Did I end up hungry after this , absolutely yes 😅😭. I want cookies now. The characters in this book were extremely charming. Loved the story and the plot , super sweet and cute. Definitely a great holiday read .

Melody Monroe was not planning on spending the holidays locked in a competitive baking showdown with the grumpy school principal, but here we are. Trying to bring some Christmas magic back into her twin boys’ lives, she steps up to revive the school's Yuletide Cookie Club—only to find out she has to co-chair it with Jonathan Braxton, the most infuriating man in town. When things spiral into a full-blown bake-off, the flour flies, the holiday spirit cranks up, and Melody realizes that maybe—just maybe—there’s more than just rivalry in the air.

This book leans hard into the festive chaos, mixing rivalry, romance, and small-town charm into a sweet, slightly messy, but very entertaining story. Melody is fiery and fun, Jonathan brings that broody, reluctant love interest energy, and the side characters? Pure holiday gold. It’s a Hallmark rom-com with a competitive edge, though at times, the predictability and a little too much back-and-forth bickering slow things down. But honestly? That’s part of the charm.

It’s festive, heartwarming, and full of sugar-fueled banter. I’m giving “The Christmas Cookie Wars” 3.5 out of 5 stars! If festive baking battles, small-town holiday drama, and a dash of romantic tension sound like your kind of holiday treat, this one is worth unwrapping!

*The Christmas Cookie Wars* by Eliza Evans offers a sweet, cozy read perfect for the holiday season. The premise of a cookie-baking competition mixed with family drama and romance is fun and festive, making it an ideal book to curl up with by the fire. The small-town setting and holiday spirit add to its charm, and the characters are likable, with the rivalry between the main characters providing some entertaining moments.

That said, the plot is fairly predictable, and the story doesn’t quite bring anything new to the holiday romance genre. The pacing can be slow at times, and while the romance is sweet, it felt a bit rushed toward the end. Some of the secondary characters lacked depth, leaving them feeling a bit flat.

Overall, *The Christmas Cookie Wars* is an enjoyable, lighthearted read, but it doesn’t quite deliver the holiday magic or emotional depth that would have made it unforgettable.

I love a cute Christmas book and this one did not disappoint. This was the perfect addition to my Christmas reads. I loved the characters and the banter.

The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans is a delightful holiday romance that blends festive charm with heartwarming moments. Melody Monroe, determined to bring the Christmas spirit back to her twin sons after the loss of their father, takes charge of the school’s cookie committee. What starts as a simple plan to save Christmas joy quickly spirals into a full-blown competition with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton.

As the bake-off intensifies, Melody and Jonathan's rivalry begins to stir up unexpected feelings. Evans crafts a sweet, engaging story filled with humor, warmth, and a touch of holiday magic. Melody's determination to make the season special for her family, combined with her growing chemistry with Jonathan, makes for an enjoyable and heartwarming read.

With its small-town setting, endearing characters, and a perfect balance of romance and holiday cheer, The Christmas Cookie Wars is a cozy, feel-good book that will leave readers craving both cookies and love. It’s a delightful reminder that sometimes, love and holiday magic come when you least expect it.

This was a cute fun story with characters that felt like friends! While the outcome was predictable? It made the journey more fun.

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn’t stop smiling while reading it. The Christmas Cookie Wars reminded me of a Hallmark movie with a baking show twist. The characters were so well-written, and the storyline was super fun and charming. It’s a cozy, Christmas-y book with no spice, and I loved it! It gives off all the warm, Christmas vibes from hot chocolate and ice skating to Christmas cookies! This would be the perfect book to read during the holiday season. I loved it so much that I’m already planning to pick it up again during the holidays. I wish I could taste some of Mr. Braxton’s gingersnap cookies right now (or any of his cookies!!) One of the best Christmas books I’ve read in a while, and I’m not ashamed to have read it after the holidays. In fact, it filled my soul with the holiday spirit! Overall, I give this book five out of five stars. It was such a delightful and quick read!

Thank you Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

This book is everything you’d expect from a holiday Hallmark movie in book form. Widowed single mom, Melody, is desperate to preserve holiday traditions and spend time with her rambunctious tween twin boys. It’s both her attempt at slowing time and keeping the memory of her husband alive. When mom drama threatens to cancel her favorite town tradition, Cookie Daze, and undermine the funding of the kid’s activities, Melody offers to be the Cookie Committee President. Melody naively believes that taking this one won’t be that hard, but what ensues proves that for some, everything that can go wrong, will. This position also requires her to get much closer to single, hottie principal, Mr. Braxton.

The book is about family, mom drama, a second chance at love and all things holiday spirit!

Thank you to Putnam and Penguin Random House Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

This is definitely the perfect holiday romance. It was all the best parts of a Hallmark movie into a novel. I loved the characters, the setting, and the plot. It isn’t a literary masterpiece by any means, but it is extremely fun and easy to get lost in. Favorite Christmas/holiday romance of the year. Should be on everyone’s holiday tbr if not already!

