A heart warming Christmas read with lots of holiday spirit. Kerry is a fun main character. This was a closed door romance.

Mary Kay Andrews does it again.
What a perfect Christmas book!! I enjoyed everything about this book. Brother and sister traveling to New York from North Carolina to sell their Christmas trees. Grouchy brother cracked me up. I loved watching Kerry uncover her true talents and see her passion come alive. I just wanted to hug Heinz. Patrick, Kerry’s love interest and his son Austin. I mean, this whole cast was just so good. I wanted to know them all!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a heartwarming holiday novel with a touch of romance. The short chapters made it a quick read. I enjoyed all of the characters and they were all love able. Minus one star because at times the story started to feel a tally of total Christmas trees sold. I love NYC at Christmas time and the author does a great job at capturing the holiday spirit. Overall I really enjoyed this light hearted book.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC.

Here comes another New York Times best seller!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy of Bright Lights, Big Christmas. This will appear on Goodreads and opinions are my own.
A few months ago I was in Columbus Ohio, in an author visit with the Fab Four, Friends and Fiction, including Mary Kay Andrews. Admittedly I read one Christmas book a year, just to stay a little current for my patrons. Last year it was The Santa Suit and I thought it was darling! After the author visit, or was it during?, I pulled up NetGalley and requested all four upcoming books or my library if I couldn’t get it. This is my last one to review and I’ve been waiting for the Christmas spirit to move me.
Well, it’s Christmas in July. This book too is darling and fun, with heartwarming characters in a terrific christmassy setting. It leaves you with a true Christmas spirit.
These siblings are trying to save the family tree farm and head to NYC to sell their trees in their annual spot. The scene is painted well, the characters developed, although I thought Murphy was way more of a jerk than he needed to be.
I’m telling ya, I read historical fiction, but I really enjoyed this book! It will surely be in the best seller list so place your orders now!
4*

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book, and it definitely won’t be my last! I can’t wait to read this again around Christmas!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas
Mary Kay Andrews
5⭐️

Oh my goodness, and all of the stars! MKA writes the most feel good stories and her captivating Christmas novellas are becoming some of my absolute favorites. Her stories are like a cozy hug, and her charming characters are all people you would absolutely want to envelope in said hug! I went in totally blind and devoured it basically one sitting. Who needs to read a synopsis when MKA’s name is on the front!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a charming second chance story filled to the brim with Christmas cheer and so many heartwarming moments that had me smiling the entire time I was reading.

There are so many beautiful relationships and friendships woven into this story all mixed with Andrew’s subtle message about the power of kindness. I adored Kerry, Murphy, Patrick and Austin so much. But “Grumpy” old characters are my favorite, and Heinz had my hole heart.

What I adored;
🎄 Spammie
🎄 Found Family
🎄 Queenie
🎄 NYC Christmas Setting

Pub Date: 9/26/23
This was the perfect Christmas in July read for me, and I cannot wait for Bright Lights, Big Christmas to be out in the world for everyone to fall in love with it. Add this one to your TBR and pre-order your copy now! I’ll say what she loves to say when she promotes other authors books … “Buy her damn book”! 😂

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews is a wonderful second chance that takes place during the Christmas tree selling season. While the family is from western NC the story takes place in the Big Apple turned magical during the holiday season. Keeping the family tree farm profitable is a big endeavor for Kerry and her brother Murphy. Living together in a small trailer for two months is an even bigger challenge. Add competition, new romance brewing for Kerry and you have an entertaining read.

