Jonetta's Reviews > Bright Lights, Big Christmas

the setup…
Kerry Tolliver is a graphic artist who recently lost her job after her company was acquired. She returned to her family home in Tarburton, North Carolina to try and figure out what was next, especially after her relationship also fizzled out. Her family runs a Fraser fir Christmas tree farm and it’s now time for the annual trip to New York’s Greenwich Village to sell the trees. Normally this is done by her father and brother Murphy but her Dad’s health issues prevent him from going. It’s up to Kerry to stand in for him, driving a tiny vintage camper to live in with Murphy and his dog Queenie for the month they’ll be in Manhattan. Oh, joy!

the heart of the story…
Many believe New York City to lack the sense of community you’d find in smaller towns but surprisingly, that’s not necessarily true. Kerry soon discovers that the people living and working near the tree stand they’d occupied for years not only knew each other but looked out for one another. She found herself bonding with them, quickly immersing herself in their lives, in particular with Patrick McCaleb and his young son Austin. He’s divorced with a unique living arrangement for the sake of Austin and connects with Kerry after an interesting encounter. I loved how the story presented an alternate sense of community in a city environment. They all knew Murphy and embraced Kerry almost immediately. I also learned a lot about the rigors of raising and selling Christmas trees and it was quite an education.

the narration…
McInerney narrates one of my favorite series and I was worried she’d remind me of those characters but that didn’t happen. Her performance was unique to this story and I enjoyed her performance.

the bottom line…
This was a heartwarming, sweet story that embodied the spirit of the Christmas season. Kerry’s romance with Patrick was just one element as the secondary characters are equally essential. They are unique, adding substance and color to what happens in this vibrant but tightly knit community within the city. But it’s young Austin who’s the scene stealer with his big heart and loving nature, bringing everyone together to search for an old man who might have been forgotten otherwise. It’s everything you want in a holiday story.

Posted on Blue Mood Café