I am really picky when it comes to romances and after a dew thriller duds, I decided to switch it up and try this one.

The premise was cute but it dragged for the first half of the book. It was hard to get into and I felt bored. The second half of the book faired a bit better. Ultimately this one was just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

Mary Kay Andrews has done it again; The Homewreckers is great! This book has it all: a great cast of characters, mystery, humor, romance, Hollywood, reality TV, and just the right about of southern charm. What's not to love? Add this title to your TBR; you won't be sorry!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an ARC of this novel.

I cannot remember when I have enjoyed a book more! This book has everything that I love to read: romance, comedy, drama, and a murder mystery. What a surprising combination that worked very well together. Hattie is a little spitfire of a contractor, one who wants to renovate historic Savannah one house at a time. When she has the opportunity to be the star of a reality TV show along with some of the expenses of renovation being covered by the production company, she jumps at the chance and the fun begins. The house on Chatham Avenue is more than a wreck, it is also a house with secrets that it has held for years. The characters are well-developed and entertaining to get to know. I loved Cass’s sassiness and her vulnerability. Trae was maddeningly narcissistic but was also humorous and likable. My favorite character was Mo, the director of the show and the man who holds the story together and keeps it moving at its fast pace. The hours that passed when I was reading this book were all delightfully well spent. I especially enjoyed how the main plot of the renovation dovetailed perfectly with all of the sub-plots. It all worked together so well that the mystery just seemed a natural part of what started out to be a rom-com for me. I loved spending time with these characters and think fans of MKA and those who enjoy laughing aloud and getting surprised will enjoy this book and all of its twisted quirkiness.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Mary Kay Andrews' thirtieth book, The Homewreckers, is a spellbinding story about renovating old homes, making a tv show, and solving a seventeen-year-old murder case.

Initial Expectations:
The Homewreckers is a Mary Kay Andrews book, so I'm expecting a heartwarming theme mixed with a bit of mystery and maybe even some thrills, and the book blurb confirms this. I love the setting. My favorite vacation spot is near Savannah, GA. And the first part of the description reminds me of Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, so I think there will be humorous moments. I expect this to be a delightful mix of genres that will be an absolute pleasure to read.

Actual Reading Experience:
Right from the start, this story about Hattie Kavanaugh and her attempt to renovate and flip a large old home in historic Savannah, Georgia, drew me in. She works with her father-in-law, Tug Kavanaugh, and her best friend, Cassidy Pelletier, at Kavanaugh and Sons - a family-owned home renovation company. Hattie's passion for restoring these homes radiates off of the page, and that is just the start of the development of this character into someone that is easily relatable and a person that is easy to root for. All the characters feel like home and spending time with them – a warm hug. I enjoyed the heartwarming family theme and getting to know everyone important in Hattie's life.

But that's only a piece of this story. Another significant piece is the home improvement reality show she is talked into doing after losing so much money on the renovation that begins this tale. She only agreed to do it because she was afraid that she cost the company too much money for her father-in-law to be able to retire, and she needed to recoup the loss. Mo, a Hollywood producer for a home improvement channel (like HGTV), came along and proposed a unique solution to her problem, one that she didn't want to do until she realized that she had no choice if she was going to make up for her mistake. The result is many laugh-out-loud moments and thrills when workers find the wallet of a missing teacher on the site, and someone(s) commits acts of sabotage on her new project.

The third large piece of the story is Hattie working to solve her missing teacher's case from seventeen years ago. When she starts asking questions and making people scared that she will uncover the truth, Hattie quickly and unexpectedly finds herself in danger. This mystery aspect of the story captivated me and kept those pages flipping long into the night. Was the same person sabotaging her show and job site, the killer of her teacher long ago, or were the two mysteries separate?

Only Mary Kay Andrews can take these three unique genres and mash them up into a story I couldn't put down even if I tried. I loved every thrilling, laugh-out-loud, and heartwarming moment and there are plenty of each. The setting is explored to humid perfection. I've been to Savannah and vacation near there every summer, so I know the area very well. I can honestly say that the story catches every nuance of the setting and explores it to perfection, including the sense of entitlement felt by the old families of the area. It has me ready to go to the beach in a few weeks!

Characters:
Hattie Kavanaugh is the main character and the one that the third-person narration focuses on from start to finish. She grew up in Savannah and stayed in the area through the shame of her father being convicted of embezzlement, her parent's divorce, and her mother leaving. Her best friend's family took Hattie in so that she could remain in the area. Hattie's family loyalty is strong and extends to her in-laws and the family that took her in when her biological family fell apart. She is intelligent, determined, and driven by a passion for restoring old homes to their former glory.

