Mary Kay Andrews, gave us another great Christmas story. Bright Lights, Big Christmas was a quick read with fun characters.

Family and friends, both old and new come together to make another successful season at a small town tree lot that's been in the family tree lot for many years. With a bit of romance, this makes a perfect read at Christmas time, or any time you need a lift. I gave it a strong 5 stars.

I received an advanced reader copy from St. Martin’s Press through #NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this story that follows the Tolliver siblings, Kerry and Murphy, as they manage the family's traditional Christmas tree lot in a NYC neighborhood.

While Kerry is trying to figure out what comes next in her life after her recent job loss, she blossoms as she helps make this year's Christmas tree sales the best they've ever been for the Tolliver family. Not only does she introduce new and creative ways to make more money from related products and services, but she also starts to build lasting friendships with the people she comes to know and love within the neighborhood.

Even though it takes her brother way too long to appreciate her contributions, she finds other people who do and who support her as she tries to make this year the best Christmas season yet.

I found myself drawn in by the characters, the setting, and the sense of found family in this story. Heinz and Quenie were special favorites of mine.

Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

I decided to kick off my holiday reads with Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews and it was the perfect cozy holiday book! I was drawn to this book due to the fact that the Tolliver family owns the largest Christmas Tree Farm in western North Carolina (where I live!). They harvest their trees, load them onto a trailer, pack themselves into a camper (lovingly nicknames Spammy because it looks like a ham), and head to a prime time lot in New York City every year for several weeks. The Tolliver siblings have now grown up and apart, but when their father suffers a heart attack Kerry returns home to help her brother, Murphy, take the trip to save the farm’s profits. Over the next several weeks of the holiday season, Kerry and Murphy will rekindle their relationship while also reconnecting with the NYC locals who live in the neighborhood where the trees have been sold for over 50 years. This read is centered on love; family bonds, friendship love, new romance, parental love, and neighborly love. They is a wide case of characters from a local boy who thinks Murphy is a true lumberjack to an aging retired artist who frequently visits Kerry and assists with her art. The perfect snowy setting with holiday parties and magical memories, this read will give readers all the feels that make the season so special! The narrator did a wonderful job with a slew of characters making each one distinct and memorable.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for my advanced listener’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

Kerry Tolliver leaves her family Christmas tree farm in North Carolina to help her brother sell the trees in New York. During her stay in New York, there were some ups and downs but she made some new friends along the way.

I've never read a book by Mary Kay Andrews but I'm going to go and read some more. I really enjoyed reading this feel good story and was drawn in right from the beginning. I enjoyed how the characters came to life and it wasn't just romance, it was a story about family and friends. I love Christmas anytime of the year, so to pick up a heartwarming Christmas story in September really gave me a jump start into the Christmas spirit.

I really enjoyed the narration by Kathleen McInerney, she really made the characters come to life. She made the book exciting and fun to listen to.
I will be recommending this book to my friends and family for a fun Christmas read.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for a chance to read an early copy for my honest opinion.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5856228819

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews follows Kerry Tolliver, whose family owns a Christmas Tree farm in western North Carolina. The bulk of their sales, however, come from New York City where they have a tree lot set up in Greenwich Village. Every year Kerry's dad and her brother Murphy would haul trees and a trailer (nicknamed Spammy because it looks like a can of SPAM) to the Big Apple for a month to sell trees. This year, however, Kerry's dad is in poor health and so Kerry makes the trip with her brother. Kerry, who is an artist, isn't looking forward to it and has no idea how truly life changing this experience will end up being for her.

I truly loved everything about this story! Andrews does a magnificent job of capturing the magic of New York at Christmas and I especially loved how she portrays the sense of community that can be found in places like Greenwich Village. Anytime the Tollivers need assistance, be it an extra set of hands to help deliver trees, a hot meal on a cold night or even just a place to shower, they had so many people they could count on and it was heartwarming to see.

