I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for allowing me to read and review The Santa

After a nasty divorce Ivy Perkins, along with her dog, Punkin, wants a new start and a new location. She finds an old farmhouse and buys it without actually seeing it in person. When she arrives, she realizes that she has a real fixer-upper. Ezra, who was the listing agent, is waiting to give her the keys. She keeps seeing the dollar signs add up as she tours the house, and quickly finds out she will need Ezra’s help, even though she is dead set against it. While cleaning out all of the stuff left in the house, she finds a very nice Santa suit, which starts her on a quest to solve a mystery. The suit, and the accompanying Mrs Claus outfit, take Ivy on a magical journey, helping people, bringing a family together, and even making Ivy’s life a lot more pleasant.

This was a delightful Christmas story which could be a Hallmark movie, except for some of the ‘racy’ parts.

The Santa Suit was completely enjoyable. I adored all the characters and how she pulled them all together in this small country town. No need to wait for Christmas to enjoy this book but it did center around Christmas and the holiday spirit of friends, family and neighbors. It was nice to read something smart and funny and just the tiny bit tearful. Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. A big thanks to NetGalley for an early reading in exchange for an honest review.

What an easy quick read to get you into the holiday spirit. Such an uplifting story by Mary Kay Andrews. If you’re a big fan of those Christmas movies on Hallmark and Lifetime, then you should read this novella. Ivy Perkins, newly divorced and kicked out of her PR firm, buys a farmhouse sight unseen to start life anew. She finds out that the house belonged to a couple that were huge on Christmas spirit and played Santa and Mrs. Claus for many years. While cleaning out a bedroom closet, she finds a Santa suit and inside one of the pockets is a note form a little girl asking for her dad to come home from the war. With nothing else to do while waiting for her furniture to be delivered, she begins the mission to find out about this girl and her dad. Her investigation leads her to new friendships and more. This is a fun, feel good story.

Once again, Mary Kay Andrews delivers! This was such a fun, lighthearted mystery. I would love to see more from this little NC town and it’s cast of characters.

Happy ending Christmas story read on a spring day makes me happy! Ivy is divorced and decides to start over in a quiet NC town in an old farmhouse bought on line. The previous owner leaves behind a Santa suit with s letter to Santa in the pocket. This leads her on a hunt to find the writer of the letter. A real feel good story.

Bring me all the Mary Kay Andrews books! I was so thrilled to receive an early copy of The Santa suit. A feel good story about Ivy and her animals relocating to an unseen farmhouse in North Carolina and meeting her hunky real estate agent! The house is not what she expected and the discovery of a beautiful Santa suite leads her to new friends and an exciting new project. Definitely will be a must read for the holiday season and will make the perfect gift my for my book club.

The newest MKA doesn’t disappoint! A super cute, quick read, add this to your TBR ASAP!

Ivy Perkins has just started a new season of life. Recently divorced and now unemployed, she’s packed her bags and headed to NC. She’s the new owner of an NC farm, known in the town for its Santa wearing owners. Disaster after disaster strikes but luckily her realtor Ezra Perkins steps in to help.

Ivy manages to settle in and make friends with many in the small town. She also stumbles upon a mystery that will take a little Christmas magic to solve.

Love, heartbreak, friendship, and second chances make this the perfect, cozy, holiday read. Grab your favorite pair of Christmas pajamas, crank up the carols, and settle in with this heartwarming tale of Christmas spirit.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the digital copy of this book prior to publication in exchange for my review. It was wonderful!

This is a magical, warm, cozy, story that I really adored!
I love Christmas books and this is one is perfect!
The message of friendship, strength, hope, love, and happiness are clearly sent by each character I met.
I truly would love to live in this old farmhouse and help get ready for the holiday season!
A wonderful, quick, novel! Merry Christmas to all!
Well done!

A fun story about a woman who buys an old farm in the mountains to heal after her divorce and realizes she has finally found peace and happiness.

Such a heartwarming story! A quick read that I could imagine being a Hallmark holiday movie! A perfect holiday read in front of a fire with a cozy blanket and cup of coco. Ivy makes it her mission to find out what happened to the author of a note she finds in an old Santa suit in the attic of a small town farmhouse she buys after her divorce. The cast of characters is completely lovable and although a predictable ending it’s the perfect feel good book!

This was a charming story about Ivy, a newly divorced woman, who buys a farmhouse sight unseen after her difficult divorce. She moves from big city Atlanta to a small rural town in North Carolina. In cleaning out the house Ivy finds a Santa suit that belonged to the previous owner accompanied by a letter to Santa where a young girl asks the Santa brings her dad hole from the war. That’s the bulk of the info in the letter. Ivy is smitten and is determined to locate the family in the letter.
Ivy meets people along the way and makes friends. She learns the previous owners of the farmhouse were really into Christmas as dressed as Sant and Mrs. Claus for the holiday. Ivy is also able to restart her business with some of the local merchants. All the while putting pieces together about the mysterious family in the letter to Santa and finding love again.
This is a great book to read if you like drama, love, Mary Kay Andrews, and books that take place in the south.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this Mary Kay Andrews book. I always enjoy her books, but usually think of her as a beach book author. This book had all the escapism of one of her beach books, but is sparkling with the magic of Christmas. Ivy is a fun character that adds to the charm as she restarts her life in the small town and gets caught up in its people and traditions. This is a pull-up a chair by the fire and pour a hot cocoa sweet romance.

Tarburton, NC - Present Day

Ivy Perkins, recently divorced, bought Four Roses Farm, sight unseen, over the internet. With her dog, Punkin, she's left Atlanta, carefree, and ready to get on with her life. Ivy has never done anything so spontaneous, possibly reckless, before, but still reeling from her ex-husband's affair with her friend, Ivy knew she needed to break free from everything, and that includes the marketing business she partnered with her ex. Somehow, she'll find work, but, in the meantime, Ivy intends to relax on her farm.

