Due to a family illness, and unexpected events, I am very far behind in writing my reviews.I found my self reading one book after another without writing the review -- that was a big mistake. I really enjoyed this book, and I happily gave it 4 stars. It is another one I plan to include in an article or blog post about books related to Christmas.

3.75 rounded up.

I love a good Christmas story, but so many of them are cloying or insipid. A friend recommended this one to me, and she wasn’t wrong. My thanks go to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy.

Ivy is newly divorced, and she comes away from it with bruised feelings, but also money. Since she works from home, she has the choice to go anywhere, so she buys a farmhouse in a tiny town in North Carolina. She pays for it without ever seeing it in person, and it comes “as is.” At this point, I say, Welp, you’re in for it now, hon. And she is, sort of.

The realtor, Ezra, known locally as “The House Hunk,” has taken a shine to Ivy. He helps her with the heat; when she discovers that the old furniture is still there in the house, he and a friend cart it off for her, and when there’s a problem with her own furniture, he helps bring it all back in. And initially, she regards his attention as a nuisance, maybe even a stalker; but between the fine reputation he enjoys locally, and the number of times he helps her out of difficult situations, she gradually warms to him.

Ivy is a likable protagonist. She’s self-sufficient, but she isn’t cold. She sets about making friends right away. Her new bud, Phoebe, is in a state because she’s fallen in love with someone she met online, and has used a picture of someone else. Now the man Is coming to see her, and she’s panic-stricken. Other new friends include a local business person for whom she does some free, and very good, advertising, and a 96 year old man. Her dog, Punkin, goes everywhere with her, and she talks to him all the time, the way that some of us also do. When she needs assistance it’s because she doesn’t know the area, or because a job requires an extra set of hands, not because she is some helpless airhead. An engaging character indeed.

My rating reflects a couple of sloppy bits that the author and editor should have caught and dealt with immediately. They’re small, but they interrupt the magic, because they cause me to think about the two slackers rather than the story and characters. The first is when she offers Ezra coffee, but warns him that all she has is instant. Two paragraphs later, she is brewing the coffee. Oh, come on! Clean it up. A bit later, after Ezra and a friend have schlepped furniture in from the truck, he asks if she’s been out to play in the snow, and she tells him she doesn’t want to spoil its beauty. “It’s so beautiful, all that clean, untouched white.” And so I wonder: did they teleport the furniture indoors? Because otherwise, surely that snow would have been touched in a whole lot of places.

There are a couple of other inconsistencies, albeit smaller ones, and I am using a fair amount of ink to discuss problems that may seem trivial, but this is no debut author, this is a successful writer with a host of books in her repertoire, and she should know better.

The plot, on the other hand, is excellent. There was one development that I thought was obvious, but when I finished my eyeroll, I was surprised to see that she didn’t take it where I expected, and instead did something much better. I particularly like the way the romance unfolds, and the way that Ivy helps Phoebe out of her dilemma. There are other threads—involving a Santa suit, of course—that are equally delightful.

So, in spite of my complaints, I do recommend this charming, fluffy tale to you. It’s a mood elevator, and we can all use some of that. It’s for sale now.

I usually love Mary Kay Andrews so much, but this one fell short for me. There has been an annual publishing of Christmas novellas published by our favorite Beach Read authors, however they typically are rushed and are lackluster. I say this, just to note, that this is not the only book of this genre I feel this way about.

Ivy Perkins has just gotten divorced and she purchases a house, by just looking at pictures. When she gets there, she realizes this house needs a lot of love. The house is still furnished with a ton of junk. When she sets out to start cleaning it out she finds a beautiful Santa Suit and hidden inside a letter.

This sets up the premise of the story. Ivy is out to discover more about who wrote this letter and the man who wore the suit. Ivy meets the people of this small North Carolina town and learns valuable lessons of friendship and love.

The issue with this story is that ultimately it felt rushed and when it ended I was like, this is it. I am not panning this at all, but I wanted a little more substance. This will be a good back to read during the holiday craziness, when you do not have to put that much effort into a book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great book to kick off all the holiday reads for the season. You get the cozy, joyful, Christmas vibes along with an endearing story. Now I need a movie!

I loved this book. I am ready for it to be a Hallmark movie this Christmas. It has relatable, caring characters, each with a memorable story to tell. The storyline is engaging, full of feel good moments, and just heart pleasing moments. This book is a feel good, wishing for Christmas to come soon, story. I highly recommend it to everyone.

