MKA can do no wrong in my book, especially when it comes to Christmas! Starting in a small North Carolina town in the mountains, Kerry Tolliver agrees to help her older brother and the family business by selling Christmas trees in New York City. Living in an old school camper, Kerry must adjust to her brother and the elements as she tries to help save the family tree farm. With an entertaining cast of characters, and the aura of New York City, there's just enough Christmas magic to make this a delightful read. I know the saying Christmas in July...but I'm all about Christmas in June, too! Keep the holiday magic coming; I love it!

#TheMironMonologues #MaryKayAndrews #Christmasbooks #BrightLightsBigChristmas #Holidayreads #MKA

This book definitely kept me reading and wanting to know what was going to happen next, even though it’s not in my usual genre (psych. thriller). I loved it! It was a nice little cozy story, exactly what you’d expect from Mary Kay Andrews.

A brother and sister duo (Murphy and Kerry) come from the mountains of NC to NYC to sell Christmas trees for their family business and find friends, love, problems/solutions, and even themselves during their short stay. They come across some issues and struggle to save the family Christmas tree farm, so they are under a lot of pressure to sell all their trees, but will Kerry’s new ideas clash with Murphy’s old-school way of doing things? Will the people they meet in the neighborhood be able to help them at all? You can find out and get yourself in the holiday spirit at the same time by reading this charming story!

I wish something like this would happen to me in my real life, but, alas, I guess I will have to settle with living vicariously through the characters who are well developed in the story.

I got to read this ARC from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

LOVED! I felt like I was part of the story. I finished this one in a day! Truly heartwarming! I needed my tissues a few times!

I think I would have enjoyed this more if it had been set in any other location, but having lived in that part of Manhattan, I kept getting pulled out of the story. This book could (and should) have been set in a southern city. Then all of the plot devices would have made more sense. Just little things like one of the characters getting mad that someone parked in "their spot" because everyone knows that they park in that spot this time of year. Huh? No one in NYC is going to remember (or care) that you have claimed a spot to illegally park in this time of year. Then there are overly friendly neighbors who invite you over and know everyone. My experience in NYC was that people didn't make eye contact or small talk.
Overall, a cute story that would have been perfect if it had been set in Atlanta or Nashville (or some other southern city), but just didn't make sense set in NYC.

This book did take me a little to get into, however I really ended up loving it , it has more than jus ta love story, It shows a brother and sister repairing a bond, it shows family history and traditions! This is going to be a great book for the hoilidays .

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was a huge treat for this Mary Kay Andrews fan girl!! I’ve been in a reading slump lately and this book was just what I needed to get me out. Written with Mary Kay’s signature wit, warmth, southern charm and great cast of characters. Bright Lights, Big Christmas is sure to delight everyone who likes a feel good novel during the holiday season. I highly recommend this book to all who love a feel good book! You won’t be disappointed!!

Huge thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Mary Kay Andrews for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Kerry Tolliver joins her brother in selling their family Christmas trees in NYC when her father falls ill. She and her brother make the trek from North Carolina to NYC and share an old camper while selling trees on the street corner. Kerry and her semi-estranged brother learn to work with one another while engaging with the small community. They meet new friends, learn about themselves, and even find love.

Do you love Christmas Hallmark movies? Then you'll love this! :D
This has all the makings of a Hallmark movie - small-town, southern girl, big city, Christmas tree farm, and love! It was a very quick read that will put you in the Christmas spirit! This might be the first MKA novel that I've read that wasn't set in the South. There was a small cameo of The Santa Suit!

I think this book was fun and whimsical. However, I felt like Kerry won Patrick over far too quickly and it felt forced in sections when Patrick was clearly head over heels in love after a few days. I liked Heinz and the relationship he built with Austin and Kerry. I loved the drama and storyline of the customers and competition to the tree farm. I think there should’ve been more exposition on this. Overall very cute and fun.

