Skip to main content

Member Reviews

I did not enjoy this book as much as I wanted to. It was a bit slow for me and that usually turns me off from a book. It’s hard to get back into it.

Was this review helpful?

Summer at the Saints was a surprising read for me. This novel did not go in the direction I anticipated it would. The initial pace was slow while the stage was being set, but once the story began, I was hooked! I was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. This is the perfect, poolside summer murder mystery, with an interesting mix of vibrant characters and several unexpected twists and turns. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher of this fun and engaging read.

Was this review helpful?

Loved it! Mary Kay Andrews's latest novel offers a great mix of family drama, romance, and suspense that held my interest from beginning to end. The characters are unique and well-written, the premise is intriguing and I thoroughly enjoyed the peek behind the scenes at the hospitality industry. With her trademark warmth and humor, the author weaves a compelling story, drawing on past events to plant clues to resolve a puzzling mystery. Plot twists kept me guessing all the way to the satisfying conclusion.

Go ahead and add Summers at the Saint to your to-be-read list. You won't be disappointed. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions shared here are my own.

Was this review helpful?

There is more to this book than meets the eye! I thought this was going to be a lighthearted beach read but as the old saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. You're going to love this book.

Was this review helpful?

Mary Kay Andrews is a well-known, highly talented author. I've read her books for ages and enjoy them. Summers at the Saint did not disappoint and was in keeping with her skills and style as a writer. I enjoyed the weaving of the characters and their growth throughout. This is a great book and I won't tell you how or if they were able to save The Saint, but you, dear reader, will enjoy finding out for yourself.

Was this review helpful?

My first Mary Kay Andrews book, and it didn’t disappoint!

The well known Saint hotel is in need of help, and the new owner Traci, is desperate to set up a team of new hires. We get multiple perspectives and backgrounds of each of these employees, and how their stories intertwine.

A twenty year old death at the hotel and also the suspicious death of one of these new employees causes for everyone to be on guard, while trying to figure out what really happened. It was a little slow to start while getting into the story, but after that I was hooked!

Read if you love:
-murder mystery
-books with multiple characters
-family drama
-sprinkle of romance
-Finlay Donovan books

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St Martin’s Press for my advanced copy/ALC!

Was this review helpful?

"Summers at the Saint" was a fun read. I was entertained throughout the entire book and was exciting to read what would happen to all the characters.

Was this review helpful?

Summertime, beach resort, romance, mystery…and murder. What a treat to read an #NetGalley advanced reader copy (ARC) of SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews!

It was a light, easy-read story with twists and turns you won't see coming. Filled with juicy secrets, family discord, shady deals, murder, past indiscretions, strong females, misplaced trust, new employees with all their "baggage," and a side dish of romance, you'll need to set aside time for this one. Once you start it, you'll put everything else on hold. A MUST for your 2024 summer reading!

Just when you think you understand everything going on, MKA throws in a new twist. At first I was concerned about the large cast of characters and keeping them straight. Silly me. The writing was in the hands of a MASTER. Not only could I keep them straight, they were all necessary to the story.

Was this review helpful?

The perfect beach suspense read with a large cast of characters, an idyllic beach resort setting, and a propulsive mystery.

This bright and cheery cover includes my favorite summer color combination of team and pinks, which happens to be the color palate of the luxurious St. Cecelia resort on the coast of Georgia. Still run by the founders family, the resort is steeped in tradition and secrets. As the local area's largest employer, the resort brings together a variety of characters from members, hotel guests, chefs, golf pros, servers, and housekeepers. In order to provide affordable on-island housing to local workers, resort CEO, Traci Eddings converts the golf cart shack into a new dorm-like living situation. Traci is trying to creatively figure out ways to solve the resorts fledging financial woes, but then new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel and a tragic death of one of their own staff threatens to bring down Traci's late-husband's family dreams.

Mary Kay Andrews is the queen of bringing a diverse cast of characters to life, and Summers at the Saint is the perfect example. I loved the short chapters that bounced between the multiple POVs, realistically showing all aspects of resort life. Scandals and secrets from decades ago to the present kept the plot propulsive, and had me rooting for Traci and her allies against corruption and greed. With a great blend of humor, suspense, and romance, this page-turn is sure to be a summer blockbuster for a variety of readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I will be sharing on my social accounts on pub week!

Was this review helpful?

