Matchmaking Christmas

by Toni Shiloh

Sometimes a second chance is wrapped in tinsel, mistletoe, and the conspiring of two daughters determined to reignite love.

When widow Regina Parker's daughter switches places with her best friend after school one day, Regina finds herself face-to-face with the one person she's been Theo Evers, the high school boyfriend who shattered her heart. Regina has carefully built a new life for herself since moving back to Holly, California, and she has no intention of letting old heartbreak unravel it.

Single father Theo Evers thought he had his hands full managing the town's Christmas tree farm and raising his daughter after his wife abandoned them both. The last thing he needs is Regina back in his life--but now their daughters have become inseparable, and the scheming young matchmakers have other plans.

Determined to create the family they've always longed for, the girls orchestrate an elaborate strategy, secretly signing their parents up for every holiday activity in town. It's up to Theo and Regina to decide if they're brave enough to trust God's plan and risk everything for a second chance at the love that got away.

In this charming Christian Christmas novella reminiscent of The Parent Trap, Toni Shiloh combines second chance romance, single parents, high school sweethearts, matchmaking mischief, and faith for fans of Courtney Walsh, Bethany Turner, Becky Wade, Pepper Basham, Sarah Monzon, and Melissa Ferguson.

Genres: Christmas, Romance, Christian Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Christian

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2026

About the author

Toni Shiloh is a wife, mom, and an award-winning Christian contemporary romance author. A native of Texas, she now lives in northern Virginia. Learn more at http://tonishiloh.com.

Reviews

[Carol (Reading Ladies) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Melissa’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two delightfully mischievous matchmaking young girls, two ex high school sweethearts, & one enjoyable second chance Christmas romance, I adored Matchmaking Christmas! As a fan of The Parent Trap, I loved this funny, sweet, Christmasy homage to the story. Toni Shiloh brings all the swoony kisses, endearing characters, hilarious pranks, & fun Christmas traditions in this delightful new Christmas novella.

Kyleigh misses her dad who passed away & Melea wants a mom. Though these two start out as rivals the first day of 5th grade, they soon become best friends when they learn they have a lot in common. With her dad busy running the local Christmas tree farm & Kyleigh’s mom opening her candle shop, there’s no time for these friends to get together after school. So, they hatch a plan to get their parents to spend time together & hope a spark of Christmas magic will make their relationship bloom into something more. What the girls don’t count on is the history between Regina Parker & Theo Evers.

These once high school sweethearts kept me easily entertained. Different dreams & misunderstandings broke them apart years ago & now Regina’s done everything in her power to avoid Theo after she & her daughter return to Holly, California. But, when Melea & Kyleigh switch places after school, she comes face to face with the man who broke her heart. Meanwhile Theo’s still recovering from his selfish ex-wife who left six years ago to pursue a music career.

I loved Melea & Kyleigh & their penchant for matchmaking. I was grinning all throughout at the way they continue to throw their parents into each other’s paths. Whether it’s a snowman dressing contest, Christmas concerts, or making gingerbread houses together, Theo & Regina find themselves constantly together with these clever girls. & I enjoyed seeing those old sparks rekindle between them. But just like the Parent Trap, there’s an obstacle to happily ever after & I wondered if it would be too much for these matchmaking friends & their parents.

This was such a fun, hilarious, sweet Christmas novella. I loved the creative pranks, all the fun, nostalgic Christmas activities, & the swoony second chance romance! I easily read it in one sitting & loved all the homages to The Parent Trap. Highly recommend to inspirational romance readers! I received an advanced copy with no expectation of a positive review. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘱 retelling was an absolute 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me! I messaged Toni telling her Matchmaking Christmas is my favorite of hers!

Malea and Kyleigh are your typical 10 year olds. They're both full for mischief, feeling lots of emotions, and ready for their respective parent to find love again! So begins their plan of bringing Theo and Regina together (again).

What the girls don't know, but we get to watch play out is that Regina and Theo dated in high school! She's avoiding him and he's chopping wood! The amount of wood Theo chops...

To say there are hiccups along the way would be putting it mildly. Malea and Kyleigh come up with some sneaky ideas! One of my favorites is during a ski trip they go on! Getting a glimpse of Theo's ex would make anyone (sane or not) pull out their hair. Honestly, I appreciate how the grown-ups try to navigate parenting each of their girls. It's also terrific to see two adolescent girls working together, even if they're making things uncomfortable.

Theo is gunshy because of his past with Regina and his ex (who is a piece of work). Regina is a widow, and romance isn't on her radar. Their forced-proximity, thanks to the girls' shenanigans, doesn't give them an opportunity to avoid each other any longer! I like that while they're both working through some kind of feelings, they also behave like grown-ups. No silly miscommunication!

