Sunset Beach is your typical MK Andrews beach read and framed in this context, it’s a competent book. Drue is picking up the pieces from her life after her mother’s death, moving west to work for her estranged father. As she navigates her new life, and comes to terms with her past, she learns the beach read trifecta of trust, forgiveness and love. Not the most engaging work Andrews has written, not is it technically impressive, but it makes for a fun poolside read this summer

Sunset Beach is the perfect book to grab before you head to the beach. I loved the added element of mystery. Mary Kay Andrews always delivers a fun read.

I have read most of Mary Kay Andrews books so I was thrilled to receive her latest book. While this was a great read, it was not at all what I have come to expect from Andrews. This book was more of a mystery rather than a breachy romance book, regardless I still liked it.

I don’t generally like novels like this where the protagonist is the one to solve the crime but this one was a fun read. At first I wasn’t sure because it was a slow start for me, mostly because I wasn’t very interested in Drue. Our protagonist is my age, in her mid thirties, but she’s a mess. She has no career path or savings and her life is at a crossroads after her mother’s death. I was put off by what a train wreck she was. Luckily the novel picks up after she moves into a fixer upper after she’s desperate enough to accept a job with her estranged dad. There are some obvious plot holes like why her dad never told her about the fact that this fixer upper was left to her. At this point Drue finds direction and starts getting her life together only to be sidetracked by a murder and a missing persons case.

The first is the violent death of a young mother that really affects Drue. As she starts investigating the novel really picks up. This is where her unconventional life choices and personality work well. Upstanding citizens with squared away lives don’t go around investigating murders.

The missing person case is closer is closer to home but not the priority of the novel. That case slowly evolves with occasional flashbacks and Drue’s present day investigations.

I found this novel slow to get started but fun once it got going. I’m not sure what the author’s plans for this character are but I would definitely buy the next one if this became a series. I could see Drue being worthy of a series that would be great. Especially with the Detective that was my favorite secondary character. The ending was a bit too perfect with the happy family and no mention of a big discovery. I did think the afterward was a bit strange. The author went on for several pages about her beach houses which seemed odd and unconnected to the novel and whole unrelatable to most readers. She also included recipes which have nothing to do with the novel. I’m not familiar with the author so maybe this is common for her but it seemed like a strange choice. Overall a great read and probably more so if you prefer quirky layman who-done-its

Mary Kay Andrews writes another masterpiece! Drue has been dealing with some setbacks, which leads her to start working at her father's law firm. Not long after starting Drue meets an unsatisfied customer and makes it her mission to make sure this lady finds justice for her daughter. Fast paced and easy to read this story was so hard to put down!

Drue Campbell's life was spinning out of control after her mother's death and with nowhere to turn, she took up her father's offer of a job, a place to live and a side of redemption...albeit with a huge chip on her shoulder. After her first day of work, during which she managed to alienate her boss, who happened to be her childhood best friend, who now is her stepmother, then after joining her coworkers for a drink, sleeps with one of them. Could she be any more unlikable? I almost put the book aside at this point, thinking it had to get better from here. It did, marginally.

Although I have been a fan of Mary Kay Andrews previous novels, this one just left me cold. Too many unbelievable plot twists which added little to the story, several little things which really bothered me (Fright Fest at Disney World...umm, just no. That's a Universal thing, Disney doesn't do scary like that! They have a much more family oriented "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.") Overall, I found Drue annoying and inconsiderate most of the time, the other characters lacking depth and the story just so so. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I have been a huge fan of MKA. Although her last book was not a favorite. And this one, while ok, wasn't great. Predictable, far fetched, formulaic. The writing is good, as always, but the storyline just went from bad to worse. There are some funny moments, and it kept me reading, but at the end I was just glad it was over.

A summer without Mary Kay Andrews would be like a summer without sunshine.

I look forward to the new book each year, and Ms. Andrew's latest was great. The book focuses on former kite skier and waitress Drue, who moves back to her childhood hometown on Florida's west coast after the death of her mother. Her relationship with her father is very strained since he sent her back to her mother's as a teen, but she has to contend with working for him and his new wife (a childhood friend of Dru's), and an inherited cottage long on charm and leaks.

Slowly Drue is sucked into investigating the death of a maid at a nearby hotel and the disappearance of a local beauty in the 1970s. Through all the twists and turns, Drue must learn who to trust, who she can actually depend on, and who deserves forgiveness.

This book, like all Ms. Andrew's books, is a speedy read full of humor and realistic details, and I love the mysteries. I also loved the setting as a Florida girl myself and as a huge fan of the west coast beaches.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley.com for my advance reader copy.

This is a great book! This is a page turner mystery! That was not what I expected from the title, but I love that it is! It was a nice winter pick me up to get to take a trip to the beach as well as a little bit of home remodeling (my fave)!

I received an advanced reader copy of this book and am voluntarily reviewing it.

Another great beach read from Mary Kay Andrews.
After losing her mother, Drue Campbell moves into a rundown beach house in Florida and takes a job in her estranged father's law firm.
While fixing up the beach house she discovers a box in the attic filled with newspaper clippings from a missing persons case 30 years earlier. The book follows Drue as she investigates this years old mystery and also dives into a murder investigation the law firm recently handled.
I loved the main character and would love to read more books following her while she investigates more mysteries / cases at the law firm.
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's press for a copy of this book to review.

