LOVED Eliza Evans last book, The Christmas Cafe, so I was thrilled to see she had a new one coming!!

First, the cover!!! How adorable?!?

I devoured this book!!! The swoon!! The Christmas activities, cookies, everything about this made me think of a Hallmark movie!! 😍

A solid 4 stars! I absolutely loved Melody. Besides the fact that her name was almost my name, she was so relatable. She has a lot going on, a little messy and perfectly imperfect, just trying to survive life and motherhood. I truly enjoyed it and the mishaps. The drama with the previous committee lady was a bit ...ehh, but it made the book even better at moments. I loved the two main love interests. Enemies to lovers trope is a whole vibe. This was cute, had some great twists, and I thoroughly enjoyed the ending 🥰

I received this ARC from NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Son to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

Thank You NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute and enjoyable read. This book really was like a Hallmark movie and I really loved the FMC and the dynamic with her children. The MMC and FMC were very funny and romantic. Even though I read this in the summer, I was put in the holiday spirit. This is a great read anytime but I would wait to read if you want a cozy Christmas read.

A cute Hallmark-like holiday read. Widowed mom to twin boys Melody takes over the planning for the school’s fundraising holiday activities and attracts the attention of divorced school principal Jonathan. Activities are sabotaged, they work together to make them a success and fall in love in the process. No surprises, just a sweet holiday read.

I did appreciate that Jonathan spoke about his former wife with respect. So many times it seems that authors make the divorced spouse into the villain and in life sometimes a marriage ends and nobody is the bad guy. It was nice to see that in a romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for the eARC. Opinions are my own.

Cute Christmas romance about a single mom of twin boys trying to save her town's cookie festival traditions. I'll be honest: I'm not a parent, so I really didn't connect with Melody and, quite frankly, all the school parent stuff was generally super uninteresting to me. Although I know there are self-serving parents like Charlene out there, her schemes were a little over the top, to the point that I checked out. Overall, not one I'd usually pick, but I wanted to try something new.

Perfect length and perfect sweetness! This book is perfect for a holiday travel, a book swap, a pixie gift, white elephant or a stocking stuffer.

The Christmas Cookie Wars
By Eliza Evans
Melody Monroe, widow, designer, boutique owner and mom of twin ten year old boys has her hands full. All she wanted for her boys to be filled with Christmas holiday spirit and right now that isn’t happening. Losing their father has made the boys question the point of celebrating Christmas.
Worrying about her boys only increases her stress and makes doing the daily things like getting to school on time almost impossible and dealing with the ever stern, infuriating Principal Jonathan Braxton is not something she wants to do!
Learning that the schools major fund raising cookie committee has disbanded due to trouble in the ranks, Melody volunteers to take over. She isn’t about to lose another important part of the holidays, even if she has to deal with the aggravating Jonathan Braxton to make it happen.
They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but when he bakes better than you do, tempers flare and the great cookie cook off is born! Things don’t always progress as you want and sometimes help comes from unexpected places, not to mention from the person you least expect to come to your aid.
As the holiday cookie events progress, trouble isn’t far away and nobody seems to know who is doing it. But trouble can also bring people together and learning that people aren’t always as they seem brings joy and understanding to the Christmas season as well as attraction between Melody and Jonathan.
I enjoyed every moment of this book, it’s sweet, feisty and heartwarming all at once and I totally recommend it!

This was a funny, cute story that kept you engaged till the end. If you like Hallmark movies, you will like this book. Melody, a single mom since her husband passed away, wants to keep Christmas magical for her twin sons so takes over the Christmas festivities in their town. Of course, issues arise with each event that need ingenuity to fix at the last minute and there is a budding romance for Melody if she is reading the signs right and the uncertainty that goes along with that. All this makes for a fun read. Can the events be saved? Is she ready for romance? Does he feel the same? You will just have to read the book and find out for yourself. No spoilers here!!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC.

Perfect read for the holiday season! Hallmark movies are my favorite thing to do around Christmas and this book felt like a Hallmark movie. A little Christmas, a little romance and cookies, who could ask for more!

"There's only one person I'm interested in right--"
This is a solid 3 stars. The author made these characters act their age, which are older adults, who have elementary and middle school children. Melody and Jonathan are the main characters and they care for their kids and it showed through their actions. This book to me reminds me of a hallmark movie (not in a bad way) and maybe, something a mom would read. (again, not in a bad way).

"Id like to stop talking now so I can kiss you"
Things I like:
- Melody as a character and her character towards everybody in her life.
- The cozy vibe it gives.
- The scene with the lights.
- I really like that these characters are so focused on their kids and how their kids will react towards them dating.
- It feels realistic and kinda messy.

"I know they're the most important people in your life and I wouldn't like it any other way"
Things I don't like/could live without:
- The book is marketed as a romance/rom com and I think the romance is secondary. I don't know how I feel about the love interest long term. It gives happily ever (for now)
- I wished that the dynamic between Jonathan and Melody was expanded out more, I think that could have even an interesting read.

I liked the book though and wish the author the best moving forward!

Hallmark movie in a book is the best way I can think to describe this sweet holiday read. It was a fun, innocent-feeling romance that made me genuinely wish there was snow on the ground and cookies baking in my oven. It had a perfect blend of small town romance and heartwarming family relationship vibes.

This was a cute easy read that is going to be the perfect touch for the holiday season. You’ll get the feels and vibes for Christmas.

Major editing needed. Cute Hallmark movie type book, perfect for a cozy read over the holidays. Unfortunately, major things like the special gift that was given were inconsistent in the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

I really loved this story about Melody Monroe who was raising her twins Tate and Finn. They had lost their father when they were 4 and now they are 10. She was all about her children. Especially Christmas and all their traditions plus she was all about family. The town's Yuletide Christmas days weren't going to happen because the committee has disbanded. Melody decided she would take it over and she did. She and her committee worked hard to make everything happen but things kept getting in the way.The principal, Jonathan and Melody became friends. Soon it became more and rumors were spreading around town. You'll need to read about all the things that happens and now it turns out. A VERY GOOD READ.

Wow I want to celebrate Christmas already after reading this book. Why is it only June. I loved the story and the characters it had me from page 4.