Mary Kay Andrews does not disappoint in her latest novel, The Homewreckers! This book has a little bit of everything: it is a romance, beach read, cozy mystery, and it throws in some humor along the way. Although this is not my favorite MKA novel, it is a great read!

Hattie Kavanaugh, a young widow and contractor, is welcomed Into the world of reality shows when she agrees to be filmed during the restoration of her latest historic home. In addition to the many delays in the construction’s progress, we encounter the discovery of a missing woman’s wallet and a dead body on the home’s property. This is where the mystery begins.

As always MKA’s characters are interesting and well-developed. She makes it easy to fall in love with each of them.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

When I think of summer I think of a Mary Kay Andrews book. This story had something for everyone: romance, reality tv and a mystery. I kept going back and forth between which characters I thought the murderer was. I really enjoyed reading this book. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Homewreckers isn’t really a book about a reality tv show about renovating houses. It’s sort of two stories in one with a dead woman at the center. Hattie lives in Savannah and flips houses. She’s spotted by a producer that wants to film her renovating a local house. They end up doing so but insert gross male lead from CA who has been on other reality house Reno shows. Meanwhile there’s a murder mystery inserted so instead of seeing what’s going on with the house you’re following a whole other set of characters around and trying to figure out whodunnit. Hattie and her male co Star have some “romantic” scenes one of which is maybe the least sexy I’ve ever read while the tv reality dude details the work he’s had done on his face and the creams he uses on his neck while he tries to make out with Hattie. Uh, hard no. Can’t think of anything that might turn me off more.
I just really wasn’t into this book. It felt like two books in one and none of the characters were particularly compelling. I love to renovate and am way into house design so that taking a back seat was also a bummer.

I’ve finally read a Mary Kay Andrews book! Yay! I’ve seen her name many a time, and a former co-worker highly recommended her, but I just couldn’t decide which one to start with so I kept putting it off. When this one came up on NetGalley, it seemed like a sign.

Hattie is a young widow who works with her father-in-law flipping houses. When we first meet her she is struggling to successfully renovate a house in Savannah, her hometown, but it is a disaster and she ends up selling it at a loss. Eager to atone for her bad judgment in buying the house, she jumps on the opportunity of a lifetime to bid on a condemned beach house in foreclosure on nearby Tybee Island. Meanwhile, she has been discovered by a producer for an HGTV or Magnolia type media company who wants to feature her “Saving Savannah” reclaiming and renovating historic houses. Her decrepit beach house is perfect for the show. She is the successful bidder and gets it for a small fraction of the worth of the lot alone.

We follow the likable heroine as she deals with the jealous hostile former owners, the officious local building inspector, falling trees, fire, possible sabotage, a vain male diva of a co-lead, his fan-girls, constantly shrinking impossible deadlines, a tyrant of a network boss, hair, make-up, and wardrobe, and oh yes, that producer.

Everything bubbles along (Ms. Andrews is a talented storyteller) when a dead body is discovered in the property’s septic tank. And not a moment too soon, because the ante needed upping just a bit. From there, we learn about the victim, her family, some shocking history, many secrets, and meet the almost retired detective who investigates the 17-year-old murder with Hattie’s help.

A few things bothered me. Hattie loses all of her savings on her failed project because she didn’t get the house inspected first. Then she signs a contract with the network without a lawyer looking over it. It did not give me a good first impression of an essentially admirable character. Not to mention the guy she is initially attracted to doesn’t speak well for her taste or judgment either. There were other inconsistencies in the character building of two “baddies” as well and the timeline in a chain of events at the end, but it did not distract too much. The main thing, though, was this: Hattie wins the condemned property with a less than $30,000 bid. We are told the lot alone is worth at least half a million dollars. Yet the former owner offers her only $50,000 to get it back, and her rich father-in-law is appalled she spent $30,000 on it and wants her to sell it back to him “for a handsome profit.” What? I kept thinking “What am I missing? Is it me?”**Spoiler**She ends up selling it for almost a million, and should and would have probably gotten more if not for that pesky murder. **End Spoiler**

The ending was a little abrupt. I would have liked more closure for her love life, her pawned engagement ring, the victim’s family, and the outcome of the TV show we invested so much time in filming. I enjoyed the whodunit aspect, though once you rule out the obvious suspects, it could have only been one person.

