Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publication Date: September 28, 2021
Book Description: From Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of Hello, Summer, comes a novella celebrating the magic of Christmas and second chances in The Santa Suit.
When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love—but Ivy didn’t bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it’s a full-time job sorting through all of it.
At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit—beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it’s from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?
Ivy’s quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought possible: a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.
Rating: 2.5 Stars
Review: I usually love Mary Kay Andrews so much, but this one fell short for me. There has been an annual publishing of Christmas novellas published by our favorite Beach Read authors, however they typically are rushed and are lackluster. I say this, just to note, that this is not the only book of this genre I feel this way about.
Ivy Perkins has just gotten divorced and she purchases a house, by just looking at pictures. When she gets there, she realizes this house needs a lot of love. The house is still furnished with a ton of junk. When she sets out to start cleaning it out she finds a beautiful Santa Suit and hidden inside a letter.
This sets up the premise of the story. Ivy is out to discover more about who wrote this letter and the man who wore the suit. Ivy meets the people of this small North Carolina town and learns valuable lessons of friendship and love.
The issue with this story is that ultimately it felt rushed and when it ended I was like, this is it. I am not panning this at all, but I wanted a little more substance. This will be a good back to read during the holiday craziness, when you do not have to put that much effort into a book.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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