Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. This was a great holiday read. From the grumpy brother to the “strange” old man this book was filled with holiday magic. I found myself rooting for Kerry and the family Christmas Trees. This book had the feature I look for in a great book….I was sad when the story was over because I missed the characters.

This could very well be an it's me things, especially seeing all the higher ratings, but this one didn't bring it. I felt like I was reading a book with pages, maybe even whole chapters missing.

Her brother is a total jerk and at times mean to Kerry and this is never properly addressed. There's a romance that has him asking her to give up her life and move in with him before they'd spent any significant amount of time together. They're selling Christmas trees and trying to save the family farm (a favorite holiday romance cliche) but it's all business business business with practically zero holiday charm or magic.

I don't know. I was really looking forward to this one and have heard such wonderful things about MKA's writing. I did see some long time fans express their disappointment in this one so I'm not giving up on her. This book though, not for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and to Mary Kay Andrews for providing this charming Christmas novel for my honest review. I love cozy Christmas stories and this one is no different. I love that this novel centers around saving the family Christmas Tree farm and takes place in New York City. After reading this heartwarming story, I am so ready for the Christmas season! I can’t wait for her next heartwarming book. Thank you again for allowing me to review this book. I highly recommend it!

Mary Kay Andrews brings us the holiday magic once again with Bright Lights, Big Christmas! Reading this book in the summer is bringing me so much joy.

This book was so sweet and I just wanted so much more! Coming in at a little under 300 pages, we are left wanting more of these characters, main and side, and more holiday spirit!

I will read any and every Christmas and holiday book that Mary Kay Andrews puts out into the world.

This novella is a magical, heartwarming, and feel good read. I absolutely loved the setting and every single character. It may be a short read, but it is full of moments that will make you long for the holiday season. It did feel like it ended really quickly. I wish there were 20 or so more pages just to round out the ending.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If you're looking for a short story that's full of heart, this is it!

I instantly fell in love with the characters and their journey to save the family tree farm. Kerry is packing up to head to a corner in New York City where her family has sold Christmas trees for decades. This year is extra important as they need to sell more trees than ever before to save the farm from having to shut down. Once she's in New York she meets Patrick and sparks fly.

I enjoyed that the romance was a large part of the plot but there were also side plots about selling trees, caring for an elderly neighbour and getting to know other people who live near the tree stand. Every page was full of Christmas scenes and even though I read the book in September it put me in a holiday mood. I could almost smell pine needles while I was reading this and think any romance lover would enjoy this during the holidays. The romance was sweet and it pulled me in while I stayed engaged with the other plot points in the book. I'd recommend this one and if you want more holiday romances check out The Santa Suit that's also by Andrews!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sometimes, when life seems a little off, or the day's news is too much, it's nice to tune the TV to some Christmas movies. Same can be true of Christmas books - they aren't just for the month of December. I'm so happy to have requested this book and had it available now. It's filled with appealing characters, a magical urban setting, and love. Worth four stars just for the smile on my face at the end.

Thank you Netgally and St. Martin's Press for access to this arc.


For me usually Mary Kay Andrews books are a sure thing. But sadly this one failed to grab me. The heroine comes off as a bit whiney, her brother is a walking cliché, I find the NYC set up to be unbelievable and the whole thing too twee. Maybe I'm just in a Grinchy mood but this is a rare MKA book that didn't work for me. DNF

Bright Lights, Big Christmas brings Southern Charm to the Big Apple, when a single thirtysomething North Carolina resident named Kerry heads to Greenwich Village to help the stepbrother she barely knows and his dog sell Christmas trees from the family's farm -- all from their rustic old camper named "Spammy."

There, Kerry makes friends with the locals, including a cute single dad who offers her a chance at holiday romance, and she encounters light drama like the local tree-selling competition and a missing neighbor.

This closed-door romance is super fluffy, quick, light, and sweet -- like a holiday Hallmark movie that just helps you escape the frenzy of the season.

It may seem early to talk Christmas, but Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews releases on September 26. Get your gifts bought early. Pre-order from your favorite store now! Yes, pre-ordering does make a difference! You could always go to Bookshop.org, a great place that supports Mom and Pop bookstores.
I loved Bright Lights, Big Christmas. If you want a feel-good Christmas story filled with making new friends, believing in yourself, finding love, and supporting family, this is it! Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a holiday hug ending with a satisfying sigh. I loved MKA's last Christmas story, The Santa Suit, but this one is even better. You will not be disappointed!
When Kerry Tolliver finds herself in-between jobs, she's lost as to what's next in life. She returns to her hometown in the North Carolina mountains where her father and brother run the Tolliver Christmas Tree Farm. Due to her father's health issues, he can't make the trip to NYC to sell the trees. Kerry steps in to help. She and her grumpy, older brother spend a month selling trees in a NYC neighborhood where their family has sold trees for decades. For a full month, they camp in a vintage (run-down) trailer next to the tree lot. The trailer is fondly called Spammy because of the canned ham shape. : )
Kerry discovers that the neighbors and shop owners already know and love her brother. Her family has developed community support and loyalty over the many years.
The story is about connecting with and caring for people. The community wraps the Tollivers in their love, and Kerry deeply connects with this group of quirky, lovable people. These neighbors care about each other. They check in on each other and help those in need. (I want the version of a NYC neighborhood to exist. I've never been there, so I'll dream that it does.) Kerry especially gets involved in the lives of a divorced man and his son, and a mysterious older gentleman who gives her pointers on her drawings.
Think about your Christmas list. I'm sure you'll find one copy of Bright Lights, Big Christmas will not be enough for all your loved ones who would enjoy this book.
Thank you, St. Martin's Press, Mary Kay Andrews and NetGalley, for the ARC of Bright Lights, Big Christmas. The opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book. I loved this story! Wonderful Christmas tale of family and hope. Pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me reading until the very end, Highly recommend!

