When Mary Kay Andrews says, “Bright Lights, Big Christmas is me, offering my readers a hot cocoa hug of a happy holiday story”, she is not wrong! This book was definitely a hot cocoa hug and a Christmas Hallmark movie wrap up in one big Christmas bow. This was such a delightful book and now I am ready to skip Halloween and Thanksgiving and move right into Christmas. This gave me all the warm fuzzy feelings of Christmas. If you are a fan of Mary Kay Andrews, you will love this for the holiday season. Bright Lights, Big Christmas is already on the shelves so go grab a copy, pour a cup of hot cocoa and put on your Christmas jammies and enjoy!

Synopsis: “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?”

Solid 4.5 stars!

Thank you, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the ALC

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Mary Kay Andrews delivers a timely holiday romance story with Bright Lights, Big Christmas. The Tolliver family has owned a christmas tree farm in North Carolina for years and deliver trees to New York City annually. This year is different. Kerry is helping deliver trees this year while her father recovers from a heart attack. This is the story of Kerry and her journey there.

If you’re looking for a fun, Hallmark-vibes holiday read, this is a perfect choice! I loved the banter between the characters in this story, and the Christmas tree stand was such a festive setting throughout the book!

Fluffy, closed door, cozy Christmas romance. Struggled with the FMC the most. I had a hard time believing she was this country bumpkin when she had previous success in her life before this. Just not for me.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a heart-warming and charming women’s fiction with a budding romance set in New York City during the Christmas season.

A brother and sister with cute dog in tow leave the Christmas tree farm in North Carolina for the lot in NYC where they have sold their trees for years. Enter a handsome single father with a precocious son and some competitors that aren’t above some shenanigans.

This is a cozy Christmas HEA that is engaging and fun from beginning to end. There are multiple storylines with mostly likable characters, a variety of relationship dynamics including sibling tensions, growing romance (closed door), community working together, and a bit of mystery.

I always look forward to Mary Kay Andrews newest books, and she never disappoints.

I listened to this ALC from #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio. Narrator Kathleen McInerney did a great job bringing the characters to life.

Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. My review expresses my own opinion.

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Thanks to net galley and the publisher for this early copy of the book. Bright lights, big christmas was such a sweet and cute story. It has heart, warmth and joy. Everything a Christmas time story should have. As well as romance. I loved this story soo much. I almost didn’t want it to end. Makes me wish there was an epilogue. And I’m really glad spammy got a second chance at life. This book put me in the mood for Christmas! I want to put up my decorations! Off to make cookies!

A heartwarming romance full of charm. I loved how the Tolliver Family Tree Farm created a cozy village in the middle of New York City. The characters were well-rounded and wonderful. It is a lighthearted read, with the perfect amount of tension, mystery, and a dash of romance.

This is a story about family, friendship, self-discovery, and romance. It is sweet and cheerful without feeling sappy. This is a standalone with a bonus reference and connection to The Santa Suit.

This is my first audiobook narrated by Kathleen McInerney. Her performance was fantastic. Her voice was smooth and she brought the story to life.

In this holiday tale, Kerry finds herself selling Christmas trees in Greenwich Village, living in a vintage camper with her brother and his dog. As she embraces the charm of the city and falls for a single dad and his adorable son, Kerry’s Christmas takes an unexpected turn when she becomes entangled in the search for a missing neighbor.

I fell in love with the little street Kerry finds herself on at Christmas, as well as her love interest, the rivalry with the tree yard across the street, and her cute little camper van. I was swept away by this magical Christmas book for 2023. #gifted

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish this book, but the part that I read earned three stars. I found the beginning of the story to be a bit slow, and it wasn't holding my interest. However, part of the reason could have been that I just wasn't ready to read a Christmas story in September.

I have always enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews’ books. Especially the audios. The narrators have been all the same for her books and she does an amazing job! I love the voice changes and the emotion in the voices for each character. The story was super cute. It was a romance but I also felt like it was a book on becoming and understanding who Kerry is and watching her grow.

Mary Kay Andrews writes the best books with a Christmas theme to them. You immediately love the characters and root for them from the very beginning. Bright Light, Big Christmas was no exception. This was a great audiobook. It had great narration and was very easy to follow along with.

