A delightful little novella that I brought on vacation with me and quickly finished. Mary Kay Andrews delivers once again. I could easily see this turned into a Hallmark Christmas movie.

It's all the old cliches here but that's ok. It always works in a Christmas story.

Ivy Perkins is starting over after a divorce. She heads to a small North Carolina town where she has recently purchased a new home on line. Turns out the farmhouse needs a little work but the real estate agent is cute (yup) and the original owners were a Christmas crazy couple (yup.) Their home was always the place to see all lite up over the years (yup) and the couple dressed up as Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus (more yup!) for the local department store over the years. Ivy finds a note in the Santa suit (yup) that begins a quest to find some answers!

It's just a cute story filled with nostalgia and some Christmas magic. Nothing deep. Just heartwarming. I highly recommend it!

Thank-you kindly to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this Advance Reader Copy.

Ivy Perkins just got divorced 9 months ago and decided it is time for a change. So, she moves to a small town in an old farmhouse and she buys this farmhouse without actually coming out to the property to check it out. She just bought it on a whim from looking at it online. Once she gets there, she decides it needs a lot of work. Her hot realtor helps her out and she starts making friends in town. However, on her first night in the farmhouse, she is cleaning out the leftover clothes out of her closet and notices a beautiful Santa Suit and it has a card in the pocket. Ivy feels the need to find out what happened to the girl and her family.

I got this from the library and on the day I got it, my husband, Taylor took the book and decided he wanted to read it before me. Mind you this dude never really reads, like it it is super rare. He’s maybe read 4-5 books in my 7 years of marriage to him. Anyway, I just want you all to know he gave this 3/5 stars. I finally got around to this charming book and gave it 5/5 stars even though I guessed the twist within the first few pages. He on the other hand did not guess the twist. He told me not to do the 4.5/5 stars I was originally going to rate because I read a lot of books so it makes it easier to guess things compared to people who may not read so much. Anyway, I gave it 5 stars.

I think this book was a fun holiday read and really, really enjoyed this. It was heartwarming and just so cute. It reminded me of a Hallmark movie. There was friendship, romance, and mystery in this book. I loved all the characters, the misunderstandings, and finding yourself. If you want a short, heartwarming read, then you need this in your life!

Ivy Perkins is starting a new chapter to her life, and she did it by moving to a small town and buying herself an old farmhouse sight unseen. She drove up to The Four Roses to find out that the online photos had been from better days, and she actually needs some work. But her dog Punkin and her box of chicks seem okay with it, ready to make themselves at home.

When Ivy shows up and finally meets realtor Ezra Wheeler in person, she’s a little surprised that he’s waiting for her at the front door. But he explains that the door lock is a little tricky and helps her get in. And when she does get in and finds out the family who owned the farm had left behind a lot of furniture and . . . well, everything else, he offers to help her clear everything out before her furniture arrives from Atlanta. But when she finds the box in the bedroom closet with the Santa Claus suit in it, she finds out who the Roses really were.

Every year, Bob played Santa Claus for the town, and his wife was Mrs. Claus. They would light up the farm so that people would come for miles to see it. They were Christmas to the town, until they passed away. The farm had sat empty ever since, their children not ready to sell it. And then Ivy came along, the right buyer at the right time. But she’s just fresh from her divorce, from getting bought out from her half of their shared business, and after moving to a farmhouse that needs more work than she anticipated, that’s cold to boot, she’s not really ready to make a big deal of Christmas.

But the Santa suit has other plans.

Ivy finds a young girl’s letter in with the Santa suit. She’s asking for him to bring her father back from the war, and Ivy is really moved by her words. In fact, as she goes to the courthouse to get all her paperwork in place, she asks about the girl, to see if the family is still in town. As it turns out, she meets a young woman who works there whose mother used to live across the street from the family. Ivy ends up going to the street and meets someone else with another piece of the puzzle.

As the days go by and Ivy tries to find the answers she’s looking for, about what happened with the young girl and her family, she also finds herself opening up to her new life and taking chances. And as she makes friends and adds Christmas decorations to her farmhouse, she finds that the magic of Christmas isn’t just for kids. The magic of the Santa suit can bring warmth and joy to people of all ages!