Everything you expect from Mary Kay Andrews and more. As always, the relationships are the heart of the story with some intrigue tossed in along the way. Will Kerry and Patrick become romantically involved? This will be so fun to read around the holidays and share with friends.

It’s not the holidays without a lighthearted, charming read by Mary Kay Andrews, and this was one of my favorites so far!

After her father, Jock, falls ill and she loses her job, Kerry finds herself pulling the family’s beloved camper, Spammy, to New York City with her older brother, Murphy and his beloved dog, Queenie, to sell their family’s Christmas trees in the West Village. Murphy is well-loved in the neighborhood after years of tree selling with Jock, and soon, many neighbors take to Kerry, too, specifically single dad Patrick, his young son, Austin, and mysterious elderly man, Heinz.

A month living in the camper and braving the elements of the city give Kerry a new perspective on life and teach her some important lessons on trusting her own instincts. I especially enjoyed how Kerry brought so much light and creativity to the tree stand, and the sweet, charming way Andrews brings characters to life. This book felt like a warm cardigan wrapped around you on a chilly night, and I loved the Santa Suit reference from her previous book. Fingers crossed we can get a mention of the tree stand next season!?!

Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advance e-copy of the book.

This was a book that just grew on me more and more as I kept reading. It was like the best Hallmark Christmas movies, but with more heart and detail and emotion than a 90-minute movie can give. I’m sure this will be a holiday reread for me!

#brightlightsbigchristmas by @marykayandrews
Thank you @netgalley for the advance copy!
I love Christmas stories, Mary Kay Andrews books and NYC-this book has all I need to be happy.
Kerry has come to New York to help her brother at the family Christmas Tree farm. This is the first time helping out since she was a little girl and she learns how the neighborhood where they always set up is a friendly place with so many people happy to meet her-including newly divorced Patrick and his young son, Austin.
This was a cute, quick book that I will be buying once it is available in October.

Hallmark Christmas movie in book form. It’s got family, friendship, humor, and clean romance. A quick and wholesome read and I wouldn’t be surprised if this really does turn into a hallmark movie someday soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

What a warm hug of Christmas cheer! It’s a great hallmark movie 🍿 type of book. I loved the FMC & all the side characters! I also enjoyed the talk of the Santa suit book, I read it last year during Christmas time and it was so cute.
Christmas tree farm family goes to New York every year to set up shop for the trees. It’s super interesting so much plot & so heartwarming it’ll definitely put you in the Christmas spirit.

The spirit of Christmas is captured in this wonderful read. A holiday read centered around family and friends with a bit of romance. The message of the importance of friendships and characters learning to put other’s needs first. A cast of wonderful characters of all ages, types, and a delightful dog. I enjoyed the relationship between Kerry and her brother Murphy, who are not close. Kerry is a delight; she really hangs in there with all kinds of trying situations. Murphy is a grump and set in his ways, but soon the Christmas spirits finds him too. I liked how a city corner became her home and neighbors watched out for one another. At the end of the story, I’m left with a smile.

Reviewed by Comfy Chair Books/Lisa Reigel (September 10, 2023)
ARC provided by publisher via NG; bought paperback copy via Brenda Novak Monthly Book Box (Oct 2023)

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a wonderful holiday read brought to you by the wonderful Mary Kay Andrews. Filled with Family drama, new friends and love. This story is a wonderful holiday edition and is so much more than just romance.
I loved all of the characters and how they interacted and were tied together. The story flowed and was simply idyllic. I adored it and highly recommend it be added to your holiday to-be-read pile.

I missed my annual reading guilty pleasure this spring: Mary Kay Andrewss yearly summer release. But, the next best thing, to satisfy my craving, is her Christmas book. I must admit, it felt very incongruous to be reading a book about selling Christmas trees in freezing cold weather while we are living through the worst September heat wave.

Not many surprises here. This is a cute Christmas tale. A brother and sister from North Carolina are running a Christmas tree lot in New York. There seems to be bad blood between them for a while. A potential love interest shows up early for the sister. Regular stuff!

There's lots to love about this story. I love that there is a cross reference to MKA's previous Christmas book, The Santa Suit. It’s a little bit of continuity. And, I love that part of the story is a retro RV trailer from the 1970s. It is pictured on the cover. And, I love the little boy who likes to hang out with the sister at the tree lot. Actually, I love all the characters.

It's a nice, comfortable and enjoyable holiday read. Perfect for the time of year when everyone is stressed out and running around like crazy preparing for the holidays. It's just what I expected!

And they lived happily ever after!

Thank you to MKA for writing this holiday book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.