I absolutely LOVED listening to this story. While some of the topics were on the heavier side it still felt like the perfect light-hearted, cozy beach read. I enjoyed the various side stories and felt satisfied with the way they all linked up. This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and it won't be my last! 

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

I did not know what to expect with The Newcomer as it was my first with Mary Kay Andrews. The characters had such depth and the story line was great! I’m still living in a book hangover where I need these characters to still do doing things for me to read about!

I absolutely loved this Mary Kay Andrews novel. I really enjoyed the characters and the elements of mystery that went along with it.

To put me in the summer mood I started with Mary Kay Andrews' newest title, THE NEWCOMER. I loved that this was a mix of what we have come to know and love about Mary Kay Andrews, but with a little bit of a twist. It was murder mystery meets love story meets typical small Florida tourist town complete with all the grumpy regulars who's lives are about to get shaken up a bit. Loveable Letty arrives in town with her young niece, looking for some answers and a place to escape after finding her sister's murdered body in her expensive New York apartment. Letty and her niece win the hearts of just about everyone at the hotel and some of the grouchy regulars even come to Letty's rescue when she needs it most of all. I loved the mystery aspect of this story and all the small beach town happenings that go along with it.

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and I have mixed feelings. I started out liking it, but after a while it really started to drag on. It held my attention overall, but would have benefited from editing revising - I think the book easily could have been 200 pages shorter. Early on in the book the "mystery" was pretty clear and it was predictable, so it was more just waiting for it to wrap up at a certain point. It felt repetitive at times - characters explaining something we'd already learned about witnessed to other characters. I think this book had a lot of potential, but it was going in a lot of directions.

I really enjoyed the motel setting - I almost wish the author had leaned more into the motel, its inhabitants, and the family that owned it as those were my favorite parts. I felt the romance aspect was rather weak - it felt like there wasn't much build up or chemistry between the characters. I also found that I wasn't really interested in the main character Letty and her niece Maya and felt a bit disconnected in a sense. There wasn't much character development for her and she was a bit blah. I do think the author is a good writer in terms of description and banter, I just felt like the overall structure of the story could have used some work. I'd like to read another of her books and see if it's a better read overall.

Thank you Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and MacMillan Audio for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderfully cute story! I was told that MKA was a great author, but this one really did impress me!
This is about Lettie and her four year old niece Maya who are on the run after Maya’s mother was murdered.
We jump right into their story as they hide in Florida at a resort called The Murmuring Surf. While this resort is filled with older people who have been visiting there for years, Lettie and Maya stick out like sore thumbs.
I loved watching the friendships and romance bloom in this heartwarming story.
I did appreciate that the plot line was not too far fetched but also a bit interesting with Maya’s father trying to hunt them down.
This is a fantastic beach read!i

I know that Mary Kay Andrews is a popular author with many books under her belt, however I never read any of her work. I wanted The Newcomer to be my first try at an Andrews novel, but I really could not make it work. You would think with a plot as exciting as a dead younger sister, a kidnapping and a Florida setting something more would come out of this book but it never happened for me. I am sad to say that this book was not for me. The way the characters interacted was so cheesy I couldn’t take it anymore. Perhaps this is a book for a certain group of people which apparently isn’t me. I am glad I gave it a try though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio book in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews always has an entertaining and good story to tell. This one is no exception. Her books typically have a bit of mystery and romance. I enjoyed the story and characters in this one. It wasn't as predictable as I thought it was going to be and took some turns I didn't expect. I did feel the build up of a relationship between Letty and Joe was a little weak. There just wasn't enough there to support the fastness of the attraction and nothing other than Joe saying that he has fallen in love with her. Overall a good beach read for this summer. I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as some past books, but still recommend it. The book was well-narrated by Kathleen McInerney.

I enjoyed this book, though a bit drawn out. Narrator was good. Would recommend to others. Mary never disappoints.

A woman tells her sister if she is ever murdered, to take her daughter and disappear. So, that's what the sister does, running from the metro NYC area to Florida. She seems to think her sister has pointed her to a particular motel on the beach, and proceeds to talk her way into a room and a job. However, the motel is filled with senior snowbirds who are nosy and the owner's son is a police detective, so it becomes increasingly difficult to stay under the radar. But, she and her niece have endeared themselves to the motel owner, and eventually to the detective as well. Can they remain safe from the person who killed their sister & mother?

Good characters, especially the senior citizen residents of the motel--I thought they were just a wonderful touch to what would have been a relatively routine story line. Made it a great book!

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
Narrated by Kathleen McInerney
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Women's Fiction
Publication Date: May 4, 2021

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews is a standalone novel filled with romance, suspense, mystery and wonderful characters that make this such a heartwarming read!

This book was so amazing! I was drawn in immediately and didn't want it to stop! The story was fascinating, filled with unexpected twists. The characters were so wonderful! I totally wanted to live in the Murmuring Surf Motel so I could say I knew these people. This book was filled with love and the true meaning of family.

The narration by Kathleen McInerney was incredible! I really enjoyed listening to her bring the story to life!

I highly recommend this book! It is fast paced and filled with so much specialness!

I'm so grateful to Mary Kay Andrews, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. The narrator was good at keeping you on the edge of your sit. Letty is running away from her past with her niece. In the book, you are trying to figure out what ran her out of New York and what has her so scared. She finds a safe haven in the small resort town of Treasure Island where she bargains for a place to stay and ends up becoming a big help to the owner. There is a cast of character that make this book one you don't want to put down.

