Mary Kay Andrews does it again, bringing all the wholesome Christmas vibes with Bright Lights, and Big Christmas! She has become one of my favorite cozy romance authors because of her ability to make a book feel like coming home while not skirting around real life. The characters are believable with their flaws and life stories. I particularly loved Kerry and Patrick.

The book lives up to the promise of "a novella celebrating love and the warm, glittering charm of the holiday season." I think all contemporary romance readers should pick up a Mary Kay Andrews book, she has never let me down. This book in particular is perfect for the holiday season. I love how there are so many stories interlaced though out the book, not just the romance between Patrick and Kerry.

The only reason that you may not want to pick this book up is if you are feeling particularly Grinch-ish, or you just don't want a book about Christmas. Otherwise, this was an amazing novel with a lot of depth in such a short amount of pages.

As always, this Mary Kay Andrews book filled my heart with hope. I will be singing this one praises and giving it out to a bunch of my friends for the holidays. I can't wait to see what she writes next!

This book was so engaging, I hope a swirl is in the works. It is like Christmas within the pages. Such a heartwarming story! Made me want to sell Christmas trees on a New York street corner. I came to love and care about every character and the treasured Tolliver Tree Farm. I love when favorite author’s write holiday novels and this one was a gem. Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for providing me with an ARC.

I am a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrew’s and her latest holiday book does not disappoint! Romance, family dynamics, and so much more!!!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
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I read The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews last Winter, and I am so glad that this is the first Christmas book I decided to pick up this season. I knew I could count on this being a short, sweet, and fluffy novel that felt like a Hallmark movie on the page. As a New Yorker, I’m a little jaded against the tree stands that move into my sidewalks every year, disrupting traffic and blasting music all night. Andrews made me see these businesses in a different light and the joy they bring to the City at Christmas.
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Is this a case of instant love? More or less, yes. But I was so ready to drop in and believe in the candy-cane-colored glasses that cover the world Andrews has created. Kerry is struggling in her professional life which felt a little close to home, but she kept pushing forward and finding her footing as she went. I’m ready for Christmas to descend upon NYC now.

I received this galley back in July and had to physically stop myself from reading it in the blazes of the Texas summer. I made it until November and perhaps will read it again in December. I loved it so much. I loved Kerry Tolliver and even had started to like her cranky brother, Murphy. If you need a book to kick off the Christmas season, this is the one for you. MKA, we need more! We always need more! :)

i read this in november and the entire time i was reading i really felt like it was december and i was reading by a fire with this one. christmas books are so fun and this was my first of the year! it was semi slow at times which is fun but lately i’ve been on such a fantasy kick where somethings always going on so i guess i just prefer that lol. i love that the new yorkers were all different! the characters were fun and kept a smile on my face!

This is a fun, quick holiday read with all the elements of a love story taking place around the magical holiday season. Sibling relationships, family, drama, and friendship are major themes for this story. And there is an adorable camper involved. Two adult siblings are working in downtown New York City selling Christmas trees for the season before heading back to the family farm. Only this year, each of them find someone special in New York City to make their holidays a bit brighter.

Cute quick holiday read! Atmospheric New York setting with a heart warming plot. Great book to get you ready for the season!

#FridayReads featuring #BrightLightsBigChristmas by @marykayandrews.

It's not Christmastime without MKA and she hits it out of the park again with this book! I adored these characters and this story. It made me smile, laugh out loud and cry more than once in the best of ways. It was just the book I needed right now! All the feels. Hopefully one day we'll meet up with Kerry, Murphy, Queenie, Austin, Patrick, Heinz, Claudia and Spammy again.

5 stars!

Kerry’s family owns a Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina. Each winter, her father and brother make the trek to NYC to set up a stand and sell some of their trees. This year, health problems prevent Kerry’s father from making the trip so she is taking his place. In the weeks the stand is up. Kerry becomes close with the neighborhood locals, makes friends, and even develops a slight crush on a single dad with the sweetest son.

No author writes small town Hallmark vibe Christmas stories quite like Mary Kay Andrews. This story warmed my heart and brought me so much joy. While this story was much more focused on the friendships formed and the small found family Kerry managed to create in just a few short weeks, there also was a subplot of romance. There was also a bit of drama, especially centered around the Christmas tree business and the rivalry with another tree stand across the street. This charming book left me with a smile.

This was the perfect audiobook to listen to while putting up my Christmas tree. Kathleen McInerney did a great job narrating, even including unique voices for various characters. Her narration kept me engaged in the story and it was quite fitting to listen to a story centered around a Christmas tree business while decorating my own! I loved the audiobook and the time fellow by while listening.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

If you love a good Hallmark movie, then THIS ONE IS FOR YOU! This is short, sweet, and full of that ooey gooey Hallmark goodness. Where the typical Christmas trope has the big city girl heading to the country, this story tells the reverse where Kerry heads from her family's Christmas Tree Farm in North Carolina to the big city of New York to sell trees during the holiday season.

