Publishers Weekly
07/24/2023
Andrews (The Santa Suit) serves up a Christmas treat in this sparkling tale. Kerry Tolliver has just been laid off from her advertising job in Charlotte, N.C., when she hears that her father, Jock, has suffered a heart attack. She joins her brother, Murphy, in New York City to pick up their family business selling Christmas trees. Camped out for the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas in their vintage trailer—dubbed “Spammy” for its resemblance to the canned meat tins—the siblings hawk their family’s trees to upscale New Yorkers on a corner in Greenwich Village. Despite a less-than-ideal first meeting, Kerry falls for divorced father Patrick McCaleb and his sweet six-year-old son, Austin. Soon, she’s making new friends in the neighborhood—including a mysterious elderly man, Heinz, who is hiding a significant secret. When the trees are gone, Kerry and Murphy are supposed to head back to North Carolina—but will they? Andrews is skillful at plotting and characterization, and here demonstrates that even major cities can have a small-town neighborhood feel. Exemplary supporting characters—especially the prickly Heinz, gruff but lovable Murphy, and sweet six-year-old Austin—round out the novel. Those looking for sweet and clean holiday stories will be delighted. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Andrews (The Santa Suit) serves up a Christmas treat in this sparkling tale." —Publishers Weekly
"Nobody owns Christmas like Santa's favorite novelist, Mary Kay Andrews. With wit, wisdom and the occasional tangle of tinsel, North Carolina native Kerry Tolliver reinvents her life as she sells Christmas trees from a beloved camper in the glittering heart of New York City. Grab the eggnog and the cookies and cozy up in Greenwich Village with Bright Lights, Big Christmas for big fun." —Adriana Trigiani
“From a magical Santa suit, to a Christmas tree stand in the heart of New York, to a neighborhood full of quirky characters, and the smell of fresh cut pine Christmas trees, nobody does Christmas like Mary Kay Andrews.” —Debbie Macomber
“Mary Kay Andrews has often been synonymous with favorite summer reads for me, and now her holiday romances are reads I also look forward to.” —One Book More
SEPTEMBER 2023 -- AudioFile
Narrator Kathleen McInerney transports the listener to Greenwich Village at Christmastime. Kerry Tolliver and her brother, Murphy, have brought Christmas trees from their farm in North Carolina to sell in the New York neighborhood while staying in the run-down trailer they affectionately call "Spammy." Kerry develops a friendship with Patrick and his 6-year old son, Austin. McInerney's depiction of Austin's youth contrasts with her narration of a mysterious elderly gentleman named Heinz. McInerney's gruff presentation of Murphy matches his personality. Kerry is given just a hint of a Southern accent, which is juxtaposed nicely with the slight New York accents of the other characters. McInerney enlivens the whole neighborhood--from the people running the bodega to the harried mother of twins who is buying a tree. S.B. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