Ms. Andrews hit the mark with this enchanting read just in time to get you in the Christmas spirit. Sometime hard work deserves a little Christmas magic and a whole lot of love causing one to step out of their comfort zone. Read Bright Lights, Big Christmas, it is a thumb up holiday story.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a joyful, feel good Christmas story that you could only get from Mary Kay Andrews. The characters were well formed and made you feel like you knew them and could feel their joy and pain. The difference from the main characters' home on a Christmas tree farm in North Carolina and the streets of New York City, where they sold their trees, was well presented. Put the holidays behind this scenery and characters and you have the perfect Christmas story that we all expect from Mary Kay Andrews.
Make a cup of hot chocolate and sit back and enjoy reading Bright Lights, Big Christmas.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

I love all of Mary Kay Andrews’ books but this one was exceptionally good. After losing her job and having to move in with her mom, Kerry and her brother Murph go to NYC to sell Christmas trees from their NC farm. Kerry is replacing her dad who is recovering from a heart attack. Murph has run the corner stand for years and knows all of the locals . The siblings live in a tiny, tear shaped, ancient camper nicknamed Spammy. Kerry brings her own twists to improving the business. She rediscovers her love of art working on wreathes and illustrating a story with Austin, a neighborhood kindergartener. There is some romance coupled with found family vibes. It was a new take on a traditional Christmas book This will be a great read for the holidays but I thoroughly enjoyed it now. I thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This heartwarming story set between North Carolina and New York City’s Greenwich Village gives you a feeling of warmth and family among people who should be strangers in a city that is known for people, not knowing each other. The struggles of a family to survive, and to find partners for the two children of separated parents makes this a very heartwarming, beautiful little read. I couldn’t wait to find out whether or not there would be a “happily ever after" in this book. But knowing Mary Kay Andrews, I knew I would be happy at the end of the book with the exception of it, and it too quickly.

Meet Kerry Tolliver and brother Murphy and dog Queenie as the drive their trees from North Carolina to NYC. The neighborhood knows and anticipates the Tolliver's trees. See how this welcoming neighborhood aids and takes in the Tollivers. Each character is so welcoming and interesting.

If you need a pick me up! run don't walk to get a copy.

This book is sticky sweet: just what you'd expect for a christmas story!
Kerry comes to NYC to sell Christmas trees with her (not close) brother Murphy after her father has a health condition. The story unfolds over the few weeks before Christmas as Kerry and a wide cast of NY side characters reinvigorate a love for design and art, strike up friendships, find love, save an old man, and spread christmas spirit.
A lot of this story is a suspension of disbelief, but isn't that a bit what you're looking for in a story about Christmas? There is nothing deep about this story but I"m not sure there would need to be! The love story seems a bit forced but its brimming with PG-13 goodness, and you can't help but love the male lead and his son.
Overall this is a cutesy, fun, heart-warming story.

I recommend this book with my whole heart. It has a bit of everything in it. As you can see from the synopsis, this is a book that should hit all the right notes with readers who like a short novel filled with interesting characters, holiday madness, sad moments and happy moments, a bit of a mystery, and the chance at love.

I also learned a bit about Christmas tree farming and the selling of trees in New York City, which is odd since I live in an area with many tree farms, and I've never paid much attention to what it takes to work a farm like these. I love learning a little something while I read.

After several months of reading books that were unsatisfying, I hit on this gem!

Yes, it is a bit early to read a Christmas book, but it is well worth it. I will be doing a re-read later on, closer to the season.

I highly recommend this book to those who love Fannie Flagg, Dorothy Benton Frank, Anne B. Ross, and of course, this author.

*ARC supplied by the publisher St. Martin's Press, Mary Kay Andrews author, and Net
Galley. My thanks.

Coming for Christmas is another Mary Kay Andrews special! Once again she nails it with great characters (including a rundown camper called Spammie) and a great setting (a Christmas tree lot in NYC).

Personal opinion: it’s a little bit sappy. But I LOVE sappy and it just fit my mood (for me Christmas in July). This is a great book to get you started on the Christmas season.

Themes: 🌆🎄🏕️❤️💖

My thoughts: 😀😊😍🥰😘🥳🎅🤶🎄

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I love this book! It made me want to put up my Christmas tree, walk around the New York City St. at Christmas time, have a hot cup of cocoa and more importantly, this book was about friendships, family, being there for each other, helping each other, and letting others help you to reach your potential.

Kerry Tolliver is dreading living in a trailer for a month on the New York City streets while she helps her brother Murphy sell Christmas trees… Something the family has been doing for years… Slowly, Kerry becomes ingrained in this neighborhood, and with the people all around her!

