I wasn't sure about this book at first. It just seemed like a lot of characters and multiple points of view, but Mary Kay Andrews pulled it off. I was engaged and listening to this book the entire time. There's murder, mystery with a splash of romance. You will want to spend your summer at The Saint, too. It kind of gave me a modern day "Dirty Dancing" vibe with all the rich people and the fancy facilities. This book was well written, engaging and it even caught me a little off guard with feels! The narrator did an amazing job of voicing the characters. I would have thought there was more than one narrator. The author did a great job of writing the setting and giving us well developed characters. I would definitely recommend this audiobook to keep you entertained for hours. Huge thanks to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this title.

I loved this book!! I listened to this book on my way to work. The narrator was fantastic! She brought the characters alive. It had everything, mystery, romance, murder, and beach scenes. It’s a must read for your next vacation.Mary Kay Andrews is an auto author for me. Grab a glass of wine and enjoy!

Note to the publisher: the narrator for this audiobook is a little off. There are pauses within the cadence of speaking, specifically when there are conversations happening, that are not natural. I usually listen to books at 1.75x speed, so I tried slowing down and speeding up the book to smooth out the pauses, but they were bad no matter which speed I was listening to. It sounds... like... she is talking... like this... for... no reason at... all. Her voices were perfect, but the speaking style was so unnatural that it made it very hard to listen.

I read Mary Kay Andrews' Christmas books each holiday season and really enjoy her writing style! I hadn't read any of her traditional mysteries, so I was excited to add this one to the list. The book was lively, the characters were interesting and there were twists I wasn't expecting. That said, there were very few tense parts, so it felt more like a lighthearted mystery (several mysteries, actually!). Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read this prior to publishing!

Traci Eddings grew up in awe of the St. Cecelia resort on the other side of the river, but her family wasn’t wealthy enough for her to ever experience it. That is until she was able to get a summer job there. During that fateful summer she worked as a lifeguard and was on site when a young boy drowned. That is also the summer she met her husband, who happened to be the boss’s son. Years later, she is a widow, the owner of the hotel, and has one summer to turn it around financially before her greedy brother-in-law steps in.

I flew through this book and didn’t want to put it down! I love a Mary Kay Andrews beach read, and I think Summers at the Saint was one of my favorite ones yet! The fancy resort was the perfect summer setting and had all the things that make for a perfect summer book. There was SO much drama, a variety of characters with very different experiences and points of view but who were all somehow connected, there was mystery with surprise twists and turns, and there was romance and humor. Even though there are so many different characters, it was surprisingly easy to keep them all straight.

I enjoyed the narration of the audiobook by Kathleen McInerney and thought she did a fabulous job. However, I think this would have been even better as a full cast narration.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

I've been loving the romance with a little mystery from the past trope lately and Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews was another with this combination that worked for me.
I enjoyed the slow roll out of the past drama and mystery. I enjoyed the characters and their development from the past as well as on the page.
The have vs have-nots theme (saints vs aint's) was also well executed and I could feel the tension between the classes and within the character who had lived on both sides of the coin.
Mary Kay Andrews knows how to work the southern charm regardless of the genre and I really enjoyed the way all of the pieces came together in this one.

3.5 stars. I was grateful to receive an advanced copy of this resort read from NetGalley and listened to the audiobook. It was a slow start for me as there are quite a few characters and the timelines switches between past (when Traci was a lifeguard at the Saint and a young boy drowned) and present (when Traci is now managing the luxury resort after her husband’s death). This is a great summer read and more of a mystery than I was expecting. Candidly, I was a bit disappointed by the romance arc. This was entertaining though and by a third of the way through the book it hit its stride, and I could keep all the characters and plot points straight. I liked but didn’t love this book.

Looking at the beautiful cover of this book you might think this is a cute summer rom com! In truth it’s a summer murder mystery! Very good listen, the story keeps you hooked throughout once you grasp all the different characters!

