Thank you to St Martins Press for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This novella was my first book by Mary Kay Andrews and I liked it a lot! It's cute, uplifting and perfect for a Hallmark movie! I probably would have loved it even more if I read it closer to Christmas with snow falling :)

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is a 2021 St. Martin’s Press publication.

An endearing Christmas yarn…

Ivy Perkins, on the heels of a very painful divorce, buys an old farmhouse without ever having seen it in person. When Ezra, her real estate agent, hands her the keys to the house, she’s shocked to discover the house is furnished, and in need of big-time repairs.

While going through some of the things left in the house, Ivy finds an old Santa suit, with a poignant note inside one of the pockets. She’s so touched by it, she goes in search of the letter writer.

Meanwhile, Ivy makes new friends, while she and Ezra ponders the growing attraction between them…

The past few years, I have not had much luck with holiday fare. It was either too saccharine or too hollow. Authors' couldn’t seem to strike the right balance for me.

Maybe Mary Kay Andrews heard my pleas because this book has a healthy amount of holiday spirit without overdoing it.

Novella length tales often suffer from a lack of character development and the romantic elements usually feel rushed or forced. The character development is not really the point of this tale, but yes, the romance was hurried- but not necessarily forced. I did feel some chemistry there. I just wish there had been time for more of a build-up.

That said, the Santa suit thread was golden! I loved the way Andrews brought everything together. It was just the right amount of holiday magic, just the right amount of heartwarming, and just the right amount of whimsy and charm.

Ivy rose to the occasion more than once, and it is obvious she’s found her tribe. She regained all the things she thought she had lost, and then some!

Overall, my first holiday read of 2021 is a winner!!

4 stars

THE SANTA SUIT By Mary Kay Andrews
Romance fiction
224 pages

In the queen of southern fictions newest book it is Christmas time in North Carolina and Ivy Perkins has just moved to town in an old farmhouse. Ivy is a city girl from Atlanta but after a terrible divorce she wants a change and the pictures of The Four Rose farmhouse calls to her. When she arrives it's problem after problem that her real estate agent and a new friend her solve. Ivy seems to be getting the hang of country living when she finds a Santa suit with an old Santa letter in the pocket. That suit and letter will change lives in the little town including Ivy's.

I am a huge fan of Ms Andrews but this reader will tell you I've never really read a holiday book until I saw it was written by one of my favorite authors and fellow readers I loved this story!!!!!!!! I read it in one sitting and it had the charm and classic style of Mary Kay Andrews that we all love. This is an adorable,loving story that will definitely put you in the Christmas spirit and have you counting down the days until you can put up your tree. I highly recommend this book.

This book was absolutely delightful! I loved it so much that I couldn’t put it down! I read it in less than 24 hours. I cannot wait to read more books by this author! It felt as if I was watching a romantic Christmas movie.

Divorced and bitter, Ivy Perkins decides on a fresh start and buys a hundred-year-old farmhouse sight unseen far away from her ex’s influence. The Four Roses farmhouse isn’t in the best of shape, but something about the graceful old home touches Ivy’s heart and makes her grateful she moved. That is as long as she can get the water heater and furnace to work, drafty windows repaired, and a coop made for her baby chicks. Though her handsome real estate agent is offering a hand, and seems to know what he’s doing, so…

While cleaning the house of the previous owners’ possessions, Ivy comes across an old Santa suit with a child’s note in the pocket. Touched by the little girl’s wish, and wanting to find out what happened, Ivy begins a search in the nearby town, making new friends along the way.

A community who welcomes her, a budding romance promising new beginnings, and a decades old mystery solved makes this a beautifully written, feel-good story, perfect for the holiday season.

I always love Mary Kay Andrews' novels. The Santa Suit was a romantic novella with a bit of mystery involved. Holiday books put a smile on my face anytime of year.

Its’s December and Ivy has moved to the Four Roses, a farm house in the country near a small town. She’s brought a few chickens, a dog, and a carful or memories. She’s left a cheating ex and her business. The house needs work, her furniture is lost, and she’s not in the Christmas mood. But she’s made a friend, her realtor is a helpful hunk, and there’s a mysterious Santa suit in the closet. This is a wonderful Christmas story with some surprises along the way. I loved it!

When recently divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farm in North Carolina-sight unseen, she faces many obstacles. There is no heat or hot water, the movers have an accident, and all her furnishings are wrecked. Luckily, her realtor, the handsome Ezra, seems to show up at the right time to help her get her new life started. There are unsolved mysteries in this town, but a note in one old Santa suit, found in her attic, seems to eventually solve them all. The reader will fall in love with this town, the people, Ivy’s sweet dog, and the homemade candy. This needs to be a Hallmark movie! I’m ready for the holidays now.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Marten’s Press, and Mary Kay Andrews for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a sweet and fun holiday novella! I really enjoyed the clever plot tied into the friendships and cute romance. I always enjoy Mary Kay Andrews' book and this was definitely no exception.

Ivy Perkins moves to rural North Carolina hoping for a fresh start. She's nursing a broken heart after finding out her ex-husband had been cheating on her during their marriage. She has purchased a farm house and believes it is just what she needs to find herself and start anew. However, when she arrives at her new home, it isn't exactly like she pictured it. There are repairs that are needed and it generally isn't what she expected. Of course, sometimes you get what "you need" instead of what you want. Ivy will find out over time that is exactly what has happened here. Not only are the home and town what she needs at this point in her life. So are the people that she befriends.

