Summers at the Saint

I absolutely devoured this novel! Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. Several times I thought I figured out what was coming next, and was shocked every time.
My only wish is that I could visit the Saint myself!

I truly enjoyed Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews! This was my second book by Andrews, and it did not disappoint! It’s a great read for the summer that packs a little more punch than your typical “beach read”! I loved the characters and the setting- learning about this resort situated on an island off of the Georgia coast was the perfect way to beat the February “gloomies”! I did not anticipate enjoying the mystery element of this book as much as I did. I was really guessing the whole time! It was fun to figure out parts of the mystery as I went along- but I was still surprised at the end! I highly recommend this one!

This book was fantastic and is going to be a wonderful summer read. Great characters and good drama and action. This story read quickly and transported me to a relaxing summer retreat, where secrets are being tightly held and relationships are complicated. If you haven't read books by this author before, but enjoy Hilderbrand, this is a book you will love! Thank you netgalley for thos arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Traci Edding's saw the magnificent St. Cecelia hotel on the Georgian shores as a kid with her Grandfather. Her dream was to one day work at the St. Traci started at the "Saint" scooping ice cream, and then later became a lifeguard at the pool. Athough she was considered an "Ain't" (a townie in opposition to the posh "Saint" country club crowd), she loved her time and her job there. She goes on to marry the owner and runs the St. and faces the many challenges that she inherited.

This summer may be last summer that the Saint survives, unless Traci can find a way to improve staffing and occupancy. But she's plagued with operational challenges. A potential liquor thief and mattress scandal, plus something just doesn't seem right in the pro shop. Not to mention the difficulty in staffing a resort in a highly competitive hiring environment. And then a murder happens on her property, which may put an end to her ability to pull in customers. Plus, her brother-in-law seems to have a scheme to try to take over everything. Will the property survive this year's turmoil?

I loved this book about the Saint. The book had history, challenge, well-written characters and enough mystery and intrigue to make it a good page turner--in fact I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. During the entire book you begin to root for Traci, and for the Saint to survive this summer to make it to the next year. It's the perfect vacation or holiday read (or any casual weekend).

**This book will be published on 05/07/2024!**
I received this e-book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the author/publisher for the copy!

Traci Eddings, a widow to Hoke Eddings, is now the owner of the Saint hotel, along with the duties of that job, as her husband once did. Traci's former best friend, Shannon, is a nurse & single mother to Livvy. Their lives went in different directions after their summer jobs at the Saint as lifeguards. Traci meeting Hoke and Shannon getting pregnant and holding a grudge against the Eddings family, but Traci has no idea why. Andrews takes us through several points of views of different characters in the story and although this can be confusing, each character had their own voice and it was easy to follow as the story goes on. The author weaved each story together for an ending that I didn't realize was going to happen right up until it did.

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and I loved it! This book has everything from a little romance, to murder mystery, to rich family drama. I definitely wasn't expecting that at all, but it all went together nicely and it was a fun read! Who wouldn't enjoy reading a book where the setting is a fancy resort/hotel on a beach? If you're looking for a good beach read, then this would be a great one. Although I thought this book was going to get confusing following so many different characters, Andrews wrote it in a way where you know exactly whose head we are in and what is going on.

Traci is infatuated with the hotel resort, Saint Cecelia in Georgia. As a teen, she served as a lifeguard with her best friend Shannon. When one of the children in the pool dies, their friendship ends. Traci ends up marrying one of the sons of the owner and runs the resort. She needs to hire summer staff and chooses her niece, her best friend’s daughter, and her favorite waiter. She provides housing in a dorm facility. This is a wonderful book with strong characters and twists along the way. There are murders to solve and a business to investigate. Great characters that are very well developed, a setting that transport you to the resort, and relationships that warm your heart.

When her husband Hoke passes away, Traci Eddings inherits the St. Cecilia resort. She feels as though she’s been thrown into the deep end and is struggling to survive. It doesn’t take long before she realizes that she’s inherited more than the resort; she’s inherited the family drama, too. As readers learn more about Hoke’s family-run business, they discover that there’s more than meets the eye at this fictional island resort on the Georgian coast. Can Traci right the wrongs of the past and carve a new history for ‘the saint’?

Allow MKA to set the scene and introduce the characters before she dives into the mystery, history and secrets in this luxury resort. She’ll take you back to Traci’s past when she did lifeguarding for the ‘saints’ and then immerse you in the present-day running of the resort. It’s a wonderful armchair travel on a dark, dreary winter’s day. I was immediately sucked in by the summery atmosphere and compelling mystery, rich in tradition and scandals.

This is a great mystery with a touch of romance and one that highlights betrayal and long-buried secrets. I can always count on MKA’s ability to write a heartfelt story, giving us a realistic view of human nature. For me, this one had the perfect balance; a main course mystery with a side dish of romance. I really look forward to my biannual MKA literary treat.

I was gifted this copy by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.