Tilly has hit rock bottom, and at Christmas no less! Divorced and homeless she has resorted to squatting in a clients unrented rental home for a couple of weeks, Things don't seem like they can get much worse, but then one of the new owner's shows up - and she knows him! Now TIlly is not only squatting, but she is doing it in the attic in hiding while George, the new owner, eats her food downstairs. George himself is at a turning point in his life, and he is surprised to find some Christmas joy in his exchanges with his rental agent, Tilly. But then a Christmas miracle (?) happens, George falls off a ladder and Tilly is forced to rescue him. What could possibly go right when these two are forced together in close proximity for the holiday?

I ended up really enjoying this short story. You really grow to love the MC's and want the best for them. This was a refreshingly original Christmas story with Mary Kay Andrew's signature cozy and feel good romance. She magically is able to take a Hallmark-ish tale and make it more palatable, still sweet but not sickeningly so.

Because this is such a quick book, it jumps right into the story without you really knowing much about Tilly and it leads to a couple of cringey moments, what with her squatting in a clients house and all. It is a very fast plot, but rather than a HEA it is more of a Chance to be Happily Ever After. Making the story believable and that much more enjoyable.

I will always read anything by Mary Kay Andrews and this short story is a very good example as to why. She does non-spicy romance perfect by having such a great plot and making you feel like you are getting a warm hug at the end of the book. I am so glad that she has yet again delivered an enjoyable Christmas read that will make you believe in love and life again. I will be recommending this one far and wide, especially with the holidays coming up!

I recently read Mary Kay Andrews "Bright Lights, Big Christmas" and was excited to. get an ARC copy of this short story! It is a cute, witty, fun Christmas story that is a perfect read in between cookie batches. Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints!

I was looking for a light-hearted Christmas story, and this was exactly what I needed! This was such a fantastic holiday novella with humor, charm, and all the cozy vibes that make a Christmas romcom irresistible!

The story centers on Tilly, who’s going through a rough patch—recently divorced and, unfortunately, squatting in one of the properties she manages. When George, the new owner, shows up unexpectedly, Tilly’s attempts to stay hidden and dodge him are hilarious! The two have a surprising past connection, which makes their dynamic even more interesting.

The text exchanges between them are witty and fun, and I loved how both characters found themselves questioning where they’re headed in life. Tilly’s down-on-her-luck situation mixed with George’s own uncertainties made it easy to root for them. Plus, the cozy small-town setting made me feel like I was right there with them in the middle of a Christmas movie.

This is a perfect holiday romance with plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something sweet, uplifting, and just the right amount of magical for the holiday season!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A cute read but felt very predicable. I think this would have been great as a full length novel because it felt rushed. When Vanessa said "stranger" I felt the same way lol. Thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Short Stories and the author for the ARC :)!

Mary Kay Andrews is undoubtedly one of my favorite authors so of course I was wicked excited to see she had a new holiday book available. I loved the characters and the plot but my only disappointment was that it was too short. I wanted to know more! I definitely recommend though.

You can never go wrong with a holiday story by Mary Kay Andrews. This story had a very cute premise. Tilly is recently divorced and awaiting a move into her new apartment after being evicted from her last apartment for having a dog. What is she to do? It’s almost Christmas, her family lives out of town, and she has nowhere to go. Well, while her decision may have been rather unconventional, it worked out really well for a short story. As an employee of a property management company, she decided to squat in a property that hadn't been rented out in quite a while. Seemed logical to Tilly. What harm could it cause, right?

Well, when a family member shows up to check out the house and do the renovations needed in order to put the house on the market, this puts Tilly in quite a predicament and leaves her hiding up in the attic.

Holiday Hideaway was a cute, quick read. Yes, I will admit that I normally like to get to know the characters a bit better, and I am not a fan of insta-love, but I realize that this is a short story, and the story needs to move along at a good pace in order for it to feel complete. It is an hors d’oeuvre, after all, and not a full meal.

*3 Stars

A cute, sweet pre-Christmas story by Mary Kay Andrews! Tilly Farriday is struggling to get back on her feet after walking away from her 8 year marriage to the cheating, bully, local sheriff. She is unofficially and secretly staying in the vacant rental property that she manages for her job. But the new owner shows up, and she finds herself hiding so she doesn’t get caught. How will she get herself out of this situation? Holiday Hideaway is an amusing, adorable and quick read! Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the digital ARC.

Rating Edit: 2.5 stars

Okay so it's a sweet, little story. Something you can finish in one sitting. However, it's an insta-love story, and I am not a fan, and there's no real conflict in the story (even though it begins with a conflict). (Too me) It seemed too convenient, and kind of unimaginative.

Go for it if you are looking for a quick, light and engaging read. You might like the musical vibe, and there's a cute little dog.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Mary Kay Andrew’s does it again, this time with a short story. A nice, quick read.

Definitely worth picking it up.

