Its just not the summer without a book from Mary Kay Andrew, Elin Hildebrand and Nancy Thayer - my three favorite summer authors. This book is classic Mary Kay Andrews and I absolutely loved the characters and the situations they were in. THank you for the opportunity!!

Mary Kay Andrews wrote another enjoyable beach read that involves family drama, mysteries, and friendship set in a resort on the coast of Georgia. I enjoyed getting to know her characters and the challenges of running a resort. Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Don't let this bright and beautiful cover fool ya! With the Saints, the Ain'ts, and a newly discovered dead body, Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is full of drama and intrigue!

Traci Eddings runs the Saint Cecelia Resort, "The Saint," where the wealthy come to play every summer. Still grieving the passing of her husband, Hoke, her world is rocked yet again by another tragic death. Traci has her hands full mourning and struggling to keep the Saint in the black as the summer season begins.

I love books with wealthy characters who think they can do anything they want. I also love when they get their comeuppance! Mary Kay Andrews has done it again with a page-turner perfect for tossing in the beach bag or for a day by the pool!

Read this if you like:
•  books with family drama
•  stories set in small coastal towns
•  books with Dynasty vibes

I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK! Historic hotel, multiple POVs, and looming secrets? Say less.

At the beautiful St. Celeila Hotel, aka "The Saint", Traci Eddings has done what many attempted but few could achieve - moving up from an Ain't to a Saint. Faced with staff shortages, financial problems, and truly awful in-laws (IYKYK), Traci is determined to bring The Saint back to its former glory to honor her late husband, Hoke. With a fresh new summer crew, secrets from the past, and a hint of new romance (hello mysterious strange rolling into town), Traci's summer is about to take a lot of unexpected turns. Filled with twists, turns, and revelations, this book is the perfect summer read!

I had the pleasure of meeting MKA at M.Judson Booksellers in Greenville, SC during her book tour. Hearing her speak about her writing process and inspirations for this book made reading this one so much more fun!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Mary Kay Andrews for allowing me access to this book. All opinions are my own.

I don’t know how I managed to go this long without reading Mary Kay Andrews, but shame on me! What an absolute delight of a book. I felt like I should have been lying on the beach—this was a perfect escape. There were rich people behaving badly, there was beautiful scenery, there was family drama, there were mysteries, there was romance, what more could you ask for? I loved this book from page one to the last sentence and I could have read a few hundred more pages. Perfect for summer!

Book Review: Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews’ Summers at the Saint is a delightful and heartwarming read that encapsulates the essence of summer with its charming setting and engaging characters. As a fan of Andrews’ previous works, I found this novel to be a wonderful addition to her repertoire, offering a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and humor.

The story is set in the idyllic coastal town of St. Ann’s Island, where protagonist Hattie Kavanaugh takes on the ambitious project of renovating an old, historic hotel, The Saint. Andrews masterfully brings the setting to life, with vivid descriptions that make the reader feel the ocean breeze and see the quaint, picturesque details of the island.

Hattie is a compelling lead, a determined and resourceful woman whose passion for restoration and love for her community drive the narrative. Her interactions with the quirky and endearing townsfolk add depth and color to the story. The relationships she forms, particularly with her crew and the enigmatic but charming architect, Andrew, are central to the plot and are developed with a mix of warmth and realism.

One of the novel’s strengths is its blend of genres. Andrews weaves a light-hearted romance with a touch of mystery as Hattie uncovers secrets hidden within The Saint. This subplot keeps the reader intrigued and adds an element of suspense that balances the romantic storyline.

The theme of second chances is prominent throughout the book. Hattie’s journey is not just about renovating a building, but also about rebuilding her life and finding new opportunities for happiness and fulfillment. This theme resonates well and adds a layer of emotional depth to the narrative.

Andrews’ writing style is engaging and accessible, making Summers at the Saint an easy and enjoyable read. Her talent for creating vivid settings and relatable characters is evident, and her dialogue is both witty and natural.

