Mary Kay Andrews, I don't know how you do it. You have the gift of writing books people enjoy reading and you hit it out of the park again. Mary Kay is known for writing books set in the southeast, especially the Carolina coast. This story starts in North Carolina at the Christmas tree farm owned by the Tolliver family. For many years, the Tollivers have grown, cut and delivered Christmas trees to NYC. It's their big income producer for the year. This year, cantankerous father, Jock, is sick and not able to accompany his son, Murphy, on the trip to NYC. Daughter, Kerry, just happens to have returned to the family farm after a career downturn. Kerry winds up driving to NYC with Murphy. They are accompanied by Queenie, the dog, and the very old family trailer, Spammy, where they sleep when they can. They set up their Christmas tree stand in the usual, unofficial place and open up shop. Kerry doesn't know it, but the neighbors already know Murphy and Queenie and Kerry gets to know the neighbors. She comes to appreciate the area and makes friends with many who support her and Murphy. One of the important supporters is Patrick who has a young son and an ex-wife. There is romance, loads of love, a missing elderly neighbor and so much more. This is a story of family love and loving others who aren't family. I loved it and you will, too. Many thanks to Mary Kay Andrews and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this lovely book. You can expect it to published approximately 9/26/23.

I LOVED this book. I was actually upset when I had to put it down to attend to something in my life, ha.

This is a feel good story about a Christmas tree lot in New York City. The trees are trucked in each year by a family from North Carolina. And for 30 days each year, this little corner lot becomes a small Christmas Village. One that I would very much like to be a participant in, annually!

I loved every single character in this book, including the doggy, I loved the neighborhood, the cafes, the bodega, the optician, gah, even the wholesale flower market is included. It was just a little piece of holiday perfection, and I am not one to gravitate toward holiday themed books.

If you're looking to capture a bit of holiday magic this year, I highly recommend you read this.

The thing I like best about reading a MK Andrews book is that she is consistent in telling a story that is a good old-fashioned romance. The characters are relatable and likable and ones you'd like to meet again and again. In this story, Kerry, an artist looking for direction in her life, returns home to help out her gruff older brother Murphy at the family tree farm to sell Christmas trees in the city while her father is sick and being tended to by her mother. Staying in a vintage trailer, she is surrounded with warm memories of her youth and good neighbors who embrace the Tolliver family. Most especially, she warms up to single dad Patrick and his young son. Kerry also befriends an old "homeless" man who wanders about in the neighborhood and seems to have taken a liking to Kerry and an interest in her artistic ability. Being there helps Kerry to rethink her life and the direction she wants to go and discover things about herself. Perhaps the romance with Patrick may have helped this? This is a book about discovering the best in people and hope and new beginnings. I can easily see this book made as a Hallmark holiday movie. I recommend you grab a cup of hot cocoa and cozy up with this feel good holiday book. It will leave you all warm inside. Many thanks to #netgalley #marykayandrews #brightlightsbigchristmas #stmartinspress for the opportunity to read and review this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bright Lights, Big Christmas
By: Mary Kay Andrews
Pub Date: 9/26/2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

It’s Christmas in the book reviewing world!!
Kerry Tolliver has had a rough go. A broken relationship and a job loss has knocked her back to her mom’s house. She’s been there moping for 3 months when her father becomes ill which forces Kerry to travel with her brother to NYC to sell the families Christmas trees.
What she doesn’t expect is to find herself in shocking ways in their little corner of the big apple. In just a short period of time she can see herself making a home there but with no job prospects there just isn’t any way she can stay… or is there?!?
I absolutely loved the little mention of The Santa Suit, last year's Christmas novel from Andrews. 🎄🎄🎄

This delightful holiday read has got me in the holiday spirit before the summer is even over. Filled with moments of cheer, romance, and sibling rivalry this book brings all the southern wit and charm that Mary Kay Andrews is known for. This book will leave you with all the warm fuzzy feelings and ready to start your holiday prep!

Told just like a Hallmark movie we have Kerry who goes to NYC with her brother to help out her family"s Christmas tree business. While there she connects with people in the neighborhood, not to mention she finds herself in the process. She also finds love with a local man who believes in her and all she wants to do.

I have been a longtime Mary Kay Andrews fan, and her Christmas books are always special! I finished this feel-good novella in one sitting and did not want to leave these characters and the lovely found family they'd become. Charming and full of Andrew's trademark warmth and wit, this holiday romance hits all the right notes.

