⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -NetGalley Audiobook

<b>Description:</b>
When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for the wilds of New York City to help her gruff older brother & his dog, Queenie, sell the trees at the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time, Kerry’s ready to try to carve out a new corner for herself.
In the weeks leading into Christmas, Kerry quickly becomes close with the charming neighbors who live near their stand. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, Kerry will need to combine her country know-how with her newly acquired New York knowledge to protect the new friends she’s come to think of as family, and complicating everything is Patrick, a single dad raising his adorable, dragon-loving son Austin on this quirky block. Kerry and Patrick’s chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?


<b>BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS</b> delivers everything a Christmas romance should. The spirit of Christmas. Friends. Family. Love and Romance…without the sex. Now don’t get me wrong, I love some smut just as much as the next person, but I don’t think a Christmas novel is the place for it. So kudos to Ms. Andrews for writing a clean, feel good novel. This book was also so atmospheric that you’d swear you’re a part of the story; sipping hot chocolate by a garbage can fire. A perfect read for a snowy Christmas Eve.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio/ St. Martin's Press and Mary Kay Andrews for the chance to listen to this book for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Mary Kay’s Christmas novella always hit the spot!

Kerry flees the mountains of North Carolina for New York City to help her brother sell Christmas trees at their lot in Greenwich Village. She gets to experience the charm (and chaotic residents) of NYC while manning the tree stand and living out of “Spammy”, their little vintage trailer. She finds herself connecting with Patrick, a divorced dad, and his son charismatic Austin. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, they all band together to find him.

The characters are quirky, fun and full of all the banter we know and love from Mary Kay! Her grumpy brother started to grow on me. Austin reading a book about taco-loving dragons - he’s my kinda kid! 🤣 The connections are so heartwarming and truly capture the magic of Christmas. Found family, friendship and a little romance make for a sweet, charming story!

This is such a lighthearted holiday read that can be read in a sitting (or 2) with some hot cocoa and cookies!

As this genre goes, this book is a lovely holiday treat. There's a heartwarming cast of characters, but the plot was fairly predictable. I know that's the appeal of these kinds of holiday books. I just wish I was a bigger fan of happy endings!

Full disclosure: Although I was granted a digital copy of the NetGalley edition of the audiobook, I was not able to access it properly. Instead, I read a print copy which I purchased myself. As such, I cannot offer a critique of the audiobook performer.

Due to my relatively low rating of this title, I will only be posting my thoughts here in NetGalley and on Goodreads. Other usual postings (such as on my website, Amazon, and social media) will not be done.

Review:

I expected "Bright Lights, Big Christmas" to be a light, Hallmark movie-esque tale that would warm the heart for the holiday season. In many ways it did have these qualities. However, I found the character development to be quite lacking, which did not lead me to care about the players in the story. Andrews' style of writing was not to my taste. Chapters were often very short with abrupt endings which did not lend to a smooth flow of the storyline. Some sentences were disjointed, almost as if the final manuscript had not been properly vetted for continuity errors. This is the first novel of Mary Kay Andrews' that I've read, and I do plan to try another of her titles. She is very talented and I would like to give her work another chance. However, I can't necessarily recommend "Bright Lights, Big Christmas." It is possible to write a light, warm, holiday story with excellence. Andrews has not achieved it here.

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my gifted audiobook. I also bought this book for myself when the author visited my local bookstore!

While Kerry’s father is recovering from an illness, she must travel to New York City to save the family business and sell Christmas trees with her brother. The problem: Kerry has to drive to NYC (and then live with her brother and his dog) in the family vintage camper, which has no working facilities! Once there, Kerry quickly makes friends with the neighbors, including a handsome single father, Patrick.

MY THOUGHTS: I really enjoyed this charming and heartwarming story! The characters were beautifully developed and the storyline was fun! The New York setting had all the Christmas vibes! If you read 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖 𝙎𝙪𝙞𝙩 last Christmas, then you will find a few Easter eggs in this one!

Read (or listen to) this if you enjoy heartwarming holiday reads! Kathleen McInerney does a beautiful job narrating this one!