I don't think I've ever wanted to highlight nearly an entire chapter, but Regina's friend, Kris, brings some incredible words of wisdom to her, and I was like, SHE'S the kind of friend we ALL need! Now all I need is for Kris to get her own story because y'all, after what she's endured, she deserves a happily ever after. I also "know" a guy who has determined to NEVER get married. Famous last words, buddy.

*I was sent the book for review. This is my personal opinion.

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Matchmaking Christmas, a fun contemporary romance novella set in a small Northern California town. Regina is a widow who returns to her hometown with her ten year old daughter. Theo is a single dad with a ten year old daughter who owns a Christmas tree farm. When their girls become best friends, Theo and Regina remain intent on avoiding each other. They both want to forget about their messy high school romance breakup and unresolved teenage angst.

In a twist on the classic matchmaking romance trope in The Parent Trap movie, the adorable and mischievous ten year olds hatch a plan to force their parents to spend time together. If the girls can help their parents fall in love, they’ll become sisters and gain a parent.

I loved journeying with the characters as they navigated the matchmaking hijinks orchestrated by the girls. The charming small town of Holly has all the fun Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. Regina and Theo’s romance is cute and sweet. They’re challenged to believe in second chances, deal with their emotional baggage, make amends, and restore their broken relationship. Forgiveness themes, abandonment, and trust issues are explored in the story.

I recommend Matchmaking Christmas to contemporary romance readers who like lighthearted Christmas romance novellas with singles parents and their matchmaking young daughters, second chances, forced proximity, family drama, and strong faith elements in the story.

Many thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

[Style and Savings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Bethany House for the gifted copy of Matchmaking Christmas by Toni Shiloh

Despite reading this in August, the cozy Christmas theme made me crave a mug of hot chocolate.

This second chance romance starts with two ten-year-old classmates Malea and Kyleigh meeting and forming a fast friendship. As they get to know each other, they realize that Malea’s dad Theo and Kyleigh’s mom Regina would be a perfect match. If they could get their parents together, they would be a complete family.

A “Parent Trap” inspired plot ensues as Malea and Kyleigh secretly sign up their parents to participate in the town’s many Christmastime events including a gingerbread decorating contest, a scavenger hunt, a snow family building competition and conducting the school’s choir concert,

Christmas cheer is fully present throughout the story. In the small town of Holly, Theo owns a Christmas tree farm while Regina owns a candle shop on Main Street.
I appreciated the story being told from alternating points of view as Theo and Regina dealt with their conflicting thoughts and second guessed their feelings for each other. As a contemporary Christian romance, the main characters often turned to prayer to ask for blessings, for guidance and for help to navigate complicated relationships with grace.

I would recommend this novella to readers who enjoy books that feel like a Hallmark Christmas movie. This story incorporates faith and provides the comfort of a predictable happy ending.

[Debb Hackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toni Shiloh has a long track record of writing great Christmas novellas. Matchmaking Christmas is the latest triumph. This time she upped her already impressive game by adding the viewpoints of two children. The story is written in first person, which in itself is skillful. To do so from the two main characters and their respective childrens minds is extra clever. And their thoughts certainly added a fresh dimension to the storytelling.

The basic spoiler free premise is that two best friends decide to set their parents up. Regina is widowed ad Theo’s wife left him to chase a dream, only looking back long enough to send divorce papers. What the girls didn’t know was that their parents were high school sweethearts.

This particular Shiloh book provides all the romance feels as the two battle through old hurts and present day meddling to figure out what they want. There’s of course a faith component as both main characters lean into their beliefs and rely on the Lord to guide their steps. This is something the author has always done extremely well, and that’s definitely the case here.

Without giving anything else away, if you like stories with a faith-filled holiday vibe and a touching dose of romance, this is a no-brainer. Order a copy today.

I received a copy of Matchmaking Christmas from the publisher via NetGalley. The enjoyment is all my own.

[Nae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you @bethanyhousefiction #partner for my finished copy, I love adding Shiloh’s books to my growing collection of her work.

One thing I appreciate about Toni’s stories is her ability to weave in the Christian faith without it feeling like she is cramming it down your throat. Her stories feel authentic and I always walk away feeling good after reading them.