My picky faultfinding aside, Homewreckers is a light fun read. It is mostly a mystery with a splash of chick-lit, and of course a bit of a romance. It doesn’t go very deep, and nothing truly upsetting or emotional happens. and that’s OK. Ms. Andrews keeps things moving with both the mystery and putting us behind the scenes of a challenging home renovation. Some nice entertaining banter, a lot of action and crises, southern charm, and lots of characters we are given good reason to root both for and against made this an enjoyable read. And one more thing. I liked that the chapters had titles. The first chapter, where the president and producer of the media company, Mo, meets Hattie by falling through the rotting floor on top of her is called “Do-Drop-In”. Definitely chuckled. I will certainly keep Mary Kay Andrews at the front of my back burner of TBRs in the future. **3 1/2 stars**

https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/2022/04/10/the-homewreckers/

Thank-You to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

What a fun summer book! I love anything set in the South - this book was a fun twist with a little romance, reality TV and mystery thrown into one. Definitely add to your list!

Add The Homewreckers to your “Summer Must Read List”
Mary Kay Andrews has written her 30th book in 30 years and it’s another hit. I’m a big fan of everything HGTV. The Homewreckers gives a behind the scenes look at the filming of a new HPTV series, set in the beautiful Savannah area. Full of interesting characters, plot twists, and intrigue, this story does not disappoint.
Thank You to St Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Mary Kay Andrews for the opportunity to enjoy this ARC.

As always Mary Kay Andrews knocks it out of the park. It’s very interesting to read regarding TV shows and house flips and redoing homes at the moment so a lot of people can relate great story with a little mystery very descriptive Mary Kay Andrews is a great storyteller that keeps you interested from beginning to end!

I went into this book thinking it would be a romcom. I didn't except it to have a cold case/whodunit story line. But I absolutely loved it and enjoyed this book so much! I loved the description of Tybee Island (I have visited and it brought back great memories) I liked Hattie alot as the main character! I think she was relatable and funny! I definitely think this is a summer must read for 2022!

This book was so very good! I loved it! I had a hard time putting it down!
The story was good and the added murder mystery kept me guessing who did it.
I don’t watch a lot of reality TV but the description of the house made me wish it really was on TV so I could actually see the end result,
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Hattie was only 25 when she lost her husband to a motorcycle accident, and she was glad to have the support of his family to help her get through those trying times. She loved her job working for his father, restoring old homes in Savannah, but her latest project was a disaster, which shakes her confidence in herself. But when a cable TV producer offers her the chance to star in a beach house renovation show, she reluctantly agrees, if only to reimburse her father-in-law Tug for what he lost on the previous money pit.

A Mary Kay Andrews book is always the perfect way to start a summer, and this book is no exception. I liked the idea of women playing such an important part in a house-flipping business, and the way the characters all loved and wanted to promote their hometown as well as their business. I loved the local characters – Tug, Hattie, Cass – but wasn't sure which of the "TV people" could be trusted.

In addition to the house-flipping and the TV production, there was a decades-old mystery that played an important role in the story, which was an added bonus for this mystery-loving reader. I enjoyed following the clues as they were unearthed, and guessed the identity of the bad guy, but not the motive. I can't wait to read MKA's next book.

I was excited to get a Mary Kay Andrews book and this was a solid entry. It had a likable character in Hattie and plenty of side characters. I didn’t really notice any development of feelings between Hattie and Mo until it was pushed through to the end. And the solving of who did it was too obvious because there was no mention of their connection until the end. It’s 3 stars for me this time unlike my usual 4 stars.

Thank you
@marykayandrews
@stmartinspress
and @netgalley
for the opportunity to review this #giftedcopy prior to its
release date: May 3, 2022
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/ 5.0
What a perfect book for me, as I am currently in the process of remodeling a beach house! I thought this book was going to be a beach read, but was thrilled to find out it is both romance and murder mystery... think HGTV meets Dateline! Perfect for those of you who like to read about women in non-traditional careers, steamy romance, and an intriguing plot line. A great addition to your TBR!

This book is a fantastic beach read! Mary Kay Andrews always delivers a fun reading experience with an interesting plot and charming characters.

This book is set in Savannah, GA where a widow, Hattie Kavanaugh, is restoring old houses. Hattie is a strong character with many layers as she get an opportunity to star in a TV show showcasing her talents. Of course, there is a sweet love story intertwined with some humor. Mary Kay Andrews kept the book interesting with a mystery of a missing person, from many years ago, underlying all of the house restorations. While I did predict the plot twist, I enjoyed this book so much. The characters are realistic and likable throughout the twists and turns. The reality TV portion adds some light humor and the atmosphere of Savannah is a perfect setting for a fun summer read.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book. This book will be published on May 3, 2022.

This is the first MKA book I’ve read and I really enjoyed it!

