i always know when I'm reading a Mary Kay Andrews book. Summers at the Saint screamed the South. Being from the Midwest, I knew immediately the setting was probably in Georgia before Mary Kay told me. No way would you find an elite island that only lets certain people pass through the gate in Iowa or Missouri. Mary Kay has wonderful character development. She easily made Traci, Livvy, Felice and Whelan likeable people. You knew immediately Ric and Garrett were not nice people. I didn't like Madelyn from the start. What happened to Parrish really made me mad and hurt my heart. I could not put Summers at the Saint down. I was drawn into the story and onto the property of the Saint. Well paced story, well rounded characters and great descriptions. I would recommend Summer at the Saint to my friends and family.

Summers at the Saint began with an unexpected twist, catching me off guard since I tend to dive into books without reading the blurbs. Initially, the mix of mystery and multiple points of view made me uncertain if I'd finish it. However, I persisted and am so glad I did. Mary Kay Andrews excels at crafting rich characters and vibrant settings, and this novel is no exception.

Right from the start, I adored Traci Eddings, and the St. Cecelia's charm was completely captivating. The supporting characters were equally compelling, enriching the story with their depth and presence. A well-defined ensemble always enhances the narrative, and Summers at the Saint delivers precisely that.

From picturesque landscapes to second chance friendships, romance, and an engaging plot full of surprises, this book has it all. I highly recommend adding Summers at the Saint to your beach bag this summer.


Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing this ARC.

St. Cecilia, or “the Saint” for short, is a landmark resort on the Georgia coast that has not lived up to its saintly name as it has been riddled with scandals since Traci Eddings, from the wrong side of the causeway, worked there as a teenager. But now she is the widowed owner of the resort after catching the eye of the boss’s son. Struggling to return the resort to its glory days, she is taking on the challenges, including her unscrupulous brother in law, staff shortages, financial challenges and now a tragic death on the property.

First, I love everything about this cover; the color, the beachy laid back vibe, the wispy curtains blowing in the ocean breeze, even the font of the title. That being said, I had a certain mindset going in, and struggled with the number of characters and mysterious plot lines for at least the first 20%. Readjusting my reading tactics from lazy beach read to scandalous mystery read. I was hooked. I feel, because of the large cast of characters, some of the characters were under development and would have liked the charm and culture of the Georgia coast to shine through a little more. However, the decades old mysteries and scandals that unfold with every twist and turn is the star of this book. It kept me guessing right up until the end finishing on a high note. While this may not be the perfect lazy beach read, it is a great book if you want to sink your teeth into something slightly deeper on vacation when the sun goes down.

Once again, MKA gives us the perfect summer read! Family secrets, murder and friendships made and renewed combine for a “don’t bother me I’m reading” book! At the long-standing resort Saint Cecilia, all the old-moneyed guests - who are definitely the “saints” - spend countless days there, lazing by the pool, playing on the golf course, and taking advantage of all the amenities afforded to those who are from the right side of the tracks. When Traci Eddings married into the family-owned business, she didn’t graduate from an “ain’t” to a “saint”, as the family members never let her forget her roots. When her husband dies tragically and unexpectedly, Traci is forced to take over the running of the resort. Although she flourishes in this role and works tirelessly, the Saint is losing money. Realizing she needs summer help to have the necessary funds coming in to keep the resort open, she makes the risky move of renovating the golf cart barn into temporary housing, in an effort to attract the needed summer help. When a murder happens on the property, Traci wonders if it was really an accident, and questions if she has misplaced her trust in long-time friends. With a backstory of when Traci was a lifeguard as a teenager at the Saint that weaves seamlessly with stories of the current help, she realizes she’s lived her life for the resort, and she needs to live her life for herself. Pub date 5/7/24, so preorder now! This might be my favorite MKA one yet - and that’s saying a lot considering the many novels she’s written. Thanks to St Martins Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this one; all opinions are my own.