In conclusion, Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is a perfect summer read that will appeal to fans of romance, mystery, and stories about personal growth and community. Its captivating setting, endearing characters, and engaging plot make it a standout novel that is sure to leave readers with a warm, satisfied feeling. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on St. Ann’s Island and would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a charming and uplifting escape.

Thanks @netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read and review this book!

Summers at the Saint is a story well told. The plot grabs you and absorbs you into the world of the Saint from page one and you must not stop reading until you find out what happens. The Saint is an historic hotel with a gated and privileged housing community contained within. This community and business holds a lot of secrets and it isn’t willing to shed them easily. In this town, there are the “Saints” and the “'Aints” – the haves and the have nots. The novel is clever in it is the story of what happens when one of the Aints breaks through and ends up being an owner/CEO of the joint. The book can please lovers of three genres of books – rom-com, mystery and culturally-relevant books as it is rich with authentic Post-Covid pop culture.

Traci is the former Aint that is struggling to maintain the glory of the place for the upcoming summer season. Mary Kay Andrews does an excellent job of showing the post-Covid strain of finding workers and overcoming economic losses caused by the Covid shutdown. The authenticity of this storyline is an important commentary on everyday life in the U.S. in 2024. Works of art or more valuable when they can authentically show and describe the history of the times they are written in. And this book can be savored and also revisited later to understand our current history. Traci decides to overcome the difficulty in finding employees by offering bonuses and repurposing an old building to provide onsite dormitory living to attract workers to this very expensive place to live.

Traci thinks she thinks she has a plan and everything will work out because of her well thought out plan and the gifted crew that she recruits. Little does she know that there are dark forces tangled up with her past and the mysterious goings on of her youth that are going to decide whether the Saint sinks or swims.

Mary Kay Andrews not only has told a great story in her book, but with very modern characters. All of the characters in this book are richly written and add to the captivating storyline. Felice is a chef with a vision, that is has been stiffed by her boyfriend leaving with all of her stuff in the middle of the night. Livvy is her long-lost friend Shannon’s daughter. Garrett is the shifty head waiter. KJ is the son a rich patron that is flunking out of school. Whelan is the hunky man of mystery that is figuring out his past. Traci’s brother-in-law, sister-in-law and a whole host of characters come together to play key roles in the story. All of these characters are believable and add to the easy readability of this book.

There are 75 chapters in this book, but that should not intimidate readers. In fact, I would gladly buy a sequel with another 75 chapters. It’s been a long time since I’ve read Mary Kay Andrews and I was surprised to find such modern book with authentic pop culture references that would appeal to all ages. I am grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an Arc in exchange for my review.

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT
Mary Kay Andrews

This is your sign from the universe telling you that just because a popular author is liked by many doesn’t mean they are going to be liked by you. The only difference between your and Tiffany’s reading experience is you.

Don’t let Tiffany pick the books you read.

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT is about a resort, Traci, the owner of the resort, and it’s about a class structure (the SAINTS and the AINTS), you either are or you ain’t,

Traci must have a great summer season to save herself and her hotel. She has a reputation to uphold and a sneaky family member to keep on her watchlist. To complicate things, she just hired her ex-besties daughter which is its own box of trouble.

Will she save herself? Will she save the resort?

I was stuck on a 10-hour flight in a tight seat and chose this to listen to.

That was a mistake but not my first one. It felt torturous listening to the audiobook and the combination of being confined to a sitting position while listening felt like it would never end. If I had died on the flight and SUMMERS AT THE SAINT was the last book, I ever read my elders would assuredly roll over in their graves.

My first mistake was not reading the synopsis or checking out any other books by Andrews before requesting this one. I wanted an escape, something set on hot summery days, maybe an even hotter summer fling, anything but this.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copies!

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT…⭐⭐

Mary Kay Andrews can do no wrong! A summer is not complete without one of her books and this one was another winner!

A ritzy resort, a murder, and family drama...what more could you want? This one was absolutely amazing! Fun, but with a touch of suspense and mystery! I will be recommending this one non-stop to people to add to their summer reading list!

