I was not a fan on this holiday short story. Way too many plot holes and unrealistic things were happening throughout this book for me to keep me in the story. I don't think I will read from this author again

A fun quick romance at Christmas with a squatter and a home owner. A unique set-up and fast to read.

The Christmas Season is so busy that it’s the only time of the year that I don’t mind short stories. In fact, I make a point of looking for the shorter Christmas themes. They are wonderful for adding festive cheer to what can be a very stressful and anxiety ridden time. Holiday Hideaway by the very talented Mary Kay Andrews hits the mark for readers looking for a little escape from the frenzy of holiday.

Tilly and George were wonderful characters and Tilly’s dog, Smoosh, was a little bit of a scene stealer, but I love stories that feature dogs or cats prominently so even better. Tilly has been evicted from her apartment because of Smoosh (what a Scrooge!) and her new apartment won’t be ready until after the holiday. With absolutely nowhere else to go and no money for a hotel because of the deposits she had to pay on her new place, Tilly is squatting in one of the vacant properties her employer manages. No big deal, right? It won’t hurt anyone.

George and his siblings and cousin have inherited this house from their Great-Uncle Gus who is not so great and probably knew Tilly’s landlord on a first name basis. George arrives from Boston to assess the house and what needs to be done to make it sale ready, unaware that Tilly is hiding out in the attic. What ensues is so much fun and I thought these two were a hoot. The awesome thing is that they already know each other from high school but don’t realize right away. Unforeseen events force Tilly out of hiding and she’s worried that George will have her arrested for squatting and she will be fired and homeless for real, but I absolutely loved how this all played out.

This story is really short and can be read in a couple of hours. The pace is pretty fast but the reader will have no problem keeping up and will likely be surprised when it’s all over. I would love to see this author revisit Tilly, George and Smoosh in the future.

My Final Verdict: Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers who love Christmas themes, lots of snow, festive cheer and dogs. Squatting in vacant houses is not recommended but putting on fuzzy socks and sipping eggnog by the fireplace while reading this book is a must.

Thank you to the publisher, Amazon Original Stories, who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

This was quick, cute, and predictable. Basically exactly what I look for in. Mary Kay Andrew’s holiday novella!

Adorable! I wish the book was longer and would love to read about these characters again! This was my first Mary Kay Andrew’s book and it won’t be my last!

A cute quick holiday read. Semi Homeless property manager squatting in an empty rental, what could go wrong. Oh yeah the owner of the house passed away and the nephew in charge of fixing the place up to sell shows up randomly.
Small town feel, friends to romance, clean, wholesome. I really enjoyed this short read!

This was a fun and delightful short story. Never thought I’d read a squatter romance story. It was so creative and I enjoyed it, even though the ending felt a bit rushed.

I love Mary Kay Andrews but I don’t love short stories. Because of this, Holiday Hideaway was just a meh read for me.

Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.

Because this book is short, the action starts on page one and it was hilarious picturing all of Tilly’s antics to stay hidden. However, the romance occurred too quickly, there was nothing Christmassy about this, no emotions evoked while reading and the whole was over extremely fast. Overall, it was a fun little read but nothing exciting.

This is definitely one of my favorite novellas. With a short story, I usually struggle with character development and having enough time to become invested. That did NOT happen with this one.

I absolutely devoured HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY. It was 72 pages of pure delight. The situation the main character finds herself in was hilarious to me. I loved how Mary Kay Andrews makes it easy for the reader to root for a character so quickly. The FMC and MMC had such a fun dynamic and I could have read a much longer book with these two!

“Holiday Hideaway” is the most fun Christmas novella that can be read in one sitting! Tilly, recently divorced and temporarily homeless, is squatting in one of the coastal homes that she manages for the rental company she works for. George returns to his deceased uncle’s home during the Christmas season to fix it up and list it for sale. Unbeknownst to both of them, this is the same house and Tilly must sneak around undiscovered. George senses something is off with mysterious noises and missing items around the house. This story is so cute and funny! I loved seeing these two long lost high school friends reconnect in a silly Christmas story!

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book was so cute! I loved it!! Sometimes it's hard to get character depth and a realistic love story when it's a short story but this was done perfectly. Another 5 star Christmas read by Mary Kay Andrews.

Mary Kay Andrews creates characters that welcome the reader into the story in this book and in my opinion, all her books. I wondered “what will happen next?”, “ how will this dilemma be resolved?” and “who will be my favorite character? “ .
In other words, my questions kept me turning the pages.
In addition to great characters, THE HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY has all the holiday feels of childhood memories and small hometown nostalgia mixed with the effects of current day big city society. The characters’ conversations and thoughts had me smiling all through the book. I highly recommend this novella, especially to fans of Mary Kay Andrews. Mmmm… new readers, you will also become fans! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
You can order the e-book on Amazon.

This was a very cute holiday read. The story wrapped up nicely and kept me interested. It was the perfect story to keep my busy on a short flight.

Holiday Hideaway
A Short Story
by Mary Kay Andrews
Holiday Hideaway is the perfect short story to pick up as a seasonal quick read. It had the some of the “cheesy” characteristics of a Hallmark movie, but it was an enjoyable read and just what I needed to keep me engaged.
Thanks to Amazon Short Stories for access to this eARC.

This is such a cute holiday novella!
It's the perfect thing to get you in the Christmas mood!
It was a super quick read, which I liked.
It was a perfect mix of humor, romance, and Christmas spirt!
Would definitely recommend it!

📚: Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews
⭐️: 3.5/5 (rounding up on #goodreads)

Tilly’s a bit down on her luck. Recently divorced. Her landlord kicked her out because of her lovable dog, Smoosh. With nowhere to stay until her new lease starts in January, she finds herself squatting at a rental property she manages that doesn’t have a holiday booking. That is, until a car pulls into the driveway and a *very* handsome man unexpectedly arrives.

A sweet holiday short story that is laugh-out-loud funny at times with a quaint New England setting. Well paced for ~75% and then the conclusion hits whiplash quick. A bit more time to pace out the ending would have done well for this.

Thanks to Amazon Short Stories via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Holiday Hideaway is out now!

A quick and easy holiday read. I really enjoyed Tilly and the messes she kept getting herself into. It was fun and cut without being too over the top. Simply put, enjoyable, predictable and just what the doctor ordered

A cute holiday romance short story. Tilly and George are both facing some challenges and the way they are thrown together during a winter storm ensures some forced proximity that enhances their chemistry.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is a cute short book that takes place around Christmas. I like all the characters and the story line. If you want a quick easy holiday read this book is for you.

A fun silly short story for Christmas, the plot line is perfect for a straight to streaming hallmark special and the characters to match. Definitely worth the quick read.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!