enjoyed the setting of Summers at the Saint and its richly developed backdrop at the St. Cecelia hotel. The contrast between the wealthy patrons and the working-class staff adds a layer of intrigue and complexity that kept me engaged. I appreciated how the hotel itself became a character, representing both the height of luxury and the depths of scandal.

However, I disliked how some of the characters, particularly the brother-in-law, felt a bit one-dimensional and predictable. The focus on Traci's struggle to save the hotel and the unfolding mystery around the drowning were compelling, but at times, the resolution seemed a bit too neatly tied up. Overall, it’s a solid read with a blend of charm and drama, perfect for a summer escape with a touch of depth.

Mary Kay Andrews does it again! Traci inherits the Saints hotel after her husband passed away. She is struggling with keeping the business afloat. The story slowly unfolds and mysteries are revealed. This was a great beach read or weekend read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I have read all of Mary Kay’s novels and really loved the mystery aspect of this book. The writing kept me hooked early on and I had a hard time setting it down.

For me this book was hard to get into. The storyline seemed to take a long time to arc and it didn't seem to peek my interest enough. The last couple of chapter finally picked up and i enjoyed the story. That being said i gave this book 3 stars as i did enjoy it but it didn't leave a lasting impression with me.

Perfect summer beach read! Romance with a whodunnit mystery and just fun summery setting. Enjoyed this read it was quick and perfect for summer.

Let me start off with the cover of this book. While MKA is known for fun (and usually twisty) beach reads, and her covers reflect as such, this one is a little different. The story within these pages is more mystery than beach read/romance/etc. Therefore, the cover is misleading giving the more darker tone in the book.

I enjoyed this one. For the most part, it moved at a nice pace. It did lag here and there, but that's true to most books. The plot was well written and timed. The characters (and there are a handful of them) were easy to connect to.

Overall, this was a pretty decent read.

This one surprised me. I usually know what to expect with Mary Kay Andrews, but this one had a few twists involved. I was surprised to find a murder mystery as a main feature of the plot. Traci was a solid character to lead this story. I was caught up in the mystery, but also the direction of the supporting characters. I recommending this one to readers who enjoy a mystery but also women's fiction. I do not see it as a romance. Because of the unexpected murder mystery element, it is not as much of a beach/pool book as the cover suggests. I look forward to what is next from Mary Kay Andrews.

This was a cute read and I would give it 3.5 stars if that was an option. This book is a mix of murder mystery and romance. I like this author, she clearly knows what she is doing. A little formulaic, but that's not always a bad thing. I like reading books about summer in the summer and this didn't disappoint.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to read this book. It wasn’t my usual taste, but I still enjoyed it.

This is an easy summer read that has a few mysteries going at one time. Perfect for summertime beach/pool reading! However, I feel like it drug out in some areas and could’ve been shorter.

The cover of this book deceived me!! In the best way!!! I loved this novel. It had aspects of mystery and intrigue and a good tension throughout. There were complex character relationships, very good twists, and while some parts of the plot can feel a little bit audacious, as it can get a little bit fantastical, it never left me feeling like the author was taking it too far. It all lined up and made sense and, in the end, worked out really well.

Traci married into the wealthy and well-known Eddings family, owners of the luxury St. Cecelia (aka the Saint) hotel/club/resort (not sure what exactly to call it? but it's fancy haha). Her late husband died in a plane crash and so for the last 4 years, Traci has been running the Saint independently, much to the chagrin of the Eddings family. She knows the Saint is in financial trouble and she's doing everything she can to try to pull it back up out of the red, but there are secrets and scandals that she and her new employees are going to uncover that take this summery-looking beachy/poolside read into mystery & suspense territory. Romance is listed as one of the primary genres of this, but it really wasn't a driving point of the plot line and there really wasn't a lot of room for it with all the twists that were being thrown at the reader with murder, drug use, embezzelment, and infidelity running rampant! I was fully invested the entire time and this is one I would recommend to all readers. I'm really excited for a chance to read another Mary Kay Andrews book in the future. This one really sold me on her writing!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book! :)

Andrews has done it again with a great summer read. Tracie was a great character and she was the perfect boss to her staff. She had some wonderful creative ideas on how to hire new employees. I so enjoyed Felice and Olivia as amateur detectives. This had family drama, romance, a mystery, young and old characters. A good beach read, fast page turning.

This was a fun beach related book. The story surrounds the coastal hotel The Saints. There are old family dynamics, an old controversial accident, and a new mysterious situation.

I really enjoyed this book and the story in it. It was well written and engaging. It starts out with learning the history of the hotel and how there was a tragic death there. One of the former lifeguards marries into the hotel and is now running it when her husbands dies. The hotel isn’t as successful as it used to be and there might be some stuff going on that she isn’t aware of.

I have had very few five star reads this summer, but this was one of them. I loved the setting of the book, a true beach read! I loved watching Traci fight for the place she loved the most, as well as fight for past friendships and family. The mystery behind the failing hotel was revealed slowly, and it kept me wanting more, this book was hard to put down!

Another great book by Mary Kay Andrews. A fun story around a lavish hotel with great characters.
Traci grew up along the coast of Georgia where she came from a modest background. One summer Traci and her best friend, Shannon, get a job at The Saint as lifeguards where she meets her soon to be husband, son of the owners of the luxury hotel. Now twenty years later Traci is running The Saint after her husband dies in a plane crash. Traci tries new ideas to recruit staff including her niece for the summer Her brother in law objects, things don’t go as planned, a murder takes place on hotel grounds and her father in law passes away which leaves the inheritance up in the air. A little bit of everything from romance to mystery. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in excavation for my honest review.

Best Mary Kay Andrews yet!!

The Saint refers to St. Cecelia, a high-end resort and the people who come here. The "Ain'ts" can't afford to come it but can be employed here. Traci Eddings, the main character, worked here years ago, but later married into the upper-class family who owns it Her husband has died so she now runs the resort, but her greedy brother-in-law wants her to fail She has to hire and oversea the summer help whom she's hired,and what a bunch they are! The tragic death of a special employee and attempt to determine who killed her is not the only mystery in this book. The well-developed characters face compelling challenges of opioid abuse, racism, sexual violence, family drama and a little romance combine to make this one of Mary Kay Andrews' best books yet!

Thank you to Net Galley for allowing me to read and give my honest opinion of this book.

The Saint Cecelia is a grand hotel and property with mega rich members and guests. Traci worked there during her youth as a lifeguard, and somehow ended up marrying one of the Saint’s owners. His family wasn’t very supportive of her, and when he died they made her job of running the Saint harder and harder for her. When Traci is getting ready for another busy summer season at The Saint, her niece begins to notice a bunch of shady things going on. Unfortunately, murder and mayhem follow. This was a great book with a little bit of everything: mystery, romance, deception, and relationships years in the making.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Loved the story, the beach hotel setting, and the mystery. Another great book by Mary Kay Andrews.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Can I really say that this book was not amazing? Of course not. Mary Kay Andrews writes the perfect summer book. Love the setting and the characters. Such a perfect book for your beach bag.