Holiday Hideaway is a delightfully delicious addition to Mary Kay Andrews portfolio. Tilly and her dog Smooch are occupying the wreck of an abandoned house that George has come to sell after the death of his grandfather. This is a short story that features a humorous reacquainting of two old high school friends during a difficult period for each. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this story from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Holiday Hideaway is a fun, small town, coming home, holiday romance novella. Giving this four shining stars because despite being a short story, there was enough plot, back story, and conflict. I love how Tilly and George's characters go back to their high school memories, I just mostly wish there was more history behind their attraction to give their second chance more weight. Hehe, but the banter was cute, and George singing for Tilly after singing for no one else for years, has my whole heart.

All in all, it's a good holiday romance read. 🎄

Thank you author Mary Kay Andrews and Netgalley. 𖹭

Tilly is broke. She's recently been divorced and lost everything in the divorce. Her apartment isn't available yet so she's squatting in a falling-apart mansion on the waterfront in Maine. Her company does vacation rentals and the place hasn't had a single rental in over a year. So no one will notice, right? Especially at the Christmas holidays. Well, except for the rich guy who just inherited it and decided that the timing was perfect to start renovations so that he and his cousins could sell it.

Tilly is hiding out in the cold attic with her elderly dog because she has no where else to go.

This is a very fun and sweet Christmas story. Anyone can read it and enjoy.

Holiday Hideaway was a really fun and romantic short read! I loved how the storyline went, it brought a smile to my face and happiness to my heart. I did feel that it ended rather abruptly though which was a little disappointing. I think Mary Kay Andrews really rushed the couples relationship in the end but perhaps she was only permitted to use so many words for it to be considered a short story. I’m not sure but it was very enjoyable to read and every once in a while it’s nice to get a good short story to pass the time. I’m giving this a 4 star rating.

What a cute Christmas romance short story. Great character development in just 50 pages. Really enjoyed it.

Mary Kay Andrews always delivers! Holiday Hideaway, an Amazon short story, will be released on October 24, 2024. It’s a charming little rom-com perfect for the holiday season!

Smoosh is adorable, and I loved the moments he was mentioned in the story!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews and Amazon Original stories for advanced access to Hidden Hideaways in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date- Oct 29 2024
#HolidayHideaway #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this short story. Great Christmas story! I love Mary Kay Andrews writing and this was great as usual.

It's a little early for a Christmas story but I discovered this short read while I was in between books so I plunged in.

Typical MKA style. Easy to read and fun. Perhaps a little more humorous than usual. It’s predictable and enjoyable, maybe even a little corny. This story could go straight from print to a Hallmark Movie. Like a Hallmark movie, it's not over until they kiss! But, it's all in a good way.

It was a great diversion from other books. And, it made me smile.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

The synopsis for this short story made it seem like a delightful holiday romcom, but the only holiday spirit came in the form of two Christmas trees and a passing nod to the calendar. I have enjoyed many of the author’s novels and was disappointed in the superficial tone of the story, the stereotypical characters, and the rushed romance based on high school crushes of twenty years ago. In terms of seasonal literature, this is a pass for me.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Thank you to May Kay Andrews, NetGalley and Amazon Orignal Stories for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author and I LOVED it! From the first page I was immediately in love with the slightly quirky FMC and wanted to learn more about what on earth she was doing squatting in a random house over the holidays!

The story moved at a great pace and despite it being a short story, all the details were well fleshed out to make it feel like a complete story - not too fast or slow, just the right amount of detail to answer all the questions that pop up along the way!

This short story would make a great addition to anyone's holiday reading TBR, it's light, heartwarming and at some points even funny! Highly recommend for this up coming holiday season!

I will be looking forward to reading more from this author in the future!

I absolutely adored this short story. Mary Kay Andrews is an icon and I loved every moment of this book. It’s unfortunately not a full length novel but it easily could be. I liked the main characters and their history together. I’d love to read more about them and how they would restore the historical home. There is so much potential but it was entertaining and has me excited about the upcoming Christmas season.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Loved this short rom-com. MKA always gives me beach and Christmas feels. I would love to have a longer version of this story, but it was perfect for a lunch time read.

This was a cute holiday novella that had me cracking up. A nice pallet cleanser, and the perfect quick read if you’re looking for something light.