This story might be a quick read but it packs a punch. It's full of emotion, heart and feeling. I really enjoyed how it ties the past to the present. Such a lovely holiday read.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

It's that time of year again, when the Christmas romances are coming out and The Santa suit by Mary Kay Andrews was a great one! When a woman moves into an old farmhouse that she bought sight-unseen, the real estate agent turns out to be as helpful fixing things as he is hunky.

Not only is there the romance and the woman coming into her own in this book, but there is the sweetest mystery when Ivy finds a note in the pocket of the Santa suit worn by the previous owner from a little girl who only wants her daddy to return from the war. Ivy's curiosity about the note leads her to discover new friends and leads her to help those around her who need it.

This was such a feel good book! I totally loved it!

I was gifted a copy of this book via St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

What a great holiday story! Weaving the characters relationships around an old Santa suit was such a clever way to tie the story together. The characters were all delightful and the relationships evolved very naturally over time. I truly enjoyed this story and felt like I got to know the characters in the same way I would had I personally met them. Definitely recommend as an easy, enjoyable read.

The perfect Christmas story. A little mystery, a small town celebrating the way we all wish we could, 2 love stories and a dog - what else could you fit in this delightful quick read!

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is a wonderful story that will warm your heart! A magical story about new beginnings, taking chances, friendships, small town traditions and even adds a little mystery. The characters are very real and lovable. This sentimental story will bring back Christmas memories and all the magic that goes with it. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast and refreshing read. If I were you I would grab a cup of hot tea, a warm blanket and nestle in with this sweet, delightful story. You will not be disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin Press and Mary Kay Andrews for bringing the magic back into this Holiday Season. I appreciate this advanced copy and this is my unbiased review.
#netgalley #thesantasuit #marykayandrews #stmartinpress #arc

I absolutely love that Mary Kay Andrews focused on a Christmas novella instead of a summer one! Ivy, a recently divorced woman buys a farm house to start life over. She doesn't realize until she gets there that it is more of a fix it up than she expected. But that doesn't stop Ivy from exploring the property and finding a Santa suit. It is in this suit that she discovers a surprise, one that she is determined to learn more about.

A cute, romantic, fun for Christmas novel.

🌨Lovely, warm & kind holiday reading🎄😊

I loved this shorter holiday novel about new beginnings in a small town. The characters are all people I'd love to see live down the street from me!

At the heart of Ivy's story is a mystery that she is compelled to solve regarding an old heartfelt letter by a young girl to Santa asking him to bring her soldier father home for Christmas. In following a string of clues, Ivy makes friends in a town she arrived in with no connections and she is instrumental in brightening their lives in unexpected ways. I particularly loved the friendship she struck up with a 96-year-old housebound widower named Lawrence and the joy she inadvertently conjures up for his Christmas.

Yes, there's some sweet romance but it doesn't dominate this story of Christmas cheer and friend helping friend. Ivy's arrival and settling in is hardly trouble-free, yet she keeps positive and endears herself to one and all. A truly lovely, feel-good story that I enjoyed beginning to end.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

Sometimes you need a light, heart-warming feel good book. This is it! Ivy Perkins moves to an old house in a new town looking for a fresh start. With the help of her new friends and some treasures left in the attic, that is just what she finds. A bit of holiday cheer and hope!

This is a perfect holiday, feel good book that would do very well as a movie. It has every ingredient: new friends, Christmas, snow, hunky guy, family and a little mystery too.

I liked that Ivy was a strong, independent woman. Her character could have been written as a divorcee who was clueless in buying an old farmhouse who fell apart at the slightest problem, needing help from the local attractive real estate agent, but nope. She took on the challenges unfazed and helped out others along the way. Kudos, Ms. Andrews!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

The Santa Suit is a charming story set in a charming town during one of my favorite holidays, Christmas.
I loved this story about fresh starts, making new friends and embracing traditions.
Whether you need help getting in the holiday spirit or just want to read a sweet book, The Santa Suit is waiting for you.
Thank you #netgalley and #stmartinspress for an e-arc of #thesantasuit.

The Santa Suit was such a delightful and heart warming story! I didn't want it to end and would love to see Hallmark, Netflix, or somebody turn it into a holiday movie. I think of MKA as the Queen of Summer, but her formula really works for Christmas too. There's a little romance, a little mystery, and a whole lot of heart. Again my only complaint is that I wish it were longer. I think a protagonist of some sort would have given it a longer arc but either way, I'll still be feeling warm and fuzzy the rest of the day much like the suit in the story.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is a cute little Christmas novella. It’s part mystery and part romance. I just loved reading this! The characters are all really friendly and likable. I connected most with Ivy, the main character, because after going through a divorce, she up and moves to a small town where she knows no one and buys an old farmhouse that’s in major need of repairs. Hearing about everything she goes through with the house made me remember all the issues I myself have gone through after buying my own old rundown farmhouse. The members of the community are all so friendly and inviting. Their willingness to help is something that only comes from living in a small tight-knit community. The storyline instantly puts you in the holiday spirit and made me want to start decorating for Christmas. It’s a beautiful holiday story and one I’m sure everyone will enjoy. I’d like to thank Erica Martirano, Director of Marketing at St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the invite and NetGalley for the arc to read, review and enjoy. It was a fun, enjoyable festive story that I’m giving a 5 star rating!