This was a very cute holiday read. I love how important family was to the characters and loved the cozy holiday vibes. Fans of Hallmark movies are sure to love this one as well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group and Eliza Evans for allowing me to read this e-arc.

Great read to get into the holiday spirit!! So many aspects of this book were exactly what I was looking to read right now. Truly so enjoyable.

THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE WARS – Eliza Evans
G.P. Putnam's Sons
ISBN: 978-0593544587
October 22, 2024
Romantic Comedy

Cookeville, Colorado – Present Day

Widowed and a single mother, Melody Monroe has lately had trouble getting her twin sons on time to school, which means she has to deal with the principal, Jonathan Braxton. With Christmas around the corner, she and her boys look forward to the Christmas cookie events but learn that the event coordinator has canceled everything and stepped away. Everyone, including Melody, is disappointed, so she decides to revive the committee and moves ahead with plans. This means working with Mr. Braxton, though it seems whatever she does has him glaring at her in disapproval. However, the more time Melody spends in Jonathan’s vicinity, the more she becomes attracted to him.

THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE WARS is a funny and feel-good romance that will tickle the hearts of readers. Melody’s beloved husband died a couple of years ago and she will do whatever it takes to make her sons' lives happy. They have been looking forward to the cookie exchange and Melody is willing to pitch in, even though she is possibly the world’s worst cookie baker. She feels intimidated by Jonathan Braxton, though it could be because he’s only seen her at her worst—looking disheveled while arriving late at the school to drop off her kids. After finding out that Charlene—her rival—has dropped the Christmas cookie activities, Melody offers to lead it, which surprisingly finds Jonathan offering to help. Of course, he is a top-notch cookie baker. How can Melody compete with a seemingly perfect man—or garner his attention?

Melody’s boys are cute and precocious and provide some challenging times for her. Jonathan is also a single father as Melody soon learns, and his daughter is soon introduced. Meanwhile, the romantic vibes are vibing between Melody and Jonathan. Both are conscious of the fact that people might frown on the principal dating a student’s mother. But they can’t hide from each other how they feel toward each other. Along the way, there are plenty of laughs as Melody’s plans for the holidays go awry, though Jonathan does his best to help her out. Her cookies are inedible and he’s a maestro at cookie baking. How will they ever mesh and get together? Will the cookie festival activities be a hit with everyone, or will Charlene try to sabotage things? You’ll have to read this tale to find out.

With lots of fun scenes and even funnier banter, readers will enjoy reading THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE WARS. Don’t miss putting this on your holiday romance reading list.

Patti Fischer
Romancer Reviews Today

The Christmas Cookie Wars is just adorable. Perfect for the upcoming holiday season, I truly enjoyed getting to know Melody, her twin boys, and the man who would become much more than just the elementary school principal. We get a glimpse into the harried life of the widowed Melody and how she feels as if her boys are starting to slip away as 10-year-old mischief makers. Although they might give her a few gray hairs here and there, Tate and Finn love their mom fiercely and try their best to keep her smiling.

I really loved that Melody was a successful clothes designer for her shop in downtown Cookeville, where all things Christmas, especially cookies, were well-known. She has such a flair for fashion yet her baking skills pale in comparison. When she takes over the boys' school's cookie committee, however, the heat is on and not just from her oven. New ideas, especially one where bakers have to create their Christmas cookies in front of a live audience of parents and students, start a competition of sorts between Melody and the sexy Mr. Braxton, and from there it's simply a matter of time before they each find in the other exactly what has been missing from their lives.

There is plenty of playful banter and a surprising longing from Melody as she gets to know Jonathan Braxton on a whole new level. They both flounder a bit when in each other's presence but it's the sweet moments like when Jonathan helps out Melody as the baker extraordinaire he is or when she gifts him with a copper bowl that reminds him of his grandmother that make this story sing. Both completely out of their element as they start to date a bit, I was happy for them that others around them were willing to keep pushing them together. Especially Melody's sister, her parents and eventually her boys and Jonathan's daughter.

It's an all-around lovefest as Melody finds a new kind of future with Jonathan and she falls into an easier rhythm just by having him around. I loved all the secondary characters, even those who weren't as kind as they could be but liked that Evans was able to redeem them without too much fanfare. The author proved just how wonderful a woman like Melody is, always willing to give others the benefit of the doubt even if they didn't always do the same in return. She's a great role model for her boys and clearly the right choice to take over the cookie committee.

The town of Cookeville is every person's dream place to visit during the holidays and the way everyone pitched in to make all the events planned a huge success truly brought a tear to my eye. I had a great time with this book and will definitely read more from this talented author. The Christmas Cookie Wars is in a word, enchanting, and I happily give this book a big 4 stars!

Title:  The Christmas Cookie Wars  
Author:   Eliza Evans       
Genre: Romance        
Rating: 4 out of 5

Melody Monroe will do anything to help her nine-year-old twin boys muster up the holiday spirit. Especially since they lost their father, the boys have started questioning the point of Christmas at all.