Kerry, an artist whose life is at a crossroads, must fill in for her ailing father and go to NYC to help her brother Murphy sell Christmas trees from the family farm in North Carolina. There, she helps revive the family business, reevaluates her life, and meets friends who become family. She also meets Patrick, a handsome single father to the cutest little boy, Austin, who steals every scene he is in! The character development was very well done, and I really connected with Kerry and came to care for the other characters in the book as much as she did. And her slow-burn romance with Patrick was sweet and hopeful.

Set in a lovely Greenwich Village neighborhood, it feels like you're right in the middle of a Christmas movie. With themes of found family, finding yourself, love, and starting over, this is heartwarming, cozy, and full of holiday spirit!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to review this ARC. I loved it!

I hadn't read a book by this author for awhile and it felt like I was meeting up with a friend who had been out of the country. I have always enjoyed her books but I wanted to try new authors and different plots, so I lost touch. This was a Christmas romance that just warmed my heart. The characters are people that you know or people that you want to meet (well, except for the Brothers and they were dealt with appropriately. Kindness, charm and old world manners are abundant throughout this book. Thank you Mary Kay Andrews for the wonderful Christmas novel. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC. This review is wholly my own and provided without any coercion or bias.

When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave the family Christmas tree farm in North Carolina and head to NYC to sell the trees at the family stand with her brother. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time since childhood, Kerry is ready to carve out a new corner for herself and quickly becomes friendly with the surrounding neighbors.

Such a heart-warming , feel-good romance with all of the Christmas feels! The characters were a vast variety of young and old with unique personalities all coming together in a way that will warm your heart. A story of friendship, found family, self discovery and romance with some Santa Suit references sprinkled in (if you didn’t read that one yet, I highly recommend it!). I enjoyed this book so much and it presented what the true spirit of Christmas is all about.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Mary Kay Andrews for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this heartwarming Christmas story from Mary Kay Andrews. Set in a NYC, the story follows the main character as she moves from remote, North Carolina to help her family sell their farm-grown Christmas trees. Thrown into a tiny trailer (with no kitchen and plumbing) and with her disagreeable brother, she finds herself loving the city and the residents of the street. Very touching Christmas story that you're sure to enjoy!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a cute story to start off holiday reading. Kerry has to head to NY to help her brother sell Christmas trees while their dad stays home and recovers from a health scare. While she learns to find ways to help her family’s business she ends up trying to help an older man who falls ill and finds herself attracted to a guy. Just when she starts liking NY it’s time to head home even though she is unsure what she wants to do with her life.
This story is filled with family , friends , and Christmas spirit. Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an arc for my opinion .

I enjoyed this delightful Christmas story and its unique setting of a Christmas tree lot in The Village in New York City. It’s the story of a brother and sister from North Carolina who traveled to New York every year to sell their Christmas trees. The action takes place over the course of a month leading up to Christmas Day. The plot is fairly predictable, but enjoyable, nonetheless. The main character and her love interest are actually the flattest characters in the book. The love interest’s son, an old man in the neighborhood, and the brother are nicely fleshed out. The descriptions of the snowy New York neighborhood are appealing.. I enjoyed this book very much and will look forward to finding more Christmas books by Mary Kay Andrews. This was a prepub given to me by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Being this is a short novella, there isn't much depth to this story, but I kind of liked it. The situation with finding a found family always captures my heart and this definitely touched mine especially with Christmas being the setting. Mary Kay Andrews always writes wonderful stories that entertain and make me laugh.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

Mary Kay Andrews has written a book that is delightful and enjoyable filled with all the warm Christmas feels plus a little romance. Andrews has always been a favorite author of mine and once again she has not disappointed - the story is light and fun especially since it revolves around Christmas, the romance subtle and exciting, there is self discovery & the importance of family, friends & community.

Kerry Tolliver struggles with finding who she is and how to more forward in her life. She is forced to travel from North Carolina to New York to sell Christmas trees from the family farm for the holidays. Although Kerry is not happy about the situation she discovers new friends and a community who draws her in as if she has belonged for years. She learns more about her brother, Murphy, she discovers a unique friendship with Heinz, an older man who helps her to expand her art and she finds a connection of friendship and love with Patrick & his son, Austin.

