This book was well written, but the main character was so unlikeable that I couldn't finish. Yes, main characters should be written with complexity and flaws, but Conley was just a bit too flawed for me to care for her or root for her happy ending. This book just wasn't for me.

Another great ready by Mary Kay Andrews! Super fun beach town mystery with great characters. I enjoyed the mystery and found the characters to be fun. This was a long book but it didn't feel as long as it was. The story read pretty quickly and I found myself wondering what would happen next in this small town. I have enjoyed Andrews books for a while now and I must say this one didn't disappoint. I will continue to check out her stories! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book. I enjoyed it, although it seemed a bit long in parts. However, it had good characters, a mystery, small town drama, and family tension. Overall, I enjoyed the book and will seek out this author again.

I just finished this book and now I want to re-read it by the pool with my friends. This is the kind of book we notoriously exchange while sitting in our beach chairs watching the kids play in the sand! I haven't read all of Andrews books, but this one has made me a fan! I can't wait to delve into her backlist and share that with friends too. This book was more than a small town newspaper book. The relationships and the twists were compelling.

A fun beach read with a few twists to add a touch of suspense. Readers that enjoy small town drama, gossip and politics will love this book. A variety of personalities add flavor to this quirky story. I enjoyed the story but did feel that it was rather drawn out. The author did a great job summing up everything at the conclusion. Enjoyable!

It's been a couple of years since I've read a book by Ms. Andrews and I'm not sure why I haven't. This was one the kept my interest and very hard to put down. This would be a perfect beach read.

I love the way the author describes the South and the setting was one that I could easily imagine. I know of few authors that can make a character come to life and these certainly felt like old friends by the end of the book.

I loved both the political intrigue as well as watching Conley decide on the next steps of her life.

I have been a long time fan of Mary Kay Andrews. While "Hello, Summer" was not my favorite, it is still definitely worth checking out. It involves mystery, politics and romance in the Florida Panhandle. The characters were well defined and lovable (especially G'mama and Winnie). I enjoyed the addition of the newspaper articles and "Hello, Summer" column, but felt that some of the information was repetitive, which made the story lag at times. This is definitely a beach read, but not as light and fluffy as some. "Hello, Summer" is the perfect combination of mystery and romance (not too heavy on either). I look forward to more from Mary Kay Andrews.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of ‘Hello, Summer’ by Mary Kay Andrews in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews has recently become one of my must read authors of the spring and ‘Hello, Summer’ did not disappoint.

Sarah Conley Hawkins, ‘Conley’ is at the centre of this story. After leaving her job at an Atlanta newspaper, she finds herself back home in Silver Bay, Florida when her position at a D.C. paper falls through.

Conley and her childhood friend Skelly come across an accident on their way home one night. Turns out, the driver is a prominent congressman. Unraveling what exactly happened leads Conley down a path of secrets, mystery, romance, and a completely scandalous story.

I love the whole cast of characters. From Conley and Skelly, to Conley’s Gmama Lorraine and her housekeeper Winnie, to the crew at the Silver Bay Beacon.

I will definitely be recommending this one to my friends!

Conley Hawkins has the worst going away party ever at The Atlanta Journal Constitution. She learns that her new, fancy online job in Washington has vanished in financial collapse. With her apartment already rented and her car packed with suitcases, she heads for home. Silver Bay, Florida. Home to her grandmother Lorraine and her sister Grayson, editor of the Silver Bay Beacon, the family newspaper.

Conley means this to be a short stay but on her first night home, after visiting a local bar and reconnecting with Sean “Skelly” Kelly, her childhood crush, the couple are first on the scene of a fiery crash that kills a local, long term Congressman. If you are a Mary Kay Andrews fan, and I am, here’s where the surprise happens. This isn’t a beach read. This is an excellent mystery with elements of romance. Corruption, property development, adultery and election politics all combine to make this thriller a must read. There are captivating side plots: the challenges with aging faced by Lorraine and Skelly’s mother ; Winnie’s grief for her long dead sister; plotting by the Congressman’s wife and ex-wife; and the very real challenges that Conley and Grayson must overcome to make a local weekly newspaper relevant.

I was excited to read Hello, Summer because I have enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews since she wrote as Kathy Hogan Trocheck (look that one up). I didn’t think she could get any better but she has. 5 giant stars!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Mary Kay Andrews for the ARC.

This book was a very enjoyable read. I really enjoy this author's writing style. This book has scandal, family and small town drama, romance, attempted murder, and more. It is a great beachy or vacation read. My only criticism is that it is a tad longer than it maybe needed to be, specifically in the Beacon newspaper articles that were included several times throughout the book. Also, slightly unbelievable how quickly a woman would bounce back both emotionally and physically after being attacked. Otherwise, it is full of a cast of interesting and lively characters in a small Florida country town that is full of interesting and lively drama! I would recommend this book for a light (though not quick) read.