Romance and mystery all rolled into one. Mary Kay Andrews is always a favorite of mine and this book was great. After working at the Saint as a teen Traci now runs it. A shortage of staff brings new faces and new problems.

What a book! Kept my interest and read it all in a few days. The web of mistrust am9ngst family keeps you wanting to know more.

I moved on from my Chick-Lit phase years ago, but there are a few of my old favorite authors I still follow. Andrews is one of them. This was one of the best of her recent offerings. I enjoyed it a lot.

Andrews’s book is captivating, heartwarming & beautiful. As in past books, this story touches on various topics such as loss, grief, new beginnings and love. Wrapped all around these topics is a story that contains a mystery or two that need to be solved, plot twists that keep coming & secrets that are revealed at just the right moments.

I cannot say enough good things about this book/audio - I LOVED it! HIGHLY recommend - perfect for the coming season of summer!

Fun twisty mystery with a touch of romance.
Several characters to get a hand on all the drama but worth getting to know them all as the drama connections unfold. Enjoyable read !

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews read (HOW?!) and I can't say how much I LOVED it! I thought I knew where it was going: a family-run luxury resort on the coast, feuding in-laws, and summer romance - boy, was I wrong! Widowed Traci Eddings runs the luxury Saint Cecelia on the Georgian coast , having gone from a local "ain't" to a "Saint". The resort, while posh, is in the red and, through rotating POVs, we discover just how life-changing one summer at the Saint can be.

I have to say that the first twist of the plot was very shocking/off-putting - I think that some less "dramatic" would still have had a similar effect/not alter the plot too much - but I was absorbed into the surrounding mystery and thrill that followed. Andrews created a cast of vibrant characters that, with different allegiances and motives, keeps the story moving and interesting. This was a perfect summer read that included everything you could ask for: romance, mystery, and FUN.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Traci Eddings grew up as an ‘Aint’, but always dream of being a ‘Saint’. When she married Hoke Eddings, her dream came true, until Hoke suddenly passes away and the lure of being a ‘Saint’ might not be all it’s cracked up to be.

After Hoke’s passing, Traci inherits the St. Cecilia, an illustrious, island resort set on the Georgia coast. While the St. Cecilia is fictional, I could envision a combination of the Jekyll Island Club and Sea Island, both with storied histories.

Summers at The Saint is MKA at her best. It’s a mystery combined with romance and of course, a beautiful coastal setting. You’ll fly through this book whether you’re soaking your toes in the sand at the beach or snuggled up with a cup of tea and your favorite blanket on a cold, rainy day.

Throughout the book, we see the ebbs and flows of running a resort, we get to know Traci’s backstory and how it weaves into current events, and like all good mysteries, there’s family drama thrown in for good measure.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

#SummersattheSaint #NetGalley

I can't believe this is the first Mary Kay Andrews book I have read. I've seen several and even own two besides this one yet have not read her until now.

I started this book and fell in love with it's beauty. The beauty of the words and people. The way the words flowed so effortlessly through the pages. It's a long book but a quick read. I didn't want to put it down and didn't except to do things that absolutely had to be done. It swept me away to a beach resort in Georgia. This was a fun read but also had a mystery/thrill going on. A few things that had to be brought to justice.

This story contains a murder. A past rape. An illegitimate child. A secret that spanned quite a few years and that NO ONE knew except the two involved and their lawyers. Until one snooping, nosey, hateful, woman found out and caused so much to happen. There's a fire. Theft. So much and still it's a light hearted story that keeps you wanting more.

This author did such a good job of pulling everything together. Even a love interest or two thrown in for good measure. This resort sounds like a great place to vacation. Until things go bad. Then you might need to run. There are two young ladies who may be able to help. They are pretty good at solving a mystery when they are trying to survive.

Most all of the characters in this story are so likable. They made it so easy to love this setting and area. To let go of the bad characters enough to keep reading and hoping they would be caught and brought to justice. Yes this is a wonderful book. This author knows how to weave a story and through in a few knots along the way.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MaryKayAndrews, #StMartinsPress, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five big stars and a very high recommendation.