Looking for a great summer read? Look no further than Mary Kay Andrews' latest romantic mystery set on a private island off the Georgia coast at the exclusive Saint Cecelia beach resort and country club. Run by Traci Eddings, the widow of the family's youngest son, the resort faces challenges as the busy season approaches. To address staffing issues, Traci converts an old garage into a dorm for employees and persuades her niece Parrish to postpone her European trip to manage guest relations. When a staff member is found dead, Parrish's dorm mates investigate, risking their own safety. Meanwhile, Traci navigates a potential new romance. Despite some predictable elements, Andrews delivers a fun, light, and entertaining read with a surprising twist and realistic dialogue.

Thought this was suppose to be a romance, but it’s more like a mystery. I liked it though. Very light and easy read. Kept me entertained and did not expect who the bad guys were!

Summers at the Saint follows Traci Eddings the manager at the St. Cecilia or "The Saint" resort. Traci assembles a staff, including her beloved niece to be the summer employees at the Saint.

First, I have to say that I really enjoyed this book. I didn't really know what to expect going in and the twists and turns in the book kept me glued to the pages. Reader beware, it certainly isn't just a funny rom-com like the cover art would lead you to believe. It ends up being more of a mystery novel after one of the staff members goes missing!

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it for summer reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley and publishers for an arc of Summers At The Saint.
Loved this book which makes me want to go to a Tybee Island in Georgia!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

• beach murder mystery
• big cast of characters
• great setting

This book took me WAY too long to read for some reason. On audio, it's about 14 and a half hours. So, in saying that, it kind of dragged for me. The narration was great and very engaging. The story isn't an easy-breezy summer read - there is some heaviness to it.

🗣 Thank you to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book via both gifted eARC and audiobook! All opinions are honest and my own.

Something is going wrong at The Saint resort; Traci Eddings has been tirelessly running the resort that she inherited after her husband passed away but she seems to just be barely making it. This summer she is doing everything she can to make things work; she has brought in help and offered new incentives like an employee dorm so the employees can live on the property. But things begin to get even worse when her niece is murdered on the property; not only is Traci Determined to find out what happened but two of her new employees, Livy and Felice who lived in the dorm with her, begin to look into things as well. To top things off an investigator is snooping around trying to figure out what happened 20 years ago to his little brother who drowned at the pool while staying at The Saint.

This was a good read; it started off slow but I enjoyed it. Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and author for my ARC !

She’s back! After missing a Summer without MKA, we are back. This was just what I expected (and wanted from her). The mystery, light romance and lovely setting. Her books are ones I look forward to every year and this is not a disappointment.

If you need a beach read to kick off summer 2024, look no further! Summers at the Saint was so much fun and everything I look for in a captivating beach read!

I’m not new to MKA but haven’t read her books in a while and this was such a great reminder as to why I need to. I loved how she combined mystery, family dynamics and drama, and even romance into this seasonal contemporary fiction. Her writing transports you right to the setting. I felt as if I were right there alongside these characters as we learned about their roles at the iconic Saint Hotel. The behind the scenes aspect of running a hotel, while learning about the people who work there made for a fun element. If you enjoyed The Hotel Nantucket, by Elin Hilderbrand, then I think you’ll enjoy this as well.

I was completely invested in these characters. While I did feel that the book was slightly too long, I did appreciate the descriptive writing, character arcs, and how everything tied together by the end. So many juicy secrets were revealed. I will definitely be recommending this as a must read perfect for a summer escape!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and St Martins Press for my #gifted ARC!
4.5 stars rounded up on Goodreads

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews has me ready for summer. I felt like I was on the coast while reading this book and will definitely be reading it again this summer under an umbrella.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Mary Kay Andrew’s is a summer romance queen. She cannot write a bad book! I absolutely adored everything about this book!

Summer begins when the new Mary Kay Andrews book come out! Summers at the Saint is filled with family dysfunction, mystery and just a little romance. Following the Eddings family and their ownership of the St. Cecelia, a 5 star hotel that defines the "saints" from the "ain'ts" in a coastal town with a long history of intriguing heirs and townies. I miss the humor that some of her books contains but it didn't disappoint and I'm anticipating the next one!