My favorite part of the story though was the personal journey for Kerry. She really comes into her own in New York, using her artistic ability to design wreaths and boost sales, and with the help of an adorable young boy and an eccentric senior citizen, she also blossoms as an artist and finds her "voice" so to speak. This little group also had the most wonderful found family vibes and I adored watching them interact. This trip also gives Kerry a chance to reacquaint herself with her brother, Murphy and to find love when she least expects it.

Cozy, heartwarming and magical, Bright Lights, Big Christmas is the perfect book to kick off your holiday reading and fill you with holiday cheer. Out 9/26!

I read the e-book and the audiobook & loved both (thanks for the gifted copies @stmartinspress and @macmillanaudio). Kathleen McInerney does a phenomenal job narrating the audiobook and bringing all of these wonderful characters to life!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bright Lights, Big Christmas
By: Mary Kay Andrews
Pub Date: 9/26/2023
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

It’s Christmas in the book reviewing world!!
Kerry Tolliver has had a rough go. A broken relationship and a job loss has knocked her back to her mom’s house. She’s been there moping for 3 months when her father becomes ill which forces Kerry to travel with her brother to NYC to sell the families Christmas trees.
What she doesn’t expect is to find herself in shocking ways in their little corner of the big apple. In just a short period of time she can see herself making a home there but with no job prospects there just isn’t any way she can stay… or is there?!?
I absolutely loved the little mention of The Santa Suit, last year's Christmas novel from Andrews. 🎄🎄🎄

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a wonderful story of family ties, friendships, and of course a little romance. I listened to the audio book narrated by Kathleen McInerney and I was immediately captivated and transported to the family Christmas tree lot in Greenwich Village with Spammy parked close by. I enjoyed the lead character Kerry, and and could easily relate to her. If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, you will love this book!

This delightful holiday read has got me in the holiday spirit before the summer is even over. Filled with moments of cheer, romance, and sibling rivalry this book brings all the southern wit and charm that Mary Kay Andrews is known for. This book will leave you with all the warm fuzzy feelings and ready to start your holiday prep!

Told just like a Hallmark movie we have Kerry who goes to NYC with her brother to help out her family"s Christmas tree business. While there she connects with people in the neighborhood, not to mention she finds herself in the process. She also finds love with a local man who believes in her and all she wants to do.

This one came highly anticipated since I saw MKA promoting it on her Instagram acct. I preordered the book and then was offered the ALC. The narrator was great and perfectly captured Kerry Tolliver’s almost saccharine sweet personality. Kerry has been stuck in a rut when her dad falls ill and she is forced to takeover his spot at the NYC tree stand that he and her brother have run for years. I loved the banter between Kerry and her brother Murphy and enjoyed the found family she gathered along the way, from the curmudgeon Heinz, to local neighbors Patrick and his son Austin. This was a sweet story of pushing outside of your comfort zone and discovering what really makes you happy. Kerry always brought a positive, can-do, attitude towards the Family Tree Farm business, but not so optimistically about her own life path. So she finds some friends along the way that open her eyes to her potential and set her off in a new direction. This one reads just like your favorite Hallmark movies., complete with a reference to The Santa Suit! You are sure to love this one for the Holiday Season!

Being this is a short novella, there isn't much depth to this story, but I kind of liked it. The situation with finding a found family always captures my heart and this definitely touched mine especially with Christmas being the setting. Mary Kay Andrews always writes wonderful stories that entertain and make me laugh.

The audiobook was well done with an excellent narrator.

Thank you for the advanced copy.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was like a warm hug in a chilly night and a perfect Christmastime read. This was my first Mary Kay Andrews on audio and I appreciated how the story was brief but I felt very connected to the characters (especially Heinz!). I also liked the nod to Andrews' other popular Christmas novella, The Santa Suit. I will definitely read that one come Christmastime. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free advanced listening copy for review.

I’m a big fan of MKA and Bright Lights Big Christmas 🎄 doesn’t disappoint! This small town North Carolina meets Big City New York delivers a fun and cozy Christmas story. I found the story of the Tolliver Tree Farm totally charming.