Cassie Pelletier is Hattie's best friend, and their relationship is as close as any biological sister relationship. Cassie's mother, Zenobia, also works for Kavanaugh and Sons. I just loved both of these characters as they remind me how small a big area like Savannah can feel when it comes to the old families.

Then there is the cast of characters from Hollywood, and what a fun juxtaposition they are to the old southern families. Mo is, in particular, a wonderful character who shares Hattie's passion for restoration, just from a different angle. I loved his heart and ability to make lemon-aid from life's lemons.

To Read or Not to Read:
If you are looking for a book to start your summer off on the right foot, The Homewreckers is perfect.

Mary Kay knows what makes a good rom-com and she knows subtle suspense, so no surprise adding a mystery into this new rom-com, works so well. the book DOES start a little ho-hum, but stay with it and it will get into the well known Mary Kay groove and it will be a breeze from there. Hattie is very likable and after a while so is Mo, and you'll be rooting for everything to work out for both of them, AND the show, and for the little mystery to get solved. Yes, it probably could have been shortened a bit, but it's a decent Summer read!

Mark your calendar for May 3 because this book is a must read beach read for summer! A perfect mix of southern charm, romance, and mystery, this book was hard to put down.

Hattie Kavanaugh works for her late husband’s family construction business renovating historic homes in Savannah, GA. Enter Mo, a handsome home improvement network producer on the hunt for his next show. When he convinces Hattie to star in a show called The Homewreckers with a hot interior designer from LA, they have no idea the house they choose to renovate is tied to an unsolved disappearance that rocked the community two decades prior. This witty, sweet novel will have you on the edge of your seat through every twist and turn!

I seriously adore everything that has to do with Mary Kay and her amazing summer reads. This book was nice and fresh, amazing leading character, and too funny for words. We meet Hattie who is a contractor for her in-laws, she is s passionate and I loved everything about her, but she was offered something she couldn't turn away from, and Hollywood came to Savannah, even though it took some convincing. Mo, who is this big shot producer had to put in that work to try to convince Hattie, and of course everything that you think can go wrong in a remodel, HAPPPENED!

I cant forget to mention the mystery in this book, there is the towns unsolved mystery, what happened to Lanier, who was a young High School teacher who taught Hattie and most of their town kids at the time. Now that mystery was something I was not expecting, I know that this author adds the most amazing twists when it comes to suspense in her books, but this one was intense. And can we talk about the love triangle that slowly creeped into this book????? I was here for ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Mary Kay Andrew’s new book has arrived and that means the summer kickoff! She writes what she knows and loves and it shines through in her clever, humorous books. I love that this one mixes in a bit of mystery, karma and reality with a romance, all taking place on the beach near Savannah! This is a highly entertaining read

What a great book!

On the surface, you go into this book thinking it will be a fun romp through a home renovation show, you know, one of those on THAT channel where they show houses turned from nothing to something in a matter of days? No one gets dirty, all problems are wrapped up in 30 minutes or less....

Well, this book has all that, plus a lot more. You've got a Hollywood-hot guy designer, a hard-working hometown widow trying to make good for her father-in-law's construction business, her best friend/construction manager who she's known since she was in high school, and the network executive and producers who are only out to develop a show that brings in advertisers and audiences.

What you also have are real feelings, real drama, a missing person mystery that turns into an unsolved mystery (or is it solved?). Family histories and secrets are revealed, and so are the secrets of the home renovation show business. Hattie is a lot stronger than she appears, both physically and emotionally; Trae is just as shallow as you'd expect, and maybe Mo isn't quite the hard-hearted producer after all. I don't do spoilers, so you'll have to read to find out. It'll be worth your while!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. I really enjoy this author's stories. They are gripping but they have a lighter vibe without all of the blood, gore and disturbing content that other mysteries have. The book has just the right amount of suspense with humour, romance and grit thrown in. I really enjoyed how the old house held so many secrets and how they all came to light throughout the book. This is a great read if you want to laugh while being totally pulled in to the "whodunit"! Once again reading a book set in Savannah and area makes me really want to visit the area. The decriptions the author uses of Tybee and little Tybee plus the actual town of Savannah really entices one to go there. If you are looking for a book with humour, grit, romance and suspense then this is the book for you.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Homewreckers! This was a lovely summer read that people should be excited to read when it comes out! The beginning was a little slow for me but picked up after a bit. Once it picks up then it gets going! Thanks again for the ARC and this book comes out May 3rd!

