I enjoyed this sweet Christmas story set in New York City. At the heart of the story is the Tolliver family Christmas tree stand, a pop up shop that the Tolliver’s have been ‘popping up’ for decades. Their business in the neighborhood has helped them forge relationships over the years that allow for the story to give off a small-town feel. I loved the gruff, unpolished Murphy and liked how the forced circumstances between him and his sister, Kerry, improved their relationship. Through Kerry we get to know the surrounding characters, who turned out to be my favorites in the book. I even liked how Spammy got a happy ending, too. The Kerry-Patrick relationship helped make the story go, but it was the action and the people around them that I enjoyed most.

This is another hit for Mary Kay Andrews and a perfect read for the Christmas season. This was such another Hallmark movie novel with Kerry Tolliver going with her brother Murphy to New York to help him sell Christmas Trees from their North Carolina Farm as they do every year but this year with her dad having a heart attack right before the trip, Kerry ends up voluntold to go and help. I love the cast of characters from the neighborhood the tree stand is at since they all know her brother and father since they have been using that same corner to sell for the past 30 years. Kerry doesn’t really know her brother well since the divorce she lived with her mom and Murphy lived on the farm with their dad and I loved seeing their relationship grow and the romance was so good. Just really loved everything about this.
Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Mary Andrews does it again. This is my ideal Christmas romance. Slow burn, full of joy, deep family relationships and traditions, while staying true to real life. Andrews made the big city (NYC) seem homey as Kerry and Murphy worked to keep the family tree business alive.

Very enjoyable read!

Sometimes, it's only through the eyes of other people that one gains an understanding of who your family is. Such was the case for Kerry and her brother Murphy in this sweet holiday story. Growing up separately after their parents divorced, Kerry thought of her older brother as surely and a grouch. Only after her mother begged her to travel with her brother to New York to open their annual Christmas tree lot, did she really come to know and appreciate the man that he was. She also found a community in the small corner of New York that she could not find in her home town in North Carolina. I would highly recommend this story for any time of the year. The characters have depth, and the story is refreshing.

I love Mary Kay Andrews for her summer reads and having this read for holidays was truly something special. I loved this one and can’t wait to read it again once December comes around!

Book: Bright Lights, Big Christmas
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Stars5/5

Kerry and Murthy’s parents own a Christmas Tree Farm
in North Carolina and each year the family heads to
New York City to sell the trees.

Kerry is newly “self-employed” and ends up helping
her brother Murphy sell the trees after her father is not
able to make the trip north. Kelly and Murphy have
been estranged but slowly they start to become family
again. As Kelly and Murphy set up shop this the small
quaint neighborhood in New York, Kelly starts see the
people who live in the neighborhood as people. These
residents have been loyal customers for years and
Kerry starts to meets new friends. One of those she
meets is Patrick, a single dad yo his son Austin.
Sparks unite between Patrick and Kelly and as Kelly
becomes more enamored with Patrick she must decide
before Christmas arrives what she really wants. Does
she stay or go?

There are many sweet sub characters in the book such
as an elderly neighbor named Heinz who has some
secrets of his own. The sub- chararacters that Mary
Kay Andrews has uses in this book are very likable and
charming.

As usual, Mary Kay Andrews had a hit on her hands.
This book is very uplifting and a delight to read. This
is such a sweet book for the holidays and I will enjoy
adding it to my holiday bookshelf.

Thank you @netgalley for ARC, to @stmartinspress for
once again publishing a wonderful Mary Kay Andrews
novel and lastly to @marykayandrews for once again
writing a fantastic book.


#MaryKayAndrews, #MKA, #WomenAuthors
#ChristmasRomance, #ChristmasBooks,
#RomanceNovels, #HolidayRomance, #HolidayReads,
#ChristmasLove, #RomanticBooks #bookstagram
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#ChristmasStories, #RomanceBooks

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is the perfect story to get you in the mood for the holidays! Kelly Tollliver is at a crossroad in life and not certain where her future lies. She's pretty certain that she doesn't want to help out her family by hauling a truckload of their Christmas trees to the West Village of NY city and to live in a trailer called Spammy for several weeks while selling said trees with her grumpy older brother Murphy in order to help save their families' Christmas Tree farm. But of course, that is exactly what Kelly ends up doing. Surprising herself, Kelly discovers new ways to use her creativity to help salvage the tree business and actually ends up becoming part of the community where Spammy is parked. Chock full of a colorful cast of characters as well as the beginnings of a new romance, Mary Kay Andrews delivers a novel that's certain to bring you holiday joy.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a cute, quick read for the holidays revolving around a sort of "fish out of water" premise as Kerry tags along with her brother, Murphy, from rural NC to NYC for three weeks of Christmas tree selling for their family tree farm. Family tension ensues and we meet a full cast of neighborhood characters along the way. My favorite part of the book was the growing relationship between Kerry, Austin, the young son of her love interest, and the elderly neighbor, Heinz as they bond over making up a story. Unfortunately, I couldn't make myself actually care about the relationship between Kerry and Austin's dad, Patrick. While the first relationship felt fluid and heartwarming as the three grew closer, the second felt forced to me. In the end, the book brought to life the adage about family being the one you create as opposed to the one you're born into. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the early access to this title in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really, really enjoyed this book. First read by Mary Kay Andrews and the writing was exquisite. I fell in love with Kerry and her holiday spirit. I hope there is a second book about Kerry and her love for friends and neighbors.

If you love Mary Kay Andrews, you will love this one!
This was cute, enjoyable and PERFECT for the holiday season.

Overall a cute story, a light read and a cute plot.

Mary Kay Andrews is always a breath of fresh air. I can always count on her to keep me reading! This was a sweet and heartwarming story, and perfect for the holiday season. I almost wish that I saved it for this winter, but was too excited to read it!

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.