So, when Melody learns the school’s Yuletide Cookie Club has disbanded due to dissension in the top ranks, she knows she must take over the cookie club herself, even if it means dealing with the infuriating school principal, Jonathan Braxton.

But when a small argument turns into a town-wide bake-off between her and Jonathan, Melody finds that her competitive spirits have turned romantic. Love can't be in the cards. Her focus is on her boys, and saving Christmas. This year, will Melody be willing to let go of the past and embrace the magic of the holidays for herself?

This was a cute, fun read. Melody’s fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants way of living made me laugh—but kind of made me shudder, too. Jonathan came off as very buttoned-up at first, but it was nice to see him let his guard down. This was a quick read that had me laughing as I breezed through it.

Eliza Evans is a bestselling author. The Christmas Cookie Wars is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Penguin Group Putnam in exchange for an honest review.)

A fun story of an uptight principal and a free wheeling fashion designer/mom of 10 year old twins. She thinks he's humorless and he thinks she's scattered, but when the Annual Cookie Days are threatened to be cancelled, she steps up to chair the events. Working together they bring new life to the events and they see one another for who the other really is. Great characters and a bit of a mystery help to make this a good read.
I received an ARC of this book in return for a review.

My favorite holiday ARC this season!!! A second chance in love, epic holiday town setting equals a fun read! Melody is raising her twin sons after losing her husband. Jonathan is elementary school principal. The holiday scene in the town revolves around the annual cookie swap activities. Together, Melody and Jonathan bond over the activities with their extended families. Just a fun holiday must read. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam & Sons for this advanced read!

Fun festive romance. The story of Melody and Jonathan, who start to spend more time together when she takes over running the cookie swap at her children's school, where Jonathon is the Principal.

The Christmas Cookie Wars - Eliza Evans
Genre: Holiday Romance

I enjoy cookies: baking and eating. I enjoy holiday rom coms: movies and novels. I certainly enjoyed reading Eliza Evans’ The Christmas Cookie Wars. Melody is struggling this year to find the Christmas spirit with her 10 year old sons. They seem to be growing out of some of the traditions that she has maintained so carefully after the death of her husband some 6 years earlier. When she learns that the Christmas Cookie Committee has disbanded, she risks the wrath of its former chair to take it over. To do so she must work with and then compete with Jonathan, the stuffy principal of her sons’ school who has historically made HER feel like a ten year old child. Baking, ice skating, snowman making, and love ensues.
Evans captures the spirit of Christmas in a big way. She creates a town that celebrates Christmas cookies for weeks. She gives us a spirited baking competition. She gives us a family that is experiencing growing pains, but that clearly love each other - and wanting what is best for each other. She gives us an enemy in Charlene who tries to rule the school with an iron fist. She gives us a mystery - someone is sabotaging the events. And of course, she gives us a lovely romance. I would rate it as Hallmark style in terms of romantic content. Just right for me.
Sometimes we just need a joy filled, escape from real life, holiday read. I needed one this week and The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans was just right for me.

A warm, lighthearted, holiday romance. Melody is trying to do the best she can to make the holidays special for her twin boys. She has become everything to them and is trying to give them the best of times after the loss of the father. Though she is now surrounded by family, there are some days where she is doing all she can to keep it all together. She wants Christmas to be filled with love, joy, happiness, the magic of the holiday season and cookies. Lots and lots of cookies. When the school cookie club falls apart, for some reason she decided to take it over. One hiccup in the plan is the uptight inflexible principal. There is no love lost between them, so in essence, let the cookie games begin. This is a small town, enemies to potentially more, second chance at love, opposites attract, sweet funny read that is absolutely adorable and exactly what I needed.

This book is such a Hallmark movie & I would totally watch it!! 🎄❤️ The Christmas Cookie Wars was such a cute book! Such a heartwarming romance!

The Christmas Cookie Wars takes place in a small town where Melody is a widowed mom of two boys. Her town is all about cookies & Christmas & when the cookie club at her sons school is disbanded, Melody steps in to help out. The school has a single principal that all the moms talk about, but until she started helping out with the cookie club, she didn’t think of Jonathan like that. When they start the cookie club back up before Christmas, Jonathan & Melody find themselves in a bet. Melody is pretty competitive, but when she starts spending more time with her son’s principal while planning events for Cookie Daze, will she still feel competitive or will her feeling start to shift??

I really enjoyed this one! This was such a sweet, lighthearted romance & I always love a small town romance! I really loved watching Melody navigate her feelings after being single for so long since the passing of her husband. Also, the relationship with her boys was something that really hit me as a mom. Melody has to watch her boys grow up & grow out of traditions, especially when they were things she did with her husband, & she has to learn how to navigate & handle this new phase of life.
Overall, great cozy holiday read!

It is definitely a book I would recommend & a perfect read for the holidays!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC of The Christmas Cookie Wars.

The Christmas Cookie Wars was like reading a Hallmark movie! So charming and spirited. I raced to finish this one because I needed to see Melody and Jonathon's story unfold before I did anything else. 100% recommend this to anyone who likes romance, feel-good, Christmas vibes and can't wait to have my copy in hand!

