This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book, it came with a high recommendation and it just fell flat for me. I am more of a younger romance reader at this point, I struggle because I'm not into young adult romance but I also am not into older adult romance yet either. I'm not sure what I expected, maybe more between Elin Hilderbrand and Carley Fortune and I didn't feel like I got that.

This book had some family dysfunction in low-moderate stakes mystery and a vacation setting, which I always love! It was relatively lighthearted and had enough mystery to keep me engaged, and I had fun reading it. It didn't stand out to me, but was enjoyable and I would recommend as a beach read. 3.5/5

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance electronic copy of this title.

Some time passed between my receiving this ARC and actually reading it. I had read books by this author before--fun seasonal titles--and the cover suggested it was going to be a light beach read. I was in for a surprise! There was an interesting assortment of characters at The Saint--long time employees, brand new employees, and guests. At first it seemed obvious whom I should like and I wasn't really expecting any bad guys--just maybe some rude and obnoxious ones. But...the blurb did in fact mention a tragic death, and suddenly concerns about a hotel losing money turned into a murder mystery.

I was sad to see people I thought were good guys turn into bad guys, and I was a little surprised to see who some of them turned out to be. But I was also delighted to see people trying to make good on past mistakes, friends reunite, and new relationships form.

Though not as light as I expected, I would still recommend this as a beach read!

Mary Kay Andrews has captivated my heart and sucked me into another great story! This is full of many different characters that grow and change throughout the book. It was a great read and definitely should be added to your list!

A quick and enjoyable beach read. MKA is a reliable author who will always deliver a fun read! I enjoyed the southern setting of this novel and the mystery storyline. I took points off my rating because I felt like the family moved on from the girls murder rather quickly and got back to business in a way that was unrealistic.

This was a darker book than I expected. That is not a bad thing, as it is well written and interesting. However, I don’t think I would characterize it as a beach read. There are a number of characters that are pretty “slimy” — manipulative, corrupt, self-entitled, etc. There are also some strong female characters for whom the reader will be rooting. The story has plenty of twists and turns.

Wow, a definitely case of don't judge a book by it's cover! This is a great read - not a light, fluffy romance but an interesting mystery with romance!

I've really enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews stories! They always have really great, realistic characters. I felt myself rooting for The Saint as well as many of the characters. I was drawn into the mystery and the family and town drama.

I did this as an audio and I found the narrator was wonderful - pulled me right into the story and kept me hooked!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchanged for my honest review.

3.5 STARS

Summer at the Saint is a captivating read that defies the typical lighthearted summer book, offering much more depth and complexity. With multiple intertwined storylines, it keeps you engaged, but at times I felt like there was too much happening with lots of side plots and characters. The characters were not as well-developed as previous books from Andrews, likely because this book had so many characters. It was a fun book to read and entertaining.

Mary Kay Andrews whisks readers away to the beach. In true Andrews fashion, she writes about characters you are drawn to love and sympathize with and root for throughout the book as they face new challenges. Traci is facing desperate times as she tries to save the summer resort she has loved since being a child. She does everything she can from asking her niece to stay the summer to help her to poaching staff from other locations to make things work out. A fun beach read.

In the few I have read from her, this author doesn’t disappoint. I enjoyed this story as it acted like a palate cleaner for me! Thank you to all involved on allowing me this book!

Murder mystery with loads of twists and a well deserved happily ever after,, perfect for the cozy mystery lovers out there.

This story blends in a bit of building romance with this mystery based on a delightful setting anyone would love to visit if it was a real location.The story is fresh, interesting, and well written!

There are Saints and there are Ain’ts. Traci Eddings, once a lifeguard who later became the owner of St. Cecilia, referred to as the Saint, has had a life full of twists and turns. Growing up as an outsider, she made a surprise move by marrying the boss’s son, only to become a widow. Now, she’s the owner of the resort that has fallen on hard times.

The snubbing class distinction that Traci experienced as a teenager has not escaped her now, especially when it is more than clear that more than one person is working against her. When she takes on her new staff, which includes hiring the daughter of her estranged best friend, Traci hopes that the summer season will be long enough to bring the glory back to the hotel, although they are hampered by a truly tragic event.

This captivating story of growth, brimming with remarkable depth, weaves a delightful blend of romance and mystery that keeps is certain to engage readers from beginning to end.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I've loved all of Mary Kay Andrews books, but this was was one of my top favourites by her. The audiobook was especially so so good!

To understand how I feel about Mary Kay Andrews, know this - I thought this was the first book I've read by her, but apparently it's my third (the first two in 2021), and I've rated them all three stars. They've been unmemorable to me. I just finished Summers at the Saint a few days ago, so it's fresh on my mind, and I can't say it'll be unmemorable. It's left an impression, I think, but who knows how I'll feel a few years from now.

The thing about this book though - it's a murder mystery set in Georgia, and I sure love a setting that I'm familiar with. But the folks in this story were so trusting of people they just met - when there's literally a murderer on the loose. It was so absurd. And I get the southern hospitality, but you're telling me you're gonna mingle up with some strange man when your niece has been murdered? It's unbelievable and wild.

I was intrigued. I engaged with the story. I had a good time. I just couldn't get over it. I couldn't. I'd be interested to see this as a mini-series though!

I loved this book by Mary Kay Andrews….but then I Love every book she’s written since the beginning. This one had romance, humor (of course), mystery and a positive vibe.

Absolutely fantastic! A perfect read by the beach, or to transport you to the beach. Full of mystery, this book keeps you guessing about what is going to happen next.

This book is a suspenseful, multi POV murder mystery masquerading as a beach read. I enjoyed the many characters and twists to the plot. The setting was immaculate and I would love to vacation at this resort! However, I really didn’t know which threads were part of the main plot. It had a little too much going on.

I really enjoyed reading Summers at the Saint. I will truly read anything written by Mary Kay Andrews. This book was classic and did not disappoint. I could not put it down and I am looking forward to recommending this to customers. I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy.

When Tracy Eddings has one Summer to turn her hotel around, she recwives a lot of pushback. She stands tall and works hard with a few trusted friends, Together can they bring this place back to it's glory..

This was a wonderful book. It was very entertaining. It was a quick read. I enjoyed it very much.

The St. Cecilia Resort, lovingly called The Saint, stood for something.
If you were part of the wealthy patrons and members of the club, you were a Saint, and everyone else was an Ain't.
Traci Eddings grew up on the wrong side of this equation but after marrying into the wealthy Eddings family, the owners of The Saint, her life turned around.
But when her husband suddenly passes, Traci finds herself alone, and struggling to keep the Saint profitable.
But when old secrets are dug up and new mysteries arise, Traci has more to lose then she thought.

I think this was my first Mary Kay Andrews novel and I was not disappointed. I was expecting it to be similar to an Elin Hilderbrand or Emily Giffin novel and that I wouldn't really get into it (aka I'd finish it just to give a review), but I wound up really enjoying it. I wasn't expecting a murder mystery to show up in this story. I was definitely expecting a beach read/summer romance (despite the fact there's literal snow on the ground currently) and this delivered way more.