Another fun holiday read by MK Andrew’s! Easy listen, good flow to the book and a cute story. I love the narrator. Her voices really make this book. I think for the length of the audiobook, there was enough character depth, although I do love a good romance. If I have any misgivings about the story I would have liked to see more fun outings with Carrie and Patrick. It would have helped this book only because the relationship seemed rushed. It seems unrealistic for someone to decide to move a 1000 miles away after 3 weeks.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was an absolute cozy delight! I loved this cozy Christmas romance featuring brother sister Christmas tree sellers in NYC! The narrator was excellent and this audiobook absolutely flew by!

I loved this book. It was the perfect Christmas story. It was so funny and all the characters made me lol. I loved how it all worked out in the end and everyone was happy. My favorite was the old man. He was so cranky.

Great narrator. This Christmas story was enjoyable. Lighthearted and feel good. Characters were delightful and charming.

This was a really cute Christmas read with adorable characters who will warm your heart.

It’s a perfect atmospheric read to get your in the mood for the holiday season.

If you’re a sucker for Hallmark movies (I know I am) then make sure you grab a copy of Bright Lights, Big Christmas.

I would’ve waited until the holidays to read it but since I’m going to meet 🤗😁🤩𝗧𝗛𝗘 Mary Kay Andrews live and in-person next month I figured I’d better check it out now. 🎄 I’m so excited to get my signed copy.

This book will give you all of the Hallmark feels.

🎅🏼There was also a nod to The Santa Suit in this one. That was my first MKA book ever and is also a cute warm & fuzzy story. 🎅🏼

🏆My top Mary Kay Andrew’s reigning champion position still belongs to #thehomewreckers 🏆

The Tolliver's have been growing Christmas trees on their family Christmas tree farm in North Carolina. Every year they would go up to New York and sell the trees. This has happened for many generations. But now they are facing losing business with there being competition and on top of all of that Kerry and Murphy's father have a heart attack. It is always Murphy and his father who would take the trees up to New York and sell them. In order to help the family and farm, Kerry steps up due to having free time and goes with her very grumpy brother, Murphy.

I first discovered Mary Kay Andrews a few years ago when I discovered The Santa Suit and really loved it. I saw Bright Lights, Big Christmas on NetGalley and just had to request it.

Mary Kay Andrews makes you feel transported into a beautiful Christmas oasis. It makes you feel happy, warm, and all cozy when reading her books.

I had fun reading Bright Lights, Big Christmas with seeing how Kerry connect with the people she encounters when selling the trees. Plus, with her being in New York she has to find ways to push her artistic capabilities to get people to buy their trees and wreaths and not the competitions.

Kerry has a great character arc of finding herself and finding what she wants out of life.

My favorite things that I've found when reading Mary Kay Andrews' books is that she always has someone pivotal that either has an interesting story or a mystery surrounding them or something that will change the main characters life in some way.

Anyway, this was a fun, cute Christmas read that I recommend to anyone during the Christmas/Holiday season that will bring you holiday cheer.

I was nervous to review a Christmas book in August, because I am definitely a seasons reader, but I got completely enraptured by this story! It encompasses all the magical and happy aspects of the Christmas season, and I fell in love with the characters! I would love to read another book focusing on the brother from this story. I know this will be very popular this holiday season!

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book, and let me just say, it did not disappoint! I'm a Christmas fanatic so I figured I would enjoy it no matter what, but this book was so good!

This book gives all the warm and cozy vibes of cuddling up with a fluffy blanket, in front of a warm fire, next to the Christmas tree. You won't want to miss this.

Kerry and Murphy are a brother and sister who aren't very close due to their parents divorce, but are forced to work (and live in a tiny camper named Spammy) together to keep their family Christmas tree business alive after their father has a heart attack. With the help of some unexpected friends (both new and old), one of which is the cutest little 6 year old you ever did read about, they are successful at not only selling their trees, but also finding love, friendship, and even growing closer as a family through it all.

This story genuinely has a little bit of everything for everyone, there's the feel good (and sometimes not so good) family vibes, small town feel in the big city, learning to trust others and ask for help when needed, some mystery and suspense, a little bit of romance, and did I mention Austin, the adorable 6 year old who just steals the show?! I will definitely be recommending it, especially when the holidays come around!

If you want to enjoy it even more, give the audiobook a listen. Kathleen McInerney does an incredible job bringing these already amazing characters to life!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audio copy. This review is my own honest opinion.

An irritating brother, a cranky old.man, a small camper, a twist of fate, and a close- knit community in NYC ... this story has it all.

Audiobooks can easily be ruined by a bad narrator - The choice of narrator for this one was spot on ... super articulate and in line with the theme of the book.

This book was the first I've read by Mary Kay Andrews and I look forward to reading more from her.

*Please note this is an audiobook review*

A charming and easygoing story filled with the warmth and love we crave. The book has all the details of a “holiday story” wishlist. Small town girl in the city, a family-run business, blossoming friendships of unlikely opposites, and cheering for the underdog. You will fall in love with the characters and feel inspired by their journey.

The narrator has an engaging way of reading the story—a sweet voice that pairs perfectly with the nature of the book. There were some moments that she seemed to fall out of the accent she was representing, but it didn’t necessarily take away from the moment. The production team did a fabulous job of creating an audiobook I’m sure the author is proud of.

I highly recommend this heartwarming book to get you in the warm nostalgic mood of the holiday season.