This is one of my favorite authors, and she didn't disappoint me. The story is set in one of my all time favorite cities, Savannah and Tybee Island Georgia. There is so much mystery in this story, twist and turns. You think you have it figured out, and then it turns in another direction. Hattie works at a construction company and renovates houses in the area. She buys a house on Tybee Island to renovate for a new show idea and incurs all kinds of issues. This book is hard to put down once you start. It is definitely my favorite of Mary Kay Andrews books thus far. I highly recommend it!

Ever since reading the Weekenders I have been obsessed with Mary Kay Andrews books. Even though they are thrillers, the location of all the books make them enjoyable. I look forward to each book every year. This book did not disappoint except for it was very.slow when it came to the mystery part that is common in all the books. I will continue to read Mary Kay Andrews books,
All of the characters were lovable (the ones that were supposed to be lovable)

This was the perfect read for HGTV and mystery lovers with a little romance thrown in for good measure. Hattie is struggling with her house flipping business in Savannah Georgia when a tv producer approaches her with an offer to make her the star of her own show. In exchange she'll get some extra cash and hopefully help get her business restarted.

What follows is an unexpected dead body, a cold case murder investigation and lots of drama with her unwanted interior designer co-star, as well as some sizzling chemistry with the show producer. This book could have been straight off an HGTV show and I loved every second. I wasn't a fan of the narration by Kathleen McInerney but still a solidly entertaining listen I would not hesitate to recommend. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy!

I haven't had this much fun with a book for awhile. It was simply fun to read! The woman contractor, Hattie, who gets in over her head on a project and needs a way to dig her company out of the hole she put them in, signs up to do a reality show about restorations. Along with it comes a cast of characters who are just the pains in the butt that you would expect them to be. They want her in sundresses instead of her work clothes, they want to rush the deadlines and, of course, give her a ridiculously handsome (but not super helpful) co-host.

When you throw in the unearthing of evidence from a decades old case of a woman's disappearance and the possible suspects and the detective working the case, there is a page turning fantastic story with fascinating characters! I simply loved this book and highly recommend it, especially if you're in a reading slump. The story flows from page to page and my interest never waned.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

The Homewreckers is a fabulous read. If you are thinking it is just a home renovation romance think further then just that. You get this fabulous murder mystery thrown in too. Hattie has a passion for renovating older homes. She is a widow and just wants to do her family in laws proud when it comes to the business. Mo is the behind the scenes tv guy who sees something special with Hattie and her passion. You are going to love this slow burn chemistry that builds throughout this read. Along with Hattie's bestie Cass you are in for a treat when it comes to this amazing rehab read. Trae for me was not my favorite of the characters but someone that needed to be by Hattie and Cass as this rehab went on. I love everything about this one. There was plenty of unexpected moments that had me clued to the pages. Hattie and Mo are fantastic together. You need to one click this one and find out what happen when you start home renovations.

This book was a total summer read chock-full of wittiness, mystery, and fun-loving romance. The story begins with what may seem like a problem but ends up funny and launches the storyline and the main characters., I loved all of the characters except for one that I didn’t but I don’t think we are supposed to love that one. The mystery and romantic comedy combined really made for a delightful and entertaining story. I love short chapters in books which makes for a smooth and easy read.

MKA always delivers and this one is no exception. This is a summer must-read in every way! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book.

I was excited to be approved for this on NetGalley and had a feeling @marykayandrews would be a good author to get me sucked into a story - and that’s exactly what happened!

I’ve come to love her books and highly recommend picking this up! It comes out next week - MAY 3! It’s a great vacation read with a touch of HGTV, mystery, and romance. So fun!

The Homewreckers checks all the great summer beach read boxes: a beach locale, an unsolved mystery, an underlying element of suspense, a loyal best friend, and a kick-butt heroine who has a great dog and a couple of hot men chasing after her.

Hattie Kavanaugh is a young widow living in a man's world; she works for her late husband's father in the family construction and restoration business. Hattie has a deep love of old houses and a lot to prove; when we meet her she's just invested in a flip that turns out to be a flop.

When the idea of a reality show featuring Hattie first falls at her feet, she is initially resistant. But her desire to redeem herself from her flop, both financially and professionally, gets the best of her and she's all in.

Mary Kay Andrews has done it again! The characters are strong and well developed, the dialog witty and entertaining with just enough mystery and romance to keep things very interesting.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.