I was expecting a light beach read, I did not expect a murder.
I was expecting a light beach read, I did not expect a murder.

Mary Kay Andrews is the queen of the beach read, but this isn’t your average beach book! Full of mystery and intrigue, dark family secrets, and a web of characters that will keep you guessing until the very last pages. A classic tale of what happens when the haves scrape elbows with the have-nots in a cozy coastal hideaway. Summers at the Saint has everything you need to escape between the pages of a fabulous read on your next vacation! Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted ARC!

Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy!

Mary Kay Andrews never disappoints. Great beach read!

Summers at the Saint was a fun suspenseful beach read. Full of murders, explosions, and criminal activity. All set at a marvelous sounding hotel (which I honestly want to visit!) I loved the storyline and it kept Me reading.
However, it was full of language. This was the first book I had read by Andrew's and was shocked at the language. If that doesn't bother you, you will 100% love the story!

This was a refreshing new title from Mary Kay Andrews. It does not follow her typical storyline which I needed to see. I love the premise of this story between the current time and still learning about death from the past. This book focuses on multiple characters and their personal lives. A must-read for the summer.

Out Now go grab a copy!

I really enjoyed this and every time I had to put it down I couldn't wait to get back to it.
This had a ton of action and at one point I didn't know where we were going This ended up being a bit more mystery then romance but I was here for it.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great read to start off the summer. Summers at the Saint is a story about the 'Saint's' and the 'Ain'ts' and a landmark hotel on a fictitious island off the coast of Georgia. I thought this was going to be a rom-com, but out of nowhere BAM here comes a murder and we're all scrambling to find out what happened!

Mary Kay Andrews is pretty much synonymous with beachy, summer reads, so I was excited to kick off summer reading season with this new release. While the setting — a luxury beach resort in Georgia — delivered on the summer vibes I was looking for, unfortunately that’s about all this book had going for it for me.

The story features a large cast of characters, family secrets, a murder mystery, old family money, and just a touch of romance. It had SO much potential, but for me, every single one of those aspects fell short. The book was entirely too long (it could have easily been cut by 30%), the characters felt flat and some of them seemed straight up cartoonish, and the dialogue was cringy (especially as the author attempted to use every Gen Z slang term she could find). I really wanted to enjoy this and expected a light, fun read, and while it was light, I just couldn’t get past the cheesiness.

I enjoyed this one a lot, though it wasn't earth-shattering. There were SO MANY different characters and points of view in the beginning of the book, it was a little unsettling but once you got into the story and the plot, it was okay. The "mystery" was super easy to figure out. Overall, it was an okay summer mystery that you can read really quick. If you're looking for something that's really easy to get pulled into, or maybe a quick beach read I would say pick this one up.

*"A delightful beach read that captures the essence of summer."*

"Summers at the Saint" transports readers to the idyllic shores of the fictional Belle Isle, a charming beach town where secrets, romance, and family drama intertwine. Drue Campbell, a down-on-her-luck attorney, unexpectedly inherits a beach bungalow from her estranged father. As she navigates her new life, she discovers hidden family connections, uncovers long-buried mysteries, and finds unexpected love.

Mary Kay Andrews skillfully weaves together vivid descriptions of coastal life, quirky characters, and a touch of nostalgia. The novel brims with sun-soaked days, salty sea breezes, and the allure of second chances. While the plot occasionally veers into predictable territory, the engaging writing style keeps readers turning pages.

If you're looking for a light, feel-good read to accompany your beach days, "Summers at the Saint" is a delightful choice.

I always enjoy Mary Kay Andrews’ books and this one did not disappoint! Get ready for a summer at the Saint and all the twists and turns that follow!
Traci, a townie, dreams of summers at the Saint, an exclusive resort on a nearby island. She gets hired as a lifeguard and meets to owners son, Hoke. After his tragic passing, his family doesn’t accept Traci, but she inherits ownership of the hotel. Fast forward a few years and Traci needs to get the hotel out of the red. She sets up an on-site dorm and hires some new staff members. Tragedy soon hits again and Traci is left trying to put the pieces together and find out what happened.