I usually love Mary Kay Andrews books because they're light, heartwarming and funny. This one had all of those things. However, I didn't love it because it felt so cheesy and unnatural at times. I mean, the main character and her love interest are trying to get it on with the man's child only 2 ft away multiple times and I just found it so cringe, weird, and unnecessary. I would have preferred a more heartwarming approach, especially since it was surrounding Christmas time. I loved the concept and thought this had a lot of potential but miss the mark many times . Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am glad I got to this one finally! I love holiday reads and this was a cute one. Just enough drama and happiness to make it a fun story!

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

Kerry Tolliver is a young woman from North Carolina who leaves her family's Christmas tree farm to help her brother sell trees in New York City's Greenwich Village. Kerry quickly falls in love with the city and its eccentric residents. She also develops a strong connection with Patrick, a single dad who lives on her block. She’s having a great time in NYC, but when an elderly neighbor goes missing, they must team up to solve the mystery.

I loved the characters in Bright Lights, Big Christmas. They are all so charming!

I also enjoyed the setting of the story. Greenwich Village is a beautiful neighborhood, and Mary Kay Andrews brings it to life with her vivid descriptions. I also loved the story's message about the importance of family and community.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a heartwarming story about family, friends, and love. It is a delightful holiday read that will put you in the Christmas spirit!

The audiobook was wonderfully narrated by Kathleen McInerney. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Kerry Tolliver and her older brother Murphy make an annual trip from their family Christmas tree farm in NC to NYC to sell their trees and wreaths. While there, she makes friends with locals, including an older gentleman, a dragon-loving young boy, and his cute single dad, Patrick.

This Christmas story is heartwarming and will appeal to those that enjoy a specific subset of Christmas movies. It’s not exactly in my personal wheelhouse but I found it enjoyable (although totally predictable). I wasn’t a fan of the way that the brother’s character was written, it seemed uneven. I also wasn’t a fan of Patrick - I didn’t really see the chemistry there. The narrator did a nice job and the audiobook was a pleasant listening experience.

Christmas trees is the theme and Kerry is all about helping out her family after her father has a heart attack and cannot accompany her brother to NYC this year. Their family raises trees in NC and this can keep their farm going for the year or break it so she jumps in to help. Set up on the same corner as always she meets all the neighbors and finds a way to increase the business with her wreaths. A romance develops between her and Patrick, a single dad of Austin who loves to help out. When an elderly man goes missing she has to find him and solve the mystery of who he is. Kerry, being at a crossroads herself, is stuck on what to do. Come along on this journey. It was a fun ride!

Every day after Thanksgiving our family treks out to the Vine Christmas Tree Farm to cut down our Christmas tree. So when my book club selected Mary Kay Andrews’ Bright Lights, Big Christmas, I was delighted to revisit my family tradition through the eyes of Kerry Tolliver and her brother Murphy who set up their vintage trailer Spammy on the streets of New York and sell the trees from the Tolliver family Christmas tree farm.

Kerry meets a quirky cast of characters along the way. “We’re not strangers… We’re friends. You, me, Austin, Patrick, Murphey, and Claudia. What’s that saying? Friends are the family you choose? I guess we’ve chosen you. Whether you like it or not…Sounds as though you have friends who care about you. You can never have enough of those.” But it’s elderly Mr. Heinz who challenges Kerry to confront her insecurities and resistance to change. “Go home then. Give up on a good man who could bring you happiness. Give up on your art. Give up on your dreams. Lead a small life in a small town. And spend the rest of your life wondering ‘what if?’”

Christmas arrives, and with it a gift that changes everything. “Austin stared down at the last page. The illustration showed three backlit figures. The gates to the forest were unlocked and flung open, and a young boy, an old man with a cane, and a woman, all of them holding hands and accompanied by an alert, trusting dog, stood looking at the forest. In the distance could be seen a police cruiser with two villains, hanging out the back window. ‘It’s us!’ the boy exclaimed, stabbing the drawing with his finger. ‘Me, Mr. Heinz, and Karry. And Queenie. And there’s the bad guys, going to jail, right, Kerry?’…’Do you like it?’ Heinz asked, almost shyly. ‘It’s the best book I ever read,’ Austin said.” Ditto for Mary Kay Andrews’ Bright Lights, Big Christmas!

