Come on, it’s a Christmas book and it’s MKA! What else do you need? She always hits it out of the park and is highly entertaining with warm characters that you fall in love with immediate! Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

I have always loved Mary Kay Andrews' books. They are like a big surge of dopamine. The "southernisms" in there remind me of family traditions or sayings I have heard all my life when my mom and aunts are gossiping. It is basically like a big hug from home, in book form.

I was surprised to find out this book was taking place in the *gasp* Northern part of the United States, New York City no less. Have no fear, her usual charm is woven through these pages as the Tolliver siblings take on the Big Apple. The down-home feeling is woven through the characters of the NYC neighborhood. I enjoyed every surprise, obstacle, and new friend made, right down to the end where our joyful anticipation is satisfied with a Big Red Bow of an ending.

Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints!! This was a great read, I highly recommend! A perfect Christmas read with great lovable characters.

It’s time for the Tollivers to travel to their corner in New York City to sell their home grown Christmas trees. This year is different as daughter, Kerry, and her out of sorts (all the time) step brother, Murphy, need to make the trip as their father is ill. Kerry doesn’t want to go. She likes staying at home. Besides, she is sure she will be bored and cold. Mary Kay Andrews books never disappoint and her Christmas book is just one more reason why curling up with one of her books no matter the season is a treat. Enjoy this wonderful book to find out how Kerry overcomes some obstacles and decides New York City can become a very warm and special place after all. .I received an early copy of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. This review is my honest opinion.

The first holiday book of the season! You can’t go wrong with a Mary Kay Andrews Christmas story. This was the perfect blend of rom-com, found family and childhood wonder. I loved the simplicity of the story and the warm feeling that it gave. A perfect holiday read. Of course, a little bit of inst-love didn’t hurt anyone at Christmas time.

This book did not disappoint! Christmas is not about the perfect gift, it's about all memories shared with loved ones, traditions, and making people feel important. Christmas always gives me a warm feeling. This book definitely gave me all the Christmas feels.

The Tollivers head to New York City from North Carolina every year to help her gruff older brother sell Christmas trees with his dog. It's an annual journey her brother makes with his father which they've been doing for decades. So when her father is unable to make it, Kerry goes to NYC and stays in a tiny vintage camper with her brother. There she meets an eclectic group of neighbors, including handsome Patrick and his dragon-loving son.

My thoughts: This was a warm hug of a story, perfect for the holidays. I loved the found family tropes and how Kerry slowly bonded with the neighbors, including an eccentric older man who helped her with her sketching. Slowly she bonds with the neighbors, including Patrick, and finds not only found family and the possible changes that she's been looking for. This was my first Mary Kay Adams story and it certainly won't be my last.

I received this ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review is entirely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

If you want to get in the holiday mood, just read this book! This is a sweet story of family, friendship, and love! I enjoyed every minute of reading it!

This story felt like a warm hug. I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the ending. Highly recommend.

Kerry and her brother Murphy head to New York City during the holiday season in order to sell Christmas trees from their family's farm. While there, they are staying together in a tiny trailer by their Christmas tree lot. Kerry is between jobs and uncertain about her future, but new friends and new opportunities are just around the corner.

This is a wonderful holiday tale about making friends and letting others help you. The characters are all endearing in their own way, even the grumpy Heinz. Kerry's romance with Patrick is a nice touch, but Patrick's son Austin steals the show. The broken-down trailer the siblings are staying in has a name--Spammy--and it is almost a character of its own. Their older friend, the irritable and closed-off Heinz, has a lot of secrets to tell, and his story is revealed in a heart-touching way. There are also hints of sabotage as someone is trying to keep Kerry and Murphy from selling their trees. The reader is immediately transported to New York City during the Christmas season, and the Christmas spirit is evident throughout the book. This is a fun and joyful holiday read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this holiday story. I received it as an ARC and even though I’m reading it in August, I truly wish I were on my couch huddled under blankets, with a fire going and snow flakes falling outside.
Kerry joins her brother Murphy (for her first time) on a trip to the West Village in NYC from NC to sell Christmas trees as he has done for years with their father. Kerry’s new involvement with the tree business shakes things up a bit and her relationships with people in the neighborhood are impactful beyond just the Christmas season.
I will recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweet holiday read.

Mary Kay Andrews delivers the magic and glitter of Christmas with this beautiful new Christmas book! I really adore her books - they always make me feel good.

Description:
When fall rolls around, it’s time for Kerry Tolliver to leave her family’s Christmas tree farm in the mountains of North Carolina for the wilds of New York City to help her gruff older brother & his dog, Queenie, sell the trees at the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. Sharing a tiny vintage camper and experiencing Manhattan for the first time, Kerry’s ready to try to carve out a new corner for herself.