This is such a cute and cozy winter read! I loved Melody and her strong personality. Melody is a single mother to twin boys who has been struggling trying to find balance after their father’s passing. Melody’s sons are struggling in school, and she volunteers at their school to bake and sell cookies.

The principal Johnathan and Melody make a bet and things begin heating up. This novel has laughter, banter and explores if a mom can be with the principal. I found myself enjoying this one from the start. Thank you Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this novel.

The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans

The Christmas Cookie Wars was a cute cozy holiday romance with a little mystery mixed in. Melody has been raising her twin boys Tate and Flynn alone since their father Thomas passed away, but recently she has been struggling. The boys have been getting into trouble in school and Melody has been called into the office, as she has arrived late with the boys for school for the millionth time. Principal Johnathan Braxton is wound a little tight, not caving on rules, and following policies, he dresses like he’s going to a business meeting, but Melody is starting to see just how fit he really is.

When the person that runs the annual cookie events drops out, Melody volunteers to run it, unfortunately Melody has had no success at cookie making yet. When Johnathan and Melody make a bet on the outcome of the bake off, they don’t expect to start feeling attracted to the other. As things heat up, will the community do if they be ok if they date? Can a parent and the principal have a relationship? Toss in the mystery of the sugar and salt swap, and you have a bit of mystery and drama.

I definitely enjoyed this sweet wholesome story about a second chance at love. This was heartwarming and definitely made me smile. Great for a before or after Christmas read. This is filled with traditions and magic.

i LOVE LOVE LOVE christmas romances and this was a perfect option. the holiday spirt is alive in this book- it was funny, charming, and made me want to scream sing jingle bells at the top of my lungs. if you’re looking to get in the christmas mood pick up this book!!

Huge thank you to Putnam Books for the ARC!

I read Eliza Evan's debut novel, The Christmas Café last Christmas season and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one! Don't her books have the cutest covers ever? Covers are important to me, but especially Christmas book covers since so much about it is the *aesthetic*!

I thought this one was fun and tender. I felt the romance was sweet and believable, and I loved the added depth of love after loss as I watched the main character, Melody, falling in love for the first time since her husband died. Being a widow with twin 10yo boys, dating wasn't high on her list of priorities, but after her son's continued trips to the principals office, Melody begins spending more and more time with him.

Read this if you enjoy:

-Love after loss
-Closed door romance
-Single parent romance
-Small town coziness
-Cookies, obviously
-Baking competitions

You definitely need to add this one to your Christmas TBR!

Warning: it will make you EXTREMELY HUNGRY, so make sure you have some cookies nearby!

This was a great little holiday romance. I loved that the main character is a widowed mother of two fifth-grade boys - it gave a point of view that I seldom see. As a mom of three young boys, it helped me recognize how fleeting this time is, and the realization that my boys will grow out of traditions, but hopefully also create new ones together. I really appreciated the mature perspective of the two main characters: usually one character overreacts to something that extends the plot a bit, but I never felt that in this book. I enjoyed all the Christmas traditions and references, and the little mystery plot behind who was sabotaging the cookie events!

Melody Monroe is determined to keep Christmas traditions alive for her sons, even as they grow up and become more independent. When the school’s beloved cookie club disbands, she sees an opportunity to create lasting memories with her kids. But between baking mishaps and mysterious sabotage during the festive competition, Melody starts to wonder if a second chance at love might be in the cards.

This book is wonderfully cute and heartwarming. I loved the cozy, small-town vibe, which sometimes gave off a Gilmore Girls feel—yes, it’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s true! There were moments when everything seemed to go wrong, and the whole town rallied together, bringing that familiar sense of community and charm.

Six years after losing her husband, Melody has been raising her twin sons with the support of her parents and sister. As her boys start to become more independent and leave their belief in Santa behind, Melody clings to her annual Christmas traditions more than ever—and doesn’t expect to find new love along the way.

Jonathan, the divorced single father and principal at Melody’s kids’ school, has been a familiar face lately due to her children’s frequent tardiness. Though he’s attractive and highly sought after by other moms, Melody can’t picture herself with someone so serious and structured—until he swoops in to save her cookie recipe. Suddenly, Melody starts to see a different side of Jonathan, and a possible future together begins to take shape.

This book was filled with nostalgia and holiday cheer, and it got me in the Christmas spirit. The romance was wholesome and sweet, complemented by many tender family moments throughout the story. It’s a fun, easy romantic holiday read that’s perfect for cozying up with during the festive season.

I loved Eliza’s first book that came out last year, but this one fell a little short for me. I loved the romance between Melody and Johnathan and seeing her relationship with her kids grow and change. I did notice quite a few grammatical errors & it didn’t really give me a happy holiday vibe. I did like how emotional and deep the storyline was and how it showed Melody learning to love someone again and try out a relationship since her husband passed. Overall it was just okay for me. I would recommend to others to read especially during the holiday time but I still prefer The Christmas Cafe more!

The Christmas Cookie Wars by Eliza Evans. This was a cute, charming, fast-paced read.
This book was so cozy and wholesome.
Overall, it was the perfect book for a cozy season!
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.