Matchmaking Christmas is a novella that I wish was longer lol! I loved the matchmaking aspect in this story! I thought it was cute how the two best friends severely plot to set up their parents to hopefully fall in love. Toni delivered on the whole holiday vibes because this story was giving Christmas throughout with the tree farm and the descriptive holiday events. It honestly made me wanna start decorating .. 👀 it’s almost time! 😅🎄

I enjoyed the friendship between Regina + Kris, it was a perfect image of sisterhood and community. The idea of not being sure what you’re hearing from God when you feel like what you’re hearing is confusing was just sooo relatable but the response of these characters to be in community and seek God’s direction even more was touching.

If you enjoyed the movie The Parent Trap, or you love second-chance romance tropes, I think you’d definitely love this one too. Be sure to add this to your winter holiday TBR stacks!

⭐️ 5 radiant stars!!

[Andrette Herron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy a good Christmas novella and I am happy to add Matchmaking Christmas as a new favorite. I love seeing the sweet friendship develop between Kyleigh and Malea- especially once they decide to bring their parents together. How fun watching them employ some of the best tricks from The Parent Trap with holiday activities meant to bring Theo and Regina together.

After moving back to her small home town, Regina works hard to avoid Theo. Neither one wants to relive the pain of their breakup years ago. All efforts to steer clear of each other fail once Kyleigh and Malea get involved. Shiloh does a wonderful job weaving in their story as Theo and Regina navigate dealing with the forced proximity their daughters plan. Add the unexpected appearance of Theo’s ex and everything gets complicated.

Matchmaking Christmas is a fun and well-told holiday story with a sweet second chance romance helped along by 2 determined 10 year olds. I love the pacing of the story and watching the relationships develop. I also really loved the meaningful faith thread woven into the story. I highly recommend this Christmas novella!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Randi Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, this story! I always enjoy Toni Shiloh's books, but this one is definitely among my favorites... it truly was the absolute cutest thanks in large part to Kyleigh and Malea. These two girls- best friends and daughters of our main characters Theo and Regina- were truly the best. They were smart and a little mischievous... but with the best of intentions: wanting a whole family for Christmas. Little did they know when they set out to matchmake their parents that they had actually dated in the past. This story definitely had some fantastic Parent Trap vibes, with the girls even taking inspiration from the move, which certainly made my millennial heart happy! But it was also a completely unique story all on its own. Hallmark Christmas meets Parent Trap with elements of faith... this story had so much going for it and I absolutely couldn't get enough. This is definitely one you'll want to add to your holiday TBR... but it truly is a fun read ANY time of year too!

Matchmaking Christmas is a Christian romance with kisses only and no language.

**ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming Christmas romance with such a sweet ‘Parent Trap’ spin. The girls are so dedicated to their plotting with some funny and amazing results! Never underestimate a determined ten-year-old, especially when there are two of them!

Loved the Second Chance trope and all the emotion that brings to the story. Theo and Regina have been artfully avoiding each other since she moved back to town until their daughters meet at school and become best friends and that’s when everything gets complicated!

Shiloh is an expert at pacing out a romance and I really enjoyed the way their relationship developed.It never felt rushed even though this is a novella. And kudos to the wonderful way the author wove meaningful faith elements throughout the story. So impactful!

An emotional love story enhanced by a festive backdrop and two charming young girls who believe in the magic of Christmas!

I listened to the audible edition and was really impressed by the performances of all four narrators! Their combined talent made for a highly entertaining listening experience.

https://kavsbestreads.ca/2026/09/03/a...

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Bethany House Publishers and NetGalley for eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Toni Shiloh brings the reader a contemporary christian holiday romance with 'Matchmaking Christmas'. In this Christmas novella, you will meet 10-year-old best friends, Kyleigh and Malea as they work to get their parents together and have a family for Christmas. They come up with a hilarious plan to switch places and force their parents to meet. What they don't know is that Theo and Regina have a past. As the girls continuing to come up with new ways to spend time together, Theo and Regina are forced to confront their past.

Creating a story where the characters have a past together works for the novella style of this novel. As Regina works on her feelings from the past and being a widow, Theo will have to work his feelings from being a divorced father. It becomes even more apparent when his ex-wife show up at the door. This was a wonderful cozy holiday read. This was my first novel by this author, but I will be looking for more.

[Jo|Ruth Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweet story! This totally has me wanting to rush off and watch The Parent Trap again! There’s nothing like a second chance romance set up by two matchmaking little girls!

Theo and Regina have history, and it wasn’t pretty. But now Regina is back in town, trying to ignore her ex while she settles in with her young daughter. What she didn’t expect was for her daughter and Theo’s daughter to not only strike up a friendship but also plot a way to get their parents back together. But their past is hard to overcome, both of their walls are up, and what if the second time ends like the first?

