I enjoyed this book so much! I love a good holiday rom-com and I did not want this one to end. I could picture the Christmas tree stand that Kerry and her brother, Murphy, set up in NYC selling Christmas trees grown on their family farm. I have had a dream of owning a tree farm and setting up a stand like this! I fell in love with all the other characters from Queenie to Patrick and his son, Austin, to the neighborhood’s mysterious elderly man, My only complaint is that the ending seemed to be rushed and wrapped up too quickly. I will be looking for other books by this author to read.

A cute, fun Christmas romp. Was it perfect? No. The willingness to bang each other with a sleeping kid in the room was very cringey and I was glad they stopped. I wish the author spent more time on the brother/sister dynamic of adults raised apart and coming back together. All in all, it was enjoyable enough for a holiday romance.

So cute! I loved all the various relationships that blossomed in this book. I fell in love with the main characters and was 100% rooting for them the whole time. I think the book was very well paced and i was hooked the whole time.

Why did I think this was releasing closer to December??? Macmillan Audio, I am so sorry I am behind giving this one feedback, because it is the perfect Christmas read from Mary Kay Andrews! Bright Lights, Big Christmas kept me smiling from start to finish. There are so many characters to focus on in this one that it kept my attention all the way through.

Kerry Tolliver gets sucked into working for her family's tree business in NYC when her dad has a medical emergency and she's the only one who can assist her brother Murph. Right from the start, Kerry is more sunshine and. her brother is the grump. Then in the city, Kerry meets so many lovely people who have been supporting their family business over the years. People include a mysterious Mr. Heinz, Patrick and his darling son Austin, Claudia who works at the diner, and many others. Gah, I could gush over this one for days because it really just activated my holiday spirit. Halloween, what?! Move over, I'm ready for my tree!

This may be the best, feel-good Christmas book of the year. In rural North Carolina, due to her father’s illness, Kerry Tolliver is pressed into accompanying her much older brother, Murphy, to New York to set up and staff the family’s annual Christmas tree lot. It’s something the family has run at least since Kerry was a little girl. Kerry isn’t happy, but she’s out of work, and she’ll do anything to ease the stress on her father. Murphy isn’t happy about the situation, but grudgingly, and impatiently, agrees. Joining them is Murphy’s dog, Queenie. The three will need to share a very old camper named Spammy, that has few comforts.

The author does an amazing job of bringing the atmosphere of New York City in December to life. I felt like I could feel the cold, smell the trees on the lot, and suffer the crunch of life in Spammy. She also creates a community of neighbors who welcome the Tollivers into their lives. There’s Patrick and his delightful son Austin. The owners of local businesses that the Tollivers wind up frequently. But best of all, there’s Heinz (pronounced Heintz). He’s the neighborhood curmudgeon with an eye for art, and Kerry is an artist who occupies quiet times at the tree lot by drawing. These neighbors create a family.

This was a wonderful tale. It includes a bit of a mystery that Kerry and Austin are determined to solve. Most of all, it will make you feel warm and happy, even on the coldest day. I recommend it.

I received an advanced reader audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas feels like a small town story set in New York city. I loved all the characters from the neighborhood and the relationships the Tollivers had developed with the neighborhood over time. Mary Kay Andrews does a wonderful job painting a picture of corner and the tree selling business. It's the perfect thing to read about in a book because I love the idea of it but could not take the reality as I consider 50 degrees extremely cold. I also really enjoyed reading about Kerry and Patrick as well as Austin. Seeing a potential love interest bond with a child is always one of my favorite parts of any single parent romance story and in this case I almost liked Kerry and Austin's relationship more than Kerry and Patrick's relationship. I also really enjoyed Murphy's character and would love to see him as a central character in a book at a later date. The only thing that didn't work for me about this book was I would have liked to see Kerry and Patrick spend more time together one on one. I didn't feel like they really knew each other that well. I also felt like Patrick was the major instigator for physical intimacy in a way that felt a little odd. I highly recommend this one as a holiday read, but go into it expecting a story about a neighborhood with a holiday theme not a grand romance.

I listened to the audiobook version of Bright Lights, Big Christmas and I loved the narration! Kathleen McInerney did an amazing job bringing the story to life and I highly recommend it. This audiobook is single narrator, but you won't feel like it listening to it.

3.75 Stars
A cute and heartwarming holiday romance

This was a cute and wholesome read. The author did a great job of developing the secondary characters. I adored them. I also enjoyed the small romance between Kerry and Patrick, but felt that it was a tad undeveloped. Kerry and Patrick needed more opportunities to interact with each other to build up that romance. Nevertheless, it was still a great light-hearted holiday novel that is worth reading.

***Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.***

If I had to describe this in one word it would be cute. Fluffy, if I could use two. It is a hallmark movie of Christmas books, and it does that perfectly. I loved the FMC making friendships with the whole neighborhood, especially the grumpy old man (those are always some of my favorite characters) there didn’t seem to be a whole lot of courting between the two main characters, for them to go towards the HEA. I would have liked to see more of that. Overall, a make you feel good Christmas book.

