I really struggled with this book. The writing style is one where you go back and forth between the present and memories — works in some books, didn’t work well for me here. I also had a hard time getting into Letty as a heroine — and having two small children myself, the behavior of the 4 year old and how much they cooperated was hard for me to read as well because it just read as unrealistic. This just wasn’t the one for me.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. Everything you look for in a book. An easy read that keeps you in suspense as the plot evolves. The reader falls in love with the characters as the characters fall in love with each other. A little far fetched but definitely worth reading!

The Newcomer is a great fictional mystery/romance novel. It captures your interest right from the beginning when the main character, Letty and her niece Maya pull into a Florida beach town motel called “Murmuring Surf”. As the story unfolds you find that you are unable to put this easy read down. Letty is running away not only from the law, but her previous life as well. Letty’s untrustworthy boyfriend has taken up with her beautiful sister, but when she discovers her murdered body, she grabs her young niece Maya and leaves. She knows she will be the main suspect and cannot risk hanging around.

The owner of the motel, Ava, feels sorry for Letty and takes her on as an assistant, not aware that Letty may be wanted for murder and that she kidnapped her sister's four-year-old child. Ava’s son Joe is a police officer and is suspicious of Letty from the beginning. Many intriguing developments occur throughout the story, including a little romance. The motel is a winter get a way for many retirees, and Mary Kay Andrews infuses plenty of humor at their expense and the readers enjoyment. The plot thickens further into the story, as does Letty’s relationships; all of this culminating into a gratifying ending.

This is the first novel of Mary Kay Andrews I have read, and I genuinely enjoyed it and will explore many more. Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for this preview copy. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good fictional romance/mystery!

4/12 stars!! This is a fun, fast read. I loved the people at the Murmuring Surf and I would love to vacation there! Letty is a great MC and the supporting characters are well done. The romance adds to the story in the best way. I enjoyed this from start to finish! Disclaimer: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

The Newcomer is not what I thought it would be. While it does have a little romance, the story mostly focuses on a murder and keeping the victim’s daughter safe. Letty did not believe her sister when she promised to take her niece and run if anything happened. But that’s exactly what she ends up doing. I enjoyed the setting of a Gulf-front property with its eclectic characters. It is the perfect beach read for the summer.

WOW! There was so much going on in this book that I could hardly put it down! It was great to see how the people at The Murmuring Surf embraced Letty and Maya and kept them safe during everything that unfolding. Two mysteries that were eventually tied together. What a super read!

I used to housesit for a woman that collected Mary Kay Andrews and spent many sunny days on the deck curled up with one of her novels. I had forgotten how quick and easy her books were and how much I enjoyed them. This book was so fun and easy to read. I'll definitely be picking this up in the physical copy to send to my grandma because I know she'll love it!

As always Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. This book was no exception - I was hooked by page two. A real page turner filled with suspense, humor and romance. Her characters were lovable, or detestable depending on the good guys or the bad guys. Her use of imagery was great - I could clearly envision settings, etc. in my minds eye. A great read!

I did enjoy this book, but thought it was a little long and predictable. It could have used some editing to speed things up a little.

Altogether it was an easy light read.

Fans of Andrews will love this! It was very sweet and had everything her other books have. She is great at writing characters that you root for! I found the romance part a bit rushed but I still loved it!

This is an ok book that could have been a lot better. Unfortunately the narration jumps around too much in my opinion, at one point there was even an animal POV! There are also a lot of flashbacks that slowed down the momentum. I think the story would have been a lot better if it stuck to Letty and let her fill the reader in on her backstory. For example we do not need to know what’s going on with Tanya’s ex Evan at the diner where Letty used to work when it would have been easier to have Letty just get a text from her waitress friend and not slowed down the story so much with the jumping around. There’s also a big plot hole with how someone finds out Letty’s last name in order to look her up. Letty could have been a more well rounded character too. We do not actually get to know her well and how she feels about things. Her niece Maya is adorable and there are interesting characters to be found at the motel they move into. The romance is pretty nil that’s alluded to in the description. There’s also not much comedy in what could be a funny setting with Letty on the run. It’s mostly a drama with too much chaos in all the character shifts and flashbacks that slow the story down. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a fun beach read. Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. I loved the characters in this book. There were some twists, romance and suspense. It’s a perfect book to read on your next vacation.

