Review: The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

 

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews

Publication Date: September 28th 2021 by St. Martin's Press

Pages: 224

Source: Publisher

Rating: ★★★★½

Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Audible | Goodreads 

My Thoughts:

After her divorce, Ivy Perkins wanted a fresh start and so she buys Four Roses Farm from an online listing, sight unseen. When she arrives, the farmhouse is a bit more neglected than the pictures led on, so Ivy’s got her work cut out for her. Thankfully, she’s got the help of the ruggedly handsome real-estate agent, Ezra. At first it seems like Ivy isn’t all that grateful for the help and not particularly excited to carry on the Christmas traditions of the original family. However, while cleaning out the clutter Ivy finds a Santa Suit with an old letter tucked into the pocket, setting her on a mission that will change her life.  

I couldn’t blame Ivy for her feelings after getting her history. After being hurt by the two people she loved most in the world it would be hard to trust again. Plus, Christmastime had been a painful time of year for her, but all that starts to change as she accepts help and makes friends. Ezra was a sweetheart, showing up and helping even when Ivy was a bit prickly at first. Underneath that guardedness was a heart of gold and I loved how her mission made it impossible to keep to herself. Instead, Ivy got tangled up with others in the little town, a happy side-effect. Of course, she got more than a bit tangled up with Ezra, too, and I was all for it!

I just loved the idea of an old farmhouse: original wood trim and floors, fireplaces, built-ins, and a wrap-around porch. Four Roses Farm sounded so lovely, albeit a little neglected, and I’d move there in a heartbeat!

The Santa Suit was a charming novella full of winter/holiday ambiance: old-fashioned Christmas lights, fragrant pine tree, steaming hot cocoa, playing in the snow, and a heartwarming romance! There seemed to be a little meant-to-be magic involved, a couple of twists, and I loved how everything came together at the end! 

4.5 Stars

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.