Jock and his son, Murphy, have been coming to the same street corner in New York’s Greenwich Village, for many years, selling their Christmas trees grown on their farm in North Carolina.

This year Jock is ill and he enlists his daughter, Kerry, to go with Murphy since she is unattached and unemployed at the moment.

Not exactly thrilled to live in the vintage (small) camper for a bit with her brother and his dog, Kerry agrees to go.

The people are lovely. Almost like a family and soon she is feeling all kinds of feelings for this place and its people. Especially Patrick and his son, Austin.

Mary Kay has brought the magic again. It’s always such a warm and lovely time with one of her stories.

NetGalley/St. Martin’s Press September 26, 2023

Fantastic characters, Challenges and Unexpected friendships

New York City is cast in a different light in this delightful Christmas season story. The vast city is reduced to a small neighborhood where the North Carolina tree farm owners come yearly to sell their fresh cut trees. An unwilling participant (Kerry) is forced to go and help her brother when her father has serious health issues. Reduced to primitive living conditions in a 1960's tiny trailer (Spammy) with an older brother who looks like a wild mountain man and snores louder than a chain saw, there could be plenty of things to complain about! Instead, Kerry embraces the situation and increases the profits by making gorgeous wreaths and increasing services. There is a neighborhood of wonderful people who open homes to this pair of temporary neighbors. Friendships flourish, especially with a young boy (and his father) and an older mysterious gentleman.
It is a story of family and moving out of your comfort zone to do your part. It is a story of friendship of all ages. From Austin (early elementary school aged) to Heinz (elderly) and everything in-between, each character's story is included in the woven tapestry of the story. When it's time to return to North Carolina a very different Kerry is unsure about the departure. I loved the author's sensitivity and the way she reveals character's insecurities and uncertainties.
Having a gentle plot, the book moves forward with a relaxed feel. The stories of many are woven together and right in the middle is the tree lot and it's owners. They blend into the fabric of the locals lives, making the eminent departure bitter-sweet.
Brilliant storytelling using wonderful characters is a delight from beginning to the all-to-soon end.
I loved the "cameo" appearance of another Christmas book, the characters variety of ages and backgrounds, and the way the author tied everything together like one of Kerry's gorgeous wreaths. A wonderful book for all!

I would like to thank Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to be an advanced reader. All opinions are mine and uninfluenced by either entity.

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for an ARC of Bright Lights, Big Christmas in exchange for honest opinion!

I needed this after the last few books I have read. This was a sweet. Hallmark movie type book. I finished it in less than 24 hours. Most of the characters were extremely likable. Murphy, the brother, was a little bit of a selfish jerk. But I loved everyone else. I wanted to continue reading about everyone’s lives.

This book is unlike most books- it lacks the “horrible crisis that must be solved by the end” that characterizes most books. Instead, the book is a month in the life of some normal people who have normal problems and normal dreams. I very much appreciated the realistic storyline, which felt like a welcome break from the “we must solve this crisis in the next 200 pages” intensity of most books. The book is set at Christmastime in an ideal neighborhood full of warm, open characters which make you remember that, despite what the news says, there are still great people out there. This book is a good pick me if you want either some holiday spirit or to regain some faith in humanity..

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Kerry's life is in a turmoil as she has lost her job and must move home to live with her mother. Her family has a Christmas tree farm and sells their trees each year in New York. When her father has a heart attack and Kerry is forced to make the New York trip with her grumpy brother she is discouraged. She is dreading the trip and also the time she must spend with her brother in the family camper. But the surprises that await her bring joy back into the Christmas season.
A delightful Christmas story that has touches your heart with the joys of Christmas, friendship, family love and caring spirits.

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!
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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.