THIS is why she is my favorite author! Excellent!

The book’s ending was succinct- truly a pleasurable ending that left my stomach hurting (in the very best of ways), I enjoyed the mystery, romance, and descriptive ways of the author’s writing. At some point while reading, I felt like I couldn’t put the book down. Although I was hosting a party myself, with a large TO DO LIST, I had to read- had to finish- had to know whodunit!

That’s the best way to sum up how wonderful this book reading experience was for me.

Enjoy!

Summers at the Saint is a great mix of a summer beach romance, family drama, and murder mystery. Perfect for readers like me who love all three genres. This was a long book, but kept me interested and entertained throughout. There was a good mix of likable characters and others who needed to be taken down a notch.
Start your summer off right by reading about the Saints and the Ain'ts!
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

"Summers at the Saint" was a lot darker than the cover would lead you to believe. Don't go into this book thinking its a light-hearted romantic summer romp. There was murder, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse. I actually did enjoy this book. The mystery and the twists were not super shocking, but entertaining none-the-less. The characters were stereotypical, but it didn't bother me too much. The romance was not steamy at all. Honestly I didn't feel like there was any chemistry with Traci and Whelan.

Overall, a great summer read that's slightly darker than average.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for and advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

Traci first saw the Saint Cecelia hotel as a child fishing with her grandfather and always wanted to go since it looked like a pink fairy castle. But she soon learned that she was from the wrong side of town. However she finally gets her chance, working there as a lifeguard and eventually falls in love with the owners son, Hoke Eddings. Now, as a widow, she's solely responsible for the failing hotel with its dwindling number of guests, staffing shortages, and maintenance issues. Her horrible brother-in-law is just waiting to see her fail, and now there's a man asking questions about a tragic accident that happened at the hotel years ago, on top of the active murder investigation happening now. She's trying so hard to save the Saint's future, if only she can survive the summer.
This was definitely more mystery with just a sprinkle of romance. I was interested to see how the mystery of the past tied into all the crazy things going on at the hotel in the present. There were a lot of characters to learn in the beginning, but I quickly fell into the story. I enjoyed this author's writing style and how it made the characters feel like friends. By the end I was rooting for Traci to get her HEA both with her dream hotel and her man.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for the advance copy of this book. The opinions in this review are my own and given voluntarily.

A different direction than the normal MKA books I have read and was totally drawn into the story from the first pages. Traci a widow from the wrong side of the tracks now runs the family owned luxury resort known as the Saint. Slowly getting on with her life after the sudden death of her beloved husband and recouping from the COVID shutdown has its own set of challenges. Trying to open up for another season has caused Traci scrambling in different directions, staffing shortages, finding a new Chef and the list goes on. Coming up with the idea of offering a sign up bonus plus free on site housing has gotten her the results she hoped for. Things seem to be going well, but when her niece who works there goes missing and guests are complaining about everything……something is wrong, but what?
A well developed story that has suspense, old mystery and new mystery to be solved. Family secrets, who dunnit and why? I listened to part of the story as a audiobook, but preferred reading. Only because I could keep all the characters straight. It definitely was a book I enjoyed reading and just couldn’t put down. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #SummersAtTheSaint #MaryKayAndrews

"Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . ."
Summers at the Saint was another book by Mary Kay Andrews that I enjoyed and was a mystery, romance and fiction book that will have you turning the pages till the end. From the beginning the story grabs your attention and is about Traci along with other characters but it also is about the resorts history and the hidden secrets. The author does an amazing job writing this and at the heart of the book is about Traci's strength, the friendships she forms and how she fights to keep St Cecilia's legacy alive while uncovering the truth. I loved the characters in this book and the twist and turns in the book were so good. I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend this to any reader who loves a good mystery or romance. Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC book in exchange of my honest review of Summers at the Saint.

This was my first book by this author & overall, I did really enjoy this one!! I will say though, something about the authors writing seems juvenile to me?? I can’t quite explain it. Also, I kinda felt like Whelan & Traci’s relationship was kinda random… I like them together but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was strange. I loved the setting of the story, it definitely got me in the summer vacation mood. I also really enjoyed the mystery aspect as well, it was very entertaining.

I always really love a Mary Kay Andrews book. This is no exception! First of all, this is nothing new for her, but the setting is a dream. The story grabbed my attention immediately and did not lose me at any point. The pacing was phenomenal and the draw of the mystery (and the romance) made this impossible to put down. Also, the behind the scenes of the running of the resort was an additional layer of intrigue.

At the the Saint, a famous resort on the coast of Georgia, there are two types of people: saints (members) and ain's (townies). Traci Eddings grew up an ain't. When she married the owner's son, her life changed; after her husband died in a plane crash, she actually became a part owner of the resort, and worked to manage it. But over a long summer, the past came back, involving a long ago mysterious death at the Saint, a shocking new death, and a mystery about the resort itself. Traci works to solve the mystery with the help of two brave young women who work for her and a man who has come to the Saint to solve a mystery of his own.

I wanted to read Summers at the Saint because I love Mary Kay Andrews' books. She always has just the right combination of beach read, mystery, and atmospheric southern setting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I had a hard time putting it down and stayed up two nights in a row well after my bedtime in order to read just one more chapter.

Traci is a great protagonist - smart, relatable, kind, and - being an outsider who has come in at the Saint - she offers a unique perspective on life there. I liked her down to earth romantic interest and the part he played in the mystery, and of course I loved her cranky senior dachshund, Lola.

I especially enjoyed the abundance of mysteries! Just when one mystery was introduced there was another, and then another. It was fun solving along with Traci to see how they all connected.

I recommend Summers at the Saint for anyone who enjoys beach reads, southern fiction, or engrossing mysteries. You are in for a treat!

4.0 Southern Summer Stars

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book, but now I’m ready to read more.

