Really cute Christmas story. A Santa suit can bring Christmas magic and romance. Mary Kay Andrews can write a wonderful Christmas book.
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Great Christmas story.... made me think of a Hallmark movie (in a good way).

This book has a woman who is learning to be on her own after a divorce. Moving to a new area and starting over. It's about friendship, finding love, and family.

I love Mary Kay Andrews books, and I loved this one too.

Mary Kay Andrews’, Santa Suit, is a delightful story about a new divorcee who has decided she needs a change in her life. Ivy decides that a new home would fill her void, while searching, she finds that one farmhouse for sale that she must have.
When Ivy arrives at the farmhouse, she is surprised that it is not quite what she was expecting. While checking out the inside of a closet, she discovers a beautiful Santa Suit and little does she know, this suit would change her, and others' lives forever.
The town expects Ivy to get involved in all their Christmas traditions, and she slowly, but reluctantly joins in and much to her surprise, starts to enjoy her participation. Ivy soon learns that the community is full of kind and caring individuals, including one special man.
I loved this book; it was a feel-good story with lots of love and warmth. And I believe it will become a Christmas Classic! I strongly recommend this book to anyone who likes to smile while reading!! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

I enjoyed this wholesome little Christmas story, though maybe not in September. It reminded me a lot of A Heartfelt Christmas Promise. I enjoyed Punkin very much and loved that he was actually a character and not just a one-time 'look I have a dog' appearance. I love when pets are actually part of the story because they are part of our lives! It was a sweet story of a big city woman moving to a small town and unraveling a town mystery in the process of making friends and maybe more. This was my first Mary Kay Andrews novel and it was exactly what I expected!

Super fast read. Very typical of a Hallmark Movie. I read it in one sitting.

Pros: Single (newly divorced) woman heading out on her own to do as she wants, Taking on a farmhouse in dis-repair and building a life in a city where she knew no one. Loved that! Good for her.

Cons: Commenting on women's bodies and how they eat. Gross. Stop. It's not ok.

I wish the characters were more developed and that the relationships had a little more substance to them. Also, the end was just too neat. I mean come on! I believe in kismet and serendipity but that was just a bit much.

The Santa Suit is a quick, cute read. It is essentially a holiday read that one could easily see being turned into a Hallmark movie.

The small-town setting is adorable. Ms. Andrews has infused in her novella everything you’d expect in a small, rural town: everyone knows your business and there are many interlocking pieces when it comes to the people and history of the town.

The light romance takes second place to the main character’s, Ivy Perkins, second start on life after a disastrous end to her marriage and business. Every character in this book plays a key role in the plot progression, and they are all charming. I was engaged in all the story threads, and very satisfied with the denouement.

From the queen of beach reads comes a short and sweet holiday story. Newly divorced Ivy Perkins and her dog Punkin move into an old farmhouse in a small town. The previous owners left behind plenty of belongings and mysteries for Ivy to unravel and she makes new friends (and finds new love) while doing so! Delightfully short and sweet, this is a must for your TBR list!

This novel is the perfect book to read around the Christmas holidays. It is the story of a newly divorced woman who wants a fresh start. Ivy moves to a small town, purchases a 100 year old farmhouse and begins her new life. Although Ivy has become jaded regarding Christmas, she finds herself becoming involved with the community. When she finds the Santa suit, life becomes interesting.
I would classify this book as chick lit. It concentrates on friendships and the small town comraderie. No chills, no thrills. Just a wholesome story that will make you believe in the magic of Christmas!

This was a sweet, romantic, feel good book that you will enjoy reading if you like stories about Christmas. I enjoyed the story that takes place in a town that I would enjoy living in.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is my second Christmas book for this year and it definitely has kicked in my Christmas spirit. Ivy Perkins is a recent divorcee purchaser of an old North Carolina farmhouse, sight unseen. Once she arrives, she realizes there is quite a bit more work to be done than she originally thought. Good thing her handsome real estate agent, Ezra Wheeler, is ready and willing to help by either doing things himself or bringing in the people with the particular skills needed. In going through some boxes left behind, Ivy finds a luxurious Santa Suit with a note written many decades ago by a young girl. This note starts her on a path to find the author of the note. Along the way, she meets locals and starts making friends in her new town. There was a completely unexpected twist toward the end that warmed my heart. This is a super sweet and fun holiday story that I'd highly recommend.

2.5 stars. I so wanted to love this Christmas story, but there were some things that rubbed me the wrong way and made it feel less-than-modern. I was annoyed that Phoebe was constantly obsessing over her weight and even refused to meet her online beau because she hadn't lost the last 10 pounds (nevermind that she looks nothing like the photo she sent him in the first place). In a book meant to be read at Christmas, the season of indulgence, this focus on weight and appearance felt out of place. I was also irked by the judgmental line in which women who send naked picture to strangers were referred to as "sickos." Finally, while many romcoms these days feature capable, independent women, Ivy seemed like a damsel in distress often in need of Ezra's help -- after stupidly buying a historic home without seeing it in person first.

And while I found the premise to be super intriguing, I didn't feel it was fleshed out enough. I never really understood why Ivy was so determined to learn more about the letter she found in the Santa suit and what happened to the child's father.

While there were some enjoyable moments -- like the cute dog, Ivy developing new friendships, and the quaint small-town atmosphere -- this book just hit me differently for whatever reason. I can see it appealing to some readers but, sadly, it was a bit of a miss for me.

This book is super cute and a quick read. All of the characters made me laugh and smile. There was even a sweet twist at the end that I never saw coming. I'd love a follow up to see what happens with Ivy and Ezra as well as Phoebe and Cody. You don't need to wait for Christmas to read this one!