Another hit! MKA combined mystery and romance in this new book and hit the spot! A lot is going on but it all made sense. No unreliable narrators or red herrings, and the storylines are wrapped up nicely. I think MKA has found the happy medium with this new book. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book.

Traci Eddings was an “ain’t” but she married into The Saint. Then her husband was tragically killed in a plane crash. This left Traci running the St Cecelia, a resort on the coast of Georgia. Now, strange things are happening and her niece has been killed. Traci is not going down without a fight.

Talk about great characters! This book is full of them. And some of them I want to beat with a muddy stick!

Then there are all the plot twists! You have family drama, assault, murder and theft, all in one novel! Everyone needs to start their summer with Mary Kay Andrews! You will not be sorry!

The narrator is Kathleen McInerney. She narrates all of MKA books and she does a fantastic job!

Need a fabulous book to take to the beach or to just read wherever…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

The Saint is located on the coast of Georgia. It's been family owned and operated for years. Traci Eddings is currently running the hotel since the untimely death of her husband Holt. She needs to hire summer help and has the old golf cart shed turned into a dorm for the younger group.
There is a lot going on at the Saint and a lot of it's not good. Guest are happy with the new addition, complaints about the mattress and televisions. She prompts one of the waiters and hires new young people to help with summer. The hotel is not being turning a profit lately. Her brother-in-law is giving her a hard time along with his current wife. The general manager seems to want to keep Traci out of a lot of the problems. Seems thinks are going missing in the bar and gift shops. Wonder who is getting rich off the hotel. A man shows up and is working at the Saint; but he's asking questions about a drowning from twenty years ago. Traci and her BFF were working as life guards the day of the drowning and were not able to save the ten-year-old.
This is my first audio book, and the narrator was wonderful and did a great job. I really loved all the characters and their parts in the running of the Saint.

Happy Pub Week to Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews!

This book had me hooked from the start with its mix of romance and mystery set in a charming beach hotel.

Traci Eddings, the owner of the iconic St. Cecelia hotel in Georgia, is determined to restore it to its former glory. As she faces staff shortages, financial woes, and sabotage from her own family, Traci enlists a quirky crew of summer hires to help turn things around. However, the discovery of an old hotel tragedy and a recent mysterious death throw unexpected challenges her way.

The characters in this book are wonderfully crafted, each with their own motives and secrets. The plot kept me guessing with its unexpected twists and turns. While the ending tied up some loose ends predictably, I still found it satisfying. Overall, a delightful summer read that blends humor, drama, and heartwarming moments.

The audiobook narration was great. After reading Summers at the Saint, I just want to be sipping cocktails and soaking up the sun at a beach hotel.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

You aren’t going to believe this, but this was my FIRST novel by @marykayandrews and I cannot believe it took me this long to dive into her amazing stories! I'm beyond excited to add all of her other books to my constantly growing TBR pile - there's no way I can get enough after this thrill ride of a read! This book screams summer from start to finish. I can totally picture curling up with it poolside or beachside as the warm sun beams down. Soaking up the story and rays is truly the perfect combo. @marykayandrews really knows how to craft a mystery! The twists just kept coming and I was glued to every page, desperate to uncover the decades of secrets and deceptions along with the modern day motives. If you love an engaging storyline filled with rich characters, intrigue around every corner, and a fresh take on solving cold cases - this book is absolutely for you. Do yourself a favor and stuff it in your bag for your next day of fun in the sun! I promise you won't be able to put it down.

Summary: Traci Eddings grew up on the wrong side of the river as an "Ain't" who worked at the Saint in the summer. One fateful summer she met the boss's son and married him. But life changed drastically for her when her husband died and she was left with the hotel trying to bring it back to its glory days. Between her greedy brother-in-law, staff shortages, and financial troubles, Traci is trying to turn it all around in one summer. However, when one of their own dies tragically, Traci must use her gut to save everything her husband built.

