3.75 stars

I am a big fan of Mary Kay Andrews. She is like your favorite comfort food -- sometimes just what you crave. Her stories have interesting and varied plots with characters you come to care about that face some challenges. But you can be pretty sure there will be a happy ending even if it's not quite as you might predict.

In this story, Kelly Tolliver, newly let go from her job, slinks back to her small town North Carolina home. Her father has had health issues and is not able to go to New York City with her brother to sell Christmas trees from the family's legacy tree farm. Kelly is instantly thrown into a different world, camping in an aging trailer with her surly brother.

But unexpectedly, the city sparkles for her -- she gets caught up in the neighborhood vibe and friendliness and soon begins to make connections. Kelly, whose ego and self-esteem are bruised after her layoff, really comes into her own. She is creative, not afraid to try new things, hard-working and genuine.

A very enjoyable read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was my first read by Mary Kay Andrews. This had all the makings of a hallmark movie; Kerry, unemployed and living at home, leaves her families tree farm in North Carolina to sell said trees in NYC with her estranged grumpy brother.

Y’all I wanted to love this one. (If you know me at all I am a sucker for a holiday hallmark) But…this one fell a little flat for me. While a very easy read, it was a little too repetitive for my liking. And dare I say started to bore me. I think had the book been shortened to a novella it would have worked better.

The romance between Kerry and Patrick was a little too insta love; I like more build up and dates. One scene in particular was border-lining on cringe. (This was all closed door) 🚪

The ending was very sweet, with a Christmas Eve gathering of coins family. Overall, a cozy Christmas read.

A nice, feel good heartwarming story with found family elements. This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book, but will definitely not be my last. Thanks NetGalley for the eArc.

It reads like a Hallmark movie. You will fall in love with all of the characters. My favorite character was Austin. The little five year old boy with a big heart. He brings all of the characters together for a heartwarming story.

Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints! Her latest, Bright Lights, Big Christmas, is a lovely feels good Christmas story filled with family and friends (both new and old). Relationships are strengthened and love blooms. Her reference to a past Christmas favorite, The Santa Suit, brought back warm memories as I reflected on that storyline for a bit. The characters were diverse but believable. While the story came to a heartwarming close, it's hard to say goodbye. Hopefully, we'll hear a bit more from these characters in the future.

I accepted this ARC as a means of escapism from work stuff and to unwind before bed.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas has all the makings of a Hallmark movie. Kerry, originally from North Carolina, loses her job and needs something to do so her mother ships her off with her grumpy older brother to NY to sell their Christmas trees. The siblings have no bond and grew apart from each other so I was hoping this would be a book of them rekindling but nope, it’s about found family in NY with an awkward old man, a forced romance and some quirky neighbors.

For a Christmas read, this fell flat for me. The story of selling trees, greeting the neighbors each morning, drinking coffee to stay warm, ad nauseam was boring and repetitive.

It wraps up quick at the end but I think I’m done with all my holiday reads for the year. Thank you Netgalley and St Martin Press for the opportunity to read this book.

I love it! Such an easy read, it just flowed right along and suddenly it was the end. It felt like I was living with Kerry and Murphy and I grew to love each side character right along with them. It wasn't overly sappy or predictable, it was great writing and I think I've found a new favorite author !

I had high hopes for this Christmas story, but unfortunately it fell a bit flat for me. I liked the overall premise, albeit far fetched. I enjoyed the found family aspect and how the community all came together at several moments. There are lots of little plot lines that happen, almost like short stories within this larger book, or like episodes of a TV series. The main storyline, didn’t seem to have a true arc. The middle to end ended up dragging a bit for me. However, this is pretty high on the Christmas cheer, which is key to me in a Christmas story, so if that’s your focus you may enjoy this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

I loved The Santa Suit, which was released in 2021 and was looking forward to reading Mary Kay Andrew’s Christmas book for this year. I have to honestly say that it was a bit disappointing. The story focuses on two siblings, Kerry and Murphy Tolliver, who grew up apart from each due to their parent’s divorce.

The beginning of the book is showing the reader how different these siblings are and that they don’t get along very well. It was frustrating to me to read several examples of how they differed, and I wanted the core of the story to begin. I was hoping this distance between them would fade and an enjoyable story would take its place.

The plot was just okay to me. I enjoyed the other characters much more than the two siblings. I love to read books with an older character and this book has a mysterious older man that at times seems gentle and other times, a bit abrupt. He was the one that I was interested in. The romance in the book did not work for me. I do not want to go into the “why” since that will give away parts of the story, but I did not find the attraction that I should have from reading about them.