Well. Interesting… So many positives. 1) CHRISTMAS TIME. 2) found family. 3) a fantastic cast of characters. But some pieces felt forced and faked to me. Primarily the FMC love interest… professing love before a first date seems ballsy. But I could see how this would make a great Hallmark movie.

I was entertained. I binged it in a day. I’d recommend it.

Another entertaining Christmas story by Mary Kay Andrews - and she includes tidbits from her last year Christmas release The Santa Suit.
When currently unemployed Kerry leaves the mountains of North Carolina to work with her grumpy brother selling Christmas trees in New York City she meets Patrick and his son Austin. Poor Patrick. He's allergic to the trees Kerry is selling.

This is a wonderful book to add to a holiday reading list. Ms. Andrews Christmas books are an auto buy for me.

Thanks to #NetGalley for giving me the chance to advance read this book for a fair and honest review.

Another charming, heartwarming, and sweet story! Thank you to NetGalley!
Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints, especially at Christmas! This feels right out of something on the Hallmark channel!
The story centers on Kerry who is joining her brother Murphy on a trip from NC to NY to sell Christmas trees, when her father is unable to. She meets a fun group from the local neighborhood including Patrick and his son Austin.
The book is clean, romantic, positive, and filled with hope. It's the perfect feel-good book to get you excited for the holiday season! Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read it!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas ... just look at all the positives!
* Mary Kay Andrews
* Christmas story
* New York City
* camping
* great characters
* romance
* cute kid
Really, what is not to like about this one? (Ok ... if you aren't a fan of romance ... you might not like it.)

Brother and sister haven't been close. After the divorce of their parents, sister went to live with mom and the brother lived with dad. Now they need to join forces to help save the family Christmas tree farm by selling trees in NYC, where the family has been selling trees for decades.

One of my favorite slivers of Bright Lights, Big Christmas is that it describes another story that Mary Kay Andrews wrote (without mentioning the name of the book). I loved that! Please like if you picked up on that.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review Bright Lights, Big Christmas in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews the author and publisher St. Martins Press for approving my request to review the advance read copy. Release date is Sept 26, 2023.

Mary Kay Andrews doesn't disappoint with the story of Kerry and her brother Murphy. Murphy and their father sell Christmas trees from the family farm in North Carolina every year on a street corner in New York City. This year Kerry is filling in for their dad due to his illness. The people on the block become their found family and Kerry finds some life changing surprises. Although this has a Christmas theme this would be an entertaining and uplifting story anytime. Thank you to NetGalley for an early look at this great book.

I fell for this sweet clean romance story!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was so thankful to be able to use this book as a cushion between two really tough reads. Sometimes you just need that light-hearted, feel-good story, and Andrews really delivers that in this book.

It’s a quintessential Holiday romance you would expect to see as a Christmas movie. She delights us with wonderful characters of all ages, types, and even delightful dogs that will make you smile.

The slow-burn development of a love interest adds an extra layer to this story. Andrews never fails to deliver a beautiful story that just makes your soul sing and leaves you with a smile when you come to the end.

Timeless and joyful. Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a story you want on your list if you’re craving that sweet uplifting holiday spirit!

Thanks to Net Galley and publisher St Martins Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints me.

Kerry and her brother Murphy head from the back woods mountains of North Carolina to Greenwich Village to sell Christmas trees from their family tree farm. This is the first year they are going without their dad who is in the hospital. They pack up the trees, hitch their little trailer Spammy to the back of the truck and head on out. Once in New York they set up shop on the same street corner they’ve sold trees on for many years and soon become part of the very fabric of the neighborhood making friends helping neighbors and soon feeling at home - away from home.

The book is entertaining compelling and heartwarming. It will be a wonderful holiday read getting you in the spirit of the goodness of family and friends at Christmas.

Name of Book: Bright Lights, Big Christmas
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Genre: Holiday, Women’s Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Pub Date: September 26, 2022
My Rating: 3.7 rounded up
Pages: 288

Regardless of the time of year, I love Christmas stories so although I am reading this in June - there is nothing wrong with some Christmas spirit all year long!

