This is the perfect holiday book with a great set of characters. It is heartwarming and shows how far a ripple can reach with a little bit of kindness.

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
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From Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of The Santa Suit, comes a novella celebrating the magic of Christmas and second chances.
Newly single and unemployed Kerry Tolliver needs a second chance. When she moves back home to her family's Christmas tree farm in North Carolina, she is guilt-tripped into helping her brother, Murphy, to sell trees in New York City. She begrudgingly agrees, but she isn't happy about sharing a trailer with her brother in the East Village for two months. Plus, it's been years, since before her parents' divorce, that she's been to the city to sell Christmas trees.
Then, Kerry meets Patrick, the annoying Mercedes owner who parked in her spot for the first two days. Patrick is recently divorced, a father to a six-year-old son, and lives in the neighbourhood. Can Kerry's first impressions about the recently divorced, single father, and--dare she say, handsome--neighbour be wrong?
Surrounded by warm childhood memories, sparkling possibility, and the magic of Christmas in the City, will Kerry finally get the second chance she needs to find herself... and maybe even find love?

It feels odd to be reading a Christmas book in April but that's okay as once the season starts, I don't want to be reminded of Christmas at all! Christmas in NYC sounds wonderful, though - we have always wanted to go and enjoy all the touristy things although living two months in a trailer in the East Village is not the way I would do a NYC-Xmas.
Lovely characters, a great romance all from a wonderful author means that this book will be recommended by me and fly off the shelves, just as her previous book, The Santa Suit, did before.
#shortbutsweetreviews

I really enjoyed reading this book. This is the first Mary Kay Andrews book I’ve read and I really liked it and will now go back and read her other books. Bright Lights, Big Christmas is about Kerry Tolliver and her second chance at life by going with her brother Murphy to New York to sell Christmas trees from their families Christmas tree farm. I absolutely love Christmas books and this one did not disappoint, it was a 5/5 star read. This book is released September 26,2023. Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Mary Kay Andrew for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.

Christmas trees, Christmas lights, and old van named "Spammy" in NYC during the holiday season is a magical, loving and a perfect read anytime.
Mary Kay Andrews has written a short story that has won my heart!
You will definitely want to sit with this little book and meet Kerry and Murphy while they sell their Christmas trees and meet new friends.
Life is always special during the holiday season and this will definitely warm your heart!

Thank you to @NetGalley and @St. Martin's Press for this wonderful ARC and allowing me to read and provide my own review.

Christmas stories are always warm hearted. This is no exception. It is a sweet, heartwarming story of one Christmas season. Kerry has moved home to her parent's tree farm because she was laid off from her job. She does not seem to know what to do next. Her mother convinces her to go to New York with her brother to sell Christmas trees on a corner. Kerry and her brother clash over how to sell the trees. You will meet a cast of characters who live in the neighborhood. This story will make you feel good about kind hearted neighbors in this community. It has some surprises for Kerry.
Sometimes you just need to read a story that will make you feel good. This is one of those stories. Everyone should read some Christmas stories during the season.

Thank you to #netgalley, #MaryKayAndrews, and #StMartinsPress for a copy of this book.

It's the end of April, which should be too early for Christmas romance but my last couple of reads included a heavy, heartbreaking story about a teen grieving his brother's murder as well as a horror novel about possessed puppets. Both included ghosts. So I decided a light Christmas romance was allowed, even necessary.
I really enjoyed all the main characters and the casual romance, although because of the length of the book most of the side characters end up pretty one dimensional, a few are possibly even 'token'...
I loved Kerry's reconnecting with art as well as reconnecting with her brother, Murphy. Then suddenly, the casual flirting between Kerry and Patrick became full-on instalove which was harder to believe. The ending was fairly predictable, as most Christmas romance books are (we read them for this very reason). My favorite storyline is Heinz's.

*received free digital ARC from netgalley

Mary Kay Andrews never fails to draw me in and entertain me keeping me smiling as I turn the pages.I loved the characters the town the Christmas celebrations.Anotherwarm wonderful story by this author.#netgalley #st.Martins

Classic Mary Kay Andrews that will warm your heart and soul. Kerry is living a small life in a small town when she is forced to spend the weeks leading up to Christmas in a dumpy trailer with her distant grumpy brother. With a cast of characters you could only find in the same block in NYC this Christmas story fills you with hope, and romance, and a huge smile ear to ear when you read the part about the Santa Suit. Can’t wait to gift this at Christmas

I want to thank Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and MKA for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. MKA knocked it out of the park again this Christmas book. She charmed in The Santa Suit in 2021 and this one is just as charming with Murphy, Kerry, Queen, Austin, Patrick, and Heinz. It has some touches that only MKA can throw in with vintage clothes shopping and Spammy. I seriously hope she decides to pursue writing a Children's book with Spammy visiting the Big Apple from the mountains of North Carolina. This book, Bright Lights, Big Christmas, is like curing up a cup of hot cocoa and Christmas press cookies. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, then this is a MUST read on your holiday reading list.

