Short Story Sunday: Holiday Hideaway by Mary Kay Andrews
Holiday Hideaway: A Short Story
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Narrator: Eva Kaminsky
Published: October 29, 2024
Audio: 1 hour 59 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Date Listened To: December 2, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Short Story Description:
Tilly Farriday isn’t feeling very jolly this season. Recently divorced and broke, she’s squatting in one of her rental agency’s properties until her new home is ready. The sprinkles on top of the burnt Christmas cookie that is her life? The new owner shows up early, forcing Tilly to hide in the attic to save her job…and what remains of her dignity.
George Holloway is here to sell his granduncle’s house—and to reconsider whether he and his fiancée are right for each other. Amid home repairs, George notices strange noises and missing food, but as much as he gets his rental agent on the phone, Tilly dodges every invitation to meet. He’s sure that someone’s here with him, and it’s certainly not the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, or Future.
As Tilly and George circle each other, they both wonder where their lives are headed and if, maybe, meeting each other is just the Christmas miracle they need.
Jessica’s Review:
MKA wrote a Christmas short story, so you know I was going to read or listen to it!
Holiday Hideaway was a cute short story that could really use being expanded upon! It was almost too short for me. It’s not realistic at all: Hiding in the attic of a house that your company rents while the new owner who inherited it is staying there. And add your dog to the mix? Does this dog not bark… Ever!?!?! Come on. Other than all of that, Tilly and George’s banter and chemistry seeps through the audiobook. You just know what is ultimately going to happen. I was ready to go on this short story and see what ultimately happens. And with MKA you know it’s never really that easy!
The narrator for this short story is Eva Kaminsky and she did a good job with her narration!I did enjoy it an gave it 3.5 stars, but I think MKA needs to stay away from short stories and at a minimum write novellas, like her previous Christmas novellas have been. Which I loved both of those!
My reviews for those novels are here:
The Santa Suit This one was a double review with Kim!
Bright Lights, Big Christmas