Member Reviews
From the queen of beach reads comes a short and sweet holiday story. Newly divorced Ivy Perkins and her dog Punkin move into an old farmhouse in a small town. The previous owners left behind plenty of belongings and mysteries for Ivy to unravel and she makes new friends (and finds new love) while doing so! Delightfully short and sweet, this is a must for your TBR list!
This novel is the perfect book to read around the Christmas holidays. It is the story of a newly divorced woman who wants a fresh start. Ivy moves to a small town, purchases a 100 year old farmhouse and begins her new life. Although Ivy has become jaded regarding Christmas, she finds herself becoming involved with the community. When she finds the Santa suit, life becomes interesting.
I would classify this book as chick lit. It concentrates on friendships and the small town comraderie. No chills, no thrills. Just a wholesome story that will make you believe in the magic of Christmas!
This was a sweet, romantic, feel good book that you will enjoy reading if you like stories about Christmas. I enjoyed the story that takes place in a town that I would enjoy living in.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.
The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is my second Christmas book for this year and it definitely has kicked in my Christmas spirit. Ivy Perkins is a recent divorcee purchaser of an old North Carolina farmhouse, sight unseen. Once she arrives, she realizes there is quite a bit more work to be done than she originally thought. Good thing her handsome real estate agent, Ezra Wheeler, is ready and willing to help by either doing things himself or bringing in the people with the particular skills needed. In going through some boxes left behind, Ivy finds a luxurious Santa Suit with a note written many decades ago by a young girl. This note starts her on a path to find the author of the note. Along the way, she meets locals and starts making friends in her new town. There was a completely unexpected twist toward the end that warmed my heart. This is a super sweet and fun holiday story that I'd highly recommend.
2.5 stars. I so wanted to love this Christmas story, but there were some things that rubbed me the wrong way and made it feel less-than-modern. I was annoyed that Phoebe was constantly obsessing over her weight and even refused to meet her online beau because she hadn't lost the last 10 pounds (nevermind that she looks nothing like the photo she sent him in the first place). In a book meant to be read at Christmas, the season of indulgence, this focus on weight and appearance felt out of place. I was also irked by the judgmental line in which women who send naked picture to strangers were referred to as "sickos." Finally, while many romcoms these days feature capable, independent women, Ivy seemed like a damsel in distress often in need of Ezra's help -- after stupidly buying a historic home without seeing it in person first.
And while I found the premise to be super intriguing, I didn't feel it was fleshed out enough. I never really understood why Ivy was so determined to learn more about the letter she found in the Santa suit and what happened to the child's father.
While there were some enjoyable moments -- like the cute dog, Ivy developing new friendships, and the quaint small-town atmosphere -- this book just hit me differently for whatever reason. I can see it appealing to some readers but, sadly, it was a bit of a miss for me.
This book is super cute and a quick read. All of the characters made me laugh and smile. There was even a sweet twist at the end that I never saw coming. I'd love a follow up to see what happens with Ivy and Ezra as well as Phoebe and Cody. You don't need to wait for Christmas to read this one!
What a great Christmas story! Ivy is newly divorced and starting over, she fell in love with a farmhouse online buying her dream "sight" unseen, just the pics. When she gets there, it's not quite the unpolished gem she thought she bought but needed a little more work than she figured. With a house full of the previous owners stuff, more fix-its then she counted on, celebrating Christmas is the last thing on her mind, but living in Santa Bob's house is taking on a whole new meaning. With a sexy friendly real-estate guy helping her out, new friends and a mystery around her house makes this an engaging story!
This light, cute story about a young woman who moves to a small town would be perfect for a Hallmark movie. While at times (especially at the beginning) the book relies on cliches, there is a little more depth to it than at first glance.
I enjoyed the overall way the author wove together various characters, but there were a few small details that left me disappointed (such as the seemingly throw-away remark about someone Jewish who loved Christmas, or how in such a small town there were people who knew "everyone" except the one person that mattered??!!). For that reason, I can not give it more than 3 stars as the editing should have caught some of these details.
I did enjoy reading it and I would probably enjoy the movie if made, as it would probably edit out or clarify some of the inconsistencies.
I received an ARC of this book as a reviewer for NetGalley.