The Tolliver family has a tree farm in North Carolina and go to New York near Christmas to see their trees. That process was very interesting to me. The neighbors in the area that support them each year was very different from how I image New Yorkers to be. This book was definitely a glimpse of a world I know nothing about.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

I've read several Mary Kay Andrews novels and enjoyed them. Bright Lights, Big Christmas was no exception. In fact, I think it's a new favorite of her novels. Normally, her novels are set in Southern states, but this one has North Carolinian Kerry Tolliver joining her brother in New York City to help out at their Christmas tree stand after her father's heart attack.
There is a great mix of characters in this book and still gives you that small-town, everybody knows everybody feel - but in the heart of NYC. The story flows well and it's an extremely easy read. This will be a perfect cozy Christmas read!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this free digital copy for my honest review of this story.

Mary K Andrews books never disappoint. She has a talent for pulling the reader in and capturing their hearts. In this story we have a young women who after her father’s sudden heart attack must leave North Carolina, trek up to NYC to help her brother sell Christmas trees, live in a run down trailer that does not have a functioning toilet, shower or heat.

Kerry is not happy with her life in North Carolina, is out of a job and is currently living at home with her mother so the adventure gives her something to occupy her time as she tries to determine what she is going to do with her life.

The alliteration that MKA uses is so delightful and are quips that I could hear coming out of her mouth in her daily language but they fit this story so well. In particular, I loved that they named the trailer Kerry has to sleep in at the tree lot, Spammy because her mom thought that it looks like the old cans that were used for package ham. Even more beloved is when she bags a strawberry tart at a party and Patrick accuses her of, “Grand theft cannoli…” It’s just a delightful read and I highly recommend this latest read in Mary K Andrews repertoire.

I first heard of Mary Kay Andrews when a clerk at my local bookstore mentioned her to someone else and I'm glad I made a mental note. This is a heartwarming, feel-good story about a young woman from a NC Christmas Tree Farm who finds herself in New York City for Christmas, and winds up falling in love with the city and the people. There's a mystery, some romance, and a lot of Christmas magic. If you're looking for a nice holiday read, check it out.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publishers, and Mary Kay Andrews for an ARC of Big Lights Big Christmas! Well, I guess we can skip spooky season and go straight to Christmas because I’m in the Christmas spirit now. This is my 2nd book by Mary Kay Andrews and it did not disappoint! I understand Kerry on so many levels and the reference to Santa Suit just warmed my heart and brought back more happy memories. When I finished the book I kept going back and forth because there was no way it was just over! I need more!! If you need a light, sweet, Christmas rom com, you have came to the right place!

A very sweet family-centric holiday romance that evoked my own childhood memories of packing up in the car to go pick out a Christmas tree and walking around the lot sipping hot chocolate and listening to Christmas music.

I love a good Christmas book any time of the year and this one by Mary Kay Andrews did not disappoint.

Kerry Tolliver travels to NYC with her brother to sell Christmas trees from their family's Christmas tree farm. Kerry hasn't made the trip since she was a young girl. Filled with lovely local characters, this is a perfect, gentle, feel-good read for the holiday season.

Such a cute and enjoyable love story! At first you might not catch on that its actually romance, but you soon will understand why. You will instantly fall in love with the characters, and question some of their motives, but in the end all questions and concerns are answered.

This is a heart warming quick novel, and one that I am sure readers of this genre will enjoy.

MKA does it again! I am not one for reading Christmas books, but MKA has had some really good ones lately with her style of humor that I can’t resist. Such a great read when a brother and sister from the NC mountains (sister stepping in for dad) sell Christmas trees on a corner in NYC. The characters are so much fun with a tad of romance, a dog named Queenie, and a mystery about a man who appears to be homeless. I highly recommend putting this one on your list to read for the season. I laughed and smiled !! Thanks to the publisher and a Netgalley for the ARC

A beautiful, sweet and heartwarming story. It's a Christmas story about a family reuniting, making new friends, kindness and a tree stand in a new place. Sweet romance and a few surprises and yes, kids and dog all kept me quickly turning the pages to see what would happen. I'm so glad I was able to read an early copy of this beautiful story and it was perfect for Christmas in July fun. Now, I will re-read at Christmas time so I can feel the "spirit" all over again. I love feel good stories like this one.

This is definitely a feel good Christmas story. It has a little romance, but it's mostly about making connections with people. Making your own family through new friendships and finding home with people you never thought possible. It is the perfect book to read at Christmas, because it is a great reminder of kindness and the true spirit of the season.