Mary Kay Andrews’ gift to readers this year is her novella The Santa Suit. Filled with sweetness and holiday cheer, it’s a sweet reminder of the magic of Christmas in times that are challenging or less than ideal. Filled with inspiration and hope, it’s a quick read that can restore a sense of family, of belonging, and of a future.

I am not one of those people who just wait for the holiday season to watch all the heartwarming holiday movies one after another. I am more of a Grinch person myself (too many years working retail, perhaps?). But even so, I found this lovely Christmas story a reminder of all those reasons we love Christmas and work so hard to find some magic. Download it and enjoy it anytime you’re needing some of that holiday magic!

Egalleys for The Santa Suit were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Thank you net galley for the advance reader copy of this novel. This was a contemporary romance set at Christmas time. This was a super quick read and while there was no explicit sex, there was sex in the novel which could have easily been left out and been fine. Overall a cure story with a definite Hallmark Christmas movie vibe to it.

Such a great, heartwarming story! Perfect for anyone look for a fast-paced, lighthearted read! The characters were all very easy to relate to!

Loved this book. Was just what I needed during this holiday season. Humor, fun and great characters. Would recommend omens to everyone to read.

I have seen The Santa Suit all over the place and it totally lives up to the hype. It is a novella about a woman who buys an old farmhouse in a small town in need of repairs and finds a Santa suit with a very dated child’s letter to Santa in the pocket in the attic. She embarks on a journey in the adorable small town to see if the child’s Christmas wish came true and discovers that the Santa suit has some Christmas magic in it, finally giving her love, friendship, happiness and fulfillment. It is sappy and sweet and absolute holiday perfection. All the warm fuzzies with this one and better than any hallmark movie that has aired this year. This book is a big bear hug with all the holiday spirit. Thank you so much to @stmartinspress for gifting me this delightful book.

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy is recently divorced and looking for a new start, so she buys an old farmhouse in a small mountain town in North Carolina sight unseen. She discovers a lot of work to be done and all of the previous owner’s belongings still inside. Among them is a beautiful Santa suit, and in the pocket a letter from a young girl. Ivy is determined to find this girl and see if Santa made her wish come true.

While that is the premise, I felt the story revolved much more around the relationships Ivy formed with the people in her new town. I felt the book was uplifting and adorable, and the touch of magic brought in by the Santa suit was perfect for Christmas. This was exactly the kind of hallmark movie Christmas story I was looking for. The one thing that made it slightly less great for me is that it was very short (described as a novella), and because of that, I felt some things moved unrealistically fast. The relationship between Ivy and Ezra went from professional to forever (?) in an unbelievable amount of time. But overall I quite enjoyed the story.

If you want a feel-good, uplifting story, this book is for you. While its true this book takes place in the weeks leading up to Christmas, I feel like this book could lift anyone's spirits and would therefore be a good read at any time of the year. I liked Ivy and her bravery to move forward in her life after a crushing divorce., She moves to a new town, meets new friends, and unexpectedly gives a very big gift to the new people she meets.

This book has a touch of romance, but not too much, which I really enjoyed. For me this allowed the focus to be on the many relationships that Ivy was forming with new-found friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader copy of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it! This was a very nice escape read for me.

This was a super cute and fast read, perfect for the holiday season.

Ivy buys a farmhouse in a small town after going through a traumatic divorce. When she finds an old Santa suit in the closet of her new home, her curiosity is piqued, particularly when she finds a note from a little girl asking Santa to bring her father home from the war for Christmas. Curious if little Carlette ever got her wish, Ivy sets out to solve the mystery and in doing so, makes some new friends and lays the groundwork for a happy home along the way.

This novel was incredibly short and can probably read in one or two sittings for many readers! It was nice and light and put me in the holiday spirit. I didn't find it overly profound and I wasn't super invested in the characters which is I why I couldn't give it a higher rating, but overall, it was a wonderful read during Christmastime.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

Fans of Mary Kay Andrews will love her latest book! She knows how to capture her audience with her character development. Really a delight!

Mary Kay Andrews's The Santa Suit is advertised as a novella. It's a quick read, and if you go in not expecting much of a plot, you might come away enjoying it. For me, it was just so-so.