Let me start with I LOVE Mary Kay Andrews. Every single book. However- this one just... was different. It was bogged down, so much extra “fluff”, and not her typical cute, summer beach, light hearted read. I struggled from page 1 to get into this. I tried, and I wanted to love it. But it just wasn’t what we’re used to.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy of Hello, Summer. Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors and she did not disappoint me with Hello, Summer. It is a fun summer read with great characters and an interesting story. Hello, Summer includes romance, mystery, family drama and small town drama. I will be recommending this book!

I'm a fan of Mary Kay Andrews and I enjoyed this latest one. Conley gets fired as the publishing company is being downsized. With no other viable prospects and the recent dumping of her boyfriend, she returns to her hometown to live with her aging grandmother and work at the local newspaper with her estranged sister, Grayson. Reconnecting with a childhood friend, Conley struggles with the small town, her relationships, and her animosity with Grayson. But when a local politician is found dead, now things heat up as there are layers of secrets and deception that Conley is determined to uncover. It's a solid mystery with humor so this is a perfect summer read if you need a break from quarantine boredom!

This book drew me in from the beginning. The characters are well rounded and make you want to know them. The book revolves around a family struggling to keep a small weekly newspaper going. Fortunately, their sleepy town becomes lively and gives them amazing stories to tell. There’s enough adventure, suspense and romance to keep you turning pages!

Hello, Summer is the perfect book to start off your summer reading. Mary Kay Andrews delivers another great book. I like the suspense that is part of this story.

When you think everything is going the way you want in your life, then it falls a part, where do you go? Home. And that's what our main character does. What she thinks will just be a quiet little visit home becomes so much more.
Join Conley has she travels back home to put her life back together. You have some mystery, some romance, and lots of family drama.

Thanks #netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. I'm really enjoying Mary Kay Andrews' books.

A great mystery about an unemployed journalist, Conley, who returns to her hometown. She and her friend, Skelly, find a man burning to death in a car. She tries to solve the mystery of whether it was an accident or a murder. A great whodunit! I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my honest review.

Hello, Summer, 4 big fat stars.
What is not to love about a Mary Kay Andrews book. She always writes a great story. about summertime, the beach, old beach houses and romance. This new book seems to have a little more mystery than her past books. I really enjoyed it.

Conley has made the decision to quit her job in Atlanta with the Atlanta Journal newspaper to take a better job with a newspaper in Washington, D.C. While at her farewell party in Atlanta Conley received the unexpected news that the newspaper in D.C. has shut down. With no job and apartment she makes the decision to move home to Silver Bay, Florida and live with her grandmother.
While sending out resumes for a new job she works for the family owned local newspaper, The Beacon. Her new boss is her older sister Grayson, with whom she has a strained relationship.
Late one night on her way home, Conley and her childhood friend Skelly come upon a single car accident. The SUV is overturned and goes up in flames. It turns out the driver of the car is a long time resident and congressman Symmes Robinette. Conley starts investigation into the congressman's death.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and give an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much!! It really has a little of something for everyone. Strong female lead, family ties, a love interest, a career crisis, a mystery, and best of all, the beach!! Andrews does such a phenomenal job weaving it all together, I didn't want it to end. I'll be recommending this to all my friends who are looking for a beach read this summer!! Loved it!

I am a big fan of Mary Kay Andrews' books. You know you'll get a strong but flawed female lead who is competent and has grit. You know there will likely be some eccentric family lurking around and a well-drawn cast of characters whose stories are spun out in a most entertaining fashion.

Sarah Conley Hawkins left her small town upbringing to find success as an investigative journalist, not easy in a rapidly shrinking journalism market. Her older sister Grayson stays behind to run the family weekly newspaper.

But Conley's dream job evaporates so she heads home to figure out the rest of her life. Her grandmother, a steely Southern belle type, guilts her into temporarily helping her sister out. But who could have known what wild secrets and headlines could have popped up in this small Florida panhandle town?

Conley and her boyhood pal Skelly happen to be on the scene of a horrific rollover crash that they later find out killed a prominent local U.S. congressman. But the details don't quite make sense: what was he doing out at 3 a.m.? Why are two of his children omitted from his obituary? How in the world did this former small town lawyer amass enough money to buy fancy homes in Washington and in Florida?

Conley is on the job and her investigative intuition is on high alert. We get to ride along while she attempts to figure out the mysterious death, keep an eye on her aging grandmother, re-establish her relationship with her sister, and decide if her crazy career existence has room for a little romance.

Thanks to Net Galley and to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.