Mary Kay Andrews does it again in this wonderful, feel good, Christmas story. As always, I love her story lines and fun characters. Love this book!

Fantastic! I wish I could visit West Village and meet these vivid characters, especially grumpy Murphy. . The writing was very atmospheric and I loved the plot. Well done MKA!
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Bright Lights Big Christmas will fill readers with Christmas spirit regardless of the time of year the book is read. The story centers around a neighborhood in NYC where North Carolina natives Murphy and his currently unemployed sister Kerry have set up the family’s annual Christmas tree lot. This is Kerry’s first time helping and as the time passes she is amazed at all the helpful friends her brother has made over the years as she makes new friends and develops dormant skills on her own. Mary Kay Andrews has so many wonderful surprises in store as her characters are brought to life. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a great holiday read that can put you in the Christmas spirit quickly! Mary Kay Andrews brings New York to life by creating a neighborhood that would fit in any Hallmark movie. The setting involves a little camper decorated with lights and a brother and sister from North Carolina selling Christmas trees. The neighbors all embrace this Christmas tree stand and of course there is a little romance. The cast of characters are well written and I was so involved in all their stories. The only drawback was I felt the romance between our main character Kerry and Patrick happened quickly and we didn’t get a lot of development. Even with this slight draw back, if you are looking for a feel good holiday book in a great setting, this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had to dig out my Christmas tunes to get started as it’s all about the season where you bundle up and find one large tree to fill the house with bright colorful lights and popcorn balls.

Let me tell you this: the characters are all so much fun. My favorite is that little boy Austin with his daddy not too far away with eyes on the farm girl, Ms. Kerry. They make me gush every time there’s something said between the two of them. Wait until big brother Murphy sees what’s going on.

And then there’s old-man Heinz. Ah, he can’t fool me. I know what’s up his sleeve.

While all this is happening, my eyes are moving as fast as they can to keep up with all the pages. I just love this book and will be sure to tell everyone including my cousin Joey that this is one story that will make people smile. It’s the best Christmas gift people will see under their real-live Fraser fir tree.

Is there anything more I can tell you? Well, sure. I knew right along what was happening but that didn’t stop me one bit from liking everything about this book. Most of all, it just made me smile. And isn’t that what we all want to do during the holidays.

My thanks to Mary Kay Andrews, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading this advanced copy with an expected release date of September 26, 2023.

After her father’s heart attack, Kerry Tolliver is guilt-tripped into traveling from her family’s North Carolina farm to New York City to sell Christmas trees with her brother. There, she learns that family, friends and second chances come in many forms.

Another feel good holiday story from MKA full of emotions that definitely gets you in the spirit of the season.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews has followed up her delightful 2021 holiday-themed book, The Santa Suit, with Bright Lights, Big Christmas. It's a charming story with a minimum of conflict--just enough to keep things lively.

Kerry and her brother Murphy, both in their thirties, have packed up a load of their family farm's Christmas trees and traveled from North Carolina to NYC to garner those high prices city dwellers are willing to pay for the perfect tree. It's usually their father with Murphy, but he is home recuperating from a heart attack. Kerry was recently laid off from her ad director job and had returned home while planning for the next phase of her career and her life. Roughing it in the city in a tiny old trailer for a month in New York's biting cold isn't her idea of fun, but she soon realizes that her temporary neighbors are gradually becoming her second family, and she revives her interest in creating art--gorgeous custom wreaths and whimsical drawings.

Competitors encroach on their territory and plot to dethrone them as the area's most successful Christmas tree sellers, an elderly man takes an interest in Kerry's drawings and later disappears mysteriously, an attractive divorced man and his young son endear themselves to Kerry, and New York displays all of its glitter and vitality when draped in festive decorations. The characters are captivating and the story satisfying. Ultimately, this reader was treated to a comfort read that makes this year's holiday season even more highly anticipated.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Another delightful read from Mary Kay Andrews! I absolutely loved Bright Lights, Big Christmas. What is there not to love about Christmas in New York City?! Such a captivating and heartfelt novel, full of relationships, romance, family traditions, and of course lots of humor and laughs. Highly recommend this charming book!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews . Thank you to St. Martins Press and Kejana Ayala for the opportunity to read Ms Andrews latest novel. I feel this is a book made for a Hallmark movie. All the characters are lovable and enjoyable with a setting that is interestingly different. This will be a great read before the holidays.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun and easy read. I really liked Austin. I thought he was such a cute character with a big heart. I even had tears in my eyes in some parts. I am grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

This is delightful, heartwarming story of the Tolliver family, who have grown Christmas trees on their farm in North Carolina, four generations. Every year they drive seven hundred miles to New York City and set up their tree lot in the West Village on the same corner. Over the years, they have made many lasting friendships. A local café and deli provide meals and snacks and allows them use of their bathroom and neighbors invite them to use their shower. It is one large, loving, supportive family of friends.

If you are looking for a Hallmark-y feel-good holiday story, then this book is for you.

Thank you Edelweiss+ and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.