Mary Kay Andrews delivers a delightful novella set in the magic of the Christmas season. Ivy Perkins is trying to get settled into an old farmhouse she has just purchased. In an unusual move, Ivy bought the house sight unseen, so she plans on the various renovations her home needs. She is not alone, as she is accompanied by her faithful dog Punkin.

Her realtor, Ezra Wheeler, goes above and beyond for Ivy, especially the more she realizes that the old farmhouse was not what she expected. In any event, Ivy is glad for the fresh start, having gotten divorced the past year.

Ivy might not have been prepared for the repairs that are needed. Happily, these concerns are offset by the magic and pure delight that is Christmas.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews was a super cute and short holiday story where our main character, Ivy, moves to North Carolina to a new home she purchased. In a lighthearted book about love and the holidays, this was a cute book that I enjoyed reading during the holiday season.

This was a Hallmark movie in novella form but still cute and fun quick read for the season. It’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit with a heartwarming couple to root for!

3.5 ⭐️ The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

Cozy, heartwarming, and charming!

Reading The Santa Suit felt like stepping into a charming old farmhouse at Christmas—cozy, nostalgic, and filled with the promise of something magical. Even though I’ve had several Mary Kay Andrews books on my shelf for ages, this was my first time reading her work, and I’m so glad I started with this delightful Christmas novella.

I really enjoyed this fun romance story with a mystery to solve. Come join Ivy Perkins as she finds an old letter in the pocket of a Santa suit and falls in love along the way. The farmhouse setting drew me in immediately, with its creaky charm, hidden treasures, and decades of untold stories. It became more than just a backdrop; it felt alive, a reflection of Ivy’s own journey toward healing and rediscovery. Uncovering its secrets alongside her was like unwrapping a gift—heartfelt, nostalgic, and brimming with surprises.

This was the perfect introduction to Andrews’ storytelling, filled with warmth, hope, and just enough mystery to keep me turning pages. It left me feeling like I’d spent the holidays in a snug, magical place. Now, I’m even more excited to dive into the other books waiting on my shelf—but this one will always hold a special place as my first.

Hallmark Xmas movie vibes alert!

A charming holiday read, The Santa Suit captures the magic of Christmas through Ivy Perkins' journey of renewal in a small-town farmhouse. When going through a closet at the farmhouse, Ivy discovers a vintage Santa suit with a mysterious note in the pocket. This set her on the path to finding the girl who had written the note to Santa. This kicks off a heartwarming tale of community, kindness, and second chances. While the story is a bit predictable, its cozy setting and lovable characters make it an uplifting seasonal escape. Perfect for fans of feel-good, festive fiction!

Overall, I enjoyed The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews and it was a nice kick off to my holiday reading this year. I really liked the old farmhouse setting and the way the house itself held the Christmas spirit as Ivy finds vintage decorations and the Santa Suit. However, the romance part of the story felt rushed and it could have been omitted altogether and the story would have been fine without it.

Much of the book revolves around making new friends, the holiday spirit, small-town life and starting over. The author throws some nice little surprises toward the end as the story wraps up.

“Christmas hadn’t just arrived at Four Roses Farm. It had been here all along, waiting for her to discover it.” -34% Kindle, The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

I loved this book! This author is an auto buy for me because of how she is able to transform the reader right into the story to the setting. This is a perfect holiday read. It had believable characters with real love and friendships. The idea of the Santa suit was such a sweet piece that I haven’t seen in other books before and there was a great twist at the end that tied a nice bow!

Such a fun read! Loved this one!

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my ARC.

It's not a book for me.. I really wanted to love this book based on the synopsis, which sounds like the perfect Hallmark Christmas movie. Solid 3-4 stars for the target audience.

Thank you to the team at St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to check it out.

I loved this book! It's fun, quick, great Christmas book. Mary Kay Andrews always does a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

I loved this cozy Christmas book! It was a jolly romp through the holiday season! The characters were likable and drew me into the story. With Andrews' typical southern tales is a great way to get into the holiday spirit!

A sweet and heartwarming holiday novel - I’d recommend to any fan of Mary Kay Andrews or charming Christmas novels like A Redbird Christmas. It just gets you in the spirit and makes you feel merry and bright!

A heartwarming story of finding life after divorce and the magic of Christmas could possibly be the best gift of all. Fulfilling a little girl’s wish could possibly be the beginning of something special.

'The Santa Suit' was the perfect book to read to get me into the holiday spirit! I love the characters that Andrews creates, they are always so relatable, and they captured my heart in this one! The plot of this small town and it's holiday spirit was so uplifting and just what I needed at the moment. I highly recommend.

This was a cute holiday read. Very predictable- reminded me a lot of a Hallmark movie. All the typical tropes I would expect from that genre and wrapped up in a nice bow. I liked the different relationships that the main character made in the town and how the note storyline came together.

This was short and sweet, and full of small-town charm.

Ivy Perkins has been divorced for a year, to the day, when she picks up the keys for her farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. She bought the place sight unseen, and upon arriving it becomes clear that it needs a lot more work than the photos showed. No problem though, the real estate agent is also a handyman and agrees to help her out, along with a new friend she makes in town.

While cleaning out the house Ivy discovers all sorts of Christmas things from days gone by, including an amazingly tailored Santa suit, and a stack of old letters from children asking for heartfelt wishes for the holidays. She’s not really feeling the Christmas spirit, but the more time she spends in the house and getting to know the residents of the nearby town, the more festive she feels.

Some books find you at the exact perfect time, and this one is a perfect example of that! Recently divorced, Ivy buys a home sight unseen. Realtor Ezra was the perfect romantic interest, and the addition of the lovely townspeople made it all the better. This was such a charming, sweet, and heartfelt read. So so glad I picked this one up this year!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and. Mary Kay Andrews. 💙

This is classic Mary Kay Andrews and that makes me so happy. She always brings together a collection of characters, mixes them all up and in the end they all meld into one another for a very satisfying ending. She always provides a little bit of romantic sex, it is not too graphic and leaves a lot to the imagination. But it is her relationships that I love and the communities that she creates that I would like to just jump into her stories.

This book has all the feels to stir your emotions. A couple of sniffles, a few tears but many more happy days ahead. Mary Kay Andrews is well known as an author who knows how to pull heart strings and she's done it again in THE SANTA SUIT.

Who buys a house without visiting and touring it? Ivy Perkins does! Ivy is seeking a place to work and to heal after her divorce. She lost her husband, her best friend, her house, and her business in the divorce. She buys the Four Roses farmhouse (more of a fixer upper than she realized), and she, her chickens and her dog Punkin find a home with a Christmas past. Her realtor Ezra Wheeler provides not only advice and handiwork but also the romance element of this delightful story.

In going through the items left by the family of previous owners Bob and Betty Rae Rose, Ivy discovers a Santa suit and an incredible history. 'Big Bob' and Betty Rae took the job of Santa to heart and provided gifts for the needful children of the area. One child's letter asking Santa to bring her father home from the war was found tucked in the Santa suit's pocket. This letter spurs Ivy to find what happened to this family. As she investigates, she becomes acquainted with the town and townspeople.

The Santa Suit is hit - charming, uplifting with a heartwarming ending. A wonderful book to recommend to readers!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Mary Kay Andrews and NetGalley for this ARC.