This is such a charming, lovely read for the holiday season. Mary Kay Andrews at her best. This is a book that everyone could read and enjoy. It has just the right amount of love, romance, charm, and mystery. Highly recommend.

I'm a huge fan of Mary Kay Andrews and generally love anything she writes, but this wasn't a favorite of mine. It reads like a short story — straight to the point and without a nuanced plot. I get it's a holiday story, but I was still expecting a little more. Obviously, this wasn't for me, but I remain a fan of hers and will continue to read literally anything she publishes.

This is a lovely Christmas novella about family, found family, friendship and love. It was enjoyable from the first page and encompassed the holiday spirit.

4 STARS
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. Mary Kay Andrews does not disappoint! This was a quick read, perfect to get me into the holiday spirit.

In the current fast paced world, it was nice to slow down and read about some of the little things. I loved the small town feel of this story, even when taking place in the big city.

The story was predictable and I think that the relationships developed a little too quickly but overall a cute, festive, holiday read.

Another beautifully written Christmas story by Mary Kay Andrews. I felt like I was working with the Tolliver siblings selling Christmas trees on that busy block in NYC. I love how MKA brings out the magic of Christmas. This book reminds us to ‘believe in yourself.’

I absolutely love all and everything Mary Kay Andrews writes, and this novella is the perfect read this holiday season! I love following Kerry from North Carolina to New York City seeking Christmas Trees at Greenwich Village. It’s the perfect place to fall in love! There is magic, a bit of mystery, and a whole lot of love.

Perfect holiday read!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was an enjoyable read. I would recommend any book written by Mary Kay Andrews. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

This book was so fun and Christmassy! It wasn’t your typical Hallmark romance, but it was so cute and emotional! The concept was adorable too, a family tree farm selling their wares on the busy streets of NYC. I loved all the characters, especially Austin and Heinz 🥹 and I enjoyed the city mouse/country mouse juxtaposition of the main characters. Overall, this is such a good, quick Christmas read if you’re looking to squeeze one more in!

Yay for another Mary Kay Andrews Christmas book!!! I read The Santa Suit when it came out, so I just had to read her most recent Christmas book. Such a cute, New York City Christmas read!! Full of holiday spirit, love and hope. I really enjoyed reading this one! And so cute that The Santa Suit story was mentioned!! Highly recommend to read during your holiday season!!

*Thank you @stmartinspress for the egalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I am recommending this to readers who enjoy a holiday romance with a fun cast of characters. The characters are all very likeable (with a sweet dog to steal your heart). MKA is known for her southern stories and she brings that same appeal to a new setting - NYC. Kerry and her brother Murphy encounter a neighborhood full of interesting characters while running their family Christmas tree lot. Patrick makes the perfect book boyfriend - with an adorable son to make it even sweeter. This one feels like a Hallmark movie from beginning to end!

This story was great from beginning to the end. It was a clean, wonderful romance that happened so naturally. There were several side characters that added so much to the story. 

It was such a good read for the crazy busy days leading up to Christmas. It felt cozy and easy to read each time I was in need to a quiet moment. 

Mary Kay Andrews is really good at giving me the Christmas feeling.

Another Christmas book! 🎄

I love Mary Kay Andrew even more after each read I finish. There is always a thoughtful plot with some romance but not too cheesy. This was like an adorable Hallmark movie but I actually loved the characters! They sell Christmas trees in NYC…you can’t get more Christmas than that! This one was adorable 🥰
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I enjoyed this Christmas book so much and I loved that it totally involved family and its importance when things get tough. The MC, Kerry's family owns a Christmas tree farm and they sell trees annually in Tennessee; however, this year her parents need help so Kerry (not very happily) accompanies her brother, Murphy, to New York City to sell the trees. She and Murphy were not on the best of terms, and one thing I liked about the plotline was how their sibling relationship grew in what I considered a realistic way. I love family themes like this book had. Along the way they also made friends who helped as a big company moved in on them, so that was intimidating and required some brain to possibly outsell them.

The story takes us from the south to NYC at Christmas. A family that is changing and trying to make their Christmas tree business continue to strive. The characters were endearing and Queenie the dog was a joy. This was a fun read that is perfect for the holidays or a winter read. Perfect to read on audio as well!

Absolutely MAGICAL. Mary Kay Andrews never fails for me. Her charm and witt she brings to the strong female main characters brings me back every time. In this festive book, the side characters definitely made the story. I loved getting to know all the different people who lived in the neighborhood as the tree stand. I loved reading about the main character making wreaths. I didn't totally buy into the romance but the magic of the story made up for that for me. Would 10/10 recommend!

This was a super sweet and festive story. The author describes it as a hot cocoa hug of a book, which I love! I really enjoyed the characters and the backdrop of the Christmas tree stand in New York City. There wasn’t a whole lot of plot going on though, so I did find it slow at times, but still an enjoyable holiday read! 🌲🌆🎅🏼

<i> Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review. </i>

No one does Christmas like Mary Kay Andrews. I greatly loved The Santa Suit last year and this was no exception. It was funny and heartwarming. A quick and satisfying read.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect for the holiday season!! As I was reading it... I just kept thinking I have watched this Hallmark Christmas Movie before. It's why I'm giving it a 4 because it wasn't very original. Perfect cozy Christmas romance and my first Christmas story of the season.

The Tolliver Christmas tree stand has been a staple in NYC's Greenwich Village for decades. Every year the Tolliver family patriarch, Jock, and his gruff son, Murphy, make the trek to the city from their North Carolina tree farm, and the month they spend selling trees to city folks accounts for most of the year's profits. But this year, Jock is recovering from surgery, and it's up to his daughter Kerry to accompany her brother Murphy to the Big Apple. It's not like Kerry has much else to occupy her time, since she's living at home again after being laid off from her job as a graphic designer -- so she reluctantly agrees to haul their retro trailer, Spammy, to the Greenwich Village corner where it will serve as her and Murphy's home for the Christmas season.

When she arrives, Kerry is immediately charmed by the Village's residents, including a handsome single dad named Patrick and his son, Austin, and a mysterious elderly gentleman named Heinz. As the month passes, Kerry finds herself doing more than just selling Christmas trees. She's bonding with her brother for the first time in her adult life, pushing the bounds of her creativity and ingenuity, forging unexpected new friendships, and opening herself up to the possibility of a future -- and a love -- she never could have imagined.

First, two caveats: One, I do not personally enjoy Hallmark Christmas movies; and two, I have never read anything else by Mary Kay Andrews, who I understand to be a writer of fluffy, feel-good stories which are not typically my "thing." However, something in me really craves a cheesy, magical, seasonal romance novel during the holiday season, so Bright Lights, Big Christmas seemed like it would fit that bill perfectly. And in some aspects, it did. I really enjoyed the found family narrative and the idea of bringing a small-town sensibility to a big-city neighborhood. I liked the feeling of fellowship that existed among the neighborhood residents, their inherent goodness as people that felt like a balm to the soul.

However, I did feel like the plot of this book was lacking. It's pretty repetitive and meandering for the first half, until the romance aspect comes into play -- and that romance is as instalove as it gets. There's no banter, no backstory, no chemistry, and no spice except for one very cringey scene that takes place in Spammy and is thankfully cut short. I wasn't invested in the romance because it just kind of...happened, with no context and no authenticity. You can't just tell us these people are in love, you have to show us -- and Andrews didn't. All of the characters are pretty one-dimensional, and although there is some LGBTQIA+ representation that I appreciated, it was of the very stereotypical sort.

Bright Lights, Big City is a wholesome holiday read with moments of charm, but overall is a bit messy and lackluster in its execution. 2.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.