Upon arrival at Four Roses, Ivy is a bit stunned to discover that it's not quite the pristine house that was pictured online. And her realtor, Ezra Wheeler, is not the old codger she expected either. In fact, Ezra is, well, kind of hot. He presents her with her keys, making few apologies for the home's condition. Once inside, Ivy is dismayed to find that the previous owners left literally everything behind - furniture, clothing, you name it. It's while removing clothes from the closet that Ivy opens a box containing a beautifully made Santa suit. And inside the pocket is a note from a child asking Santa to bring her father home from the war. Curious, Ivy saves both the suit and the note, hoping to find out about Carlette, the little girl who wrote the note, and if her father came home.

Ivy's plans to relax go astray when Four Roses presents her with all sorts of challenges. She'll need to replace the windows, fix the lock on the front door, figure out how the heating system works, and build a chicken coop for the box of chicks she brought from Atlanta. While in town she meets Phoebe, a young woman who offers to help Ivy find who Carlette is. Ivy also discovers that Four Roses was known as the Christmas House, and residents she meets in town all ask her if she's going to decorate the place for the holiday? Ivy declines, much to their dismay. Her own history of Christmas isn't as merry as others.

THE SANTA SUIT is an engaging, heartwarming tale of someone starting a new life. Ivy learns quickly that Tarburton is a town that loves tradition, and her warm reception there begins to help her heal from her ex-husband's betrayal. Finding Carlette is something Ivy is determined to do, but, in the meantime, making new friends, possibly finding romance, and growing to love Four Roses keeps her life filled.

Don't miss this gem from Mary Kay Andrews, just in time for the holidays.

I received an ARC digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. She is finally back and this is MKA's book that I have been waiting for! I have come to realize that MKA has two sides to her writing personality and this is the side that I whole heartedly embrace. Her murder, crime side, I just do not don't end up falling in love with those books. Ivy and Ezra are worthy of a stand alone novel to continue their story line along. I even want Ivy's ex-husband and restaurant barbie wife to make an appearance in a future book. I can see the chickens and Punkin starring in their own children's books. I want to know what happens to Phoebe and Cody after Christmas. And Carlotta and Lawrence's reunion now that they finally found each other after all these years. Or does the candy shop survive after Christmas?

This is MKA at her best! She has set up a beautiful Southern town and a whole cast of characters that I want to visit again and again. I hope she makes the decision to continue writing about this little sleepy southern town. Older wiser character who mentors our heroine. Thrifting with mentions of Shiny Bright Christmas ornaments. I want the candy from the candy shop to actually exist. Her descriptions of the candy remind me of “Mint Snowball” by Naomi Shihab Nye and a bit from her own cookbook. Each character/couple has the potential to star in their own stand alone novel if she would decide to continue writing about this little town. Just like Heidi Swain's Wynbridge or Cathy Bramley's Derbyshire. MKA has created a hidden gem and there is so much potential with this cast of characters. Weezie and Bebe are hands down my favorite characters she has ever written but Ivy and Ezra would be my second.

Take a chance and buy this book. You will not regret it!

PS-I have already ordered a copy for my mom for her October birthday. Shhhhh - don't tell her:-)

A sweet and uplifting Chriatmas novella about a recent divorcee who buys an old farmhouse in a small town and gets swept into the local community. I am new to this author but really enjoyed the story and her style.

Mary Kay Andrews has done her usual, remarkable job of telling a good story with a few surprises. This Christmas story is sure to become a favorite. Thanks for the opportunity to read it.

I requested to read and review this book for free from St. Martin Publishing. Mary Kay Andrew's has created another win. This book has is light harded with some drama. Ivy is a women in need of a start over and she has found thd perfect town to do it in. Ezra realtor with the heart to help some. Phoebe is young at heart but a loyal friend, Mr. Jones is one of a kind. Punkin is loyal to fault. This plot has romance, mystery, drama, forgiveness. This book even though it takes place at Christmas time can be read anytime of the year. Can you find love again. How long is to long to hold onto hope. Can someone really start over? This book is for a mature reader.

What a wonderfully wholesome novella full of goodness, a generous dose of holiday spirit, and a sprinkling of self discovery! I love to read a seasonal book and The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews is one that I will keep on my shelf to re-read during the holidays or whenever I want a literary holiday pick me up. The book begins with a woman, Ivy, who travels from Atlanta and buys a farmhouse sight unseen in North Carolina in December. I enjoyed every page turn as she arrives at the house with her Red Setter, Punkin, and meets Ezra, her realtor who is not the old geezer she envisioned by any stretch. Ivy is solid. I won't spoil this delightful story, but will say that she makes a positive difference wherever she goes. I admire that quality in a character and champion Ms. Andrews for creating such a wonderful heroine. If you want a Christmas story to devour with a steaming cup of cocoa, this is the one for you! Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and Ms. Andrews for the opportunity to review this advanced copy.

How I love Mary Kay Andrews! From her first b00ks about Weezie in her Savannah Blues books up to this one, she just keeps getting better. This one centers on a young divorcee moving to a small North Carolina town to start life anew near Christmas, What she finds in an old farm house and the people she meets in her new town will bring laughter, tears and a feeling of good will to you. I was stuck in a chair with a bad back muscle strain while I read this and I swear, I feel better already! Kudos to this author.

This is an absolutely beautiful story of love I found myself smiling as I read along and the ending had me beaming with joy. A delightful storyline, loveable characters and a beautiful setting made this book a pleasure to read. There is nothing like feeling happy and content when you finish a book. A wonderful creation by this author.

Thanks to St Martin’s Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. A real treasure.