This was such a fun read. The girls (Kyliegh and Malea) were so fun to watch as their friendship developed, along with their matchmaking plans and even their pranks on a special someone. The romance was super swoony, and I loved how all of the characters lived out their faith.

I received a complimentary copy. This review reflects my honest opinion.

[Arc by Bethy · Rating 5 out of 5]

With Christmas activities, a Christmas tree farm, meddling daughters, second chances, and plenty of faith, this charming Christian Christmas novella sounds like the perfect cozy holiday read! This was a cute twist on the "Parent Trap" one of my favorite movies ever! I couldn't wait to dive into this one even though the temps are in the triple digits! I still was wanting to grab a mug of hot chocolate after reading this! My husband and I are high school sweethearts and just celebrated our 25th anniversary so I knew I was going to be rooting for this couple and their daughters plan the entire time!!!! I recommend this quick read this holiday season! Thank you to Netgalley and Bethany House for my gifted copy!

[Lauren Walker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matchmaking Christmas by Tony Shiloh is another hit. I was so excited to delve into this book. I was going to wait till Christmas, but like all of Tony Shiloh‘s work I had to read it right away. This book focuses on our female main character Regina are male main character, Theo and their adorable daughters Kaylee and Malea The girls become best friends and decide that they want their parents to date because one wants a father and the other one wants a mother anyone who seen the parent trap knows the plot but at the same time it’s so cute also 25 years since the Lindsay Lohan version geez run don’t walk to purchase this book for your holiday enjoyment. It’s a book you could read every Christmas also book 2 is needed.

[Elizabeth Eckmeyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea who this author is until this book. It was phenomenal! There was so much adventure packed into this novella. Two little girls Malea and Kayleigh become friends at school. Both girls are desperate to have opposite parents in their life and conjure a plan to get their parents together.

Theo is a single dad who owns a Christmas tree farm. Regina moves back to town to open a candle store. When their girls get them together they have no idea they have a past of their own.

This story has second chance romance all over it! It is also about forgiveness. I loved how themed it is but also focused on God. It is a must read.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Baker Publishing Group through Interviews and Reviews via NetGalley. All opinions are mine alone.*

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Christmas novella features a set of friends, precocious 10-year-old girls from broken homes who scheme to get their parents together for Christmas. The goal may be so that Kyleigh and Malea can become sisters and experience a ‘real’ family, but they aren’t prepared for the secrets that are unearthed when they match up their parents.

This sweet story from a new-to-me author is about regrets and second chances and Christmas takes a back seat to the antics. I appreciated the reminder about trusting God’s plan and timing.

I was gifted this copy and was under no obligation to provide a review.

[Monica H (TeaandBooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever seen The Parent Trap movie? There are a couple of versions out there so you may have seen at least one of them. I saw the older version and remember it pretty well as a fun flick. Matchmaking Christmas by Toni Shiloh is a fun book with a modern take on the Parent Trap movie theme.

Regina Parker moves back to her hometown with her daughter to open a candle shop after her husband passed away unexpectedly a few years previously. She has a daughter, Kyleigh.

Theo Evers never left his hometown. He has a busy job managing a Christmas Tree Farm and being a single dad to his daughter, Malea.

Malea and Kyleigh are the same age and become best friends at school Both girls want to know what it is like to have time with the opposite parent so one day they decide to switch places. Kyleigh heads to Theo's house on the bus. Malea heads to Regina's house on a different bus. What they don't know is that Theo and Regina have history. How will they handle the switch?

Matchmaking Christmas is a fun Christmas novella with likeable characters and a fun story. Since it is a Christmas novella, things happen fast but you also get a fun story with a happy ending that makes for festive Christmas reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Blessing Okwuofu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chance romance meets Parent Trap in this Christmas novel. I loved the characters, especially the little girls and the setting was beautiful and whimsical. I also enjoyed how there was a third-act challenge but not quite a breakup. Lovely read and easily one of my best from this author.
I got the ARC from Bethany House | Bethany House Publishers via Netgalley. This is my honest review

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two scheming friends try to get their parents together over the Christmas holiday.
Regina and her daughter Kayleigh are doing great as Regina tries to avoid running
into her teenage boyfriend and his daughter Malea. Both Theo and Regina are
single and the daughters plan to rope their parents into a relationship.
If you oved the Parent Trap you are in for a special treat.

[Sarah Monzon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toni Shiloh is the queen of Christmas stories and Matchmaking Christmas is another jewel in her crown. I loved The Parent Trap themes and especially the POVs of the 2 girls. So cute!

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT BOOK