Bright Lights, Big Christmas - Mary Kay Andrews

I'm always excited to hear that Mary Kay Andrews has a new book coming out. And even better? This latest is a Christmas tale - Bright Lights, Big Christmas!

MKA gives us a great lead in Kerry Tolliver. She's thoughtful, caring and is someone you'd love to have in your friends circle. She and her brother Murphy are heading to Greenwich Village in New York City to sell their Christmas trees. Her family been doing this since the 1950's and the neighborhood always welcomes them back. But there's competition this year...

I love the setting. Having a Christmas tree stand as a focal point is fun and different. As is Spammy - the trailer that Murphy and Kerry are living in.

 

There's a wealth of supporting characters in the neighborhood and local businesses. All of them are kind, good people. (And I kind of wished I had an apartment in the neighborhood.) Austin is one of the key players - he's six years old and steals the show more than once. And at the other end is Mr. Heinz, a cantankerous older gentleman. In between are some candidates for the romance plot line that MKA always weaves into her books. Oh, and a dog named Queenie as well. 

Relationships of all kinds are explored in Bright Lights, Big Christmas. Difficult issues, questions, situations and more are resolved by the final pages. And that's what I expect and love about MKA's writing. Feel good fiction that tugs at the heartstrings. And fills you with the holiday spirit!

Kathleen McInerney narrated the audiobook version. She did a fabulous job of interpreting and presenting Mary Kay Andrews' work. McInerney has a very versatile voice. The voice for Kerry was sweet and kind and made you want to hear what she had to say. Kerry's voice had an interesting up and down that I liked. Murphy's voice was gruff, matching the character. And she created a believable voice for a six year old boy. Hare to do.  Different voices were used for all the characters, making it easy to know who was speaking. She spoke clearly and enunciated well and was easy to listen. Her voice helped me to cement the mental pictures I drew of the characters. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of Bright Lights, Big Christmas.