You could smell the fir trees, hear the crackling of the fire pit, taste the marshmallow hot chocolate and see the twinkle lights lighting up the tree yard. You’ll want to spend the night in “spammie”.

Love the narrator!

Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins press for this early digital read and McMillan audio for the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Well this was 💎! I tend to not be the biggest holiday book person but whenever Mary Kay Andrews writes a holiday book, I’m always a super fan.

Basically, Kerry leaves her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for New York City to help her grumpy older brother and his dog, Queenie (at the very least the selling point of the book 👑 🐕), sell trees at their family stand in Greenwich Village.

Kerry is experiencing Manhattan for the first time, and she’s staying in a little camper. While there are a few things that may not be 💯 realistic to New York, I found there to be charm to the whole story. I also loved Kerry’s experience going into all the local New York spots. AND of course Kerry carves a spot for herself in New York City too.

With a hint of romance, and a lot of local LOVE 💕This was the perfect holiday book! 🎄🎅🏼

It's Christmas time. It's Time to sell some trees. Claire must go with her brother to run the family business. Normally, her father would go, but he had a heart attack.
Claire meets all the neighbors on the block that run the various stores.
She meets Patrick and his son Austin and instantly feels like this may be a place that she belongs

When a North Carolina tree farming family meets the bright lights of the big city of New York at Christmas time, you know it's going to be magical!

For generations, the Tolliver family have been growing Christmas trees and bringing them to their tree stand in New York every December. The only difference this year is that Jock, the Tolliver patriarch, has suffered a heart attack and his daughter Kerry is going to join her brother Murray in New York to try to keep their family-run business afloat.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Kerry meets a number of lovable neighbors as she works alongside her grumpy brother and works her way into the hearts of everyone along the way.

This story was everything you want in a light, cozy Christmas book. The characters were relatable and fun, making you feel like you are reading about friends. There is a bit of romance in the book, but I feel it was more driven by the friendships and relationships forming with each of the characters that Kerry meets rather than just the romance.

While I felt that the picturesque New York shown in the book was a tad unbelievable, the story and characters were enough to make you forget any unrealistic aspects and just enjoy the story. It was fun, it was cute, it was heart warming and I definitely think this should be added to your holiday reading list!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced audio of this book for my honest review.

Bright Lights Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 9/26

This was such a great way to kick off my holiday reading! With a heartwarming storyline and endearing characters, this book is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit.

The story follows Kerry Tolliver, who leaves her family's Christmas tree farm in North Carolina to help her brother sell trees in the bustling streets of New York City. The fate of their farm hinges on their ability to sell enough trees, and Kerry's determination shines through as she embarks on this adventure. Set against the backdrop of Manhattan's iconic Greenwich Village, the novella beautifully captures the magic of the holiday season in the city that never sleeps.

Kerry has a lot of interaction with her charming neighbors, including an endearing elderly recluse and an adorable dog. And then there's Patrick, a single dad with an adorable dragon-loving son, who ignites an undeniable spark of romance.

Andrews' writing is full of festive spirit, and her vivid descriptions made me feel like I was in NYC at Christmas. It's a feel-good read that captures the essence of Christmas traditions, from tree decorating to the joy of giving.

If you're looking for an easy, heartwarming, and festive read, this novella will put you in a cheerful mood. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my digital copy, and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

This was a fun, light Christmas read filled with Christmas trees, family, friends, and plenty of Christmas magic. Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A totally heart warm sweet Christmas story. It will make you want to get a blanket and read on till you have finished it.
You will love the characters & the family dynamics. Along with the surprises. Especially the feel good ending. I loved this book. You will find yourself wanting Christmas to be here soon.
Thank you Netgallery for the opportunity and great gift to read this book. It was so much FUN!

I loved this read! Thank you netgalley and MacMillan Audio for sending me this cute holiday read. This book was filled with the true meaning of Christmas, shared with family, friends and love. A great read that gave me all the holiday feels.