MKA is the queen of summer reads for me .Grad a cocktail and your book for the beach .This book had so many characters with different personalities.This was romance and mystery all combined into this book .It is a must read for this summer .As akways she did not disappoint me .

Was this review helpful?

What a fun ride! Multiple POVs, an engrossing plot, and twist and turns along the way. If you ever want a beach read that’s more than the typical cozy romance, you want to add a little suspense and murder mystery, I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for this gifted eARC!

Was this review helpful?

Another winner from Mary Kay Andrews. This was an enjoyable book, full of romance and suspense. The book was a great summer read, easy to get into, and it held my interest.
The plot twist at the end was so unexpected, but a great finish to the book. I highly recommend this book.

Was this review helpful?

The Saint Cecilia is an exclusive resort in GA, holding lots of secrets. This is not the lighthearted beach read that the cover suggests- as it is part detective/crime novel dealing with drugs, assault, and lots of drama.

Was this review helpful?

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC copy -- reviews are my own

Suspense, mystery and romance all set at a beachside resort --who could want more ?

In it's hay day The Saint was an upper class resort that Traci Eddings always fantasized about and as a teenager worked at the hotel and married the owner's son. After his tragic death, she inherits the now failing and troubled resort and his troubled family too. She is determined to bring The Saint back to its glory days and make her husband and his family proud. But staffing issues and a long ago death at the hotel may threaten that. Can Traci revive The Saint and repair her broken heart? Can Traci find peace and happiness again at The Saint ?

Delightful characters and a captivating setting make this the perfect summer read

Also Reviewed on Goodreads and BookBub

Was this review helpful?

Something about this book just didn’t work for me. It was still a good book but I could never connect with the characters the way I usually can with Andrew’s books. I’ve loved many of her past books so I look forward to trying more of them in the future.

Was this review helpful?

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up vacationing here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.

Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s trademark warmth and humor, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart. This one needs to be in your beach bag this summer! #SummersattheSaint #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

Was this review helpful?

Mary Kay Andrews remains the queen of my summer reading! She once again paints a story of richly drawn characters against a lush and sun-dappled backdrop. Although I can practically feel the sun on my shoulders while reading this book, I can also feel the tension between my shoulder blades as the layered plotlines are revealed - fraught relationships, a struggling business in a post-pandemic world, and <gasp> an old murder mystery! This book is packed with all of the ingredients for the perfect beach read, and I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to kick off this season with Summers at the Saint!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to start my summer vacation early in return for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This was my first non-holiday book by Mary Kay Andrews and WOW! I went into this expecting a light, summer read and I was so surprised in a good way. Somehow this was a light, summer read but so much more. I loved the setting of the Saint and the beach vibes you got throughout but greatly appreciated the depth of the plot and almost thriller fell I felt at times. When I first started reading the book I was concerned about the number of characters that were introduced, thinking it would be hard to keep straight, but that was not the case at all. Once the story got going I was drawn in and wanted to just keep reading to see where we were headed next. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future! Thank for NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Was this review helpful?

I have only read one book written by Ms. Andrews before, and it was a feel-good Christmas story. Based on that and the cover of this book, I was expecting a feel-good beach read as well. However, this is not the case. Instead, it's a kind of sad murder mystery.

The story begins with Traci Eddings, who is in charge of The Saint, a luxury resort hotel. Traci is remembering her deceased husband and trying to deal with her staff leaving the hotel for other companies that pay more. Unable to pay more, Traci decides to turn an unused building into a dorm for staff to live in for free. This reminds her of the time she was a 19-year-old lifeguard at The Saint.

After this, the story introduces multiple points of view from different characters. This makes the story busy and, in some cases, hard to follow, as there are no headers for each of the characters. One of these characters will also be murdered.

After getting into the story quite a bit, I did find it enjoyable. I wouldn't call it cozy, but you do get that summer vibe. There is also a love story thrown in between the murder and death. Traci seems to have the short end of every stick but does a great job keeping her head above water.

Overall, this is a summer beach murder mystery with a splash of feel-good and a dash of suspense. Although it was a bit messy with all of the different perspectives, it was ultimately a fun ride.

Was this review helpful?

I really really enjoyed this new MKA book!! It’s my new favorite.

I loved the characters, setting, storyline, all of it! It made me feel like I was really at the resort.

The only thing was that I felt that it was a little long.

My review will be posted on my Instagram (Bookmarkedfavs) within the next few days!

Was this review helpful?