This was an adorable story with just the right amount of holiday spirit, feels and romance. Nothing better than finding a note and then seeking out the meaning of the note, many years later.
Perfect Hallmark movie in a book story! Enjoy!

4.5 stars

This was my second book by the author and I enjoyed it at least as much as the other one, although I do wish this one was a little longer so that she could have developed the romance part of it a bit more. Still, it was a perfectly cozy story about a woman making a new start in a small town among strangers with a little bit of mystery (but not murder) thrown in. I loved all the connections the author made among the various storylines, and although both romance storylines were a bit more abbreviated than I was hoping, it still worked for me. I particularly laughed over the comedy of errors with her friend Phoebe. And really, I fell in love with the town and its people and I loved Ivy and her heart and how she finally found her peeps. I've been reading a lot more heavy books recently, so this was an excellent "palate cleanser" and a perfect holiday read that was not overly saccharine. I have just requested some more of her books from my library.

Ivy was recently divorced and bought out of her business partnership decides to transform her life and more to an old farmhouse that she fell in love with online. As she gets to her new home, she finds that the previous owners have left if full of their possessions. With the help of her realtor Ezra, she begins to clear out and repair her new home. She learns that the former owners were local legends who were known for their Christmas celebrations for generations of children. When she finds a beautiful Santa suit, she also finds a letter for a Christmas wish in the pocket which piques her curiosity. In her determination of find the owner of the letter, she begins to interact with the people in town and slowly becomes a part of it. This is a heartwarming and magical Christmas story and I enjoyed it very much!

Also reviewed on Kobo under the name IrishEyes430

What a really cute story. It gives you all the feels of a quick, typical romance.

If you like your romance with a little curiosity, mystery, and Christmas fun, this story is good you!

For the last several years, a new Mary Kay Andrews book was the first sign of summer. She decided to write a Christmas book in the midst of the Covid shutdown as a sign of hope and cheer. I don't usually read Christmas themed books but this was an exception - can't miss one of MKA's books - and I am glad that I read it. Even weeks before the holidays, it made me feel calm and happy and put me in a Christmas state of mind.

Ivy Perkins knew that she needed to get out of Atlanta after her divorce and bought an old farmhouse in a small town in the mountains of North Carolina without even seeing it. When she first arrived, she wondered if she had made a mistake - the house was in need of a lot of renovation and was filled with old furniture. So she decided to start modernizing the house, get rid of all the furniture and start updating the house. As she's going through a closet, she finds an old Santa suit and after talking to her new real estate agent (the handsome Ezra) she finds out that the couple who used to live in the house played Santa and Mrs. Santa for the town every year. She is intrigued to find a note in one of the Santa suit's pockets and wants to find out more about the author of the note. When Ivy first arrived, her goal was to stay away from people to get over her divorce but her plans quickly change as she meets more people in town and becomes part of the community. Along with the acceptance of the townspeople, she also solved the mystery and gets a second chance at love.

This book has it all -- a bit of mystery, a bit of romance and some great quirky characters all while celebrating the magic of Christmas. The story made me smile and I am going to read it again when the upcoming holidays get crazy - just to calm myself down and remember the magic of Christmas.

Magical! This is a modern day Magic Of Christmas story. When Ivy buys a run down farm, sight unseen, she is looking for a fresh start. Little did she know buying that farm was the best thing to ever happen to her. Her generosity, inquisitive nature, and desire to help others endears her to the town. She can't help but be caught up in the magic of Christmas and second chances.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced review copy. In return, I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is the first book I have read by this author and it is a sweet read. It will take you out of the doldrums of an ordinary day and put you in a great mood. It starts out ordinary with a divorcee and her dog moving into an old farm house that needs a lot of work. The story really takes off when she finds a heart breaking request to Santa from a child in the pocket of a Santa suit. Then the search is on to find the child who now is an adult.

I loved the characters including the side story of Cody and Phoebe. This was a nice addition to an already sweet story.

The Santa Suit is a heartwarming Christmas story that you will remember for a long time.

I received a free copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews was a great read. The author always delivers, and I know readers will enjoy.

“The Santa Suit” is a fast, fun read about a newly divorced Ivey, her dog, and a handful of chicks who end up in an old farmhouse that needs a little TLC. Ivey soon discovers that the previous owners, with the help of her very helpful real estate agent, used to not only play Mr. & Mrs. Santa but have many other secrets in and out of the house. There is no telling how much or what kind of magic that Santa Suit holds.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is a short, sweet novella about the miracles of Christmas. Her cheating husband handed Ivy Perkins a divorce. So, she sold him her half of their business, her half of their house, loaded a moving van and took of for Four Roses Farm, an old house on two acres that she had bought over the internet. She got there to find a cute guy, who it turns out is her realtor, waiting on her porch to unlock her door. She tells him she can manage and sends him on his way, only to call him a few minutes later to come and help her with the key. Turns out he would help her with a lot the next few days. They enter to house to find furniture, worse yet, closets full of clothes. The seller had apparently gotten tired before he was finished. One of the things they found packed away was a gorgeous Santa suit: the old fashioned kind, made of velvet. After Ezra, the realtor, left, she found a very curious note in the pocket of the Santa suit; one that would lead her on a quest, of sorts, and end with a huge surprise.