The Santa Suit is a charming Christmas themed book that read like a Hallmark/Lifetime holiday movie. In need of a fresh start, recently divorced Ivy Perkins buys a quaint farmhouse in North Carolina sight unseen! When she arrives to The Four Roses she discovers that the previous occupants left behind a ton of old furniture and boxes. Upon going through everything to decide what to keep, donate, or toss, Ivy comes across a Santa suit with a child's note requesting Santa to bring home her dad from the Vietnam War. Ivy can't shake the need to find out what happened to the girl and her father and thus begins a small town mystery. Along the way we meet a cast of helpful community members, not the least of which is Ezra her real estate agent/handyman/potential love interest. I loved that Ivy got her groove back when it came to her career and helping out a local sweet shop.
This is my second Mary Kay Andrews book. Despite it's short length, I really enjoyed everything about the book. It gave me the warm and fuzzies and tied everything up nicely. I will happily recommend this as a holiday read to my friends. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy.
If you are looking for a very sweet Hallmark-esque Christmas romance, this could be just the ticket. Recently divorced Ivy moves to a small town in North Carolina and buys a run down farm sight unseen. She finds a Santa suit in the closet and its discovery comes to affect the rest of the story. It's a very quick read but satisfying and it took a turn at the end I was not expecting. I didn't feel like it was long enough to do enough real character development and the story certainly could have been fleshed out in several places. Overall, it will make you feel warm and fuzzy and in the holiday spirit.
A new book by author Mary Kay Andrews is always something to look forward to. And It’s never too early for a good Christmas story, especially one as sweet and touching and heart-warming as The Santa Suit. You’ll be baking cookies and singing Christmas carols by the time you have finished reading.
Newly divorced Ivy Perkins needs change, big change and right now. She’s lost her business, her husband and her best friend. She wants nothing more than to get out of town. So she buys a farmhouse called The Four Roses – sight unseen. With that name it has to be beautiful, idyllic, and perfect, right? Or it will be once she cleans out the floor-to-ceiling junk she discovers has been left by the previous family. Part of that junk, oops treasure, is a Santa Suit hidden away on a closet shelf, with a very intriguing note in the pocket.
As Ivy cleans up the house, meets her neighbors and becomes familiar with the town (including the oh-my-gorgeous real estate agent who sold her the house) she is drawn in by the community and starts to settle in and feel at home. Except for that darned note. Who wrote it? Was there a happy ending? What happened to the family?
Andrews fills this charming story with her usual likeable characters, tenderness and romance, and a good mystery to solve. There are connections and cross-connections and surprises, all delightful and believable.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of The Santa Suit via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. It is a must-read and will get you right into the holiday mood. Another solid winner from one of my favorite authors. All opinions are my own.
Ivy Perkins is starting over. Her first impulse is to get away and get away she did. Ivy bought a farmhouse sight unseen. As Ivy clears the clutter of the farmhouse, she finds this old Santa suit with a child's wish in the pocket. With a mystery to solve, Ivy sets out to discover if this child's wish actually came true or not. A wonderful holiday read by Mark Kay Andrews about mystery, family, small towns, and love. Just loved this book!
This seemed like a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form. Fun cute story. The farm setting was wonderful. The romance part was good and the mystery part was a fun tie in. The book was made by the characters.
The Santa Suit, by Mary Kay Andrews is an absolutely charming, full-storied novella about newly divorced, Ivy Perkins, who decides it’s time to remake her life and start over in rural North Carolina. She purchases a farmhouse, sight unseen, and discovers not only a house full of furniture, but a vintage Santa Suit in the attic, which seems to possess a kind of magical quality to it.
Curious about its providence, aided by a touching Santa note she discovers in the pocket, she begins a quest to find out what became of the young girl in the letter and her poignant request to Santa many years ago.
This story is a delightful, well-fleshed out story that contains so many elements that make it a truly a wonderful tale, and strikes the right balance of sweet, without being overly sappy and unbelievable. It has so many components to it: a bit of a mystery, a sweet older gentleman, an old Irish Setter, baby chicks, a romance, likeable characters, and Christmas spirit! And despite it being a novella, which is possibly a perfect length for the busy, festive season, the story has depth, and is meaningful and moving. This is my kind of Christmas story and was a true delight to read!
THE SANTA SUIT
By Mary Kay Andrews
There is nothing I love more than a little bit of Christmas magic that warms the heart. I absolutely adore Mary Kay Andrews writing and I LOVED Hello, Summer reading it early this year. I enjoy how characters are so well developed and with an arc that I absolutely enjoy following through in the story.