Kerry Tolliver is camping out in the West Village with her brother in the weeks leading up to Christmas to sell trees from their family's North Carolina farm. As the siblings get to know their new neighbors, they become enmeshed in the local community in ways neither of them expected.

I love the way Mary Kay Andrews writes people and found family in particular. This Christmas-set story is no exception. Despite taking place in NYC, this book still has has the small town vibes of any Mary Kay Andrews book, along with humor, heart, and a whole lot of feel good vibes. I personally could have done without the romance angle, as I felt it was underdeveloped and consequently underwhelming, but I loved the brief mention of characters from The Santa Suit! Overall, this is a cozy holiday read to tuck into with a cup of hot cocoa and a soft blanket.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for gifting me with an ARC to review! I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Netgalley for an early eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews always delivers such well rounded, cute stories. They always give off "small town romance" vibes, and I can see why people eat them up every year. This book is like Christmas in a cup that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy. This book was super lighthearted with clean romance and really sweet characters. There was different family dynamics and lots of moments that left me smiling. This is the perfect book to read by the fire this fall to get in the Christmas spirit.

It’s Christmas time and Kerry Tolliver and her older brother are headed north on their vintage trailer from their Christmas Tree Farm on North Carolina to New York where her family has been selling Christmas Trees since she was a child. As the story unfolds, Kerry meets the neighborhood folk while trying to find herself.

This is a cute Hallmark style romance. Small town girl, Kerry finds herself fully immersed in the West Village and the residents of the neighbor, including the Austin, the young boy, his dad, Patrick, the recent divorcee and Heinz, the mysterious nonagenarian. I felt the relationship between Patrick
and Kerry was overshadowed somewhat by the relationship between Austin, the young boy and Kerry almost to the point where I was slightly surprised by a late scene that seem to come at me from a cold start. I loved Heinz character, and would like to have seen more of his backstory mold the storyline or found family. Overall a sweet closed door, or should I say closed trailer door, romance for the holidays.

Thank you @netgalley for the
Opportunity to read this early in return for an honest review

My thanks to Net Galley, St Martin s,and the personal invitation I received to review this book.

LOVED this book! Reading this was like experiencing a warm holiday hug. The author creates wonderful visuals with the narrative that makes you see the Christmas tree stand the characters work at. You can easily connect with these characters. Highly recommend and look forward to the author s next read.

Another amazing book by Mary Kay Andrews. Her stories are always heartwarming and enjoyable and this one is no different.
If you are ready to get into the Christmas spirit with a cozy, quick read, this is the book for you.
The characters are lovable and her story makes you want to be there on the street selling Christmas trees with them!

I would like to thank St. Martins Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. I have been reading some fairly heavy ( and to be honest) unsatisfying books lately and needed to read something light , fun and uplighting. This really fit the bill. It is your typical Mary Kay Andrews type of fare. I , for one, appreciate this type of book. It is the story of Kerry Tolliver. Kerry is from a small town in North Carolina. Her parents ran a Christmas Tree farm. Every year when Kerry was little, her parents would take Kerry and Kerry's brother Murphy to New York City to set up a tree stand to sell their Christmas Trees. They had a camper they called Spammy and all lived in it for a month. Then Kerry's parents divorced when Kerry was 7. Kerry lived with her mother and Murphy with their father. After Kerry finished school, she moved to Charlotte and worked in graphic design. When the story opens, Kerry has been laid off from work, and her boyfriend has left her as well.She moved home to decided what she wanted to do with her life. Her father was seriously ill and could not go with her brother to NYC to sell the trees. Kerry had to go with her brother, and help at the Tree stand for the first time in years. While in NY, Kerry meets Patrick, who is divorced with a son Austin. Kerry and Patrick have a spark, but Kerry is hesitant to make any kind of commitment. The story is very involved, with a reclusive older gentleman whom Kerry and Austin befriend, the mystery behind the gentleman, the budding romance between Murphy and Claudia, who runs the nearby restaurant, a pair of rival Christmas tree sellers, and a whole host of local residents who treat Murphy like part of the family. It is fun, light and very Christmassy. I enjoyed it.