A great chick read and I hope this will be a series. I loved the characters. The mystery and romance were intriguing.

Hattie Kavanaugh has been a widow for seven years. Her husband died young and tragically. It’s left Hattie with some emotional baggage and guilt. Hattie has gone to work with her father-in-law, Tug, and her best friend Cass, flipping houses. And she is good at it.

She loves saving Savannah’s beautiful old homes and has not heeded Tug’s advice to never fall in love with a house! She fell in love with one that didn’t have a chance and has felt guilty about it ever since. Now she is on a mission to find a house and recoup their losses.

Mo is on a mission to find a new angle for a home television reality show about flipping. He offers her a show to help with expenses if she can get a house. Pawning her ring, calling her dad, Hattie is going to get that little beach house on Tybee!

The only catch is the company chooses the designer. Trae may look good for the camera but he is about as deep as a thimble. Once they begin things go from bad to worse and it’s looking as if someone doesn’t want them here at all.

While the network wants them to have a love angle as well, Hattie isn’t buying that. She would rather have the producer, Mo. With time running out on the rehab a body turns up. Great. What has Hattie gotten herself into?

If anyone can write a book about fixing up houses it is MKA. I don’t know how she does it but she is always fixing up something. This was a great take on the reality genre and the ugly side of that. It’s also a murder mystery which I loved.

NetGalley/ May 3rd, 2022 by St. Martin’s Press

This is a fun, fictional, behind the scenes look at the making of a home improvement reality TV show. Poor Hattie has to deal with a lot of mishaps, but she takes it all in stride and gets the job done. If you need a fun, relaxing book, then this is the one for you.

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

Widowed Hattie Kavanaugh works as a contractor in Savannah with her father-in-law Tug and best friend Cass. After overextending her finances on too big of a money pit historical house, she reluctantly agrees to participate in a new tv show being produced by Mo Lopez.

Due to network demands, designer Trae is also in the show and the timeline to renovate the house is very tight. While renovating the house they have to deal with the former owners who let it fall into the disrepair that led to it being condemned and sold plus a mystery that they discover during demo. The mystery has twists and turns that add to the drama of the story and who will Hattie fall in love with? I could not put this book down and stayed up late to find out how it ended.

I received a free copy of this book to review from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Such a fun story about Hattie, a home remodeler in Savannah, Georgia, who happened to get a chance to be a part of a reality TV show about remodeling historic homes. The Homewreckers is the name of the show, and while filming, Hattie meets some fun characters, and learns that the house she's remodeling has been hiding some secrets. This book is a fun read for all of us who have been involved in fixing up our old houses, and it includes some drama, and some light romance. The story is easy to follow, and there are a minimum number of characters so I didn't have to go back and reread any of it. The ending might have been a bit predictable, but so satisfying, anyway!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Homewreckers.

I absolutely love Mary Kay Andrews’s books and this one is no exception. Great cast of characters and her classic mix of murder mystery and romance never disappoints. I really liked how the story wrapped up and my only complaint is that I wish somehow Hank’s killer was found and brought to justice. I thought for sure Lanier’s killer would also admit to running over Hank, but no such luck. Other than that this book was perfect!

Every time I read a MKA book, I think, this one is my favorite! The homewreckers is true to MKA style, strong women, interesting characters, a little romance, humor and a captivating mystery with lots of twists.
Hattie is a young widow working for her father-in-law doing home renovations and feels she has mistakes to makeup for. She takes on a home renovation for a reality show that brings with it some interesting characters. So many things happen to sabotage the progress of the renovation. A long ago disappearance of a beloved teacher surfaces and it seems like more than one person has something to hide here. The detail and descriptions of the renovation are so well done. You can tell she speaks from experience. MKA herself was having a home renovated on Tybee and a wallet was found in the wall there. I loved that that experience found it's way into her latest book.
This is one that you won't want to put down.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like behind the scenes of the various home renovation televisions shows on HGTV and other networks? Mary Kay Andrews offers a glimpse into what it might be like in, “The Homewreckers,” a fictionalized account of a young woman home renovator who works with her father-in-law and gets a little in over her head with a huge project. While in the midst of what grows into an impossible renovation, Hattie Kavanaugh meets television producer Mo Lopez – who stops by to see what she’s doing on the project -- while in town on other business. Mo is inspired by Hattie.

Hattie was married to Hank Kavanaugh, and is partnered with Hank’s dad Tug Kavanaugh in Kavanaugh and Sons. Only 5 years after their marriage, Hank was unfortunately killed in a heartbreaking motorcycle accident. Hattie, Tug and her best friend Cassie (construction foreman), are working to clean up restored homes in their beach town. While losing Hank was devastating, Hattie soldiers on thanks to her great support network and family.

When Mo Lopez begs Hattie, who is wholesome, attractive and talented TV material, to star in a beach house renovation reality show he’s decided to call "The Homewreckers," he also drags in a male lead named Trae – a good looking, but self-possessed prima donna with a huge fan base. Mo believes Trae and his chemistry with his costar will buoy the show even more. In fact, Trae intentionally tries to generate a little romance between he and Hattie to boost interest in the show.

One of the more interesting and entertaining aspects of the book is the storyline of the almost two decades old missing persons case that develops as the missing woman’s (she just vanished and no one knew what happened to her) wallet is mysteriously found inside one of the walls of the TV show restoration project. This leads to speculation on how the person is connected to the house and what happened to her and with whom did it happen. As Hattie gets deeper into the mystery, things start happening at the house that seem like an attempt to keep Hattie and team from completing the project.

Highly recommend for a light, fun read. Mary Kay Andrews never fails to deliver an entertaining book.