This one is just as delightful about a woman newly divorced looking for a fresh start by purchasing the Four Roses, farmhouse. Ivy Perkins has a monumental task of renovating the farmhouse but a bit overwhelmed on the task at hand. A mysterious discovery of an old well made santa suit with a letter from a young girl about a wish to see her father return home adds a bit of a mystery to this wonderful Christmas story.
Reading The Santa Suit is like opening a gift that just keeps giving. This was an emotionally packed heartfelt story that brings with it memories and all the feel good warmth of a hot chocolate on a cold night or a warm hug from a loved one.
I really enjoyed this beautifully written Christmas novella.
After her divorce, Ivy Perkins wanted a fresh start and so she buys Four Roses Farm from an online listing, sight unseen. When she arrives, the farmhouse is a bit more neglected than the pictures led on, so Ivy’s got her work cut out for her. Thankfully, she’s got the help of the ruggedly handsome real-estate agent, Ezra. At first it seems like Ivy isn’t all that grateful for the help and not particularly excited to carry on the Christmas traditions of the original family. However, while cleaning out the clutter Ivy finds a Santa Suit with an old letter tucked into the pocket, setting her on a mission that will change her life.
I couldn’t blame Ivy for her feelings after getting her history. After being hurt by the two people she loved most in the world it would be hard to trust again. Plus, Christmastime had been a painful time of year for her, but all that starts to change as she accepts help and makes friends. Ezra was a sweetheart, showing up and helping even when Ivy was a bit prickly at first. Underneath that guardedness was a heart of gold and I loved how her mission made it impossible to keep to herself. Instead, Ivy got tangled up with others in the little town, a happy side-effect. Of course, she got more than a bit tangled up with Ezra, too, and I was all for it!
I just loved the idea of an old farmhouse: original wood trim and floors, fireplaces, built-ins, and a wrap-around porch. Four Roses Farm sounded so lovely, albeit a little neglected, and I’d move there in a heartbeat!
The Santa Suit was a charming novella full of winter/holiday ambiance: old-fashioned Christmas lights, fragrant pine tree, steaming hot cocoa, playing in the snow, and a heartwarming romance! There seemed to be a little meant-to-be magic involved, a couple of twists, and I loved how everything came together at the end!
THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS!
Delightful new release from Mary Kay Andrews showing displaying the Magic of Christmas! Newly divorced Ivy moves into a run down fixer upper farmhouse. After a series of mishaps, she finds the blessing in “inheriting” all the leftovers in the home as well - furniture, appliances, clothing, tools, etc. and even some personal items such as family photo albums. While cleaning out the top of a closet, she finds a vintage Santa Suit still in remarkable condition! As she is lifting it out of the box, she discovers a child’s Christmas Wish that was stuffed in the pocket. Ivy is touched by the simple request and decides to try and find out the rest of the story behind the Wish.
When Ivy moved to town, she knew no one. She wasn’t even interested in making friends. As she involves herself with solving the ggj of the Christmas Wish, she meets new friends and in doing so, reconnects old friends and a family who have lost contact. As the town enjoys its Christmas festival, Ivy has a few secrets of her own planned to bring smiles to her new friends’ faces. Ivy realizes, because of the Magic of Christmas, her new life is turning out far better than she could have ever imagined! She has new romance in her life, too!
I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without any influence.
Ivy Perkins moves to the mountains of North Carolina. She is starting a new life with her dog Punkin in an old farmhouse. Buying a house unseen may not be a wise decision because her new home needs lots of work.
I am a big fan of Mary Kay Andrews and have read a lot of her books. This one is at the very top of her books. The story is so touching and sweet, it will definitely bring tears.
This would be a great Christmas gift.
Mary Kay Andrews whether sharing one of her delightful summer books or a holiday treat is always going to give you a fun escape. The Santa Suit is just that.
Ivy Perkins, life is falling apart.. When her marriage breaks up, so does the business she built with her ex-husband. Acting on impulse and needing an escape she buys Four Roses farmhouse, sight unseen and loads up her belongings and her dog, Punkin and leaves the big city for small town North Carolina.
Little does Ivy know that her purchase comes all the of the previous owners things. As she begins the laborious task of sorting through everything left behind she finds finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note from a young girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?
I absolutely LOVED this book!
You couldn't ask for better characters, location and storylines.
The main protagonist finds herself a stranger in a small town and how she acclimates herself into the town and the it's people is just beautiful.
A real nice and feel good read.
My first book by this Author and certainly won't be my last!
Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins press and the Author, Mary Kay Andrews for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.