So sad to write this but this was a DNF for me. I love MKA but this one was a bust. The characters were annoying and there was no depth to the characters or storyline.

Kerry is headed to New York City to help her older brother and his dog, Queenie, sell trees from the family tree stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. She is sharing a small camper with her brother, while experiencing Manhattan for the first time, and Kerry is ready to create a new life for herself.

While selling trees, Kerry becomes close with the neighbors who live near their stand, including Patrick and his son Austin. When an elderly man goes missing, the group band together to help look for him.

This was such a fun and cute holiday read. I really enjoyed the characters and story. It was the perfect little Hallmark-like book.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute books that adds the humor in true MKA fashion. Makes you feel all the holiday cheer. I liked the brother/sister relationship and also the father/son relationship.

Thank you, Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for the gifted e-book/audiobook! ❤️ #gifted. My review is comprised of my honest thoughts.

Read this book if you like: Light reads

This was cute and wholesome. I'm just not quite sure how much it stood out for me. I did like it.

Loved it. Super cute story about hope and second chances, if only you stop to smell the pine trees in this case. The author's supporting characters enhance this story so much. Anytime you throw in a cute precocious kid, a pet and an ornery old person, and then weave a magical tale at Christmas time, you will have a hit on your hands.

5 stars!! I enjoyed the author's "Santa Suit" a while back, so thought I'd try this one too - just what I needed after some dark & heavy reads! A perfect, "Hallmark movie" really"feel-good" holiday book set on a NYC Christmas Tree lot! Loved the "found family" neighborhood vibes! Enjoyed & recommend it highly. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC, it's my pleasure to review it

The Tolliver's are Christmas tree farmers living in North Carolina. Every year they cart their trees to New York and make a nice profit. This year their dad is sick and can't go, siblings Kerry and Murphy are tasked to do it this year. Traveling in "Spammy", an old vintage camper they set up the family stand on a corner in Greenwich Village. While there they meet the neighborhood, quite the eclectic group of people. The neighbors are charming and enjoy the fast-paced Manhattan lifestyle. I enjoyed meeting single dad, Patrick, and his son, Austin. A slow burn romance starts but will anything come of it in the short time they are at the tree lot?
Heartwarming, MKA does it again, writing a hard to put down book tugging at your heartstrings. Old man Heinz was my favorite character and I enjoyed seeing the character development. He is hiding a secret but it's wonderful seeing how he opens up to Kerry as he comes to trust her and lets her care for him. A little bit of Christmas magic comes alive in this book.

Pub Date 26 Sep 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints! This read was cozy and delightful! Lots of feel-good moments in this Hallmark type story!

Well, this was an adorable holiday themed read! Sometimes holiday themed books can be over the top, but I really enjoyed that this one was holiday but not over the top Christmas-y even though it was about a Christmas tree farm! I thought the plot line was really adorable and unique compared to some other holiday books! I loved curling up reading this one by my tree and it made me so excited for the holidays. As always, MKA never disappoints and this was another great read filled with likable characters!

Love a good christmas book by MKA! I really enjoyed this book. I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this advanced copy.

Bright Lights, Big Christmas is the perfect holiday read! It takes place on the Tolliver family’s Christmas tree stand in NYC. Their Christmas tree farm is in NC, so this story has a big city setting with a small town feel.

I liked the main female character, Kerry. She has a big heart and is trying to find her way in life. However, Murphy, her brother, is an insufferable pain in the ass. His story (assuming there will be one) will have quite the character arc I’m sure, but he was way too grumpy (with not enough redeeming qualities) for me to like him. But I adored his English Setter, Queenie!!

I didn’t love the romance between Kerry and Patrick. I love their characters, but the emotional and physical connection fell flat for me. I did like the shared custody arrangement he had with his ex wife and how they handled co-parenting their son, Austin.

Then, there’s Heinz. The grumpy, old man of the bunch who wandered into their lives and was adopted first by the dog, Queenie, and then by the young boy, Austin. What’s his story? Is he homeless? Does he have family? By the end of the story you learn the answer to those questions, but I would absolutely love to hear his story from his point of view.

That leads me to my favorite part of the book. I loved the found family theme, and even though Kerry’s “real family” is front and center on the page, she seemed to have way more connection to her found family in comparison to the blood relatives. The friendship between Kerry, Austin, Queenie, and Heinz is perfection! They are the most random group of individuals and yet they are family. They take care of each other, and it’s so beautiful!

This is my first Mary Kay Andrews book but it will not be my last! I highly recommend this one to bring your soul a little bit of joy.

Mary Kay! I love her! I am so in love with this book! Mary is a total auto buy for me, so even if I receive a free, advanced copy, which I am so appreciative of cause I have no patience and need my Mary Fix! I also share all of my books in my own Little Free Library as I am a steward so sometimes I pick up two copies! This was such a good book. Great story, I could feel the holiday in the air, city vibes and all!

This was an entertainingholiday romance I liked the plot and the characters were a lot of fun. Very much recommend this book.

This reads just like a wonderful Hallmark Christmas movie. The characters were amazing and the story drew me in.

A heart-warming and festive holiday book to get the new year started. My first book I finished in 2024 and also my first read by Mary Kay Andrews.

I fell in love with the Tolliver Christmas Tree Stand from North Carolina that sets up shop every year in a New York City neighborhood. The tree stand is run by Kerry, her brother Murphy and his dog Queenie. They stay in a vintage camper, affectionally known as Spammy. The camper itself feels like one of the characters. Speaking of characters, what a wonderful cast of people in this book. There’s family and neighborhood drama, along with some holiday romance.

What I enjoyed most about this book was the joyous feeling of the holiday season and people coming together. Bright Lights, Big Christmas will get you in the holiday spirit any time of year.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #BrightLightsBigChristmas

I love Christmas books but I only read two this year. 😭

I adored Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews. MKA’s books are always sweet and heartwarming.

I’m not sure how she took a book set in New York City and made it feel like a small town romance but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Loved the characters, the setting, and the story. 🎄🎅🏻❤️

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Kerry, her older brother Murphy, and his dog live in a vintage camper on a New York City corner and sell Christmas trees from their family’s farm in North Carolina to the neighborhood. Kerry becomes close to several neighbors - single dad Patrick, his son Austin, elderly neighbor Heinz to name a few.

For my first Christmas book of the season, I listened to Bright Lights, Big City on audiobook. I really enjoyed this, and it was perfect to get me into the holiday spirit (in October)! There is a romance (or two), some family drama, a small mystery, and the Christmas magic you normally find in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Such a fun read for Christmas! I loved this book so much. If you are in need of a winter romance book. This is the book for you. Mary Kay Andrews did a wonderful job writing this holiday romance. The perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit.

The writing is solid, creating a vivid atmosphere, but the plot is a mix of captivating moments and predictability. Characters are well-developed, though some lack depth. Pacing fluctuates, making it a decent but not outstanding read.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is not something I would have normally chosen for myself, but I knew it would be something my library patrons would love so I gave it a chance! I’m so glad I did! This book was like a big cozy hug, and the perfect slice of life Christmas story. I loved the relationships, both familial and romantic, the setting of New York during Christmas time, and the Hallmark movie vibes.