This was such a sweet, feel good Christmas story. I'm a sucker for a book with found family. I loved that this story was so much more than just a holiday romance. I loved the sense of community and how the characters came together. I highly recommend adding this to your holiday reading list!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews has all the Christmas vibes. Tolliver's Christmas tree stand in New York reminds us what Christmas is all about and brings everyone together in this book. Sometimes we need to reinvent things instead of sticking to the old way as the siblings of Tolliver's tree stand find's out. This book is all about Christmas and second chances. The author did a great job writing this as well and I look forward to reading more from her. I highly recommend this book to any reader and especially to reader's who love Christmas. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC copy of this book, I appreciate it. I highly enjoyed this book!

I am a fan of Ms Andrews' books. On one level this is written in her wonderful style - great plot and terrific, warm characters. On the other level, it felt as though it finished really fast, quickly all tied up in a big red bow.

Kerry is an artist who was made redundant at work. Since that happened, she has been living with her mother in a small town in North Carolina. Not a happy time for Kerry.

Her family sells Christmas trees and every year they take a trailer full to the West Village in New York City. This year Kerry will have to accompany her brother, Murphy. Her father had a heart attack and this is a 2 person job. There is no one else to do the job.

The best and worst part will be living in Spammy. Spammy is a 40 year old, tiny trailer, without a working bathroom. It just does not get better than this.

Kerry has a meltdown when someone parks their Mercedes in the spot set aside for the tree lot and leaves it there. She assaults the Mercedes and then finds that the owner of the car is a friend of Murphy's. His name is Patrick and he has, Austin, one of the most charming little boys ever created by an author.

Although Kerry was not happy to be drafted into tree lot duty, before long she is seeing an entirely new aspect of life in the big city. People in the neighborhood are friendly. One family offers to provide hot showers when needed. A restaurant and a bakery are ready to provide food and drink at nearly any hour. In short, Kerry starts making friends and finding that people are interesting and interested in her. Austin and an elderly man, Heinz, start Kerry creating a wonderful story about heroes and dragons and bad guys.

One of the many side effects for Kerry is she quickly starts to regain her strength and belief in herself. She starts remembering what she can do as an artist.

I really liked this story, it was rather like a modern fairy tale. At times I felt that I knew the future of the story, but that was OK because it was a lovely and sweet story.

I did feel that it wrapped up rather quickly. That made me feel let down. But, it still was a "Happily Every After".

Ms Andrews is a talented author and she certainly knows how to provide a reader with a good story.

This should make any reader get into the spirit of Christmas. In fact, I believe that if you sit very still and inhale, you will be able to smell all those lovely green trees.

I received this book from the publisher in the hope of a fair and honest review. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

Kerry Tolliver has lost her job and is living back at home on the family’s Christmas tree farm. Her family has sold trees in New York city since she was a child, living out of their canned ham trailer each season. Times have changed though. Her parents are divorced so now it is her father and brother who run the farm and make the trip to sell trees each year. Except this year. Her father has had a heart attack and her mother is staying with him to nurse him back to health. Kerry and her brother, Murphy, are in charge of selling the trees this year. They need to sell more than ever to keep the farm in the black but can they? Will Murphy accept new ideas for marketing and selling more?
This is a great Christmas read. The characters they meet and bond with are fun, sometimes quirky, but mostly loveable. Kerry has time to examine her life and attempt to figure out what’s next for her. Will she go back to North Carolina to raise trees orfollow a new path?
I received an advance copy of this book from the Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Look no further for a book to get you in the Christmas spirit! Bright Lights, Big Christmas is filled with warmth and joy and family! Kerry and her brother Murphy are in New York City to run their family’s Christmas tree stand, living in a rusty trailer, showering in the homes of neighbors, fighting off the competition, and maybe finding time to bring some love into their lives! Although set in the big city, this book has a lovely small town feel to it, as they find a community of friends who become like family! Put on your favorite festive clothing, drink some hot chocolate, and enjoy this warm-hearted Christmas story!

A feel-good sweet tale for Christmas...

Kerry & her brother Murphy leave their North Carolina home for their annual trip to New York City to sell the Christmas trees that their family grow on their farm.

This is the first in many years that Kerry is making the trip, as her father normally travels with Murphy, but this year her father is unwell. Kerry only recently moved back home to North Carolina after losing her job, and she is at a loose end. She and Murphy don't know each other well, as they each went with a different parent after the family was split by divorce years ago.

She finds the city a magical place, and is introduced to several families that Murphy has befriended over the years. A local older gentleman, Heinz, helps to re-awaken Kerry's creative pursuits and when he goes missing, Kerry, friend Patrick and his son Austin are frantic to find him.

I'm a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrews, and it was a real pleasure to read an advanced copy of this book.

Super cute. I enjoyed this Christmas short book. The story was entertaining and the characters were charming and delightful.

This was a really cute Christmas read with adorable characters who will warm your heart.

It’s a perfect atmospheric read to get your in the mood for the holiday season.

If you’re a sucker for Hallmark movies (I know I am) then make sure you grab a copy of Bright Lights, Big Christmas.

I would’ve waited until the holidays to read it but since I’m going to meet 🤗😁🤩𝗧𝗛𝗘 Mary Kay Andrews live and in-person next month I figured I’d better check it out now. 🎄 I’m so excited to get my signed copy.

This book will give you all of the Hallmark feels.

