This book had me guessing right up until the very end. Traci is CEO of the Saint, an exclusive gated resort in town who is struggling to keep the hotel afloat after the pandemic. So she thinks up an idea to build a dorm on the property to help find staff and stop losing good people to other resorts. As the dorm fills up with staff, we are introduced to so many characters with challenges they are facing as they start work at the Saint. During the summer a death occurs at the hotel, and then everyone is trying to figure out how they died. This investigation, also brings back memories of a death on the property 20 years ago. There were so many great characters, beautiful scenery, and a compelling mystery. A great beach read! I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews, the queen of beach reads, returns following Bright Lights Big Christmas with her annual captivating beach read, SUMMERS AT THE SAINT —a distinguished coastal resort with dark secrets of the past colliding with the present in this cozy murder mystery and more!

Welcome to the Saint Cecelia, a stunning landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia.

Traci Eddings grew up admiring the grand hotel, considering it a fairy castle called The Saint. The first time she stepped on the property was when she was thirteen, when Meredith, a new girl from school, invited her to a birthday party.

The rich kids were called Saints. Those not were just Ain'ts. Her family was an outsider, neither wealthy nor connected enough to vacation at the resort. But she had always wanted to work there. She did so and wound up marrying the owner's son, Hoke.

Now Traci is widowed and has inherited the resort. She has a grand vision to return it to its early glory days but has been thrown into financial woes, staff shortages, and family drama.

Is there more than meets the eye at this coastal island resort? However, she must contend with her greedy brother-in-law, who would love to see her fail. She has one summer to turn it around.

Traci hires a crew for the summer, including the daughter of her estranged best friend. She also recruits her niece Parrish and several new employees to live in a newly renovated dorm since housing is so expensive on the island while keeping the hotel afloat. Plus, it makes them more attractive to provide housing. (Old Edwards Inn properties also offer this in Highlands, NC, which makes sense since there is no affordable housing there.)

Then, a strange death occurs during a party which raises eyebrows and other suspicions at The Saint, and it all falls back on Traci since it was her idea for the dorm. Is there a murderer among them or someone from the outside?

We learn more about Traci and her estranged friend, Shannon (there is background history here), who despises the Saint and does not want her daughter working there. We meet five employees who all live together at the dorm and are all witnesses to the death.

Then, the girls do a little sleuthing to try and discover the web of deceit that may lead to the murder.

A mystery of the past meets the present regarding a tragic drowning of one of their own at the hotel. What other secrets has The Saint been hiding or covering over the years? Will the hotel survive with all the bad press and media?

Told from POVs: Traci, Olivia (Livvy), Parrish, Shannon, Felice, KJ, Garrett, and Whelan. (2002/past and present)

CAPTIVATING! When you start reading a MKA book, you must set aside the time and prepare for an adventure. Her books are always fresh and clever, well-written with vivid settings, well-developed characters, a heartwarming story, a great mystery, and a takeaway message. SUMMERS AT THE SAINT draws you in and hooks you from the first page to the last.

A mix of historical, murder mystery, coming of age, mothers and children, women's fiction, contemporary, nostalgia, humor, suspense, romance, literary, and a must-read beach read, all in one!

From dark secrets of the past and scandals to those who want to keep them buried. The novel will take you back to those summer days at hotels, motels, and when you were a teen.

I am a huge fan of Mary Kay and have read all her books. Whether for summer or holiday, they are always entertaining and full of heart with her signature style and wit.

From the stunning front cover to the cast of characters, SUMMERS AT THE SAINT reminded me a bit of Red Oaks (TV series), which is hilarious set in the 80s—(fav) a coming-of-age set at The Red Oaks Country Club with all the teens with their last summer before college; employees, parents, summer flings, scandal, and more (not a hotel), but with the same drama.

AUDIOBOOK: I read the book and listened to the spectacular audiobook! As always, MKA and Kathleen McInerney (a favorite narrator) are a match made in heaven. I laughed so hard that I was glued to my iPhone for hours and could not put it down. Her distinct voice was perfect for all the multi-voices and highly impressive. I loved the audiobook and highly recommend it.

As a VP of Regional Sales, Marketing, and Design for large hotels and resorts for many years, and later a consultant for inns, cottages, resorts, and vacation rentals. I always enjoy reading stories about coastal historical hotels, resorts and the hospitality business.

A #1 Beach Read Pick from a master Southern storyteller! A summer favorite. Get SUMMERS AT THE SAINT on your TBR list. Beach bag ready! I loved the Epilogue one year later. No one does summer like MKA! Always the best summer and holiday stories. Perfect for your upcoming Memorial Weekend getaway or at home in a comfy chair—allow the novel to transport you.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for a digital e-book reading copy, St. Martins Press for a stunning paperback copy, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening audio copy. #SMPInfluencers

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
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(4.5⭐️) This book had everything I wanted and more! The fancy resort setting was vividly described and felt very summery to me. I also loved that we got the POVs of multiple employees, and saw different aspects of the resort through their jobs; we’re introduced to everyone within the first few chapters, but it was easy to get the hang of who was who and keep everything straight. The setting and multiple employee POV reminded me a lot of The Hotel Nantucket, which I also loved.

The mystery plot definitely drove the story, but there was some romance here and there that I enjoyed, as well as moments that had me laughing out loud. There were several twists I didn’t see coming, and the last 1/4 had me on the edge of my seat, not stopping until I knew how everything ended. There were a lot of intertwined pieces to the story, and I think they wrap up nicely at the end. This was the perfect book to read heading into the summer season, and would make a great beach/pool read.

