I love Mary Kay Andrews but I don’t love short stories. Because of this, Holiday Hideaway was just a meh read for me.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

Because this book is short, the action starts on page one and it was hilarious picturing all of Tilly’s antics to stay hidden. However, the romance occurred too quickly, there was nothing Christmassy about this, no emotions evoked while reading and the whole was over extremely fast. Overall, it was a fun little read but nothing exciting.

This is definitely one of my favorite novellas. With a short story, I usually struggle with character development and having enough time to become invested. That did NOT happen with this one.

I absolutely devoured HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY. It was 72 pages of pure delight. The situation the main character finds herself in was hilarious to me. I loved how Mary Kay Andrews makes it easy for the reader to root for a character so quickly. The FMC and MMC had such a fun dynamic and I could have read a much longer book with these two!

“Holiday Hideaway” is the most fun Christmas novella that can be read in one sitting! Tilly, recently divorced and temporarily homeless, is squatting in one of the coastal homes that she manages for the rental company she works for. George returns to his deceased uncle’s home during the Christmas season to fix it up and list it for sale. Unbeknownst to both of them, this is the same house and Tilly must sneak around undiscovered. George senses something is off with mysterious noises and missing items around the house. This story is so cute and funny! I loved seeing these two long lost high school friends reconnect in a silly Christmas story!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book was so cute! I loved it!! Sometimes it's hard to get character depth and a realistic love story when it's a short story but this was done perfectly. Another 5 star Christmas read by Mary Kay Andrews.

Mary Kay Andrews creates characters that welcome the reader into the story in this book and in my opinion, all her books. I wondered “what will happen next?”, “ how will this dilemma be resolved?” and “who will be my favorite character? “ .
In other words, my questions kept me turning the pages.
In addition to great characters, THE HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY has all the holiday feels of childhood memories and small hometown nostalgia mixed with the effects of current day big city society. The characters’ conversations and thoughts had me smiling all through the book. I highly recommend this novella, especially to fans of Mary Kay Andrews. Mmmm… new readers, you will also become fans! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You can order the e-book on Amazon.

This was a very cute holiday read. The story wrapped up nicely and kept me interested. It was the perfect story to keep my busy on a short flight.

Holiday Hideaway
A Short Story
by Mary Kay Andrews
Holiday Hideaway is the perfect short story to pick up as a seasonal quick read. It had the some of the “cheesy” characteristics of a Hallmark movie, but it was an enjoyable read and just what I needed to keep me engaged.
Thanks to Amazon Short Stories for access to this eARC.

This is such a cute holiday novella!
It's the perfect thing to get you in the Christmas mood!
It was a super quick read, which I liked.
It was a perfect mix of humor, romance, and Christmas spirt!
Would definitely recommend it!

📚: Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding up on #goodreads)

Tilly’s a bit down on her luck. Recently divorced. Her landlord kicked her out because of her lovable dog, Smoosh. With nowhere to stay until her new lease starts in January, she finds herself squatting at a rental property she manages that doesn’t have a holiday booking. That is, until a car pulls into the driveway and a *very* handsome man unexpectedly arrives.

A sweet holiday short story that is laugh-out-loud funny at times with a quaint New England setting. Well paced for ~75% and then the conclusion hits whiplash quick. A bit more time to pace out the ending would have done well for this.

Thanks to Amazon Short Stories via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Holiday Hideaway is out now!

A quick and easy holiday read. I really enjoyed Tilly and the messes she kept getting herself into. It was fun and cut without being too over the top. Simply put, enjoyable, predictable and just what the doctor ordered

A cute holiday romance short story. Tilly and George are both facing some challenges and the way they are thrown together during a winter storm ensures some forced proximity that enhances their chemistry.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a cute short book that takes place around Christmas. I like all the characters and the story line. If you want a quick easy holiday read this book is for you.

A fun silly short story for Christmas, the plot line is perfect for a straight to streaming hallmark special and the characters to match. Definitely worth the quick read.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

Did I expect worse or wasn't it up to my expectations? Idk.

I've been reading so many different reviews regarding MKA’s books that I had to try for myself, and the result is… that I liked it but, at the same time, there’s something that doesn't sit right with me.

Short stories are always tricky because many of them have potential but lack the space to grow, so maybe that's exactly what this was.

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley, who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Mary Kay Andrews will ALWAYS be on my automatic read list! She is the queen of such great, fun, feel-good books and I knew that is what I would get with this quick read! I laughed, I cringed, and I wanted to put up my Christmas tree! If you’re looking for a quick holiday read, this is a great choice!

Perfect Christmas short story. A semi squatter and a man returning to his childhood hometown to sell an old family home. A series of funny and not funny accidents and then romance.
A little over an hour to read and so enjoyable!!

Fun and Silly read. I think if this would have been a novel instead of a novella i would have enjoyed it more. I felt like I needed a little more backstory, but otherwise it was cute.

For Tilly Farriday, it isn’t turning out to be the happiest season of all. Newly divorced, no place to live and a car that is on the fritz, she just needs a break. She does have great job. She is the manager for a property rental group and is living in one of the empty homes. Not forever just until the new year when her new apartment is available. It seems like she just might make it until then, that is until George, comes to her ready to sell his uncles home. His uncle has died and George and his sister and cousin, want to get the house ready to sell and George volunteered to get it done. George, puts a damper in Tilly’s housing crisis and she isn’t sure what to do. This was a very cute, holiday read. Tilly & George, both need a break from their current lives and it seems possible they might get that wish for Christmas. I love a good RomCom/Holiday read and Holiday Hideaway, didn’t disappoint. Mary Kay Andrews, knows how to combine romance/comedy and the holidays like no other. I want to thank Netgalley, the author & Amazon Original Stories for my copy, for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this story. The holidays are a busy time and this story made it easy to take a break from their bustle and relax.

Thanks to the publisher for this ARC - this was a quick, feel-good read. I didn't really get much holiday vibes from this short but I still enjoyed it.

Thank you to Amazon stories, netgalley and Whodunnit. I love Mary Kay Andrews and her stories. This was a short story I was waiting to read it during the holiday months however it did not have enough of a holiday story. However it was short and enjoyable. A secret cabin in the woods is the perfect escape for a local guy to go back to after he graduates high school. He is a person who makes a lot of money who doesn't want to associate with the wealthy so he hides in his cabin. He escapes to his cabin where his former classmates is hiding in his cabin.