🎅🏼There was also a nod to The Santa Suit in this one. That was my first MKA book ever and is also a cute warm & fuzzy story. 🎅🏼

🏆My top Mary Kay Andrew’s reigning champion position still belongs to #thehomewreckers 🏆

The Tolliver's have been growing Christmas trees on their family Christmas tree farm in North Carolina. Every year they would go up to New York and sell the trees. This has happened for many generations. But now they are facing losing business with there being competition and on top of all of that Kerry and Murphy's father have a heart attack. It is always Murphy and his father who would take the trees up to New York and sell them. In order to help the family and farm, Kerry steps up due to having free time and goes with her very grumpy brother, Murphy.

I first discovered Mary Kay Andrews a few years ago when I discovered The Santa Suit and really loved it. I saw Bright Lights, Big Christmas on NetGalley and just had to request it.

Mary Kay Andrews makes you feel transported into a beautiful Christmas oasis. It makes you feel happy, warm, and all cozy when reading her books.

I had fun reading Bright Lights, Big Christmas with seeing how Kerry connect with the people she encounters when selling the trees. Plus, with her being in New York she has to find ways to push her artistic capabilities to get people to buy their trees and wreaths and not the competitions.

Kerry has a great character arc of finding herself and finding what she wants out of life.

My favorite things that I've found when reading Mary Kay Andrews' books is that she always has someone pivotal that either has an interesting story or a mystery surrounding them or something that will change the main characters life in some way.

Anyway, this was a fun, cute Christmas read that I recommend to anyone during the Christmas/Holiday season that will bring you holiday cheer.

Come on, it’s a Christmas book and it’s MKA! What else do you need? She always hits it out of the park and is highly entertaining with warm characters that you fall in love with immediate! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

I have always loved Mary Kay Andrews' books. They are like a big surge of dopamine. The "southernisms" in there remind me of family traditions or sayings I have heard all my life when my mom and aunts are gossiping. It is basically like a big hug from home, in book form.

I was surprised to find out this book was taking place in the *gasp* Northern part of the United States, New York City no less. Have no fear, her usual charm is woven through these pages as the Tolliver siblings take on the Big Apple. The down-home feeling is woven through the characters of the NYC neighborhood. I enjoyed every surprise, obstacle, and new friend made, right down to the end where our joyful anticipation is satisfied with a Big Red Bow of an ending.

Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints!! This was a great read, I highly recommend! A perfect Christmas read with great lovable characters.

It’s time for the Tollivers to travel to their corner in New York City to sell their home grown Christmas trees. This year is different as daughter, Kerry, and her out of sorts (all the time) step brother, Murphy, need to make the trip as their father is ill. Kerry doesn’t want to go. She likes staying at home. Besides, she is sure she will be bored and cold. Mary Kay Andrews books never disappoint and her Christmas book is just one more reason why curling up with one of her books no matter the season is a treat. Enjoy this wonderful book to find out how Kerry overcomes some obstacles and decides New York City can become a very warm and special place after all. .I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. This review is my honest opinion.

The first holiday book of the season! You can’t go wrong with a Mary Kay Andrews Christmas story. This was the perfect blend of rom-com, found family and childhood wonder. I loved the simplicity of the story and the warm feeling that it gave. A perfect holiday read. Of course, a little bit of inst-love didn’t hurt anyone at Christmas time.

This book did not disappoint! Christmas is not about the perfect gift, it's about all memories shared with loved ones, traditions, and making people feel important. Christmas always gives me a warm feeling. This book definitely gave me all the Christmas feels.

The Tollivers head to New York City from North Carolina every year to help her gruff older brother sell Christmas trees with his dog. It's an annual journey her brother makes with his father which they've been doing for decades. So when her father is unable to make it, Kerry goes to NYC and stays in a tiny vintage camper with her brother. There she meets an eclectic group of neighbors, including handsome Patrick and his dragon-loving son.

My thoughts: This was a warm hug of a story, perfect for the holidays. I loved the found family tropes and how Kerry slowly bonded with the neighbors, including an eccentric older man who helped her with her sketching. Slowly she bonds with the neighbors, including Patrick, and finds not only found family and the possible changes that she's been looking for. This was my first Mary Kay Adams story and it certainly won't be my last.

I received this ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review is entirely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

If you want to get in the holiday mood, just read this book! This is a sweet story of family, friendship, and love! I enjoyed every minute of reading it!

This story felt like a warm hug. I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the ending. Highly recommend.

Kerry and her brother Murphy head to New York City during the holiday season in order to sell Christmas trees from their family's farm. While there, they are staying together in a tiny trailer by their Christmas tree lot. Kerry is between jobs and uncertain about her future, but new friends and new opportunities are just around the corner.

This is a wonderful holiday tale about making friends and letting others help you. The characters are all endearing in their own way, even the grumpy Heinz. Kerry's romance with Patrick is a nice touch, but Patrick's son Austin steals the show. The broken-down trailer the siblings are staying in has a name--Spammy--and it is almost a character of its own. Their older friend, the irritable and closed-off Heinz, has a lot of secrets to tell, and his story is revealed in a heart-touching way. There are also hints of sabotage as someone is trying to keep Kerry and Murphy from selling their trees. The reader is immediately transported to New York City during the Christmas season, and the Christmas spirit is evident throughout the book. This is a fun and joyful holiday read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this holiday story. I received it as an ARC and even though I’m reading it in August, I truly wish I were on my couch huddled under blankets, with a fire going and snow flakes falling outside.
Kerry joins her brother Murphy (for her first time) on a trip to the West Village in NYC from NC to sell Christmas trees as he has done for years with their father. Kerry’s new involvement with the tree business shakes things up a bit and her relationships with people in the neighborhood are impactful beyond just the Christmas season.
I will recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweet holiday read.