I’ve always loved Mary Kay Andrews’s writing style, and The Newcomer was no exception. However, as I looked back in my reviews of her previous books, I saw the same problem in this book - it’s too long. About 3/4 of the way through, I was ready to be finished. But I liked the story and the characters, even if sometimes it seemed like there was too much going on!

Thank you, as always, to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

I keep saying it, but it's okay that it's on repeat. This was classic MKA. I was hooked from the very beginning and I was rooting for Letty through the entire story. WOW. Yep, this one was a good one.

I’m always looking was a captivating summer read that draws me in quickly. This one did not disappoint. It was a bit predictable at times but I found it fast pace an easy flow. Not too many characters that I was lost and those present were well developed. I found settings and locations describe perfectly and no excessive word usage. This is my first time reading this a book by this author. I’ll have to try other books.

It’s hard to go wrong with a book by this author. She’s a wonderful look forward to read of the summer. The setting in Florida is something she does so well, along with character development.

I'm torn on how to feel about this one. At times I was invested into what was going to happen to them. It was cute but also unbelievable. I would say this is a cozy romance mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and the Author, Mary Kay Andrews for an early copy of this book for my honest review.

Just like all of the other books I've read by Mary Kay Andrews, this is a very compelling story that will not only keep you on the edge of your seat, but will keep you intrigued throughout all of the pages.

While it's got a lot of pages (which I love) I was able to read this book in one day, and can't wait for the next one to be published.

On the run from her sister Tanya’s shady ex (after discovering her sister dead), Letty and Tanya’s young daughter land at a quaint Florida beach town called Treasure Island. There Letty arranges accommodations at the Murmuring Surf, an outdated family style motel, inhabited by a cast of returning seasonal retirees.

Letty’s plan is to lay low, stay out of sight and keep Maya safe from her father, whose interest in the child is purely transactional. Complicating Letty’s plan is the hotel owner’s son, a local hottie named Joe, who also happens to be the town detective.

MKA combines what she does best here, combines a heroine in trouble, a mystery to solve, and a little side of romance to serve up a satisfying beach read. It’s not heavy lifting, but smooth like sipping a beach drink while soaking up some rays.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC in exchange for this review.

A thoroughly enjoyable summer beach read that takes place in the offbeat Murmuring Surf motel on Florida's Gulf Coast.. Here, Letty, who has held jobs in NYC ranging from waitressing to property management and acting, finds a much needed hideout for herself and her four year old niece Maya after finding her sister Tanya murdered in her multimillion dollar Manhattan brownstone. Letty finds herself trying to balance her role as an unexpected mom to Maya while learning to navigate the elderly and quirky snowbird clientele of the "The Surf" motel. A feel good if somewhat predictable story that will leave the reader both satisfied and smiling after the last page is read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Every summer I read MKA latest book and I love cracking open each and everyone.

Letty finds her sister, Tanya dead in her New York townhouse. Letty remembers that Tanya had warned her if anything ever happens to her, Evan will be the one responsible. She would want her to take Maya her 4 year old daughter and run! Thats just what she does.

This was a page turner and I loved it.

Classic Mary Kay Andrews. Romantic. Mysterious. Suspenseful. A great read to take to the beach, the porch or your favourite armchair. Enjoy it Five stars.

MKA is always my summer opener, I love how her writing has evolved to include a little more mystery and The Newcomer was just the right amount of summer beach read (of course with that setting!!), mystery, romance and drama.

Another 5 star read from MKA, and this reader is eagerly anticipating what next summer will bring! Also eager for a beach vacation, but without all the crime and runaway drama :)

I wanted to like this book - the premise appealed to me, but I just found it went on and on and one for far too long. Additionally, some of the “twists” and “secrets” didn’t seem to have the impact they were set up to give - at the end I felt like I wasted a lot of time and didn’t gain much from the last 30% of the book.

This book was a pleasure to read. It was fun, filled with mystery and romance. Very cool characters as well. I will be looking forward to reading more from this author.

When Letty finds her sister dead, she takes her neice from NY and runs. Letty's sister made her promise she would pritect her neice no matter what. Letty knew Evan her sister's ex was a sleazy real estate investor.
Letty nd her neice find themselves in Florida in a motel parking lot. She is running and cant tell anyone who she really is. It makes for an interesting story even with the motels owner's son is a local cop.