A southern hospitality romance with lies, deception, and even murder thrown in.

The title refers to an upscale hotel in Georgia called the St. Cecelia, also referred to as The Saint by the hotel's members. If you weren’t wealthy enough to stay there, you are an Ain’t.

Traci is one of the rare breeds who started out as an Ain’t but married into the family that owns the hotel, becoming part of the Eddings family. Recently widowed, she’s still working hard to keep up standards at the hotel and keep the guests coming. There are some strange things happening, though, that guests are complaining about uncomfortable beds, TVs that don’t work, alcohol that doesn’t taste right, and poor-quality seafood.

A whole new group of young people has been brought in to help run the hotel for the summer. They live in the newly revamped dorms. We meet them all until tragedy strikes one of them.

Will Traci be able to figure out what happened and what is going on at the hotel? This one has some good twists and a host of characters to track, but I loved the Southern charm and writing.

This story is a captivating tale set in the iconic St. Cecelia hotel on the Georgia coast - the perfect beach read! Traci Eddings, the determined widow and owner, fights to restore the hotel's former glory despite familial opposition and financial troubles. With a diverse team of summer hires, including the daughter of her estranged friend, Traci navigates challenges both past and present, uncovering long-buried secrets and facing tragic losses. Andrews' narrative is filled with rich characters, Southern charm, and unexpected twists, making it a delightful beach read that balances depth with heartwarming moments. I read it in a day! Thanks to net galley for an ARC in exchange for a fair review

pretty interesting, only complaint is that it felt like the book dragged on in the middle, could have been edited down

Summers at the Saint

What a fun, twisty beach read! I enjoyed this escape to the Saint for a season. There were some twists I saw coming but others that surprised me. I loved the variety of characters and how everything came together at the end. Some of the motives felt a bit overdramatized, but that's part of the joy of beachy reads.

I really enjoyed the audio narration. Even with the variety of POVs, it was relatively easy to follow who was who. I listened at 2-2.5X and followed along quite easily.

Thank you to Macmillian audio and St. Martins Press for the ALC/ARC. Summers at the Saint is on shelves May 7, 2024. My opinions are my own.

Synopsis: This is the story of The Saint, a luxury resort in Georgia full of secrets. Told from multiple points of view, it chronicles the events over the course of one summer.
Pros: If you’re a fan of Hotel Nantucket, I think you’ll enjoy this! It has a bit of everything: mystery, romance, women’s fiction.
Cons: A bit long and slow to get in to with so many characters, but overall a fun read with summer vibes!

I found this piece to be exceptionally well-crafted, and I'm eagerly anticipating the opportunity to delve into more works by this author. Given its potential popularity among our library patrons, we're certainly looking forward to adding it to our collection

Summers at The Saint is Mary Kay Andrews latest book and she has out done herself with this one! This is a well written, fast paced story that had me on the edge of my seat!! Ms. Andrews writing style makes the pages turn quickly. It is written in true MAK fashion with realistic descriptions that that will put you at “The Saint.” The characters are well developed that you will love…..and some you may not!! It is filled with family drama, romance, mystery, betrayal, suspense, secrets and much history. I highly recommend you put a copy in your beach bag…..you will NOT be disappointed!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the fabulous Mary Kay Andrews for this fantastic book to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #stmartinspress. #marykayandrews
#summersatthesaint #arc. #mysteryromance

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by the queen, Mary Kay Andrews, and perfectly narrated by another favorite, Kathleen McInerney. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 5 summery stars!

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was an "ain't" who worked at The Saint with her best friend, Shannon, one fateful summer. As fate would have it, she met and married the boss's son, only to lose him in a plane crash. Now the owner of the hotel, she's determined to restore it to its glory days, even with post-pandemic financial issues and staff problems. Her brother-in-law, Rick, is determined to see that she fails.

Summer can officially begin now that Mary Kay Andrews has a new beach read! This one has heart and humor, plus a mystery with plenty of twists, along with wonderful descriptions of locale and food. Traci was a great character; determined to do things the way her husband would have wanted, always being respectful of his family even when they were anything but. There's a coming-of-age factor here too, with young people anxious to set their own paths, despite what their parents may think they should do. I had both the audio and digital versions, but mostly listened to it because McInerney's narration is always perfection. A must read for the summer.

A perfect summer read and exactly what I have come to expect from @marykayandrews! A great story with a touch of intrigue, mystery, romance, friendship, and family drama. I would grab this one for your next lake weekend or beach getaway.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I want to preface this by saying that I wholeheartedly thought this was going to be a fun summer romance book and I quickly found out I was very very wrong. Goodreads has it marked as Romance, Mystery, Chick Lit and I think it should be just Mystery... The romance in this book was subpar and honestly I skimmed through those sections because it was the last thing I cared about in this story. It also felt extremely predictable, forced and I didn't really gather any true connection between the two characters.

Although this book was partially predictable, the ending did have me shocked. I had a pit in my stomach the entire time I read this and I wanted to know what was going on! I do think it was a bit long winded and took a while to get into, but I did enjoy the story because it was so different compared to what I normally read.

I don't think I would personally recommend this book to anyone, however I think there are lots of people out there who would enjoy it!

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read the ARC!

I absolutely love Mary Kay Andrews novels, and Summers at the Saint did not disappoint. Traci is a wonderful, strong female main character, and the setting at a resort that is poised for a recovery was a setup for a great summer novel.

This book has more than its share of intrigue, and when one of the characters dies, it took my breath away. Honestly, much of what is happening is known to the reader, though there are a couple of significant twists that took me by surprise. The romance angle did not play as much of a role in the book as in others by this author, which I found slightly disappointing, as I was expecting it to be more of a major storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the digital ARC of Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. The opinions in this review are my own .