Absolutely enchanting — Mary Kay Andrews is the queen of Christmas! This Christmas romance book swept me off my feet with its heartwarming storyline, delightful characters, and the perfect touch of holiday magic. The writing is incredibly immersive, making me feel like I was right there in the busy and bustling village of NYC, selling Christmas trees on the corner with the Tolliver siblings. The east love story between Kerry and Patrick is well crafted, filled with genuine emotions and moments that had me rooting for their happiness - especially with Austin’s (Patrick’s son) real connection with Kerry.) Andrew’s descriptive prose painted a vivid picture of the holiday festivities, making it impossible not to get into the Christmas spirit. I couldn't put it down, and it left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling that lasted long after I turned the last page. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a sweet, uplifting holiday read!"

A warm and festive Christmas story with friends and community.

The main premise is Kerry Tolliver traveling with her brother Murphy to sell trees in Ney York while her dad rests at home from a surgery. Kerry gets in the spirit and meets a lot of people in the neighborhood including Patrick and his son Austin.

What I really liked about Kerry's character in this book was her creativity. She expanded just selling trees to wreaths and helping string lights on purchased trees. I loved that a main driver in this book was Kerry creating a story with Austin and using her art skills for the story book.

This trip changed Kerry's life around so much by the end, no spoilers of course.

The audiobook version of this book was fantastic. The narrator really got into changing voices between characters in a way that you felt like you knew everyone in the neighborhood.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this Audiobook for my honest review.

All the feels. This books is like a hug from your favorite person and a warm hot chocolate for your soul.

If you need some Christmas cheer look no further!

Yay for Christmas books!!! If you need an early dose of Christmas cheer – Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a great appetizer for the upcoming holidays!! This sweet (with a tiny touch of spice) holiday story follows our sweet main character from North Carolina to New York to try to help save her family’s Christmas tree farm. Kerry falls in love with every person (well, nearly – there are a couple of dirt bags that nobody loves lol) almost as quickly as they all fall in love with her!! I loved this audio – and finished it in one day = fantastic narration! Thank you to NetGalley and Mary Kay Andrews for providing a digital advanced listener’s copy of Bright Lights, Big Christmas. All thoughts and opinions are my own and from the heart.

Go ahead and add this to your Christmas tbr. It's the perfect sweet book to give you all the holiday feels.

I loved learning about the Tolliver families Christmas tree farm and how they sell them in Manhattan every year.

Single dad-Patrick didn't quite start off on the right foot with Kerry. These two together are seriously the cutest, though.

I loved the connections made with everyone in the city every holiday season. I loved seeing Kerry do her own thing and run their little stand to give it a boost in revenue.

I have to admit my mom had read MANY Mary Kay Andrews books, but this was my 1st and I'm excited to go snatch a few off her shelves to read now!

Thank you @netgalley @marykayandrews @macmillan.audio for this amazing ALC and allowing me to give my honest review.

Alrighty, this book ruined spooky season for me because now I’m in the Christmas mood! What a fun, heartwarming, and warm Christmas book. This gave me the most perfect hallmark movie feels. I really loved the narrator of this audiobook, she has a great voice! If you are looking for a book that feels like a warm cup of hot cocoa with big fluffy marshmallows instead this is the one for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

The queen of southern fiction takes on the Big Apple. And boy did she make it work. This one takes place primarily at a Christmas tree stand. Kerry heads to NYC from her parent's Christmas tree farm in North Carolina to help her brother at their annual tree stand. Living in a camper with her grouchy brother and his dog, Kerry finds that being in the big city is different than she expected. Before she knows it, she gets to know the locals to the area and the little tree stand begins to feel like home.

Andrews delivers a festive, heartwarming story about finding the places you belong and the people you belong with. This is a definite tale of found family. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters that lived within a few blocks of the tree stand. It felt like a small town romance while still taking place in one of the biggest cities in the world. Kerry's growing friendship with Patrick is sweet and I loved how they all came together to support one of the locals when he needed it most.