Thoughts: This was my first Mary Kay Andrews that wasn't set at Christmas and I loved it so so much!! Traci was such a strong FMC throughout this book, not only being a widow but also trying to save the hotel that her husband loved so much. In addition, I love how she never really took anything from her horrible brother-in-law, always seeking a way to get around his schemes. To begin, this book had A LOT of characters to keep track of, but they are all very different so that helped a lot. I loved how this had a mystery when one of the members tragically died, and even though there were some clues as to where the story was leading, some twists changed it all up. The small love story of Traci and Whelan added a lighter piece to this story and I loved that Whelan was there when Traci really needed someone in her corner. A great summer beach read, especially if you want a little mystery sprinkled in with your romance.

I was able to listen to the audio of this book. Kathleen McInerney, as usual, did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. Listening to this one I think made it even more mysterious because I felt like I was living the story right alongside the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book!!

Summers at the Saint is classic Mary Kay Andrews. Her fans will love this beach read just in time for summer.

THOUGHTS:

I was so fortunate to be able to listen to this audiobook through @netgalley but I will admit it took me a while to fall in love with this book (I did but it was not immediate). I felt kind of like I was reading The Hotel Nantucket at first but it definitely took a turn pretty quickly. The Eddings family (other than Traci and Hoke) were an awful lot let me just start with that. Rick and his father were definitely cut from the same cloth. Traci is just trying to keep the Saint afloat but there is definitely some shady stuff going on behind the scenes and not with the people you expect. I had a hard time pausing this audiobook because I just wanted to know what was coming next. This will be a wonderful book to read sitting by the pool or on the beach!

RECOMMENDED IF YOU LOVE:
• Murder Mystery
• Hotel Life
• Shady Business

This book was so good. I'm very pleased with it. It took a bit to really get into it. but when i did i couldn't get enough!

I’m always a big fan of behind-the-scenes books in hospitality since I worked in it for so long. This story had it all: great characters (both good and bad), a fun setting of a resort on a private island, romance, and a mystery. There are so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing, all the while falling in love with the characters who are well-developed and who you can’t help but root for. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend for a beach vacation, a rainy day, or any other situation where you just want to read.

There is something about a new Mary Kay Andrews book that indicates summer is coming. Her novels always put me in that laid back summer mood. This book takes us to the Saint....a beach hotel that has been family owned. It is currently under the management of Traci Eddings who has put her heart and soul into the place ever since her husband's tragic passing. The hotel is floundering a bit so Traci decides to progressively hire an assortment of people, including her niece and the daughter of her former best friend. When tragedy strikes and scandals come to light, Traci has to fight even harder to keep the Saint going.

Andrews writes her characters like no other author I've read. They are fun, scandalous, and bursting with personality. I loved Traci and her messy crew. She has real grit and as events come to pass we see secrets uncovered and Traci comes to find out who she truly has in her corner. Not all the characters are lovable as they are not meant to be. As a reader, you love to hate them. The ending is super satisfying. The beach setting on the coast of Georgia is great for this time of year. Kathleen McInerney narrates and puts you right in the story. You feel like you are right there in a beach chair sipping a drink and watching this all unfold. From the first word, her narration grabs you. I couldn't stop listening as I wanted to see it all unfold.

I have been a long time fan of Mary Kay Andrews and this book is a perfect example of why. She's a storyteller and does such a great job of doing so. I highly recommend you pick this one up for your next beach read.

This book was simply average for me. While I did finish it, this plot was a bit all over the map for me and I found I wasn't wanting to reach for it often. I found the plot to be a bit repetitive at times and didn't hold my interest well. A good summer read but forgettable overall.

I listened to this one on audio and it was very binge worthy. In true MKA fashion there were twists and turns but it was the depth of those twists and turns that kept me hooked to this story right until the very end. If you’re looking for well developed characters, beach side atmosphere, friendships through the hard times and a hint of romance here is an awesome beachfront or pool side read