Kerry and her brother Murphy head to New York City during the holiday season in order to sell Christmas trees from their family's farm. While there, they are staying together in a tiny trailer by their Christmas tree lot. Kerry is between jobs and uncertain about her future, but new friends and new opportunities are just around the corner.

This is a wonderful holiday tale about making friends and letting others help you. The characters are all endearing in their own way, even the grumpy Heinz. Kerry's romance with Patrick is a nice touch, but Patrick's son Austin steals the show. The broken-down trailer the siblings are staying in has a name--Spammy--and it is almost a character of its own. Their older friend, the irritable and closed-off Heinz, has a lot of secrets to tell, and his story is revealed in a heart-touching way. There are also hints of sabotage as someone is trying to keep Kerry and Murphy from selling their trees. The reader is immediately transported to New York City during the Christmas season, and the Christmas spirit is evident throughout the book. This is a fun and joyful holiday read.

Kathleen McInerney does a great job portraying all of the characters in the audiobook version.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This book definitely put me in the holiday season in August. I loved how this author made a big city building seem like it was a small town. This story was well written, heartwarming and hit me in all the feels. Sometimes it could get a little mundane because Kerry and her brother were at the Christmas tree stand every day, but I still enjoyed this audiobook very much. There was a touch of romance that made it an extra treat. The ending was fun and the quirky characters kept me thinking about this book days after I finished. The audiobook narrator did a great job. Huge thanks to netgalley and the audiobook publisher for allowing me to listen and review this book.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas
Mary Kay Andrews
The Tollivers raise Fraser fir trees on their tree farm in North Carolina. They transport them to New York City to sell them during the Christmas season.
Kerry Tolliver heads to New York City to sell Christmas Trees. She is taking the place of their father; Jock Tolliver who has had a heart attack and surgery. He won’t be able to participate this year. There are several reasons why she doesn’t look forward to the ordeal. The first being she must drive the small, old, moldy, and musty camper to Greenwich Village. The second is her brother, Murphy is gruff and grumpy; they aren’t close and living tighter in that little nasty camper won’t be easy or pleasant. The third is she isn’t interested in selling trees. She is between jobs and thinks she should be focusing her attention in that area. However, once there she meets the business owners and neighbors that live in the area, they reach out to her in friendship. She also meets Patrick and his son Austin.
Kerry matures in this novel. She comes to realize she has been holding herself back. A lot of that comes from an elderly artist that she befriends. There are several lessons to be learned from Bright Lights, Big Christmas: believe in yourself, place the needs of others before yours, and the importance of intergenerational friendships. There is much we can learn from those younger than we are and older than we are. The relationship between Patrick and Kerry is sweet and fun to watch while it slowly develops. While the romance is nice it is not the main focus of this tale. The characters were well made and all likeable. I was particularly fond of Austin.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of Bright Lights, Big Christmas. As always this review is my personal opinion.

Christmas second chance romance. Such a nice, cozy read. Makes me even more excited for Christmas. Every book that Mary Kay Andrews writes is a great one.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook! I thought this book was very cute and would be such a fun book to grab and get cozy with. I love Christmas themed books and this was such a fun themed one based in NYC.

3.5 ⭐️ This was a heartwarming Christmas book that definitely gave me the warm fuzzies! It was as festive and cozy as a Hallmark Christmas movie! There was less focus on romance and more focus on the relationships and community between the visiting Christmas tree farmers and the neighborhood residents.

Our characters gave us a mixture of Southern charm and New York pride. I’m not sure how realistic the camaraderie would be in a big city like New York City, but I liked what it added to the story. I will now imagine all Christmas tree sellers are surrounded by a supportive community of locals who provide access to showers and after hour diner visits. My favorite part of this book was that the love story wasn’t with whom you expected. The best parts of humanity were on display.

Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the audiobook! The sound quality was excellent and the narrator was pleasant. She did a good job distinguishing characters.

This was a GREAT story to listen to! AWESOME narration! Great main characters. The plot was easy to find. The story was engaging and easy to follow. Will be purchasing this book. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this story.

4 STARS!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to and review this audiobook prior to release.

THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews is a Christmas story favorite and one I read in just a couple sittings, so I was so excited to get my hands on her new Christmas book! In true Mary Kay Andrews, this was a light and breezy read that could be enjoyed in a day or so.

This one wasn't very plot heavy so I was a little bored in the beginning and found the characters to be a little...less than interesting. I think for what it is, it was fun, but usually prefer a little more plot even in my holiday reads! There were still lots of heartwarming moments and I definitely had the "Hallmark* feeling a couple times though!

I don't think I was the biggest fan of the narration this time and unfortunately I think the "whininess" led to me being more annoyed with the main character than if I would have read a physical copy.

Fans of hers will still love this and I'm sure it will be a big hit this holiday season!

This book will be available for purchase on September 26th.

Mary Kay Andrews is a great author and I’ve loved everything I’ve read by her. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator fit perfectly with the book. The holiday storyline was fun and interesting without being too cutesy. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a nice Christmasy book.

4.5 ⭐️’s
This hallmark “esque” story has everything needed to put you in the Christmas spirit. Completely charming, this was a dual read/listen. Kathleen McInerney has the perfect voice to bring Mary Kay Andrew’s books to life and this one was so real you could almost smell the Christmas trees and taste the hot chocolate🙂 A perfect, feel good story from an author that knows what Christmas is all about❣️Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for and ARC and ALC of this book.