In the weeks leading into Christmas, Kerry quickly becomes close with the charming neighbors who live near their stand. When an elderly neighbor goes missing, Kerry will need to combine her country know-how with her newly acquired New York knowledge to protect the new friends she’s come to think of as family,

And complicating everything is Patrick, a single dad raising his adorable, dragon-loving son Austin on this quirky block. Kerry and Patrick’s chemistry is undeniable, but what chance does this holiday romance really have?

My Thoughts:
You really can't go wrong with a Mary Kay Andrews book. She consistently delivers heart-warming plots and lovable characters. This book is really about family and friends which is what Christmas is all about. There is also some romance as well. The book follows Kerry Tolliver whose family has a Chrismas tree farm in North Carolina. It is mostly set in New York though, where she and her brother go to sell the Christmas trees - Kerry is filling in for her father, who has been ill. The adventure in New York is remarkable. Kerry and her brother Murphy meeting Patrick, a divorced Dad and his son Austin. I adored Austin, he is such a great character. I also loved how Kerry got involved in the community and the results of her involvement.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on September 26, 2023.

If you are looking for a quick, easy read, that is heavy on the holiday spirit, then this book is for you. I enjoyed the Christmas setting, the light romance, and the heartwarming story.

The Tolliver family has a Christmas tree farm and every year they set up a stand in New York City to sell their trees. What better location for the holiday spirit! Only this year their father is unable to go, so the tree stand and selling of trees is left to Kerry and her brother Murphy. It's been years since Kerry had helped to sell trees so she is seeing NYC with new eyes, especially since she's had some recent bad luck of losing her job. In NYC, Kerry's quickly met by several characters who live in the neighborhood, including Patrick and his son Austin, and a quirky old man Heinz. She develops some fast friendships and builds her relationship with her brother all while getting into the Christmas spirit.

While the plot wasn't new or fresh, it still found me quickly turning the pages and provided me with all the holiday feels. Definitely a story on the lighter side that will put a smile on your face.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

Very pleased I was able to get the early release of this book
I have the hardcover on order which will arrive next month
I absolutely loved this book
May Kay Andrew’s is a new author for me to read. I have only read The Homewreckers
But I love her style of writing
This book kept my attention. It was a wonderful story about family, finding love,
Caring about other people and a chance of hope with new friends.

4.5 stars

I received a complimentary Kindle e-book in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Mary Kay Edwards, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

This is the fourth or fifth book that I have read by Mary Kay Andrews, but most importantly the second Christmas book by her! She definitely knows how to write a great Christmas story. My only complaint was that I was reading this cozy novel while in the middle of a huge heatwave in Los Angeles. I would much rather read this on a rainy day with a roaring fire and a cup of tea. But, the book was GREAT and the weather not so much!!

I wish that I discovered Mary Kay Edwards sooner. She writes lovely books that are a joy and so much fun to read!! She writes great summer reads that are perfect by the beach or pool or in this case perfect for a cold Christmas-y day!! But don't wait until Christmas to read this book!!

Definite RECOMMEND

Thank you, NetGalley for this advanced copy of Bright Lights Big Christmas. A beautiful Christmas story about a brother and sister going to the NY City to sell the family Christmas trees and age d tradition. Watching them learning to work together and find their way through their relationship is a challenge for siblings who did not grow up together. Kerry learns about another side of her brother, Murphy. Add a small boy and his dad as a new love interest and the new friendship with an elderly gentleman who is trying to forget the past. Mary Kay Andrews hit it out of the park!

Thank you so much to St Martin's Press for the chance to read and review this book prior to release.

THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews is a Christmas story favorite and one I read in just a couple sittings, so I was so excited to get my hands on her new Christmas book! In true Mary Kay Andrews, this was a light and breezy read that could be enjoyed in a day or so.

This one wasn't very plot heavy so I was a little bored in the beginning and found the characters to be a little...less than interesting. I think for what it is, it was fun, but usually prefer a little more plot even in my holiday reads! There were still lots of heartwarming moments and I definitely had the "Hallmark* feeling a couple times though!

Fans of hers will still love this and I'm sure it will be a big hit this holiday season!

This book will be available for purchase on September 26th.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is a warm, cozy, heartwarming story about family and friendship. We get a front-row seat as a family gets closer and friendships bloom during one Christmas season in New York City. The characters were so likable and I was invested in a happy ending!

I'm not normally a person who enjoys a Christmas book in the warm summer months, but this one left me with all the warm fuzzy feels!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy.

MKA is such a favorite of mine, how could I not enjoy this brand new Christmas story. Kerry and Patrick are just to die for with his adorable son Austin in tow, you can’t help but get in the Christmas mood. I also wouldn’t mind a book two fully dedicated to Murphy!!!

4.5 ⭐️’s This hallmark “esque” story has everything needed to put you in the Christmas spirit. Completely charming, this was a dual read/listen. Kathleen McInerney has the perfect voice to bring Mary Kay Andrew’s books to life and this one was so real you could almost smell the Christmas trees and taste the hot chocolate🙂 A perfect, feel good story from an author that knows what Christmas is all about❣️Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for and ARC and ALC of this book.