I loved this story it was a great story and really kept my interest.

As a recent fan of Mary Kay Andrews, I read this and wondered why I waited so long to start reading her work! The Newcomer was full of all the things that make a wonderful book-- suspense, love, laughter and realistic characters. I found myself not sure what to expect in the ending but very satisfied with what ended up happening.

This was my first ever Mary Kay Andrews book and this is not the genre I usually read. Nevertheless, this book kept me entertained from beginning to end. I had put it off for months because of the murder mystery that I usually don’t enjoy. However, it was a light read and I enjoyed the Florida motel setting. and the fact it involved a 4 year old.

I do enjoy contemporary stories but would have preferred a greater emphasis on the romance which was a bit too instantaneous. I usually prefer with a slow buildup.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Let me preface this by saying I am not usually a big rom-com fan. Truthfully, I asked for this book because I thought the cover was cute. I am so glad I did! This book was ADORABLE.

When Letty finds her sister Tanya dead in her New York City townhouse she takes her niece Maya and flees, honoring her sister's request and heeding her warning that if anything happens to her, it was Evan's fault. Letty takes off to Florida to hide at a beachside motel called the Murmuring Surf while she tries to figure out what to do next.

Letty is such a great character to follow. Her response is so realistic. I could really feel her fear as I continued reading. I absolutely loved her relationships with Ava and Joe, as well as the snowbirds staying at the motel. Maya is the real show-stopper though. She was so freaking cute. I loved how innocent (but still observant) she was. This was such a great beach read, and I'm so glad I requested it!

I absolutely loved this book! Tanya was murdered ands she made her sister Letty promise her that if anything happened to her she needed to take her daughter Maya and run. The pair left in hurry and landed in Florida at the Murmuring Surf Motel. Joe is skeptical of the two but his mother welcomes them in with open arms. Over time Letty and Maya win the hearts of this motel community. This sweet love story was so fun to read. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This one just wasn't for me. I DNF'd at 20%. I didn't like the characters and just didn't get hooked.

Review will be posted on 7/29/21

Letty Carnahan quickly leaves New York City with her niece after her sister, Tanya, was murdered. She always promised her sister that she would take her daughter, Maya, if anything happened to her. They are on the run from her sister's shady husband, Evan, who Letty thinks murdered her sister. The FBI is after him for running fraudulent Airbnb properties; plus, Tanya has confided in Letty that she is afraid of him. So, Letty puts two and two together and gets out of town with Maya in tow. She had Tanya's "go bag," which has a bunch of cash in it and along with a tip from Tanya, she ends up at a motel in Treasure Island, Florida. The motel is a quiet sort of place run by a woman named Ava. Letty ends up with a job in exchange for a room that wasn't quite a room to begin with. Good thing Letty knows how to work hard. While there, Letty befriends all of the motel's long term guests and Joe, Ava's son, catches Letty's eye. Meanwhile Letty is trying to figure out Tanya's connection to Treasure Island and a local criminal ring all the while Evan is searching for her. The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews is a mysterious beach read with a lot going on.

Letty is an interesting character in The Newcomer. Her dedication to her sister and her niece are admirable. She works hard and is often put in difficult situations. Letty she tries to piece together her sister's involvement with Treasure Island, Florida and slowly she starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Also, I had high hopes for a romance between Joe, the cop, and Letty, and while it does eventually happen, it ended up being disappointing. I felt like Andrews could have really developed their relationship a bit more. I wasn't feeling it at all.

The best part of The Newcomer was the fun setting of The Murmuring Surf hotel. I loved the long-term guests, Letty's part in the motel, and the small town coastal feel. Andrews brought to life the west coast of Florida and the motel life very well. Essentially, the setting of this story really made it a beach read for me.

I did have issues suspending my disbelief while reading The Newcomer. There was a lot going on in and at times it felt really contrived and unbelievable. It also felt overly complicated, like maybe Andrews should have focused on one villain.

Nonetheless, Andrews fans will like how she combines a mystery with a classic beach read. She does it well and usually it works for me, but ultimately, The Newcomer fell a little bit flat.

Are you a fan of Mary Kay Andrews? Have you read The Newcomer? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.