Drue has a chip on her shoulder. She feels that her father abandoned her when she was a teenager, and now he is back in her life. She must start over in so many ways. Mary KAY Andrews is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint me with this new book, as it is one of her very best. Her vivid descriptions and humor make it hard to stop reading. I didn’t get much of anything else accomplished until I finished this book. There are two mysteries to the book and I was surprised by the ending for each one. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a pleasant read about Drue who accepted the offer of her estranged father to work in his law office. While she slowly gets to know her father better she also gets embroiled in two unsolved or covered up criminal cases. One about a maid in a hotel the other a 20year old case of a disappeared woman.
So there is some suspension in the story, besides family drama.
I enjoyed this light read and would recommend it to any reader who looks for an entertaining book with some suspension.

WOW!! I cannot thank St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of Sunset Beach. Mary Kay Andrews has become my most anticipated summer read and Sunset Beach was fabulous. I was totally transported from a snowy, cold long Michigan winter to the sun and sand of a west coast beach in Florida, my absolute favorite part of Florida and all without the pain of a sunburn. . The humor, romance and twists and turns kept me turning the pages until the unexpected ending. I highly recommend Sunset Beach. This is definitely one for your beach bag this summer.

I enjoyed this book and found it a little different than others I have read from this author. I found the story engaging and enjoyed the characters. The different mysteries (missing person and murder) moved the story along as the main character delved in the cases.

Drue is starting over - in her early 30s - and reconnecting with her father on the "other coast" of Florida. She moves into a small cottage on the beach - her maternal grandfather built it and she has fond memories with grandparents during the summer. Unemployed, she takes a job at her father's legal office as a cube rat - answering phone calls drummed up by commercials promising big payouts. The motley crew of co-workers offer support while she adjusts to her father and his new wife (her middle school BFF).

Drue takes a closer look at the case of a young mother who was murdered at work. The payout seems small and there are many unanswered questions - the least being who was the killer. Flashbacks fill in Drue's relationship with her father and his early career as a cop. His PI, Zee, was his partner at one time and a loyal friend. Drue finds a box in the attic with an old case file of a missing woman. How is this connected to her family?

Enjoyable. Makes me wish summer was sooner but helps lift gray winter days. The characters are well written and relatable. Mary Kay Andrews is consistent and a always a favorite

I have missed the last couple of Mary Kay Andrews books and after reading Sunset Beach I will be seeking them out! It is a wonderful beach read that has a very deceptive cover (a beautiful/romantic beach sunset). There is a touch of beach romance, but really the story is about Drue, who becomes an amateur detective of sorts. She looks into the cases of 2 missing women. The story is written with wit, charm, and is totally enjoyable. I loved the character of Drue and her relationship with her Father, her stepmother (a friend/enemy)and 3 males, co-workers/neighbor. Thank you to Net Galley, the author, and the publisher, for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

I had a good time watching the protagonist Drue mature at 36 when her dreams of professional kiteboarding crashed when she seriously injured her knee. Then to add insult to injury her longtime boyfriend broke up with her leaving her no place to live. Drue was also fired from her waitressing job when she didn't wear the skimpy shorts required because of her knee brace. She swallowed her badly bruised pride and asked her estranged father, a personal injury lawyer, for a job.

Mary Kay Andrews gives her readers great characters that are flawed but likeable. The story is told in the present and in 1975. While working the front desk, Drue is introduced to the mother and daughter of a murder victim. Jazmin was a housekeeper at a beach hotel in Florida. She was brutally murdered and her murder was never solved. Drue decides to investigate the crime on her own.

The story held my interest right to the end. The writing is easy to read and the setting on the Florida coast was an integral part of the story. It may be winter when I read the book but I feel like this is a perfect beach read.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from St Martin's Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.
#SunsetBeach #NetGalley

No matter how bad my mood, Mary Kay Andrews is guaranteed to put a smile on my face. In her latest book, it’s a case of good news, bad news. Drue has inherited her grandparents beach house on Sunset Beach, but because the old cottage is in bad shape she needs a job to be able to pay for the repairs. Enter her estranged father, ambulance chaser attorney Brice Campbell and his new bride, Wendy, Drue’s old childhood enemy. She takes the job they offer at their law firm out of desperation, and it’s every bit as awful as she feared. But she soon becomes enmeshed in a case of what may be murder and corruption. Andrew’s love of the coastal South shines through in all her novels as does her ability to create spunky, relatable heroines. Another must read from a master

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Mary Kay Andrews.
A novel set in Florida where I spent numerous summers with my family enjoying the sun, beach and relaxation.
Perfect beach read with family drama and mystery. Loved all the characters, thoroughly enjoyed the story and I hope there is a sequel.
Please a sequel soon.
Highly recommend

Wonderful page-turner! Complex issues handled superbly with parallel mysteries. In-depth characters and great setting. Great example of strong women who see reality and determine to work hard and independently create beauty out of sad situations by taking charge of what they can change and accepting what is not their situation to change. It’s a how-to-cope with multifaceted issues with a positive outcome. And the beach setting is perfect as tides leaves bits and pieces of shells while transforming the beach sands into new beginnings each day.