Kerry’s dad had a heart attack and so now she must drive the old camper up and spend the whole month before Christmas in New York selling trees with her brother. And stay in the small and falling apart camper (named Spammy for the resemblance to the canned meat) together. She was back home because she had lost her job so it wasn’t like she had anything else to do. They need this season to go well to get her dad’s Christmas tree farm back in the black. No pressure!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy, all thoughts are my own.

Love love love! Mary Kay Andrews does what she does best with this one. A wonderful story with a cast full of characters to fall in love with, including a precious dog and camper, Spammy! I’m ready for a trip to NYC at Christmas!

4.5 stars

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is such a fun book to listen to. I loved seeing a realistic sibling relationship between Kerry and her brother. It was very easy to see that sibling dynamic happening even though they didn't spend a lot of time together before this, they worked together and were able to make the tree stand successful even with all the ups and downs they faced.
I loved the neighborhood that they were in and how friendly everyone was. Everyone knew Kerry's brother and liked him and they were so kind and inviting to them which was so nice to see as well. You can really see this togetherness towards the end of the book and the closer to Christmas it got and how all of the neighbors were going to be sad to see them leaving soon.
One of my favorite parts of this book though was seeing Kerry with Patrick and his son Austin. Seeing Austin help her get back to doing what she loved a little bit and making something together was heartwarming.

Overall I highly recommend this Christmas book as it is a nice and heartwarming story of friendship and how those friends can become family along the way. This book has elements of a Hallmark Christmas movie but it was also so much more than that as well. I look forward to reading more by Mary Kay Andrews in the future as I have hardly read any of their books before.

The audio narrator of this book was great, they kept me engaged and did the different voices for different characters well making it easy to tell all the different characters easily.

Review will be posted on Tiktok/Instagram in late November

I received a complimentary copy of this book "bright lights, big christmas" and all opinions expressed are my own. I downloaded the book on kindle and then I decided to listen to the audio book. I enjoyed listening to this book. Christmas, New York, Romance, bad luck, good luck, it had it all. Heartwarming story just in time for the holidays!

This book made me want to curl up by a fire with a mug of hot cocoa while Christmas carols softly play in the background. The setting… picture a family owned Christmas tree stand in New York City during the holidays with a semi-estranged brother and sister learning how to work together. How cute is that?! I loved all of the characters; Kerry is super relatable and her brother gives me “hot lumberjack” vibes. In addition, any book that has a dog automatically gets a rating boost! Kerry and Patrick’s (a single dad with an adorable son) chemistry and how they navigate real relationship obstacles was totally believable. This book made me care about every side/supporting character (except the ex-wife). If you want something festive, fun, and feely, this book is for you!

"You made the impossible possible."

Isn't that what Christmas miracles are all about, making the impossible possible?! In the absolutely heartwarming Bright Lights, Big Christmas by the always delightful Mary Kay Andrews we get found family, the most loyal dog, and a very sweet clean romance.

With their father recuperating from falling ill, little sister Kerry leaves the comfort of the Tolliver Christmas Tree Farm in North Carolina to help her grumpy older brother Murphy and his loyal English Setter Queenie sell all the Christmas trees in their lot in Greenwich Village, NY. If they don't sell they may lose the farm.

Sleeping in the vintage camper, Spammy, on the cold NYC streets, dealing with rival tree sellers, and needing a shower, Kerry worries that this may be the end of her family's business. But soon the locals are buying trees, the neighbors offer their home for showers and meals, and the very adorable 6 year old Austin decides Kerry is the coolest and his divorced Dad the handsome Patrick agrees with him.

Told with warmth and humor, narrator Kathleen McInerney brings Christmas in New York alive with just how generous and kind my hometown can be to strangers. There is a side plot about an elderly, maybe homeless man, and just like in many stories around this cheerful holiday, Kerry's unselfishness towards him is rewarded as though he was Kris Kringle in the flesh.

This novella audiobook is a perfect way to start the feel good holiday season. You can't go wrong with a dog, love, and the bright lights of NYC during the big Christmas holiday.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from MacMillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All my opinions are my own.

Oh how the Christmas vibes are immaculate!
This is a beautiful women’s adult fiction with some sun plots of romance and found family.
The main character is newly without job and confused about what to do next! She is an artist/ designer in my opinion and she’s so great at being creative. Since her family has been dealing with some struggles with health she helps her fa th we put by going with her brother to sell some of the family Christmas trees! During this time she begins to find love passion and new friends that help he align herself with who she is and who she’s becoming! If you want to have a cozy holiday read to sit by the fire place or beach and sip some tea or coco with this book is for you (; I cannot express how fun and easy going this book was for me. If you want an easy book club read that will be fast paced pick this up !