Mary Kay Andrews is the queen of beach reads but she's quickly becoming the queen of Christmas stories as well. While this short story is a slight departure from her novellas it's still just as cozy and heartwarming as the others. It moved pretty well throughout but the end did seem a little abrupt. Maybe it was so good it left me wanting more.
I gave it three stars for the abrupt ending and it just didn't feel as fully developed as her other works. I'm new to shorts so that could just be me. I missed her quirky cast of characters that she is known for. and the story had a few places where I thought the character could easily get out the predicament which pulled me out of the story. I thought the cover art was adorable and would snag most people looking for a fun Christmas read. All in all not bad for a quick cute story you could read in one day during the busy holidays.

I always love author Mary Kay Andrews holiday books, my fav being "Santa Suit" and although this is just a shortie, I really did enjoy it - wish it was longer & more tho! Many thanks to the publisher & Net Galley for my review copy

OMG this is PACKED with details and hard to believe that it's a short story. I can’t wait to see if Mary Kay Andrews writes a sequel for this story line.

Tilly just went through a divorced and was squatting in a rental home, not thinking anyone would come by since it hasn’t been rented all year. She never expected George Holloway to show up to the same house she was squatting in! What surprised Tilly the most was that she knew him from high school. They will help each other out through the Holidays and soon realize what they truly want for Christmas is each other.

The relationship that Tilly and George are building is sweet, funny, and a perfect blend.

Thank you Netgalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Mary Kay Andrews for this advance read.

─ 𝟑.𝟓 ★ 🐾🎄 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

ℋ𝑜𝓁𝒾𝒹𝒶𝓎 ℋ𝒾𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 by Mary Kay Andrews is a delightful and witty short story that I thoroughly enjoyed. What immediately drew me in was the cute little backstory between the two main characters—they share a history that made up for a sweet reunion, once they recognized each other from their past.

Adding to the charm of the story is the adorable dog named “Smoosh,” who steals the spotlight in many scenes, adding a playful and heartwarming element. The fact that the story is told from both the female and male main characters’ points of view makes it feel well-rounded, allowing us to connect with each of their perspectives.

The humor throughout is spot-on, especially in the text message exchanges between the two leads. These moments are sharp, funny, and add a modern touch to the romance. The witty banter between them kept me smiling, making this a light, feel-good read that’s perfect for the holiday season.

I only felt that the first 70% of the book was flowing very well, with a good pace, but then the author rushed it and I would’ve loved to get more of the backstory of the FMC and MMC during their school years and during the glee club, which is where they met.

Overall, Holiday Hideaway is a charming story that balances humor, romance, and a touch of nostalgia. Mary Kay Andrews packs a lot of heart into this short tale, making it a cute and quick escape.

Thanks to Netgalley, Amazon Short Stories and the author for the ARC! 🎄

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Cute!

Tilly Farriday (with her dog, Smoosh) has camped in one of the properties her company deals with. Being recently divorced, broke, and out of home doesn’t help with Christmas around the corner.
George Holloway wants nothing to do with the house inherited from a dead uncle. He arrives at the house to see what needs to be done to sell it. Moreover, George needs time away from his successful girlfriend, Vanessa, who is ready for a grand engagement.
Tilly becomes the hidden resident of the house as George plans to stay back for a few days. What kind of Christmas miracle can help them?
The story comes in the third-person POV of Tilly and George.

My Thoughts:
I’ve wanted to read the author’s works for a while, so this short story seemed like a good start. The main characters have some depth, which makes it easy to empathize with them.
The story is split into day-wise chapters, with some development occurring each day.
Since everything takes place in less than 50 pages and the initial setup takes around 35% of the book, the ending feels rushed.
It appears to be a standalone, but I won’t be surprised if there’s a series with the setting. If there isn’t, it's time to write one, author!
There is not much to say except that the story does what it should do. No romance as such, though. Just some banter. Squeaky clean.
To summarize, Holiday Hideaway is a short and cute story about two people becoming unexpected housemates, even if one of them doesn’t know of the other’s presence.
Thank you, NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

What a cute story and now I want more George and Tilly!!!

I love everything MKA writes and this short story is just what I needed. Sweet, funny with the typical MKA wit!!!

Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories for the chance to read and review this cute cute story!!!

A short holiday romance to get you in the Christmas mood. Tilly and George were comfortable characters that you hoped would get together. Add in a cute dog and you goer a good story.