Mary Kay Andrews,” Homewreckers,” is a pleasing story in every way! It has a bit of everything, angst, mystery, love, and a strong female. Hattie is an incredibly young widow who is obsessed with her business of flipping homes in Savanna, Georgia, and that becomes her entire life.
Hattie finds herself in over her head with the reconstruction of an old home that is costing her more than she can afford. A handsome Hollywood TV producer shows up and helps to get her out of debt when he asks her to consider doing a new TV program titled the “Homewreckers” which is about the reconstruction of old houses in Savanna Georgia. Hattie reluctantly agrees to do the TV show and the first “Homewrecker” project, a beach house which turns out to be more than they all bargained for. To Hattie’s surprise, an arrogant male actor joins the show, and the house reveals more than old Savanna character when several objects are found that may point to the mysterious case of a missing young teacher.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and could not put it down! I loved the subject matter, because how often do you read a story about a strong female character who is a contractor that flips houses? I strongly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story line with surprising plot twists and well developed, interesting characters! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Hattie wants to restore a house that is very old. She is asked to do a reality show about restoring the home. Everything that can go wrong with her remodeling does with this job. I have read most of Mary Kay Andrew's books and this was a joy to read and I could not put the book down.

Another great story by MKA. I loved the characters! I can’t get enough of her books. Highly recommended!

4.5 Stars!

I don’t remember if I read the full synopsis before I started this book. This is only the second book I’ve read by this author, so I don’t know what to expect from her books yet, so I’ll admit I was a little confused during the Prologue. I wondered if I was reading the right book, but I will say I was pleasantly surprised by the added mystery this story included – and it was a significant part of this story.

I like this author’s writing style. I find her books to be pretty quick reads. It’s easy for me to become immersed in her stories. To me, there was very little romance in this story. I felt it was more Chick Lit and Mystery, and that was just fine with me. I enjoyed reading about Hattie’s relationships with her friend Cass, her father-in-law Tug, and others in the book. And I can’t forget Hattie’s dog Risby. He was a fun addition.

If you enjoy a small-town mystery, I think you’ll enjoy this book.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

The setting was perfect....Tybee Island and Savannah. Makes me want to plan a trip!
This story was a delightful surprise. I was expecting a summer romance but was not expecting the mystery elements in the story. I enjoyed every part of the story. The characters made me giggle, made me mad, and made me fall in love with them and cheer for them. All around a great book!
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Net Galley.

A pleasant surprise in this story line. The twists and turns keep you turning pages all the while enjoying the character interaction.

Every year I look forward to a new Mary Kay Andrews book and this one didn’t disappoint. Hattie flips houses in Savanah. When Mo offers to film her and her team rehabbing a home, she initially balks. Then she finds the perfect house on Tybee Island, and it is all systems go. If you watch any of the rehab shows, you will recognize the stereotypes: the unrealistic timelines, the handsome male designer, the product placements, but this is not just a renovation it is also a crime scene. I’ve never been to Savannah, but this is one story where I wish there could be photos of the before and after. I don’t think the ones in my head will give justice to what they did.

I devoured this book! I instantly wanted to become friends with Hattie and Cass
These two women fix up and flip homes. They were approached by a network to make their job into a reality TV series. What Hattie does not know is it supposed to be not only a home repair show, but her costar is supposed to Woo her for a ratings boost.
A wallet is found during the renovation that had belonged to a beloved teacher who disappeared to decades ago, adding a little mystery to the story. Oh yeah and a possible arsonist!

Love the characters in this book always felt the range of emotions from Hattie, even the historic home on Tybee island was a front and center character for me.

I absolutely loved it and I realized I definitely don’t have enough of this author in my life… excuse me while I go binge read all her previous books!

Oh my goodness, I absolutely loved this story!! Mary Kay Andrews is such a wonderful writer and definitely struck gold with this novel. The characters were so great to read about and you felt as if you knew them!

This is another MKA book I couldn't put down! Hattie Kavanaugh is a character I was immediately drawn to. She's a badass heroine who doesn't back down from a challenge. Even though she's been dealt a crappy hand at life, she makes the best of what she's been given in her small-town and lives each day to the fullest.

Renovating houses she can afford in and around Tybee Island, Hattie got in too deep with a project. Her luck starts to change when Mo, a Hollywood producer literally stumbles into her misfortune. A slick, city boy Mo pitches the idea of her starring in a home renovation show where she and a designer will work together to rehab a project of Hattie's choice.

What starts out as a chance at Hollywood, turns into a mystery as the story of a young high school teacher's disappearance comes back into the spotlight. Hattie's construction zone is soon filled with crime scene materials as more than construction tools are found on the lot.

MKA once again weaves a web of characters in an engaging plot that kept me. flipping the pages. I just KNOW the rights to this one will be sold into a movie- and I'll be the first one in line for a ticket. Way to knock out another solid bestseller!

I always look forward to a new Mary Kay Andrews novel and The Homewreckers was a fabulous read. Full of behind the scenes HGTV type renovation show insights, The Homewreckers gives you a glimpse of what happens when the cameras are not rolling. Besides the home remodeling, there is a mystery that unfolds surrounding the 100 year old house. A great read with great characters! I love how life inspired an aspect of this book - if you follow Mary Kay Andrews, you will recognize an item she found while renovating a house.

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book. This is my honest review.

This is an easy breezy book to read- the kind great for beach reads. It's part murder mystery, part romance, part forbidden love, part home makeover show, and some southern charm thrown in. There's also a mention of a kitchen sink in there- you know, just to make sure all the bases are covered. Overall, a cute book.