Kerry Tolliver, a now unemployed graphic artist, has moved back to her family's Christmas tree farm in western North Carolina. ~ This is the same setting as "The Santa Suit]"one of very favorite Andrews' stories.
Since Kerry is unemployed she agrees to help her brother, Murphy, sell Christmas trees in NYC. They will live in 'Spammy,' (the family’s ancient RV which resembles a can of Spam -

Kerry soon finds herself on a cold street corner, but it doesn’t take long for her to find the magic of Christmas with new friends:
• Austin, a six year old boy who helps Kerry illustrate about a book about an enchanted forest and dragons.
• Hunky Patrick, Austin, divorced father
• Queenie, a dog everyone loves
• Neighbors, who help with kitchen and bathroom use
• Heinz and Murphy. who are both grumpy and
• A mysterious older man

The promo stated:
Surrounded by warm childhood memories, sparkling possibility, and the magic of Christmas, will this
small-town girl surrender her heart to the bright lights of the big city?
I was fearful this sweet promise wasn’t going to be delivered. I loved "The Santa Suit" so my expectation was high but wasn't sure if bitter cold NYC would deliver.
Delighted I was wrong as the ending was beautiful and it did delivered.
(Personal Note: Not quite the ‘Santa Suit’ awesome feeling I experience but close!)

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for September 26, 2023.

I adored Mary Kay Andrews latest book, Bright Lights, Big Christmas!

Fans of Mary Kay Andrews will love unwrapping this early holiday tale. Kerry and Murphy are siblings who haven’t loved together since their parents divorced when they were young. Their dad owns a Christmas tree farm in North Carolina, and sells the trees each winter in New York City, at a lot in a neighborhood in Greenwich Village.

Kerry is newly “self-employed” after the firm she worked for is acquired and her job was deemed redundant; and, recently single as her boyfriend eased out of their life until he (and all of his items) are completely gone.

Kerry was very young the last time she made the trip to NY to sell trees, but, due to their dad’s recent health issue, she agrees to help her brother run the stand. Together, with Murphy’s dog, Queenie, they set up their corner stand (complete with their trusty trailer nicknamed Spammy) and learn to work together…

Kerry finds her footing and begins to meet their loyal customers in the neighborhood, especially those who help the siblings with showers, bathrooms and warm meals. One of those neighbors is Patrick, a recently divorced dad who shares custody of his son, Austin. Sparks fly between Kerry and Patrick, but Kerry needs to figure out where she wants to be in life (both literally and figuratively).

The real center of this sweet story is the family Kerry finds along the way in this neighborhood. And, when Heinz, an elderly neighbor who seems to have a few secrets up the sleeve of his wool coat, goes missing Kerry elicits the help of her new friend/family to try to find him.

Fans of Mary Kay Andrews will also enjoy the nod to her previous book, The Santa Suit.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for early access to the book in exchange for my honest review.

This is another sweet Christmas story by May Kay Andrews – who never disappoints. Kerry is heading to New York with her older brother Murphy to sell Christmas trees from their family Christmas farm. It is usually Murphy and their Dad who handle this, but Dad just got out of the hospital after a heart attack, so Kerry reluctantly fills in. The story centers on her interactions with the neighbors on the block in New York where they set up. Very sweet and heartwarming, I highly recommend #BrightLightsBigChristmas for reading any time of year, and am grateful to #NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy.

I love Mary Kay Andrews! I finished this book in less than 24 hours, so yes that means I LOVED this book! I felt like I had been transported into a wintry snow globe of a NYC neighborhood instead of the reality of a June day in NJ! Mary Kay’s characters are strong and vivid as they are diverse. And I love Spammy! While this is not a sequel to The Santa Suit, there is an Easter Egg! Great job MKA!

Another great read by Mary Kay Andrews! I always look forward to her newest book. This time we get to follow The Tolliver's and their tree stand business and we meet new friends along the way. This was a really fun read and will bring on the Christmas mood!