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.

NetGalley ARC

Title:  The Santa Suit
Series:  -novella-
Author:  Mary Kay Andrews
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  September 28, 2021
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Press
My Rating:  4

The Santa Suit is a fun, thought-provoking novella with just the right touches of whimsy, mystery, Christmas magic, and a possible romance for Ivy and Ezra.

The idea of purchasing a property sight unseen just drew me in.  Newly divorced and not certain of the direction of her life, Ivy will discover that life goes on and changes that can bring so many new experiences and people that will enhance life beyond the moment of heartbreak.  I loved the mysterious note found in the Santa suit that brings so much more to Ivy’s life than she expected.  This story is a quick but enjoyable story that will bring smiles and a few nostalgic tears as a new direction opens up for Ivy, one that includes the man she’s falling for.  A fun novella at any time of the year.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

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