In addition to all of this, Kerry is swept into a community of people who are close knit and care for each other. They accept her, help her in so many ways she never thought about and just simply sweep her into their fold. They pull together for each other and she discovers they have welcomed and even included Murphy into their community (something that caught her off guard at first) - this becomes the chance for her to finally connect and understand her brother. She is surprised at all corners and even though she never wanted to go to New York and sell Christmas trees for the holidays she discovers something much more than she expected.

I really enjoyed this book and strongly recommend it giving it a read!

Such an ADORABLE holiday🎄read!! I love Mary Kay Andrews books so when I get a chance to read one of hers, I drop everything else I'm reading and read that one. I have to say that Bright Lights, Big Christmas did not disappoint.. each page just draws you in, the characters felt real, all meshing so well together. This is a story of friendship + found family🕊️, self-discovery, and romance.. plus there’s also character references from The Santa Suit🎅🏻.

This is heartwarming, feel-good storytelling of what the true spirit of Christmas is all about! Loved it! ❥ 5 stars — Pub. 9/26/23

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this novel! All opinions are my own.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is the perfect feel-good book to get you geared up for the holiday season! The feelings of family, friends, and neighbors are strongly woven together in front of the Tolliver’s Christmas tree farm in NYC. If you need a book that is light and full of cheer, grab this one! In fact, if you didn’t read The Santa Suit last year, grab them both. They are both fabulous!
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Level: 🌶️/5
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for. Free copy of this book in an exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of MKA and Bright Lights Big Christmas 🎄 doesn’t disappoint! This small town North Carolina meets Big City New York delivers a fun and cozy Christmas story. I found the story of the Tolliver Tree Farm totally charming.

You could smell the fir trees, hear the crackling of the fire pit, taste the marshmallow hot chocolate and see the twinkle lights lighting up the tree yard. You’ll want to spend the night in “spammie”.

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins press for this early digital read and McMillan audio for the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Well this was 💎! I tend to not be the biggest holiday book person but whenever Mary Kay Andrews writes a holiday book, I’m always a super fan.

Basically, Kerry leaves her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for New York City to help her grumpy older brother and his dog, Queenie (at the very least the selling point of the book 👑 🐕), sell trees at their family stand in Greenwich Village.

Kerry is experiencing Manhattan for the first time, and she’s staying in a little camper. While there are a few things that may not be 💯 realistic to New York, I found there to be charm to the whole story. I also loved Kerry’s experience going into all the local New York spots. AND of course Kerry carves a spot for herself in New York City too.

With a hint of romance, and a lot of local LOVE 💕This was the perfect holiday book! 🎄🎅🏼

Ignore the Halloween décor already crowding the store aisles and cozy up with MKA’s Christmas novella. The setting is a street corner in magical New York City where the Tolliver’s Christmas Tree lot is located each year. The tiny 1963 Shasta trailer that Kerry and Murphy squeeze into after driving 700 miles from North Carolina takes center stage as tough competition, social media miracles, and the scary search for a missing friend add to the frantic countdown to Christmas Eve. MKA tucks a quirky, wise old man, a generous, considerate group of neighbors, some nasty competition, and a handsome single dad and his adorable son, into a Christmas story fit for a snow globe scene. Bright Lights, Big Christmas unwraps the true gifts of the season; loyal friends, devoted family, and discovering love-all on a Christmas tree lot in the middle of New York City.

Bright Lights Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 9/26

This was such a great way to kick off my holiday reading! With a heartwarming storyline and endearing characters, this book is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit.

The story follows Kerry Tolliver, who leaves her family's Christmas tree farm in North Carolina to help her brother sell trees in the bustling streets of New York City. The fate of their farm hinges on their ability to sell enough trees, and Kerry's determination shines through as she embarks on this adventure. Set against the backdrop of Manhattan's iconic Greenwich Village, the novella beautifully captures the magic of the holiday season in the city that never sleeps.

Kerry has a lot of interaction with her charming neighbors, including an endearing elderly recluse and an adorable dog. And then there's Patrick, a single dad with an adorable dragon-loving son, who ignites an undeniable spark of romance.

Andrews' writing is full of festive spirit, and her vivid descriptions made me feel like I was in NYC at Christmas. It's a feel-good read that captures the essence of Christmas traditions, from tree decorating to the joy of giving.

If you're looking for an easy, heartwarming, and festive read, this novella will put you in a cheerful mood. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my digital copy, and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.