This was a fun book. It is definately a beach read and perfect for the summer. It kept me interested. I like her books because they are always set on the sea and they are usually a fun, easy beach read. This one was a bit different (I have read almost all of her books) because it was longer and more involved but I liked it. It also hada bit more of a mystery which was really nice. They are always set in the south and listening to them gives them a lot of flavor of the south and that adds to the whole fibe of the story. The main character is a woman who is misunderstood and really a good person at heart. I also like the main love interest he is a good guy sheriff that adds to the whole story. The parts that included the little girl are really nice and make you able to understand why Litty has done certain things. After I started the book I kept wanting to find out how it ended and I was not disappointed, I enjoyed the book and am waiting for the next one to come out--even if it's not summer this book will make you want to sit on the beach!
I give it a 3.5 star rating ***1/2

This had really good suspense and I really enjoyed it. I love MKA books so much, so this one was definitely not disappointing.

NOTE: The book got 4/5 stars from me but I am giving the audiobook 5/5.

One of my go-to authors for the summer beach read is definitely Mary Kay Andrews, and I have been loving the dash of mystery they include as of late. The Newcomer is no different, and it is chock-full of mystery, romance, and... murder!! I fell in love with Letty, her niece Maya, and all the retirees at The Murmuring Surf Motel. Honestly, the best part of the whole book might have been the retirees and snowbirds, and they provided a lot of comic relief throughout the novel. Most of the characters are quite likable, although we do have a couple of bad guys as well, and the women especially were mostly strong and empowered which I always love. And can we just talk about the cover? It is perfect for the story and I am in love with the colors and the whole look!

I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Kathleen McInerney and it was AH-mazing. Even her voice for Maya was on point, and she brought a lot to the book for me with her narration. There is a lot going on in the story but at the same time is a slower burn, so I really enjoyed having the audio to listen to. It is also quite the chunk at 448 pages (almost 14.5 hours for the audiobook), and having the audio made it go by much faster than if I would have read it. However, this makes it the perfect read to take on a beach vacation, and it gives you all the summer feels. I loved every single thing about The Newcomer except the length and I do think it could have been considerably shorter. That aside, I adored this book and already can't wait for MKA's next novel!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'm not sure how I managed to go this long without reading a book by Mary Kay Andrews, but this is the first book I've read by this author. Having no previous experience with her work, I don't know if this is typical of her writing, though I have seen a couple of reviews stating that this book is a bit darker than her usual. I didn't find it dark at all. I understand the underlying themes of murder, abuse, etc are dark themes, but it was written in a way that still made the book feel lighter somehow.

I found this story to be a little predictable and unbelievable or convenient at times, but it was enjoyable enough that I was able to dismiss those issues. The predictability came across as comfortable rather than boring. There were also a few small surprises sprinkled throughout the book to help keep it interesting.

I enjoyed getting to know the characters in the story, even if they were a bit cliched at times. The older people could be fun and there were some laughable moments that bordered on silly. It reminded me a bit of the Miss Fortune series at those times.

I was surprised that my biggest struggle was with the romance. I expected it to be the most fleshed out part, but it was unbelievable to me. It felt rushed and forced. I would have liked to have seen the relationship develop more.

The narrator was excellent, but let’s be honest, no adult can sound like a genuine 4 year old. If that fake baby voice is something that will bother you, then you may want to skip the audio version of this one.

Overall, I liked the story and the writing style was engaging. I didn't completely love it, but I'd certainly be interested in reading another book by Ms. Andrews.

3.5★ - Rounded up because it was enjoyable.

This book was so good, I found myself not wanting to put it down! It was such an easy and engaging read. This book had a little bit of everything in it. There was murder, mystery, and even some romance. This book would be a hit for anyone. All the characters in this book were great, and I loved the location being a motel at the beach. It made it a perfect summer beach read. This book will make you laugh, gasp, and sit on the edge of your seat. You will not be able to stop turning the pages!

If you’re looking for a summer beach read, I highly recommend bringing this one along! I listened to it on audio as well as read it physically, I recommend it in either form! Though, I have to say, I really did love it on audio.

This book is the perfect beach read. It has aspects of a mystery while still painting romantic and lighthearted componebts6.

As always Mary Kay Andrews never fails to light up the pages. The mystery and dynamic between aunt and child is so beautiful and they seamlessly fell into this beautiful family and extended family right away. As the mystery to who murdered the child's mother unfolds and more secrets of her past surface her sister is able to take everything and turn it into a beautiful conclusion.

The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews is a more of a women's contemporary lit book than your traditional beach read, as although it takes place at the beach in Florida, there is a murder mystery built in. Letty finds her sister Tanya dead in her NY home and takes Tanya's 4 year old daughter Maya and goes on the run, stopping at the Whispering Surf Motel, which she found through an article that Tanya had left behind. She befriends Ava, the owner of the Whispering Surf, who hires her, gives her a place to live and almost becomes a surrogate mother to her. Ava's daughter Isabel becomes her reliable babysitter and her son Joe, a police officer, becomes the love interest.

I listened to the audio version of the novel and like many other reviewers, found the novel to be very long. There was a lot that could have been cut out, especially since it's very obvious who Tanya's killer from the beginning and the whole jewelry stealing gang really could have been left out with little detriment to the story. The love story seemed very forced, Letty and Joe went from being adversaries, then once Joe found out that Letty was on the run in a murder case, he suddenly fell in love with her and didn't turn her in? Hard to believe that an officer of the law would do that! I thought the reader did a great job differentiating between the different women's voices, however Joe just sounded like a belligerent, obnoxious man...I couldn't imagine what Letty saw in him and Maya's voice made me cringe, I found myself hoping that she wouldn't speak. When she started chanting, "Swimmy, swimmy, swimmy" I almost turned the recording off and gave up on the book. This was one time I think I would have preferred a written copy to an audio.

Thanks to the author, MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for an ARC of this novel in exhange for my honest review.