Many thanks to my friends at @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.

WHAT A GEM!!!

Most people mark time by dates on the calendar. But for me, there are 2 definitive seasons: Christmas and summer. And both are heralded by MKA’s latest book releases!

With trusted friends raving about this book, I had no doubt it would charm me. Ah, but Andrews outdid herself! This was SO much more than a sweet holiday read.

With Kerry’s father incapacitated, she must take his place in selling their family farmed Christmas trees in NYC. Living in a vintage (decrepit?) old (older than her!) camper (with no running water!) for a month wasn’t in her plan. But it just might bolster the changes she needs.

Twinkling lights. Falling snow. Hot cocoa by a fire (in a trashcan). I absolutely hate camping. But there was magic in the way Andrews set this stage.

I wanted to be there in NYC. I wanted to smell of pine trees and sing Christmas songs loudly. I wanted to pet the dog, draw with the boy, and learn lessons from the old man.

The heart of this story is found in the intergenerational friendships and themes of caring for others and second chances. The found family dynamic filled my heart and oozed joy. While the plot had a romance storyline, I found it to be secondary.

Andrews seamlessly combined the festivity of the city and the charm of the south, making this an easy book to get lost within. It brimmed with hope and embodied the very essence of the holidays.

Teeming with Christmas spirit, this is a book that would make even the Grinch’s heart feel full.

🎧 Equally enjoyable in both print and audio formats. Kathleen McInerney’s narration was an easy listen full of warmth and charm.

With the holidays in the rearview, I’m eagerly awaiting summer and MKA’s next read!

This was such a cute holiday themed read without being "too" Christmas-y! The plot line was adorable and pretty unique compared to other holiday books. I thought the audiobook narrator did a great job between the different voices and it was an engaging, quick read! I always love MKA and this one was no different!

I really enjoyed this Christmas story by Mary Kay Andrews. She was an author I used to read often, but this is the first one I've read in awhile. I'm from NC, so I know a small bit about the tree farm industry, and that was a plus for me. Overall really enjoyed it and recommend!

An absolutely delightful read, packed with endearing characters and holiday sweetness that brought the magic of the Christmas season alive. This one left me feeling warm and fuzzy and was a perfect read to set the mood for the holidays!

Kathleen McInerey does a fantastic job breathing life into these characters. Really made for a pleasant listen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to preview and advance audiobook of this wonderful story. Apologies for the delay in my review.

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange of a honest review.

I loved this little holiday romance Christmas celebration. The characters were believable. I enjoyed watching the relationship between the main female and her brother develop. It was a rocky start but they made it work. Heinz was so intriguing! Austin, the little boy was so inquisitive, sensitize and caring. The dog, you just have to love her soulful eyes.

Another great, joyful story for Christmas and the winter season. A celebration of the holiday spirit and the goodness of people.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Kerry, her older brother Murphy, and his dog live in a vintage camper on a New York City corner and sell Christmas trees from their family’s farm in North Carolina to the neighborhood. Kerry becomes close to several neighbors - single dad Patrick, his son Austin, elderly neighbor Heinz to name a few.

For my first Christmas book of the season, I listened to Bright Lights, Big City on audiobook. I really enjoyed the audiobook, and it was perfect to get me into the holiday spirit (in October)! There is a romance (or two), some family drama, a small mystery, and the Christmas magic you normally find in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas + a trailer named Spammy! 🎄
Thank you, St Martin's Press, for the gifted book! {partner}

Genre: Romance
Trope: Holiday
Format: 📖
Pub Date: 9.26.2023
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Last year, Mary Kay Andrews wrote my favorite holiday read - The Santa Suit. So, when I saw that she had another holiday book coming out, I immediately added it to my list and saved it for just the right time. I should've waited a tiiiiny bit longer but oh well, it still put me in the holiday spirit. Bright Lights, Big Christmas lived up to my expectations and then some; it's the first book I've finished in less than a day in a long time.

For all of you MKA fans out there who were *shocked* that the setting for this holiday romance is New York City - don't y'all worry because the same southern charm that we've all come to know and love from her is still present. I loved how she portrayed all the characters throughout the story - for some reason, authors like to make their NYC characters cranky and unwelcoming. But MKA did the exact opposite, and it was a delight!