"The Saint" is the Saint Cecilia resort on the Georgia coast, a family-run hotel that has been around for decades. As teenagers, locals Traci and Shannon worked as lifeguards at the pool until their paths diverged after the summer of 2002. Traci married the younger son of the family that owns that resort and she now runs the place, while Shannon finished nursing school despite being a single mother. Their paths cross again when Traci hires Shannon's daughter, Olivia (Livvy) to work at the Saint, offering her a job as well as a room in the newly built employee dorm, along with Traci's niece, one other long-term employee, and two more new hires. With her father-in-law near death, Traci has to navigate her greedy brother-in-law's attempts to push her out of the family business while also trying to bring the Saint back to financial solvency, deal with a stranger who seems intent on digging into a drowning that happened at the Saint over 20 years ago (while Shannon and Traci were the lifeguards on duty), and deal with the suspicious death of someone close to her. Told from multiple perspectives, including Traci's, the plot weaves mystery and a bit of romance into a story I found hard to put down. The characters are well drawn and the interesting, and I cared what happened to them. I (for one) was surprised to learn what really happened with respect to the "mystery components" of the story, not because the outcomes were unlikely but because I'd missed some of the masterfully placed clues. I predict this will be one of the summer's hottest beach reads!

Traci Eddings is a widow who runs the five star hotel and resort called "The Saint." Once an A'int, Traci married heir Hoke Eddings and has put her life and soul into the Eddings family legacy. When Traci needs help at the resort she decides to hire Livvy, her former best friends daughter, and Felice a down on her luck chef. She also gets stuck with KJ, a grandson of a member of the resort. With the addition of already staff member Garrett, the four of them and Traci's niece, Parrish move into the college like housing provided for the staff. But this summer at The Saint turns out to be anything but a 5 star experience.

As a fan of Mary Kay Andrews other novels, this one did not disappoint! It had a little but of everything. Murder, plot twists, and romance. This story has a mix of vibrant and unique characters that each have a role in the events that unfold throughout the summer.

You'll love this story if you love
-Family secrets
-Murder mysteries
-Small romances
-Multiple characters

Thank you Mary Kay Andrews, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this E-ARC!

St Cecilia, a luxury five star resort on Georgia's coast, encompasses a fantastic backdrop for a cosy mystery steeped in tradition, class, and hushed up scandals!

Traci Eddings grew up as an Ain't--a working class of Boneparture. She marries into the prestigious Eddings family. But, when her sweet husband suddenly dies in a small plane crash, Traci is running the resort. And, a lot of people aren't happy about it.

With a mix of mystery and fun secondary character, the pages just fly on this fun beach read! It's just an absolute blast to read. The ending just kept me guessing until the very end!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the copy of the book. It's out May 7, 2024! It NEEDS to be in your beach bag this summer.

One of my favorite authors has done it again! Summers at the Saint is Mary Kay Andrews’ latest novel and in true MKA style, it is as good or better than her prior novels. They just keep getting better.

The story unfolds through multiple points of view while the characters are being introduced to the reader. The story then evolves through the lens of a third party. A little different approach from the author’s usual style, but it works very well and kept the narrative tight.

The characters are interesting and varied. I love how MKA is able to imbue fresh and diverse personalities into her characters and Summers contains an abundance of fully developed characters to both love and despise.

There are multiple storylines involving murder, embezzlement, romance, bribery and extortion. They are all neatly wrapped up in a cohesive package filled with surprising plot twists and more. Fans of MKA will not be disappointed. Five stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

Multiple POV, mystery, found family

Man! I was expecting a cutesy, found family banding together to save a hotel. However, things get VERY serious around the 30%mark and I was hooked on this mystery. There were so many threads and twists but the author did a good job tying it all up neatly in the end.

OH MY GOSH
OH MY GOSH
OH MY GOSH!!!

Holy Moly Mary Kay - You played my brain on this one!!!! I mean, I could totally see the first "bad guy" coming. But I did NOT see the mastermind nor the reason why they were so evil!! I'm a huge MK Andrews fan and have ready MANY of her books - but Summers at the Saint had me from the get go and I am super excited to now go back and scoop up any of her books that I haven't read yet. This one was literally a home run - a fantastic beach read (even though I'm stuck in the Midwest for another few months) and I am super exctited to tell everyone I know that THIS BOOK WAS GREAT!!! Tremendous thanks to Netgalley, Mary Kay Andrews and St Martin's Press for a digital copy of this book.

Wow! Wonderful whodunit. Traci, Parrish, Livvy, and all the other characters are spot on. Storyline is suspenseful, twisted and fresh. Had me from the first page to the last. Very enjoyable read. I was given an advanced reader copy of this well written book by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review.

I did a combination of reading the ebook and listening to the audio version of this book. I'm so glad I was able to do that because it felt like I could stay within the story much better. The narration by Kathleen McInerney was superb. I always love a good accent, and she certainly provided those.

I'll admit that when the book started out, I wasn't really sure about it. It just didn't seem like it was going anywhere, and it seemed like there was an endless stream of characters being introduced--way more than I was going to be able to keep straight. Then, the story started to roll, and it just kept on rolling!

The story centers around an exclusive hotel on the coast of Georgia and the people who have or still work there. There is mystery, romance, friendship, some messed up families, crimes from the past, and crimes in the present. It's all rolled up together in a very entertaining story that concludes with a very satisfying ending.

I highly recommend this book!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

I liked this!! I especially enjoyed Parrish, Livvy & Felice…each one trying to make her way.
I didn’t realize the book would be so heavy on the mystery element….i don’t think the book cover really matched the plot. Overall, this was a great beach read and I would recommend!

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!