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.

This was a fun, light Christmas read filled with Christmas trees, family, friends, and plenty of Christmas magic. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have read everything Mary Kay Andrews has had published. She continues to entertain me with her, "Hey, it could happen," stories. Her characters are never perfect. Somewhere in the past, these characters have made questionable decisions. So, very true-to-life. I recommend her to my friends and book club. She is a delight.

The Tolliver Christmas Tree Farm’s stand in Greenwich Village is a holiday fixture. This year, Kerry Tolliver is hitching up Spammy, an old tin can of a trailer, and heading up to NYC to help her brother Murphy run the stand. Along with bringing new ideas to breathe life into the business, Kerry befriends a cast of characters from the neighborhood, including a reclusive elderly man, a dragon-loving young boy, and his hunky single dad Patrick.

I loved this heartwarming holiday read – no one does a feel-good Christmas story like MKA does! Kerry is spunky and relatable and the supporting cast is charming. The romance that develops between Kerry and Patrick is so sweet, and I was keeping my fingers crossed that they would be able to find a future to their holiday romance. The Greenwich Village setting is totally immersive: the Christmas tree stand, the siblings sharing a tiny quirky trailer, the snowflakes, pine boughs, and Christmas music all striking the perfect holiday note. This Christmas read is sure to put you in the holiday spirit!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

I'm a HUGE MKA fan and Bright Lights, Big Christmas did not disappoint! I love that she's started writing Christmas books again (Blue Christmas written years ago is a favorite of mine). This was a cozy, warm, delightful read that although I wish I had read closer to Christmas instead of on an 87 degree day, still managed to put me in a Christmasy mood!

I loved Kerry, an out-of-work graphic artist who has been living at home in the mountains of western North Carolina with her family at the Christmas tree farm. She's all adrift, trying to figure out her life when she's asked by her mom to go up to NYC during the holidays to help her brother sell their Christmas trees like they have for 3 decades since their dad just had a heart attack and can't make the trip. She and her older brother Murphy, a grumpy, taciturn guy, aren't at all close since their parents divorced when they were younger and each of them lived with one parent. But maybe the time together in NYC, selling trees, and living together in the families' old RV Spammy will bring them closer.

I adored the characters, especially Austin, the sweetest little boy ever, and Patrick his dad. The neighborhood and neighbors in Greenwich Village were so nice. Heinz, the elderly neighbor was someone Kerry was drawn to and in the end, all though he was gruff and acted as if he wanted no one, they both helped each other.

A joyful, sweet holiday read to put you in the holiday spirit!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

After reading Mary Kay Andrews' The Santa Suit, I have been waiting for her to write another Christmas novella. Bright Lights, Big Christmas has everything a reader could want in a modern Christmas story. Kerry Tolliver is at a crossroads in her life, after losing her job in Charlotte, NC. Originally from a small town in NC, she accompanies her brother, Murphy and his dog, Queenie to Greenwich Village, NY to sell Christmas trees from the family's farm. There she meets an array of people who quickly become her friends. As stated in the book more than once. "friends can become family". Ms. Andrews novella is filled with love, hope, romance, and Christmas Magic. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Mary Kay Andrews for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A wonderful holiday story that warms your soul. Kerry and her brother Murphy, grew up on a Christmas tree farm in a smell Mountain town in NC. Every year Murphy and his dad set up a tree stand in NYC to sell their trees, but after his dad has a heart attack, Kerry is forced to go with Murphy. Kerry meets a little boy named Austin and his father Patrick. Strong bonds are formed. How will they handle life after Kerry goes back to NC after Christmas is over?

An unexpected twist ending, your sure to love as much as I did. So pre-order your copy today so you can read for your holiday enjoyment. Release date is September 26th.

I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review from NetGalley.

I read this book in one inhale, that’s how much i enjoyed it. Ok fine, maybe I took a few million more breaths 😅 but basically this book was so great and that I felt like I inhaled it and CHRISTMAS has is here already!! Even though fall hasn’t technically arrived when I read this book I dont care! CHRISTMAS has areived!🎄🌲🎅🏼🤶🏼

About the book, Kerry being down on her luck, has to move back home and because her dad recently having health issues had to help her family by selling Christmas trees in the Big Apple (NYC). Although the conditions on an old broken down trailer is awful, she gets to the know the neighbours and how wonderful the people really are. Dont even get me started on Kerry sharing the tiny trailer with her brother Murphy because their banter is hilarious. Then there’s the love interest Patrick, cue squeal! That meet cute was everything becuse I love a ranting & raving woman who just wants to go pee!

Im not going to give you any spoilers, so I just want to say that this book brings such warm fuzzy feelings for me because:
1) I LOVE CHRISTMAS
2)Mary Kay Andrews is such a great writer
3) the characters in this books were absolutely charming, specially Heinz & Queenie! Did i mention its paced well too? I love a good pace book.

I love books based around the holidays and this book will officially be put in my holiday rotation! I loved reading every minute of this book. Every character was fun and interesting. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a sweet, holiday, closed-door book! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Kerry has temporarily moved back home to the North Carolina tree farm she grew up on. Now she must accompany her grumpy brother (whom she really doesn't know well) to NYC for the annual Christmas tree sales trip. She is not looking forward to living in the run down trailer for a month.

Once there Kerry meets many people. The secondary characters in this one are interesting and quirky. Although it is a Christmas book, it isn't dripping in Christmas which can be good or bad depending on your point of view. I liked how Kerry was determined to help the people who she has only recently met.

I would categorize this one as a beach read but for winter.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc.

After small town girl Kerry’s father has a heart attack, she must travel to New York City with her grumpy brother to sell family grown Christmas trees and live in a tiny dilapidated travel trailer. Kerry befriends many people throughout the neighborhood and has the experience she least expects, which changes the projection of her life.

Overall Bright Lights Big Christmas was a heartwarming Christmas romcom, but I found it a tad predictable and uneventful. I think it would be better as a Hallmark movie. Hopefully that happens! 🤩

Favorite quote: “Sometimes even the best ideas don’t work out.” ✨

Favorite character: Kerry 🤶
Steamy rating: Mild 💙
Profanity: None 😇
How I discovered: Mary Kay Andrew’s Newsletter 💌
Method: Hybrid read & listen through NetGalley 💚

This is a heartwarming story that is a great one to add to your Christmas reads, filled with a lovely setting and wonderful characters and a sweet dog named Queenie.
The Tolliver family has owned a Christmas tree farm for many years in the mountains of North Carolina. For thirty years, they have taken a load of Christmas trees a month before Christmas to sell in a village in New York City. This is the first year that Kerry has gone to sell trees since her family went when she was very young. Her father is recovering from a heart attack, and she takes his place working with her brother. Rough living conditions, sibling tension, and mean competition add interest. But I enjoyed seeing the friendships that have developed over the years between the residents of the neighborhood and the Tollivers. This has a feel-good ending with the promise of a new beginning for Kerry, all with the happy holiday atmosphere.

Apparently I am one of the few who have never read Mary Kay Andrews. I read the synopsis and was hooked on the idea of Xmas in NYC. All the elements of a great Hallmark.movie are here, and I think pacing on screen would move the plot along more cohesively. The story as written, develops very slowly. But, for a clean holiday read this season, this would be a great starting place.

the plot overall was very cute. Despite them being Christmas tree sellers, it wasn’t overly Christmas, which I’m sure could be a pro or con depending on the reader. Also, even though it took place in NYC I never got the *magical New York christmas* setting vibes and I think it could’ve taken place in any mid size city which was a bummer because nyc at Christmas is really the best.