I fell in love with the main character.
This book was an easy read, and a pallet cleanser.
It is the typical MKA book. Comfy & Cozy.

The Santa Suit was just delightful! I saw someone compare it to the Hallmark movie vibe, and I agree- and I LOVE Hallmark holiday movies! The story was sweet and heart-warming and so enjoyable. I found it to be a quick, clean read and I think it would make a fantastic holiday gift.

The Santa Suit by Mark Kay Andrews published yesterday September 28th and it has got me feeling the Christmas Spirit.

I know I know, it’s not even October but you guys, this book is EVERYTHING!

I always say how much I love small town settings and this was exactly that. The perfect making for a Hallmark movie. The writing was perfection, the characters are divine, the mystery and romance were sweet as pie.

Buy this book and don’t hesitate to read it. It may not have all the steam of some of my favorite romances but this is sweet as chocolate and there’s even a cute candy store mentioned in the book. I just can’t get over how much I enjoyed reading this book. The Santa mystery, the newly formed friendships and love, the small town farmhouse charm, THE DOG! Mark Kay Andrews you have yourself a loyal fan! I am in awe with this quirky, cute, pepperminty Holiday cheerful read!

Loved this book. It may only be Sept. but I have some Christmas spirit. Really touches your heartstrings. Romance, friendship. Old houses, small town, found treasures, family history, old traditions, and lost family. COuld be the best holiday story of the year!.

Opening the first page of a new MKA book makes my heart happy! I’m kicking off my holiday reading with this short ‘n sweet, 224 paged little gem, The Santa Suit. My first holiday book of ‘21.

Ivy Perkins, along with her English setter Punkin, and chicks Ivy refers to as “the girls,” moves from Atlanta to North Carolina for a fresh new start after her divorce. Fulfilling her dream of owning an “older white farmhouse,” she buys sight unseen, a 106-year-old white farmhouse with a barn on two acres. She finds it needs a lot more work than she’d expected. She’s greeted by her realtor Ezra Wheeler who is not what she’d expected either. He’s not old but around her age, kind and overly helpful, and yes, very nice looking. When going through the previous owners things, she finds a red velvet Santa suit with a note in the pocket. The note is a mystery pulling at Ivy’s heartstrings. It leads Ivy on a hunt to see if the little girl who wrote the note to Santa, got her wish. The Santa Suit is an inspiring story of finding your creative spark, of friendship, bringing joy to others, and finding lost family and love in the most unexpected places. It’s a fun holiday novella full of Christmas spirit — I absolutely loved it!

*Thanks to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for kindly providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes you just need a book that doesn’t make too many demands of you: an uncomplicated plot, permeated with positive goodness, with characters that you like and want to be your friend, and a happy ending. In some circumstances, you might consider that boring or the author unsophisticated. But when it hits the spot, like the comfort food of books, it can be just what you need.

The Santa Suit is that book. Mary Kay Andrews is certainly capable of more meaty plots with a lot more going on, and I’ve read everything she’s written since discovering her sometime in the mid 2010s. But for a Christmas book and her second release of the year, it doesn’t need to be any more complicated than what she’s written in The Santa Suit: Divorcing marketing exec escapes to a small town with a charming farmhouse, meets a handsome helpful guy and makes new friends, the BFF and the lonely older gentleman, uses her marketing skills to save a beloved local business, brings some people in the community together, and everyone finds love and happiness in the end.

If you like and need this kind of book, now or to read over the holidays, then I highly recommend it. If you know you need more from a book, like sizzling sex (this was a “behind closed doors” setup) or some mystery in the plot, then this might be a little overly sweet for you (like the candy that the main character abhors — until she didn’t.) If you’re an MKA reader already, you’ll probably like this one.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is just a sweet Christmas story that I fell in love with.
Ivy Perkins is in need of a change after a divorce, buying a farmhouse that’s in need of love she makes the move from Atlanta to North Carolina.
In the house still full of furniture and belongings she finds a Santa suit, inside the pocket is a letter from a little girl asking to bring her dad home from the war.
This letter will bring so many people together is such a beautiful way it filled my heart!
Of course there’s a little romance in the air with Ivy’s real estate agent Ezra Wheeler who also happens to help her out with some projects.
The characters are wonderful, this is just the book to put you in the Christmas spirit!
-5 Stars-

The Santa Suit is everything I love in a Christmas romance! Sweet, swoony and with a touch of that Christmas magic to get you into a holiday spirit any time of year.