Ivy Perkins is recently divorced and impulsively buys a farmhouse from afar without even touring it first. Not only does the farmhouse need a lot of work, but it's also filled with the previous owner's furniture. Ezra, the real estate agent who sold her the house, helps her with some of the work, along with other people she meets in the charming town.

In a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit with a note from a child in the pocket. The child has one wish -- that her father will return safely from the war. Ivy tries to find out information about the child, like who she was and if she ever got her wish.

I wish The Santa Suit focused a little more time on this mystery. It (and the book) is resolved rather abruptly, and it would have made for a richer experience if we could have learned more. But it's a holiday novella, so I might be asking too much.

MY RATING - 3

This book is everything you hope for in a holiday read. It’s heartwarming and festive and all around makes you feel good. I believe this is the first book I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed it and her writing style. The Santa Suit was a unique spin on a Christmas story. I loved the historical elements of this one that spanned decades. The book is about recently divorced Ivy Perkins who has moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere. She has a bought a farmhouse, sight unseen. What she doesn’t know is how the house and it’s former owners played a key part of the town’s Christmas festivities. While going through the many items the family left behind, Ivy finds a beautiful Santa suit with a letter from a child asking that Santa bring her daddy home for Christmas. Ivy takes it upon herself to find the letter writer and see if she got her Christmas wish. What unfolds is a beautiful story and I just loved how the author brought it all together.

If you’re still looking to pick up a Christmas read this season, I hope you give this one a try.

I LOVED this story. What a beautifully written book to remind us about the spirit of the season.

A recently divorced woman, Ivy, buys a sight-unseen (although pics on the internet) old farmhouse in the hills of North Carolina for a fresh start and miles between her and her ex in Savannah, Georgia. She brings along her pal and confidante of the four-legged variety: Punkin a golden retriever. Of course the farmhouse is a lot more run-down than the internet pictures showed. She is expecting a quiet existence. Then some interesting things happen that have her out and about and meeting people and chasing down the author of an old letter to Santa.

I don't want to give anything away so I'll not say any more about the story; except that it is well written, keeping this reader totally engaged.

If you are looking for a quick and sweet holiday story, The Santa Suit is the perfect fit. After a divorce Ivy Perkins moves across country into Four Roses Farm sight unseen. The property is more of a fixer upper than she anticipated and realtor Ezra Wheeler is there to lend a hand. When Ivy finds a note to Santa tucked into an old Santa suit it leads her on a hunt to find out who wrote the letter.

This was an enjoyable story with all the small town holiday feels. I liked the rapport between Ivy and Ezra. The secondary characters really added to the story and included another little romance. It was fun to follow along and find out through the magic of Christmas who the letter writer was. All in all a wonderful holiday read. Thank you to the publisher for my ecopy of this book.

This is MKA at her best!! I absolutely loved this sweet holiday read. Recommend for those looking for a sweet holiday book to cuddle up with.

Well isn't this just the cutest Christmas story yet! The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is a great holiday read and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get into the spirit with a well very written story. This is such a touching and heartwarming read, I would find it hard for anyone to say a bad thing about it!

You can always rely on Mary Kay Andrews. Her books entertain and captivate you. Here, this Christmas-themed short novel introduces you to Ivy Perkins, a big-city girl who falls in love with a small town farmhouse online and buys it sight unseen to reimagine her life after divorce. While the house is in need of more TLC than expected, she also finds a Santa costume left there with a poignant letter to Santa tucked into the pocket. Intrigued, she looks for information about the little girl and her family. What she finds are friends and a community.

This book felt like a warm hug. Fans of Mary Kay Andrews will love this sweet novella, and anyone looking for a cute holiday read will, too.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

4.25 Hearts Oh this is a great story. Absolutely needs to be made into a Hallmark or Lifetime Christmas movie.

When Ivy buys a new farmhouse she finds an old Santa suit in the closet. Which, of course, leads her to an advantage to find out the ending to the story started by a letter in the suit. The best part for Ivy is actually becoming part of her new town.

I could perfectly see this as a TV movie. I could see every scene as it would play out on scene.

This is a great story to curl up under a comfy blanket with a glass of wine in front of the Christmas tree because there is no way you will not be in the holiday spirit after this book.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.