"The Newcomer" by Mary Kay Andrews, is a wonderful beach read. Letty finds her sister Tanya dead in her condo. Tanya had told Letty that if anything were to happen to her, she should take Tanya's daughter, a "go" bag that had been packed for her, and a car, and just leave. Letty finds a magazine article with the name of a motel in Florida, penciled in by her sister, and takes that as a message she should go there.

This book is chock a block of warm characters some likable, some not so much,, a murder mystery, an intersecting heist, a love story, a beautiful setting and a satisfying ending. It has all the elements of a fantastic beach read!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of books by MKA, but this book was a disappointment for me. From the beginning I felt like I’d read this book before, and that feeling continued through the entire book. The plot was very predictable, although the characters living at the motel added a bit of humor to the story. I also felt the story could have been told in a lot less pages. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Letty is on the run from New York with her niece, Maya, after Maya's mother was murdered. She plans a short stay at the Murmuring Surf Motel, but ends up with a job, a bunch of new friends and a love affair with the owner's son. All that will end if the murderer and his cohorts can catch up with her.
This was a great book, typical of Mary Kay Andrews. Good plot, with likeable characters, except the villians.
I appreciate getting to read an ARC of it thanks to NetGalley.

Book Review for The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

“The Newcomer” is an enjoyable read, with a great mix of humor, suspense, and romance. I’m not sure that I would have had my wits about me enough to grab my niece and run after finding my sister murdered like Letty did. Letty is a strong person who gets what she wants, without being pushy. I loved the mix of characters staying at the motel: grouchy, suspicious, and sweet and doting. I’m not sure how believable Evan’s character is. For being a crook with a lot of money, he sure made some stupid mistakes. Overall, though, I liked the book. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Andrew’s books.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have always enjoyed books by Mary Kay Andrews but this book is one of her best. The humorous touches added so much to this story. I highly recommend this book. I received a copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Letty Carnahan knew her sister Tanya didn’t always follow the straight and narrow, but when she finds Tanya dead and her four year-old daughter Maya hiding in their apartment, Letty knows Tanya’s shady ex Evan killed her. She grabs Tanya’s “go bag” and her niece and drives to a small mom & pop hotel in Florida called the Murmuring Surf because Tanya had an old magazine article about it in her things. There she finds a closed knit group of senior snow birds that eye her suspiciously, but slowly come around as she helps the owner run things, while trying to learn what Tanya was involved in. Her biggest problem becomes the owner’s son who is a local police detective and suspicious of her.

This is a much faster paced read than most romantic suspense, focusing on action, not the hot & heavy. Maya and her antics are adorable. As always, MKA is queen of the beach reads.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A good friend of mine who is also a huge bibliophile recommends books to me all the time. Typically we are on the same page and I devour her suggestions as soon as I can get my hands on them. Mary Kay Andrews is one of her very favorite authors. I have tried and tried in the past to love MKA as she does, but more times than not, her stories fell short for me. I always wanted "more" or something "deeper." Then I had a "light bulb moment" and started reading her novels for what they were intended to be - light, breezy, summer reads. Mary Kay Andrews excels with these stories and it's her niche that made her such a well-loved, best-selling author.

That all said, The Newcomer, her newest novel, is one of my favorites of hers to date (2nd behind Hissy Fit). It checked all the boxes it should and I truly enjoyed the read. The novel centers around Lettie and her adorable niece who are on the run after Lettie's sister was killed/murdered. Of course they escape to the Florida beaches and the story uncovers exactly why her sister was killed and WHO was the one to do it. All along the way, she finds friendship and love and a few warm summer moments to boot. All around a fun read!