Bright Lights, Big Christmas, by Mary Kay Andrews, is a seasonally delightful Christmas rom-com that was a pleasure to read. This story takes place in a suburb, primarily a street corner in New York City where the Tolliver Tree Farm is set-up to sell their home-grown trees from the Tolliver Tree Farm in North Carolina.

This season, Kerry Tolliver is roped into aiding her brother Murphy, since her father is recovering from a heart attack. The conditions aren’t great, since they are forced to reside in an old, worn, but well-loved travel trailer without heat or running water in the winter months. Additionally, Kerry’s brother is reluctant to have her there and is resistant to giving her any leeway, despite her creative ideas for the business. Also, some mischievous competitors have set up shop across the street and are consistently up to no good. But Kerry is determined to make the best of it all and make as much money as possible to help her family’s farm.

I loved the young boy in this story and the older gentleman, and the addition of their side stories to the overarching plot. I also loved Kerry with her positive spirit and creative outlook. I didn’t care for the main male character and love interest, at times. He seemed quite presumptuous toward Kerry and especially quick to not only take an interest in her romantically, but also in demanding a kiss, and more, without even asking, even with his sleeping son in the room. Murphy, the gruff, recalcitrant brother, also wasn’t my favorite. He seemed filled with animosity for no reason at all.

I will say, this plot line reminds me a great deal of a movie I saw on the Hallmark channel in the past, so it makes me wonder if it was the inspiration for this story, or just a coincidence. Regardless, I really enjoyed Bright Lights, Big Christmas with it’s unique twist on the typical Christmas story. It was hope-filled, heartfelt and entertaining, while embracing the spirit of the season. It is definitely fun, feel-good seasonal read and one you’ll want to add to your list.

The audio-version of this story was narrated by Kathleen McInerney and her voice was absolutely perfect for this story! She encapsulated the main character and truly brought the story to life. Thank you so much to McMillan Audio for the free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This hallmark-ish style Christmas tale was lovely start to finish. I always go in with a bit of hesitation that it will be too cheesy and over the top, but this one was just the right amount. The characters were lovable, not too predictable, and many funny parts. This book gave me all the holiday feels and made me want to jump on in and read every Christmas book written by Mary Kay Andrews. My only criticism was there was almost 2 stories going at once, and it sometimes left things open ended and like never came back to them which I didn't love.

I will say I did not love the narrator. They did many southern like accents, that would change sometimes even when it was the same person. It felt like she almost forgot who was who sometimes. I noticed it less and less as the book when on, but in the beginning it was quite distracting.

What a cute little story to get you in the Christmas mood! Definitely a great audio!

This story is set at a little tree stand in NYC. A brother and sister reunite to help save the family tree farm. The sister is trying to find her way. Can the magic of Christmas in NYC help them find their way?

4 1/2 stars I've enjoyed all the Mary Kay Andrews books I've read in the past so I eagerly looked forward to reading this one. I was definitely not disappointed. Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a feel good book with a strong storyline about family and friendship and a little bit of romance blended in as well.

Our main character, Kerry is at a crossroads in her life when she joins her brother in New York City to sell Christmas trees for the family business. Since her father's recovering from a heart attack, her mother's caring for him (even though they're divorced) and she's in between jobs, Kerry didn't have much choice but to step in and help Murphy. But Murphy is cranky and determined that she doesn't have anything of value to add other than helping to drive the trailer they will sleep in up there and helping him make sales. So, when Kerry actually starts coming up with helpful suggestions on how to make more money and improve sales, Murphy is initially doubtful. But when Kerry actually starts increasing their sales, he has to take notice. But it's not just the impact made on their Christmas tree sales, Kerry also meets and befriends many of the locals including an elderly man named Heinz and a young father named Patrick and his son, Austin. There are also many others that she befriends but those three have a special connection. While discovering that she really does like New York and is becoming attached to the people she's met, Kerry is also re-discovering he ability as an artist.

There are just so many sweet moments in this book. I really enjoyed seeing Kerry and Murphy re-discover their sibling relationship. Also, Kerry and Patrick's blooming romance is also pretty sweet as is her attachment to his son, Austin. The author does an excellent job of developing the characters to the point that you truly feel like you know them. In addition, the storyline flows smoothly. You know that there is always an end date for Kerry and Murphy's stay in New York City but when it arrives, you are anxious and don't want them to leave.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: This was a really well-narrated audiobook. I fell into the story and found it to be such an easy way to enjoy this book. It flowed smoothly and kept me pulled into the storyline until the very end. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to read/listen to them and review them and the opinions contained within are my own.

Mary Kay Andrews has once again written a heart warming Christmas story.

I loved everything about this book. It was everything you need in a Christmas story.

I felt like I was right there in the Christmas Tree stand seeing the twinkling lights.

I enjoyed how the characters developed.

The narration was great!

This book was really difficult to get into. Most of the time I could not keep up with what was going on with the characters or the storyline, perhaps it was me. Disappointed as I usually super love this author and everything they put out. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.