I really enjoyed this book. The cover is cute just like the story! I liked the enemies to lovers trope and the cute cozy holiday romance vibe with a little mystery mixed in and some fun cookie war contests!
Thank you NetGalley, Eliza Evans, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for my advanced copy.

The Christmas Cookie Wars is a cute holiday-filled rom-com that will get you in the festive mood. A super busy single mom finds out that the town’s Cookie Daze festival has been cancelled by the previous chairwoman and signs on to take over. Lots of humor, sabotage, and romance along the way.

This is a Hallmark movie in book form. Set in a small town, widowed single mother Melody is already known to the school principal, Jonathon Braxton, for always getting her twin boys, Tate and Finn, to school late. When the boys begin to question their Christmas spirit, and Melody finds out the Yuletide Cookie Club has disbanded, she decides she can kill two birds with one stone: get the principal on her side and restore the Christmas spirit in her boys. What she doesn't anticipate is how her feelings for Jonathan turn.

I loved the developing story and relationship between Jonathan and Melody, but I loved all the side characters even more. The boys are delightful, and so are Melody's mom and sister. The plot arc to figure out who is sabotaging all of Melody's efforts also held my attention. This is a perfect read for anyone wanting to escape into a sweet, fun, clean romance.

I had a hard time getting into this Christmas romance. I wanted to feel more from this book, experience what the characters were experiencing instead of being told about it. It was a cute read, just not one I'd pick up again.

A great Christmas story with a predictable ending. The characters were very real and the story was a great afternoon read.

Melody’s favorite time of year is Christmas. Her and her husband set a lot of family traditions at the holidays. But her husband has been gone for most of her sons’ lives. They are ten and he’s been gone since they were four.

Melody has continued on and done the traditions with her boys each year. In a way it’s keeping her close to her husband but it’s also something she enjoys.

But, here’s where it gets sad, her boys feel like they’re too old for the traditions this year. They don’t seem to want to do anything Melody has planned. They’re growing up and want to spend more time with her friends.

The one thing the boys care about doing is related to all the cookie themed events in their town. But the mean mom on the committee has caused all the events to be canceled and no one has the nerve to cross her and do it themselves: well, nobody but Melody!

Melody would do anything to preserve the remaining traditions that her kids still enjoy. So she heads the committee.
She can’t even bake yet suddenly finds herself in direct competition with the school principal Jonathan.

Jonathan always seemed stuffy and buttoned up to her. And his sense of style reads old man. As a fashion designer, Melody would love to change his wardrobe. And they get in a silly bet that she can do that if she wins.

But crazy things start happening that bring to light someone trying to sabotage Melody.

I honestly felt really sad for Melody for most of this hook. First because her little family didn’t seem to care about her traditions anymore. Secondly because you’d have to be a real jerk to sabotage a cookie event managed by a widowed mother if young twins. And finally because she might have a new chance at love but the situation is less than ideal.

I was very pleased with the ending but I wish this book was less sad overall.

I got to read an early ebook copy from NetGalley. Thank you!

Melody Monroe is determined to restore Christmas cheer to her twin boys after their father's passing. When the school’s cookie committee falls apart, she takes matters into her own hands, clashing with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton. What starts as a competitive rivalry turns into a blossoming romance, and Melody begins to wonder if love could be the missing ingredient to her holiday season. A heartwarming tale of second chances and festive magic.

The Christmas Cookie Wars was a cozy romcom that hits all the holiday feels. The premise was cute and the author weaved the Christmas festivities into the story well. I loved that she was a widowed mother which is rare and refreshing.
While this story hit a lot of common tropes, the primary couple didn't have as much chemistry as I would have hoped and I grew frustrated at times with the lack of progress of the main character, who fixated on traditions too much. However, the small time Hallmark vibes were on point enough I could overlook those factors.

Thank you to Eliza Evans, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such an adorable Christmas read! A young single mom in a cookie war with her twin boy's school principal, thrown into being in charge of the holiday events in town to make sure her kid's school clubs are funded... so much fun! This book definitely had me in the holiday spirit! The characters were charming and the plot was adorable! I mean what's not to love?!
Definitely a recommend from me!

This was a surprise hit for me - I laughed out loud (the emojis!) and cried at times. Eliza Evans will now be an auto-read for me at the holidays!

As someone whose favorite holiday is Christmas and who always loves a good Hallmark movie, I had high hopes for The Christmas Cookie Wars and I’m happy to say Eliza Evans didn’t let me down.

The story, while straightforward, gives the reader hope in second chances at love, but still has twists and turns that you don’t see coming.

I loved how The Christmas Cookie Wars had me grinning from ear to ear, and was such a cute, feel good read that I devoured it in one sitting.

I will be going back to read Evans’ previous book, and look forward to reading more of her works in the future.

Special thanks to NetGalley for granting me access to this ARC