What a great Christmas story! Ivy is newly divorced and starting over, she fell in love with a farmhouse online buying her dream "sight" unseen, just the pics. When she gets there, it's not quite the unpolished gem she thought she bought but needed a little more work than she figured. With a house full of the previous owners stuff, more fix-its then she counted on, celebrating Christmas is the last thing on her mind, but living in Santa Bob's house is taking on a whole new meaning. With a sexy friendly real-estate guy helping her out, new friends and a mystery around her house makes this an engaging story!

This light, cute story about a young woman who moves to a small town would be perfect for a Hallmark movie. While at times (especially at the beginning) the book relies on cliches, there is a little more depth to it than at first glance.

I enjoyed the overall way the author wove together various characters, but there were a few small details that left me disappointed (such as the seemingly throw-away remark about someone Jewish who loved Christmas, or how in such a small town there were people who knew "everyone" except the one person that mattered??!!). For that reason, I can not give it more than 3 stars as the editing should have caught some of these details.

I did enjoy reading it and I would probably enjoy the movie if made, as it would probably edit out or clarify some of the inconsistencies.

I received an ARC of this book as a reviewer for NetGalley.

The Santa Suit is a charming Christmas themed book that read like a Hallmark/Lifetime holiday movie. In need of a fresh start, recently divorced Ivy Perkins buys a quaint farmhouse in North Carolina sight unseen! When she arrives to The Four Roses she discovers that the previous occupants left behind a ton of old furniture and boxes. Upon going through everything to decide what to keep, donate, or toss, Ivy comes across a Santa suit with a child's note requesting Santa to bring home her dad from the Vietnam War. Ivy can't shake the need to find out what happened to the girl and her father and thus begins a small town mystery. Along the way we meet a cast of helpful community members, not the least of which is Ezra her real estate agent/handyman/potential love interest. I loved that Ivy got her groove back when it came to her career and helping out a local sweet shop.

This is my second Mary Kay Andrews book. Despite it's short length, I really enjoyed everything about the book. It gave me the warm and fuzzies and tied everything up nicely. I will happily recommend this as a holiday read to my friends. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy.

If you are looking for a very sweet Hallmark-esque Christmas romance, this could be just the ticket. Recently divorced Ivy moves to a small town in North Carolina and buys a run down farm sight unseen. She finds a Santa suit in the closet and its discovery comes to affect the rest of the story. It's a very quick read but satisfying and it took a turn at the end I was not expecting. I didn't feel like it was long enough to do enough real character development and the story certainly could have been fleshed out in several places. Overall, it will make you feel warm and fuzzy and in the holiday spirit.

A new book by author Mary Kay Andrews is always something to look forward to. And It’s never too early for a good Christmas story, especially one as sweet and touching and heart-warming as The Santa Suit. You’ll be baking cookies and singing Christmas carols by the time you have finished reading.

Newly divorced Ivy Perkins needs change, big change and right now. She’s lost her business, her husband and her best friend. She wants nothing more than to get out of town. So she buys a farmhouse called The Four Roses – sight unseen. With that name it has to be beautiful, idyllic, and perfect, right? Or it will be once she cleans out the floor-to-ceiling junk she discovers has been left by the previous family. Part of that junk, oops treasure, is a Santa Suit hidden away on a closet shelf, with a very intriguing note in the pocket.

As Ivy cleans up the house, meets her neighbors and becomes familiar with the town (including the oh-my-gorgeous real estate agent who sold her the house) she is drawn in by the community and starts to settle in and feel at home. Except for that darned note. Who wrote it? Was there a happy ending? What happened to the family?

Andrews fills this charming story with her usual likeable characters, tenderness and romance, and a good mystery to solve. There are connections and cross-connections and surprises, all delightful and believable.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for providing an advance copy of The Santa Suit via NetGalley for my reading pleasure and honest opinion. It is a must-read and will get you right into the holiday mood. Another solid winner from one of my favorite authors. All opinions are my own.

Ivy Perkins is starting over. Her first impulse is to get away and get away she did. Ivy bought a farmhouse sight unseen. As Ivy clears the clutter of the farmhouse, she finds this old Santa suit with a child's wish in the pocket. With a mystery to solve, Ivy sets out to discover if this child's wish actually came true or not. A wonderful holiday read by Mark Kay Andrews about mystery, family, small towns, and love. Just loved this book!

This seemed like a Hallmark Christmas movie in book form. Fun cute story. The farm setting was wonderful. The romance part was good and the mystery part was a fun tie in. The book was made by the characters.

The Santa Suit, by Mary Kay Andrews is an absolutely charming, full-storied novella about newly divorced, Ivy Perkins, who decides it’s time to remake her life and start over in rural North Carolina. She purchases a farmhouse, sight unseen, and discovers not only a house full of furniture, but a vintage Santa Suit in the attic, which seems to possess a kind of magical quality to it.

Curious about its providence, aided by a touching Santa note she discovers in the pocket, she begins a quest to find out what became of the young girl in the letter and her poignant request to Santa many years ago.

This story is a delightful, well-fleshed out story that contains so many elements that make it a truly a wonderful tale, and strikes the right balance of sweet, without being overly sappy and unbelievable. It has so many components to it: a bit of a mystery, a sweet older gentleman, an old Irish Setter, baby chicks, a romance, likeable characters, and Christmas spirit! And despite it being a novella, which is possibly a perfect length for the busy, festive season, the story has depth, and is meaningful and moving. This is my kind of Christmas story and was a true delight to read!