“…she wasn’t looking for romance. Not interested in falling in love again. For Ivy, being in love meant being vulnerable to pain and betrayal. And that, she’d had quite enough of, thank you very much.”



Ivy was more of a prickly cactus at the start of this story, but the old farmhouse and its neighbors helped soften up her edges.



There is a little bit of a mystery to the story as Ivy tries to discover the author of a letter to Santa that she finds in the pocket of a Santa suit tucked away in the closet of the ‘fixer-upper’ home she moves into.

I absolutely loved this story and plan to make it a regular reread during Christmas holiday times. #NetGalley

-5 Stars-

3.5 rounded up. Following a painful divorce, Ivy sets out to create a new life for herself. She moves to a new town, buys a farm house, site unseen, and tries to regroup. When she arrives, she discovers a Santa suit with a note in it and she tries to find the owner of the note with the help of fellow townspeople.

This was a feel good story. It's a novella so it was a quick read and I could see this being a Hallmark Christmas movie. I liked the characters and the mystery.

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews and St Martins Press for the copy of The Santa Suit. This is my personal review.
Ivy has just gotten a divorce and she wants a change in her life. She decides to buy a farmhouse without ever seeing it. When she arrives at her new home it is not exactly what she expected, there is a lot repairs to do but she knows she can do it. The Four Roses as the home is called will be what she saw in her mind with these repairs.
While cleaning out the house she finds a Santa Suit. Little did she realize this Santa suit would change her life.
This book was a short, wonderful holiday, family, friends, romance, small town adventure.
Thank you Mary Kay Andrews for giving me this little bit of happiness to my day!

4 cute Christmas stars

This story came along at the perfect time for me, even though I read it outside the Christmas season. Our main character, Ivy Perkins, just made it out of a divorce in Atlanta, and she has bought a farmhouse, sight unseen in North Carolina.

She arrives (along with her cute dog) to discover a sagging porch, a sticky door lock, and lots of leftover belongings from the previous owners. The selling agent, Ezra, turns out to be helpful in getting several fix-it-up projects going and he’s interested in more than the house!

Ivy finally gets her creative juices back and helps a local business out and starts to become part of the community. As she continues to work on her farmhouse, she uncovers a gorgeous Santa suit and a mysterious note still in the pocket. Turns out the previous owners acted as Mr. and Mrs. Claus for years in the town. Ivy digs into the past to try to uncover the truth behind the note.

This was a sweet story that I enjoyed reading. It may have been a tad predictable, but I didn’t mind that a bit!

What a fun, refreshing, nostalgic story that provided fond memories of Christmas and sitting on Santa's lap. I liked how this book made me smile and brought back the magic of Christmas. Ivy was such a special character and I enjoyed learning more about her and the Four Roses Farm that she bought, sight unseen. I really enjoyed the magic of the Santa suit and Mrs. Claus' suit and the beautiful ending to the story. The characters were so wonderful and adorable that they immediately pulled me into the Christmas spirit while I was reading. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

4 Tis The Season Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Oh, we are hardly into Fall and the start of the Holiday season has arrived. This is a sweet book about someone who has had some hard emotional knocks and decides to start over on her own. She purchases a farmhouse seen only on the net and beliving the pictures are true.

Surprise, surprise, the farmhouse is not exactly in the shape she thought. Not to be disappointed, she will take charge, fix things up and make it happen the way she wants. She brought her own chickens, so she is there for good.

The real turning point in the story is the discovery of a beautiful Santa Suit that has a child's letter and wish. This becomes her driving force in dealing with the town, her farm, and the people she meets.

After her divorce Ivy is looking for a fresh start and decides that now is the perfect time to purchase the farmhouse she always dreamed about. When she shows up at her new home, she encounters a few surprises as not only does the home need more repairs than she thought but the previous owners left all their belongings behind.

Ezra is not only her neighbour but the man who sold her the house. He feels bad that she didn’t know the true situation, so he steps in to help her not only organize the house but with some of the renovations as well. When Ivy finds a heart wrenching note in a Santa suit it sends her down a path that not only allows her to find love but the magic of the holiday season as well.

I really enjoyed the friendships she developed with the town residents as well as how the puzzle behind the note was solved and this uplifting story is sure to leave you with a smile on your face.

Ivy has just moved from Atlanta to a rural town, buying the house site unseen. Fortunately she meets a hunky real estate agent, a female clerk who know how to use power tools and a 93-year-old who needs a family. A delightful Christmas read.