This book was so good it's a short Christmas book about these people that got stuck together for the holidays and it's really great and in a short read

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This was such a delightful Christmas story. I would love to have another part of it.

During the holiday season, readers who don’t have as much time to read should consider Christmas-themed short stories and novellas. Queen of Southern women’s fiction Mary Kay Andrews has crafted a story that has everything her readers have come to expect: a quirky heroine with a bit of a dilemma, snappy dialogue, and a swoon-worthy love interest.

“Holiday Hideaway” is the story of a squatter who is discovered by the new owner of the empty rental property just before Christmas. Tilly has no place to stay for a couple of weeks so she decides to camp out in what she assumes will be a vacant rental for which she is the agent. Then an attractive-looking guy shows up with keys in hand, and she runs for the attic with her dog and sleeping bag. What ensues is a comedic series of near misses and text exchanges before things take a turn and the two come face-to-face at last.

Told in alternating points of view, this holiday rom-com is a great way to spend a couple of hours. So grab a mug of your favorite holiday tea or coffee and curl up by the fireplace to enjoy this sweet tale available exclusively on Amazon Kindle and audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors, and here she gives us a charming holiday novella. The main character, Tilly, is recently divorced and broke. She works for a vacation rental property management company, and is temporarily squatting in one of the empty houses over Christmas. She’s sad to hear that one of the owner’s died, and is shocked when one of his (good looking, unmarried male) relatives shows up at the house. She flees to the attic but has a hard time keeping her presence a secret, especially after he gets very ill. It’s a good meet cute with a nice ending, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. This was a quick, less-than-an-hour read about a quick holiday detour.

This is my first official 2024 Christmas read and it was delightful. A story that worked as a short one. I find that usually either the character development or the plot suffers in a short story, but this one was complete. A little bit of Christmas, two likable characters that I rooted for and a reason they were thrown together.

It is charming and even smiled a little along the way. Such a great way to start my Christmas reads.

The perfect book to start holiday reading! A very heartwarming story that I didn’t want to end but also was the perfect length. No fillers. Kept me interested and engaged in the relationship that was developing. The characters were so likable and fun. I’m definitely in the holiday spirit now and ready to read more holiday themed books. Thanks Mary Kay Andrews for another 5 star read!

Was a cute quick read. I thought it would be very Christmas-y and it wasn’t. Usually I wouldn’t mind but I was reading still in October. Ha.

I thought this was a cute little short story to read during the holiday season to get me in the Christmas mood. I don’t have much to say since it is a short story, other than that if this ever turned into a full novel, I would be very intrigued to see where Tilly and George go from here!

A fixer upper, a flighty heroine, a handsome homeowner, and a sweet little dog. This short story from Mary Kay Andrews is a holiday treat you can gobble up in one sitting.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Is your time limited, but you are yearning for a holiday romance that hits the spot? Give yourself a couple of hours and a warm drink...just enough time to devour this sweet read by Mary Kay Andrews.

Tilly is a breath of fresh air! She's down on her luck and finds herself in a very tricky situation, which brings an element of humor to this story. George has to return to a place full of childhood memories, yet this time with an added responsibility. However, this family obligation provides him with the chance to temporarily escape his current life and contemplate his next steps. Trust me. A lot can happen in a few short pages!

In my view, short stories are hit or miss, but I found this one to hold more weight to tip it over to the "hit" side. Parts of the story come together way too fast, feeling a little disjointed, but overall it is quite charming. It's the kind of charming that will go well with a hot chocolate adorned with a candy cane. For those who prefer more of a closed door romance, Holiday Hideaway will be your type of read.

Thank you Amazon Original Stories via NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are entirely my own. Now...Bring on the holiday season!

The cutest lil holiday short story!! This book was so cute and I would definitely love a full length novel on Tilly & George

MKA delivers in her classic style in this short holiday read. It was lighthearted with a comedy of errors as Tilly tries to elude George.
Tilly has found the perfect solution to her current dilemma-she’s been evicted because of her dog Smoosh, and her new place won’t be ready for two weeks, so she decides to stay in one of her companies vacant rental properties until her new place is ready. It’s been vacant for a year and it’s the holidays so no one is sure to be around. Then the owners great nephew appears out of the blue so Tilly hides in the attic and tries to figure out a way out of her situation, keeping in mind she has no where else to go. In the meantime, George’s things keep going missing as Tilly sneaks around downstairs and then runs back out of sight.
We soon find out that Tilly and George knew each other in high school and once George realizes that Tilly is hiding out upstairs, they are forced to deal with feelings both from the past and the present.
And easy breezy way to spend a couple of hours and fun holiday read.
Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

So, so cute. I felt like the ending was a little abrupt, but that can happen with novellas. I would have loved to see a little more of them stuck together in the house once it was revealed they knew eachother. Just a little more marinating.... but it was a fun cute holiday read I think people will enjoy.

This book is a perfect holiday rom-com! Tilly is down on her luck, hiding out in a house that technically isn’t hers, when the new owner, George, arrives early. Cue the hilarity as Tilly scrambles to stay out of sight, and George tries to figure out if he’s got a ghost, a squatter, or something else in his house. Their “meet-cute” is anything but smooth, but that’s what makes it so much fun! Lighthearted, funny, and with all the cozy Christmas vibes, this one’s a great pick if you’re in the mood for something festive and uplifting.

What a delightful novella!
MKA may be the Queen of Summer but this Christmas novella was so fun!
As Tilly, a realtor down on her luck, is squatting in one of her rentals, the owner arrives to stay! Hidden in the attic, she only needs a few weeks to get into her own apartment. What can go wrong? A great feel good story for the holidays!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Summer always starts with MKA and now I’m thinking Christmas does too!

Cute story about second chances!

I love a Mary Kay Andrews story, and this holiday novella is such a fun one! Tilly makes for a plucky heroine - she's down on her luck after an ugly divorce and has to resort to squatting in a vacant house that her employer manages. This brings the property's new owner, George Halloway, into her orbit. Except these characters have history and the way that situation develops is sweet. I do wish it was longer, but for a novella it was nicely done.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories for gifting me with an ARC to review! All opinions are my own.

This was a cute, quick holiday read. I always enjoy a book from Mary Kay Andrews and this was a fun one to help usher in the holiday season. Shorts can be difficult and despite that, this one felt fully formed and well-rounded. I’d love to read it as a full length novel because there was so much potential for depth and rich development, but for what it was, it was just enough to feel some attachment and affection for the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a totally fun short holiday romance! Tilly Farriday has been camping out at one of the rental homes. She is almost broke, lost the home that she shared with her now ex-husband and was forced from her apartment due to her dog, Smoosh. She just needed to last for two more weeks when her new rental would be available. Of course, that all sounded good, until it wasn’t. George Holloway has returned to his home town to repair and sell what was once his family home. He has no idea that Tilly is living there, now up in the attic. He has pressure from his almost fiancée to return in time for an event and thought that he could tackle some home repairs, until he couldn’t. Meeting Tilly again, the girl he remembers from high school Glee Club, will his visit to Crowe’s Nest be just the Christmas present he needed? A true joy! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)