I am sorry for the inconvenience but I don’t have the time to read this anymore and have lost interest in the concept. I believe that it would benefit your book more if I did not skim your book and write a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for the inconvenience.

A perfect summer read. I always enjoy the Southern settings and people in MKA books and this one was no different. I loved our main character, Tracy. She was such a delightful person. There is also a couple of mysteries in the story that keep you guessing. Definitely a favorite MKA book.

Drama, drama, drama! 💁🏻‍♀️ I can always count on MKA for my yearly dose of beach read with a side of murder! I love how I can read her novels and just know they are hers.

I was not expecting parts of this one and it took a tad bit longer than normal for the storylines to mesh but once they did -it was great! Some of the lingo between characters seemed misplaced and I’m not sure if that’s because I’m out of touch or the author is trying too hard to appeal to the next generation of readers.

At the end of the day -MKA will always be an auto-buy author for me!

Started slow - but then I finally was able to get into the book. Felt a little disconnection from the author and her previous writing style. Not my favorite in her long line of books. I realize she experienced some incredible trauma with the loss of her daughter and felt that this book allowed her space to work through some of her grief.

The cover is misleading but I'm not mad about it. At first glance, it seems like a breezy tale set in the Saint's secretive summer retreat for the wealthy. But there's more. Andrews delves into the Saint's shadowy aspects, where family secrets run deep. Traci, who has married into the Saint family, is desperately trying to save their resort from financial ruin. The tragic death of her niece leads her to unearth long-hidden secrets and the true cause of the Saint's financial troubles. Andrews strikes a perfect balance, crafting a novel with enough intrigue for mystery enthusiasts while still fitting the bill for an ideal beach read. A long-time fan of Andrew's, I count this as one of her best.

Loved everything about this book! Romance, friendship, mystery, family drama! It has it all. The story revolves around Traci, the owner of a ritzy hotel. The story follows all the challenges of running a hotel and keeping burst happy and employees honest. The storyline took a complete turn from what I expected. Loved it. Thank you Netgalley and and St. Martin ‘s Press.

This story was so much more than a fun summer story! It had mystery, twists and romance right up until the last page! MKA is one of the queens of Southern Fiction and she brought it all with this story! Traci takes over the Saint after her husband passes away much to her brother in laws chagrin. The Saint is losing money so Traci implements changes which some don’t like and unknown to her, forces are working against her. A tragic death of one of their own which turns out to be murder attempts to destroy the hotel and its history. Can Traci turn it around this summer??? 4.5 stars

📚ARC Book Review📚

Summers at The Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

First thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, Summers at The Saint is available now!

In a small beach town along the coat of Georgia in the low country, there are two types of people. Saints and Aint’s. If you’re a Saint you are a member of the prestigious Saint Cecelia resort, a lavish some destination for the wealthiest of families. If you’re an Ain’t, you either work at The Saint or live in the tiny beach town but lack in wealth. Traci was once an Ain’t but after she married into the Eddings family she became a Saint. Now years later Traci is a widow trying to keep St. Cecelia afloat. Her in-laws are no help, so she recruits a crew from different backgrounds to help for the summer. After a tragedy that hits too close to home, secrets are uncovered and Traci is prepared to do anything to save her beloved St. Cecelia.

I was not sure what to expect from this book. This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and let me tell you it won’t be my last! While the plot started out slow for several chapters, once it started to move it moved along very quickly and I had such a difficult time putting it down.

I was not expecting so many POV’s (I find it hard to keep track sometimes) but for this book it worked for the most part. There were only a few instances that so many pov’s bothered me but overall the variety really helped to tie the story together.

However, the one thing that bothered me the most was the romance plot, it was clearly given in the book’s synopsis however the actual plot line seemed rushed and completely out of left field with no real build up. It was rather instalove and I haven’t a hard time getting into that trope.

Overall, this was a great summer read and is definitely a perfect beach read! (Especially if you have plans to head to the low country this summer!)

Summers at the Saint is not your typical MKA novel. There is a little bit of mystery and suspense mixed in with a blooming love story and some family drama. This was a quick read that kept me turning the pages.