This was nothing more than a feel-good book, and it served its purpose well. Ivy was friendly, by nature. She was a perfect fit for this small town. She made friends, one, Lawrence, a 96-year-old man who she met by knocking on his door to ask a question. She was making great headway on her house and life was good. It was a very nice book. I recommend it as an excellent Christmas read.

I was invited to read The Santa Suit by St. Martin's Press, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #stmartinspress #thesantasuit #marykayandrews

Ivy Perkins, freshly divorced, decides to buy Four Roses Farm…sight unseen. Her and her dog, Punkin, arrive in North Carolina only to find a very handsome realtor waiting to hand over the keys. Before long Ivy finds a note in the old Santa suit in her closet and a mission to find the author begins. This novella was filled with small town charm, a budding romance, and lifelong dreams being fulfilled. The Christmas magic within these pages is enchanting!
*
Again, this is a novella so it clocks in at just over 200 pages. It’s short, sweet, and ALL Christmas. My only qualm is how quickly it wrapped up, however, I did love the ending. I could easily see this being made into a Hallmark Christmas movie! Definitely one to pick up this holiday season!

A welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved and a second chance at love sums up The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews in a neat shiny red Christmas bow. It's October, but it is never too early or late for a sweet cozy story when the wind is howling outside. The Santa suit is short, but it does hold back on the delightful mystery and romance to be found as you read this lovely story. I quickly placed myself in this charming old farmhouse bursting to be brought back to life. Ivy makes friends with the delightful townspeople and the mystery she is determined to solve from an old letter in a Santa suit. I was a bit teary-eyed by the end, and I was delighted that I read the Santa Suit.

This was a very cheesy Christmas read. If you’re a fan of Hallmark movies, you’ll probably enjoy this.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

A perfectly satisfying book for your holiday reading list; short, sweet and full of Christmas imagery. Ivy Perkins is determined to make a new start after her recent divorce, but buying an old farmhouse sight unseen may not have been the best way to start over. The moving van with her furniture has gone missing, the hot water heater breaks down, and the previous owner has left almost all their belongings behind. But a very handy real estate broker and neighbor proves very helpful and others in the small town of Tarburton soon make Ivy feel at home. The Santa Suit is indeed a heartwarming read!

Really cute Christmas story. A Santa suit can bring Christmas magic and romance. Mary Kay Andrews can write a wonderful Christmas book.
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Great Christmas story.... made me think of a Hallmark movie (in a good way).

This book has a woman who is learning to be on her own after a divorce. Moving to a new area and starting over. It's about friendship, finding love, and family.

I love Mary Kay Andrews books, and I loved this one too.

Mary Kay Andrews’, Santa Suit, is a delightful story about a new divorcee who has decided she needs a change in her life. Ivy decides that a new home would fill her void, while searching, she finds that one farmhouse for sale that she must have.
When Ivy arrives at the farmhouse, she is surprised that it is not quite what she was expecting. While checking out the inside of a closet, she discovers a beautiful Santa Suit and little does she know, this suit would change her, and others' lives forever.
The town expects Ivy to get involved in all their Christmas traditions, and she slowly, but reluctantly joins in and much to her surprise, starts to enjoy her participation. Ivy soon learns that the community is full of kind and caring individuals, including one special man.
I loved this book; it was a feel-good story with lots of love and warmth. And I believe it will become a Christmas Classic! I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes to smile while reading!! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

I enjoyed this wholesome little Christmas story, though maybe not in September. It reminded me a lot of A Heartfelt Christmas Promise. I enjoyed Punkin very much and loved that he was actually a character and not just a one-time 'look I have a dog' appearance. I love when pets are actually part of the story because they are part of our lives! It was a sweet story of a big city woman moving to a small town and unraveling a town mystery in the process of making friends and maybe more. This was my first Mary Kay Andrews novel and it was exactly what I expected!

Super fast read. Very typical of a Hallmark Movie. I read it in one sitting.

Pros: Single (newly divorced) woman heading out on her own to do as she wants, Taking on a farmhouse in dis-repair and building a life in a city where she knew no one. Loved that! Good for her.

Cons: Commenting on women's bodies and how they eat. Gross. Stop. It's not ok.

I wish the characters were more developed and that the relationships had a little more substance to them. Also, the end was just too neat. I mean come on! I believe in kismet and serendipity but that was just a bit much.

The Santa Suit is a quick, cute read. It is essentially a holiday read that one could easily see being turned into a Hallmark movie.

The small-town setting is adorable. Ms. Andrews has infused in her novella everything you’d expect in a small, rural town: everyone knows your business and there are many interlocking pieces when it comes to the people and history of the town.

The light romance takes second place to the main character’s, Ivy Perkins, second start on life after a disastrous end to her marriage and business. Every character in this book plays a key role in the plot progression, and they are all charming. I was engaged in all the story threads, and very satisfied with the denouement.