⭐️rating: 4.5/5


Summer at the Saint? More like Summer of Scandals!🫢

I’m not sure what I expected going into this, but I got sucked in and it was so hard to put down! There were so many unexpected twists and turns and I barely expected like any of them. Wow, it got crazy!

I loved the multi POV that introduced us to all the interesting characters, the summer employees at the resort. The characters were so interesting and many of them surprised me throughout. I loved Livvy for sure, but Felice was definitely my favorite character! She was already so fun in the beginning, and I loved her even more after [redacted]!

There’s a little bit of everything in this book and I see how it would make for an amazing beach read! It’s thrilling, it’s scandalous, and it’s satisfying to see everything work out the way it should in the end. Highly recommend! You won’t wanna put it down🩷

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’ve really enjoyed Mary Kay Andrews’ books in the past, but this one could have used more editing. The plot was a bit too busy and there were so many characters it was tough to keep track. This is part romance, part summer beach read, part cold case mystery mixed with current day murder mystery. But none of those storylines carried the book, so it was hard to feel connected or be shocked by the reveals of the mysteries.

Traci Eddings is doing everything in her power to keep her late husband’s family resort, the St. Cecelia, afloat. But when an unexpected death echoes a horrible tragedy from decades ago, everything she thought she knew starts coming apart.

While there are a lot of characters to keep track of, that just adds to the mystery of who knew what, who did what, and who will still be around when all the secrets are uncovered. Definitely worth adding to your vacation book list.

The perfect summer read! This book grabbed me from the beginning with its quaint setting and intriguing characters. What was the biggest surprise was the mystery aspect and how well the plot unfolded between all characters!

The story was set within a big fancy resort on the coast, it was the IT place to be when growing up. If you had the privilege to summer here, you were doing well. So when teenage Traci lands a summer job at the resort, she just knows things are looking up. Fast forward to the future and Traci is now managing the resort, following the marriage and untimely death of the resort owner's son, Hoke. She is juggling all the things when a murder occurs right on the property. She soon finds out people that she once trusted were not who they seem.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's for this ARC, all opinions are my own! This book is out SOON, pub date 5/7/2024. Definitely add it to your summer reading list.

Widow Traci Eddings runs the Saint, a resort started by her late husband's family and full of tradition and entitled members/guests with money. Two of Traci's core staff leave for better pay elsewhere, and she scrambles to find enough staff for another summer at the Saint. As the area is too expensive for workers to afford and with Traci desperate to retain workers, she turns one of the older storage buildings into living quarters for some of the staff. She is able to find workers, but some workers allow greed to guide them. Who is getting rich with kickbacks from suppliers? Who is in danger by asking questions about the errors in purchasing? How big is the network of thieves?

This murder mystery involves uncovered secrets, backstabbing relatives, a handsome stranger asking questions about a drowning at the Saint from many years ago. embezzlement, arson, murder and ultimately, the safety of Traci and those who want to do what is right.

Early on, this was a disjointed read for me. However, the author pulled it together for a satisfying ending.

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

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast pace , there was a lot going on which made the story fly by, and not boring/slow.
This was my first book by MKA and I will definitely keep reading more!

This story has two mysteries and a little romance. The mysteries are the center of the story and they eventually make a connection. The twists and turns made it a fun read. The foul language was strong and constant. The language took away from the enjoyment for me. This is not Andrews normal beach, so know that before you pick it up.

There was a large cast of characters to keep up. It was also a little repetitive which made it move on the slow side. There was some amateur sleuthing, which always annoys me. Overall, not your typical MKA book.

It isn't summer until MKA is here! Let me tell you ... SHE IS HERE! I absolutely adored everything about "Summers at the Saint"! The drama, the suspense, the ROMANCE! I couldn't put this down. "Summers at the Saint" is sure to make the perfect beach companion!