What a fun, easy going audiobook to enjoy at the beginning of the holiday season! Selling Xmas trees to help the family while discovering love and her own purpose really filled my heart with Xmas cheer. Nice audio production.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews

You never fail with a Christmas romance in the fall, helping you to get in the right mood for December, and MKA is such a master at her craft. I enjoyed how she made Christmas in New York into a village feast, and her description of how Kerry made new friends among her customers. However, I found the romance between Kerry and Patrick completely unbelievable and without any heat at all. And were Kerry's father and brother supposed to be charming? I found them unlikeable and borderline abusive.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to listen to this ARC.

Probably one of my favorite MKA books to date! I loved the family Christmas Tree farm meets NYC chaos, and loved all the characters. This is a great holiday read!

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for accepting my request to audibly read and review Big Lights, Big Christmas.

Narrated by Kathleen McInerney

Stars: 3.5

An electronic audible Hallmark movie. BLBC worked beautifully as a palette cleanser for me. The whimsical Christmas tree lot, brother and sister day and night different, with the single parent falls in love escape. And, if I'm honest several chuckles, a couple eye rolls and at least one 'who does that' came at the right time for me.

I read simple stories like this once or twice a year and try to have fun with them. I did appreciate the author writing characters that worked hard and hustled knowing the bulk of their income came at Christmas. Andrews worked her magic. Smart always wins.

Such a cute holiday read. The narrorator was great. A fast adorable feel good book. I would Suggest everyone read for Christmas.

Another enchanting Christmas story by acclaimed author, Mary Kay Andrews! I highly recommend to anyone looking for a light novel filled with the sparkling magic of our favorite holiday season.

3.5 stars

This was a really fun, lighthearted read with all the country come to town Christmas vibes that make Hallmark a holiday staple.

I paired the e-book with the audio version, and this was a fun way to immerse myself in the storytelling.

Read this one if you’re looking for a holiday romcom read in between those Hallmark and Lifetime movie binges.


My thanks to @netgalley, @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas was a great read by Mary Kay Andrews. Kerry Tolliver leaves her family's Christmas tree farm in North Carolina to head to New York City with her older brother to sell trees at the family stand. She is sharing a small vintage camper with her brother and experiencing Manhattan for the first time. She quickly becomes close with the neighbors near the stand. An elderly neighbor goes missing and she will do whatever is needed to find her new friend. She also grew close to Patrick, a single dad raising his son Austin. They all grow close. I loved reading this book and cant wait to read more by the author.

This was more than just a love story. There is some mystery but to me this was more about finding your place in the world and believing in yourself.

The characters were great aside from the main character Kerry. I actually hated her. I think we are supposed to feel sorry for her but I didn’t. She was one of those people you hope you never actually have to interact with. Someone that can smile and be nice but the moment anything stressful happens, like needing to pee, she becomes a crazy person. However, I did love the capitalistic ideas Kerry has for Tolliver Farms money making. She was definitely able to help save the farm.

I loved the friendships that were formed within the story. Kerry was okay but she seemed very immature, at best. Especially when she was pounding on someone’s car for not moving out of the parking spot she wanted. It was the most ridiculous thing in this story to me. I never fully recovered from that scene. Kerry was always going to seem stupid to me after this point. No sane person would ever do such a thing. I also hated that the guy decided to like her after that.

I had to try to forget those things and focus on the rest of the story. This started off rocky but got better after all the dumb shit passed. Overall, I enjoyed the story.

The supporting characters were more interesting though. I would have loved to have more of them and less of her. I think her mom, Heinz, Patrick, Austin and even some of the customers would have been more interesting that her.

I could recommend this to people who like hate to love romance with a little mystery. If Kerry doesn’t sound like to much for you or sounds like you would laugh at her antics then this might be fore you. There is much more to this story than a romance, so if you like that, pick this one up for your holiday reads.

I listened to Kathleen McInerney’s narration of this story. I really like her for modern stories. If you enjoy contemporary audiobooks than you may have heard of her. She is perfect for them.