This book publishes in September and will be a nice and cozy book to read and put you in the holiday mood. The story is centered around a corner in New York City where a family always comes to sell Christmas trees prior to the holiday season. The story is enriched with family tradition, relationships with the neighbors, and the spirit of the community that embraces them. This year, Kerry joins her brother and gets to experience the full tree selling process. She begins to explore relationships with the neighbors both young and old and develops some incredible bonds.

Such a cute Christmas novella! From small town to big city romance, this is reminiscent of a Hallmark movie with just enough cheesiness!

Kerry Tolliver has no excuse. Made redundant at work, she has moved home to her mother. How can she refuse her request to help her brother make the annual trek to New York City to spend weeks in the cold selling Christmas trees? And to live in Spammy (looks like a canned ham), the family’s decades old camper. Oh, and Spammy's kitchen and bathroom don’t work. So Kerry finds herself on a street corner surrounded by lots of fir trees. She also finds the magic of Christmas with new friends. There’s Austin, a six year old boy who helps Kerry illustrate about a book about an enchanted forest and dragons. There’s hunky Patrick, his divorced father, and a instant love interest. Add to the mix a mysterious older man, helpful neighbors (remember no bathroom or kitchen) and Queenie, the dog everyone loves.

Christmas, New York City and romance! What more could you want in a holiday book? I had a smile on my face as I read Bright Lights, Big City. I could smell the trees, see the sparkling lights and feel the snowflakes on my skin. Mary Kay Andrews, thank you for this Christmas gift of a book. And thank you also for letting us know more about Ivy from The Santa Suit. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Mary Kay Andrews for this ARC.

Family circumstances forces Kerry accompany her brother to sell the family Christmas trees in New York City. What a cold and miserable time of year to live in an old camper for weeks while working to sell the trees. But so many people in the neighborhood are long time buyers and friends of her brother. As she begins to meet them she finds a group of friends and one that could be more than friends. I like how she is open to strangers. How she cares for them and how caring she is for Heinz and Austin. I like her personality, her artistic talents and could she make me a wreath? They sound amazing.

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.
Murphy, the Tolliver’s adult son, always oversee the tree sale in New York, usually with his Dad, however, this year his Dad is in the hospital and unable to help. His younger sister Kerry has been recruited to fill in. Although Kerry recently lost her job as a graphic artist, she is not particularly happy about the arrangement. Murphy will drive the truck with the trees, and Kerry is expected to drive her father’s rusty 1982 Ford F-150 pulling the vintage fifteen-foot travel trailer. Over the years, they dubbed the trailer “Spammy” since it resembles a discarded canned ham. This is where they will live while in New York. It is very similar to camping.
There is a very interesting, delightful and relatable cast of characters that soon feel like friends. Six-year-old Austin is a new friend from the neighborhood. He stops by regularly to offer his help and he and Kerry make up a pretend story that she illustrates for him. Patrick, Austin’s Dad also becomes an important new friend. Heinz, an older man from the neighborhood also comes by regularly until he doesn’t. This worries young Austin, who insists they find him. Unexpected obstacles and challengers call for some creative problem solving.
This story is full of heart and perfect for the holiday season. Several times I had to pause while reading because of laughing out loud and a few times I had to wipe a few joyful tears away. This captivating, heartfelt story was impossible to put down.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

What a lovely, inspiring story! I raced through it. The characters made me smile, especially Heinz and Murphy. Their grumpiness was perfectly portrayed. Bright Lights, Big Christmas has everything - a romance or two, a mystery that is solved, people helping each other, and a happy ending. This would make a fantastic Christmas movie.

I absolutely loved Mary Lay Andrews' Bright Lights, Big Christmas and read it in one sitting because I was so engaged in supporting Kerry and Murphy in their tumultuous Christmas tree business that I had to get to the end. There is never a dull moment among the many cherished ones in this book. You must read it.