This is a very good novella. Tilla works for Piney Point Vacation Rentals and finds herself with no place to stay until the first of the year. She decides to stay in one of the vacant rentals for a couple of weeks only to find the nephew of Uncle Gus showed up at the Crowe's Nest for the family to see what needed to be done to sell it. Tilly dodges him as much as she can for the first 24 hours as she receives several phone s from him about a car being parked there and other things. He catches Tilly there and then falls off the ladder trying to fix the roof. Tilly takes him to the hospital and Tilly takes care of him. In the meantime he has a girlfriend who is bothering him about getting back to Boston to attend a Gala and ignores her calls. They remember each other from high school and continue to get close. See what happens.

What a lovely and heartwarming little short story. I read it quickly as it was such an engaging story. This has all of the emotions that you look for in a holiday read and it is a wonderful way to spend a cold snowy afternoon reading.

This book is a balm for the soul. Mary Kay Andrews knows how to write a story with characters your root for, an ending you crave and, for the most part, plausible plot. Her Christmas novels are particularly good.

Holiday Hideaway is a novella so expect short and sweet. I read this in a few hours and know some of her readers will appreciate this as time can be hard to come by in Dec.

This was a fun Christmas read and the premise was really fun as well. Tilly and George have great chemistry and it was really funny how Tilly was squatting in the house while George was there and She thought that he didn’t know. It was a really fast get together but worked since they had history from when they were teens. All in all this was a great tiny Christmas read.

Thanks to Amazon Original Stories and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews is a short story. My biggest criticism of this piece is that it is a short story. I needed more. Tilly, recently divorced from her overbearing deputy sheriff husband had been kicked out of her apartment because of her dog. The one she wan’t supposed to have. So she was hiding in a vacation rental that never got rented. Until someone arrived. Had she rented it and forgotten? She picked up her dog and her stuff and ran up to the attic. George and his siblings and cousin had recently inherited this property and he had come to see what needed to be done to make it habitable. They played cat and mouse for a couple of days. The, he fell of the roof and she had to present herself to take him to the hospital.

Fun story. Old high school friends. He had matured very nicely. She had never matured. Very cute story. Passed by a little too quickly. Fun read for a cool afternoon.

I was invited to read Holiday Hideaway by Amazon Original Stories. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #AmazonOriginalStories #MaryKayAndrews #HolidayHideaway

Tilly, a property management company employee, finds herself squatting in the vacant Crowes Nest for the holidays with her dog, Smoosh. That is, until the house’s new owner shows up ready to flip the fixer upper and get it on the market. While she’s hiding in the attic, Tilly realizes that she recognizes the owner from her past. Will the holiday magic rekindle old feelings?

This was a fun and festive holiday read. I really liked Tilly and Gus, and I was actually hoping for the characters to be a little more developed, because I thought they’d have very interesting backstories. Due to the length though, it didn’t get too in depth. That being said, this quick read brought all the wintery feel good vibes, and it definitely got me ready to kick off the Christmas season.

Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews, Amazon Original Stories, and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This festive story hits shelves 10/29!

Ok this was actually so cute! I sometimes have a hard time with novellas; I think they are super hard to get right, but Mary Kay did her thing here! 💃🏻
•
The setting was perfect and I could just picture it! Old neglected house at Christmas with the property manager stowed away upstairs when the deceased owner’s nephew shows up? Hilarious! 😆
•
A little home improvement mishap, a little high school nostalgia, a little Christmas cheer, and voila! A super charming holiday novella! Did they get together without much thought or planning and minimal conversation? Yup! 😂 But that’s a short story for you, and I think this one was done well!

Holiday Hideaway, A Short Story by Mary Kay Andrews is the most unique Christmas story you will ever read. Count on humor not horror in this story of hiding out in the attic of an empty rental until after the holidays by Tilly Farriday. Only about 60 pages or so, this is a delightful easy read for the busy holidays. Not too long, or too many characters to keep straight but with a wonderful conclusion. Just what you need to enjoy a little “me time” in an evening or a couple of days waiting in the line to pick up children from school. Be sure to check it out, you won’t be sorry.

Thank you to NetGallwy for this e- copy of Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrew’s in exchange for a honest review. This is another great holiday rom - com from Andrews which really spreads the Christmas spirit. Working for a realty company Tilly decides to squat at the late Gus Holloway beach house in Piney appoint not thinking anyone will show up during the holiday season . She has nowhere to stay since her apartment is not available for 2 weeks. When George Holloway from her high school days shows about as one of Gus’ heirs intent on fixing the property up for a quick sale., Tilly has to hide. Will George find her and will his secret crush in her be revealed? Read the book and find out.

this is a short, cute, Christmas story. Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints, love all of her books. I loved the story.

Rebound love looks good in this Christmas novella. Poor Tilly- she’s homeless and camping out at a vacant rental. But then George comes along, and well… holiday sparkle happens. If you want a light-hearted read for the holidays, consider this one!