Hattie Kavanaugh is a contractor in Savannah, GA who helps run her family’s construction business. Since the death of her husband, Hattie's passion for rehabbing and flipping historic homes has grown and grown. After a failed flip, TV producer Mo convinces her to star in a new reality show about flipping historic homes. From there, the drama of filming a reality show, potential romance, family dynamics, and the twists of an unsolved murder unfolds.

This book was so good! Hattie is one of the best, most relatable heroines I’ve read in a while. She is endearing and handles life’s ups and downs in ways that feel very realistic. MKA makes it easy to connect with Hattie so you find yourself fully invested in every element of her story.

There’s definitely a lot going on and numerous minor characters to keep track of, but MKA perfectly balances just enough detail and background for those characters that I was rooting for Hattie’s support system and loved ones, without being distracted from Hattie and the main story.

The one critique I have is I wish the romance storyline was better developed and played a larger role in the overall story. I think that definitely could have been done without taking anything away from the rest of the story. I’m a sucker for romance so that’s the only reason I’m not giving a full five stars.

Overall, this is a fun, captivating read and ends with a satisfying resolution.

Make sure you add it to your summer TBR list and get your copy on May 3!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Mary Kay Andrews kicks off summer’s Beach Read season with the story of a reality TV home renovation show, set in Savannah.

Tossing in an egotistical co-star for local contractor Hattie and her forewoman Cass, MKA delves into the chaos of a flip complicated by the demands of tv scheduling.

The discovery of a wallet belonging to a local school teacher who disappeared 25 years ago brings the attention of the cops, and a dumpster fire nearly burns the house down. But when the teacher’s body is discovered in an old cistern on the property, Hattie knows she’s being jinxed by a killer — and she may be his next target.

Andrews deftly blends mystery, romance, and humor into a winning confection. This reader would love to read more about Hattie, Cass, Mo, and Detective Mac. Highly recommended. #Homewreckers #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

I love reading Mary Kay Andrews books. She is one of my go to authors for my summer beach reads. Her books are always such fun reads, and The Homewreckers did not disappoint. This has a little bit of everything I love - some romance, mystery, and lively fun characters. I also loved that it centered around a house renovation. Hattie is approached to be part of a home renovation reality tv show and with that comes an ego inflated code enforcer, a fire, crazy neighbors, a mystery, and love triangle (really but not really).

I liked or felt strongly about all the characters and enjoyed the banter between them all. The only thing I wish was that there were a few more scenes between Hattie and the person she ended up with. I would have liked to see more behind their relationship development. Other than that, I thought this book was great and will be a great summer read!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and May Kay Andrews for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews

This is a great easy read that has a little bit of everything in it. The characters were fun, the location was beautiful, the house renovation intriguing and by the end the mystery was solved. It’s the kind of book that I like to think of actors I would pick to play each part. The perfect feel good book.

Recommended

Another wonderful summer read by Mary Kay Andrews. This was a fast paced read that had multiple subplots woven throughout.

Mary Kay Andrews does a wonderful job of capturing your attention quickly and holding it throughout the duration of the book. The Homewreckers has a mixture of mystery, suspense and romance. The lead female Hattie, is a strong, independent woman who loves to renovate historical homes in the Savannah area. Her business includes her family and friends and she has immense pride to her work.

She finds herself in a bit of a financial pickle, when Mo happens along her recent property. Upon their chance meeting an opportunity presents itself. Soon enough Hattie finds herself of a new reality TV show along side infamous reality star Trae. Hattie fights to keep control over the reno project and her once wounded heart.

Another wonderful story by Mary Kay, she is an auto buy author for me, so you can understand my excitement for this ARC. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: May 3, 2022

And eerie prologue plops us into Savannah, Georgia with Hattie and Cass, who are attempting a disastrous renovation on a historical home when Mo stumbles upon their worksite and pitches them for a new home renovation reality show. When they unearth a wallet from a person who has been missing for 17 years—things get interesting.

This book sucked me in from the start and I didn’t come up for air until I was almost halfway through. This cast of characters is well developed and intriguing—a page turner for sure!

Unfortunately this lost some of its luster and focus in the second half. Not sure if this is trying to be a romance, HGTV behind the scenes, or a mystery/thriller…it is an attempt at all 3 and unfortunately the romance side was the least convincing. That being said—I imagine this book will be in many beach bags this summer!

Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. The Homewreckers is like if a Hallmark movie and an HGTV show had a baby. A delightful mashup with some fun insight into the world of those home renovation shows we all love to watch. There was just enough sizzle that I got a little nervous about who may be reading over my shoulder on the airplane.