💨 Bing-able (finished in one day)
🗽 NYC Setting
🤍 Same Southern Charm from MKA
🫶🏼 Found family
💞 Heinz

If you're looking for a book to get you in the holiday spirit, I highly recommend reading Bright Lights, Big Christmas (and while you're at it, The Santa Suit).

Oh my gosh, I loved this book so much!! Whenever Mary Kay Andrews has a new book out, I can’t wait to read it! I usually end up loving all her books. This was the perfect book to put me into the holiday spirit!

This book is set in NYC, but still has the small town vibes that we know and love from MKA. This book is binge worthy, once I started, I didn’t want to put it down. This book takes place based on a Christmas tree farm, which is the absolute best. There is some romance in this book, but I wouldn’t classify it as a romance novel. If you’re looking for the perfect holiday romance, I highly recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re looking for cute and cozy you’ve absolutely found it. Mary Kay Andrews never fails to give me the HEA that makes my heart swoon!

This was a really cute feel good Christmas book. However, I wish there was more build up with the romance. It felt really rushed at the end. Overall I enjoyed it though and the narrator did a great job

Such a cute and cozy holiday romance book I loved the New York setting so much I love Mary KayAndrews holiday books so much I discovered her last year when I read her other holiday book The Santa Suit! I really enjoyed that one so when I saw she was dropping a new holiday book I knew I had to read it

this book was so sweet. I love a good Christmas tale. I loved that this one had not only an aspect of romantic love. but also brother/sister love and how that bond can grow.

Here’s one that I recently read and enjoyed. I loved that it l had a NYC setting too, which felt like the epitome of a perfect holiday setting. It also features a single Dad, found family, and a few secrets sprinkled in.

🎧I paired the book with the audiobook format, and loved to immerse myself into the story even more, and would definitely recommend them both.

📖𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀
🖊️Mary Kay Andrew
🗓️9.26.23
🎄Holiday novella
★★★★

𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙆𝙖𝙮 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙨, 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖 𝙎𝙪𝙞𝙩, 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙖 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙢, 𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣.

I can always count on MKA to bring a heartwarming story with a touch of mystery and romance. Bright Lights, Big Christmas was so cute, starting with a family owned Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina. As an NC native, I found so many nuggets sprinkled in and loved them. (Yes I sure do know what a sercy is 😉)

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧
🎄NYC/Greenwich Village setting
🎁single POV
💕closed door romance
🎄found family

*many thanks to Macmillan Audio and St Martins Press and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This book was terrible on audio. Fake Southern accent, whiny high pitched kid voices... drove me crazy. The characters were flat and the story really dragged on. This was not my favorite of hers.

This was the perfect festive and cozy story to kick off my Holiday reading! It was charming, wholesome and just so lovely! It’s whimsical atmosphere jumps off the page, I felt like I could almost smell the pine trees! It radiates such a wonderful hallmark vibe and is full of Christmas cheer!

I loved the amazing and quirky supporting characters and truly relished in MKA’s ability to write love stories where the romance is almost secondary to the overall setting and ambience.

This is a quick and fun read that is sure to get you in the holiday spirit!

This was such a cute cozy book with perfect Hallmark vibes! I loved the ensemble cast and thought the narrator did a great job bringing the story to life!

Fun holiday read! Made me wait to make and sell wreaths. It was predictable that they were going to end up together, but still a good read. I always enjoy reading the newest Mary Kay Andrews book. This one was a little different as it wasn’t set in the south.

If Hallmark movies became audiobooks, this would be the first in line. A delightful Christmastime romance centered on the power of community. Author Mary Kay Andrews painted a beautiful picture, and the narrator Kathleen McInerney brought it to life. Absolutely perfect for the season.

If you love Mary Kay Andrews you will love this book! If you don’t you may still love it because it was a little different than her books before. While it does refer to The Santa Suit from 2022 it is not a sequel and is a great holiday read!

This was like a reverse Hallmark Christmas movie as the small town girl heads to the big city and finds her happy ever after there. I enjoyed all the side characters and the atmosphere of New York around Christmastime.