Kerry's journey to a corner in New York City, where her family has been selling Christmas trees for generations, is filled with significance this year— they must sell more trees than ever to prevent the farm's closure. The sparks between Kerry and Patrick add a delightful romantic element to the plot, but this is a good clean romance story!

Immersed in Christmas, even reading this book in October put me in the Holiday mood. The sweet romance, intertwined with the predictable, yet heartwarming plot, makes it a perfect read for any romance enthusiast during the festive season. If you enjoy this one, make sure to check out The Santa Suit by MKA as well!

This is the first book that I’ve read from Mary Kay Andrews and I loved it. I felt the spirit of the holiday season and the real meaning of it: family and friends. The different stories brought by this book are amazing, the characters, situations and locations are so palpable that I felt I was there with each one of the characters. Great Christmas/holiday book you should read this holiday season!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing group for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

This was a delightful holiday read! The setting was in New York City. But the feeling was cozy. This was partly due to the holiday time. And it was also because the characters were all so special. It made it feel like the setting was a small town atmosphere. Add in a little romance to the mix to make the story even more special.

such a feel good christmas story. Loved the characters and all the stories going on from the old man to the little boy. Perfect setting in NY.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews is a fun Christmas novel. It has all the elements to make it the perfect holiday read. The characters were quirky and interesting. There was character development and unexpected life changes— overall it was a fun read. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Mary Kay Andrews returns with a cast of quirky characters and the spirit of Christmas in a novella that will have you grabbing a cup of cocoa and a soft blanket as you snuggle in and lose yourself in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS.
When things in her life unravel, Kerry heads home to her Mom’s for a reset, and maybe to hide while she figures out what to do next. The last thing she expected was that her father’s illness would lead to her being roped into helping her brother sell trees from the family’s farm at their yearly lot in new York City. She really doesn’t know her older brother, Murphy, and the thought of spending a month plus in the family’s beat up trailer is less than appealing. She soon finds that the neighborhood has embraced her brother and father, and now her, with different neighbors offering different things. She finds herself making friends, and contributing to the tree lot sales in unexpected ways, She also finds herself spending time with a single dad, is son, and a somewhat mysterious old man.
This was such a fun and festive book, and it will warm your heart, making it a perfect read for the Christmas holiday.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.
#BrightLightsBigChristmas #MaryKayAndrews #ChristmasNovella #StMartins

This was an adorable novella set at Christmas time in NYC! Kerry is a sweetheart who is caring and creative. Her brother Murphy is a bit of a jerk but has the weight of the world on his shoulders to save his dad’s Christmas tree farm. Patrick is lovely and boy does he have the cutest son, Austin! The other side characters were great. I loved that this was a quick read and easy to get into. It really helped me get into the Christmas spirit!

Mary Kay Andrews’ latest, Bright Lights, Big Christmas was the perfect catalyst to enter into the holiday season. Set on NYC, Murphy and his sister, Kerry, take the yearly trip from the Carolina mountains up to New York to sell their beautifully grown trees in the City. Weather and health challenges have left the Tolliver family in a rough spot this season and they need a strong showing to get out of the red. What unfolds in New York, is a series of challenges and bumps through which Kerry and Murphy must navigate. Mary Kay Andrews’ characters, setting descriptions and events grow a warm and memorable narrative that drew me in. This is the perfect book to evoke the sentiments of friends that become family during the cold and harsh season. Loved it!

Kerry, whose life has just fallen apart, is called in to help her family with their New York City Christmas tree stand. So she sets off with her slightly-estranged brother, to stay in a little tin can of a camper, borrow showers and bathrooms, and make enough sales to sustain her family Christmas tree farm for another year. Along the way, she finds friends and a bit of something more.

This was a cozy, festive read that's perfect for kicking off holiday book lists. Favorite things: Holiday vibes, found family, an evolving sibling relationship, and a slightly mysterious older man who has a lot to learn and to teach everyone else.

Thanks to Net Galley and St Martins Press for the complimentary digital review copy of this title.

We know that Christmas is hands down one of my favorite times of the year - and this book is just giving me all the holiday feels!
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A camper called Spammy
A grumpy snoring brother
A sister finding her way
A Christmas tree lot
An evil competitor
A welcoming community
A single dad (eye wiggle)
And so much more.
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I can smell the trees and sense the excitement of the season.
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If you love Countdown To Christmas on Hallmark - grab this book!
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Thank you @marykayandrews @netgalley @stmartinspress I will be adding this one to my mama’s Bookmas box since she has a camper! Shhh don’t tell her.