The audio is done so well. The narrator has that classic voice for a Mary Kay Andrews novel. She knows how to instantly make you feel those cozy vibes.

There's no doubt that Andrews knows how to write a Christmas novel full of warmth and heart. If you are a fan of holiday Hallmark movies, you will be sure to love this one. It will put you in those perfect December feels.

Every year, I look for a book to help me get into the Christmas spirit. I want it to be heartwarming and cozy, but above all it needs to paint a twinkling holiday scene in my mind. Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews checks all the boxes. It tells the story of two small town siblings who are forced to work together in NYC to keep their family's Christmas tree business afloat. Neighborhood characters become their new found family as they navigate their relationship after falling out of touch. There is a sweet budding romance that adds a bit of spice, but my favorite part was following along as the main character, Kerry, regained her confidence in herself and her art. Through her relationship with Heinz, the neighborhood grump, we see what can happen when we open ourselves up to those around us. Their relationship takes an unexpected turn that made me want to be better about noticing and reaching out to those around me. I loved the descriptions of New York at Christmas time, including the delicious foods, the snowy neighborhood, and the small town feelings that can be found even in a big city.

I listened to the audio version of this book and the narrator was incredible at moving between different genders, accents, and ages as she narrated the story.

I tend to avoid heartwarming holiday stories and romances because so many of them are infused with saccharine and require the reader to put their I.Q. in a box until the book is over. But two years ago, I was happily impressed with Mary Kay Andrews’s The Santa Suit, and so when I was invited to read and review Bright Lights, Big Christmas, I happily agreed. My thanks go to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the review copies. This book is for sale now.

The Tolliver Christmas tree farm is an institution, not only at home in North Carolina but as far north as New York City. As a child, Kerry sometimes accompanied her family to New York to set up a tree stand and sell the trees, but as an adult, she’s had other priorities. This year, though, she finds herself unexpectedly jobless, while at the same time, her father’s health prevents him from executing the task. Kerry must take his place, traveling to the Big Apple with her brother, Murphy. They set up the stand, and they sleep in the ancient pink trailer nicknamed “Spammy” because of its resemblance to a canned ham. Adventure awaits.

Kerry’s love interest pops up before we’re even ten percent into the story, but it appears that the author planned for us to know that, and it doesn’t hurt anything. Over the weeks they are in New York, various small (and large) crises present themselves and are worked out with team work, ingenuity, and the occasional well-placed bribe. They have Murphy’s dog Queenie with them, but she is primarily left in the background where she belongs.

What I appreciate most about this novel is how well grounded the plot is, and the author’s restraint in not permitting any elements to go over the top. There are a host of stereotypes possible, but every time I see one coming, Andrews chooses a different path, and it keeps the story fresh and original. Small details that might be overlooked by someone less detail oriented are seen to, and it keeps the narrative credible. Examples are the need for a shower or bath, given the length of their stay in a trailer without working plumbing; the cost of living in New York; the hazards of theft and vandalism, especially active at Christmas. None of these sidetracks the plot or slows the pace, but the questions a reader might have are tidied away, and this makes for greater enjoyment.

One small criticism involves a situation where theft and vandalism occur at a time when Murphy has to be away, and immediately, other men folk clamor over the need to have someone—someone with a Y chromosome, folks—to do lookout duty, protecting the fair damsel, her trees, and so on.

Apart from that, this is a delightful story. However, for awhile I wasn’t sure I liked it, because I was listening to the audio version, which is poorly done. The male characters are voiced in a way that is choppy, wooden, and unconvincing; but worse is Kerry’s voice, which is performed in a high-pitched, girly-girl voice so off-putting that it took me awhile to realize that the problem wasn’t the author’s, but rather the voice actor’s. The children’s voices are much better, and I actually howled with laughter when the baby in a stroller wailed!

As the story reaches its climax, Kerry has to make some serious choices, and I admire the way this part is resolved. The side character Heinz, an elderly man that lives in the neighborhood and often stops by the tree stand, is terrific.

When all is said and done, I rate the printed version of this novel 4+ stars, and the audio version 3+ stars, with an overall score of 4. I recommend the print version of this book, but not the audio.