This is a fun summer/beachy read. I've liked other books by this author too. This plot line is a mystery but still lots about working at the resort which I enjoyed. I liked all of the characters that end up working at the Saint, they are a bit of a unique bunch! I loved what Traci, the main character, was doing to help the Saint despite others trying to make her life difficult. There is also a bit of flashbacks that were well done and not confusing. This book will be out in May 2024. Add this to your summer TBR

Welcome to St. Cecilia's in Georgia, a resort known to the locals as the Saint. If you belonged to the club you were a Saint, if you were from town you were an ain't. Traci Eddings was an ain't but now she was running the place after her husband was killed. There are staff shortages and in order to attract some new help she builds a dorm so they have a place to live and a sign-on bonus. She also encourages her niece to postpone a summer in Europe to work in public relations. There are some weird things going on and two of the girls try to get to the bottom of it. I liked all the main characters, Traci, Livvy, Felice and Whelan. A couple others I wished I knew more about like how did Ric get so mean and why was KJ such a screw up. Things really got interesting when someone was found dead and then the dorm caught on fire. I so wish I could have had a beach while I read this. It is just the perfect beach/vacation read. Probably couldn't afford the Saint but it sounded delightful. At over 400 pages it never felt long and just flowed to the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Summers at the Saint is a fabulous summer read that belongs in your beach bag. It has a bit of everything: romance, murder mystery, suspense, drama and comedy. I loved meeting the staff at the Saint and getting to know them for a summer. The depth and development of the characters is what kept me flipping the pages as I stayed up way too late finishing the story. I feel like they could actually be people I know, not just characters in a book. Highly recommend this book!

"Summers at the Saint" by Mary Kay Andrews invites readers on a delightful escape to the sunny shores of Florida's Gulf Coast. With her trademark charm and wit, Andrews crafts a story brimming with colorful characters, coastal charm, and tantalizing secrets. Set against the backdrop of a historic beachfront hotel, this novel is a perfect blend of romance, mystery, and summer escapism. Andrews' vivid descriptions and engaging storytelling whisk readers away on a captivating journey filled with sun-soaked days, starlit nights, and the timeless allure of the seaside. "Summers at the Saint" is a must-read for anyone craving a dose of sunshine and seaside adventure.

When I think of Mary Kay Andrews, my mind immediately goes to beach reads. I have read several books by her, and they all have the potential to be such books. So, when I read the blurb of Summers at the Saint, I thought that it was a given that this book (being set in a hotel, in the summer, and on the beach) would be one of those books. Well, color me surprised because I was wrong. Summers at the Saint isn’t a beach book. Instead, I got a fast-paced mystery that kept me glued to the book.

The main storyline of Summers at the Saint centers around the hotel, Traci Eddings, two murders (one from the mid-90s and one in the present), and drama with Traci’s in-laws. Numerous secondary storylines feed into and flesh out the main storyline.

I do want to warn you that this book has several POVs. I don’t like more than two because I feel that switching back and forth can get bogged down. But in this case, it worked. Backgrounds were explained (or alluded to), and storylines were given more depth.

I liked Traci, but she was so busy with everything happening at the hotel and in her personal life that she missed some blatant things happening in and around the hotel. Stuff that was so blatant and so obvious that these people were waving a red flag in front of her, and she didn’t see it. Not that I blamed her because she was dealing with so much.

Other characters in the book get a lot of page time, but if I went through them all, this review would be huge. Each character added depth and background to the primary (and secondary) storylines.

The mystery angle of Summers at the Saint was terrific. The big mystery (the murder) was very twisty and very turny. The author had me in knots trying to figure out who the killer was, and I was shocked by who it was. I was also surprised at the reason why. The death of a small boy nineteen years earlier was also a significant part of the storyline. That mystery led to one of the saddest scenes I have read and gave some much-needed background on why Traci and Shannon stopped being friends.

The end of Summers at the Saint was a feel-good ending. I liked that the author gave all the major players HEAs, and justice was dealt to the bad guys. I liked seeing everyone a year in the future and happy!!

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Mary Kay Andrews for allowing me to read and review this ARC of Summers at the Saint. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Thank you to Netgalley for the E-Arc. Im not even gonna lie I had to make a list because there were so many characters but as I kept reading I realized how integrated each character was to making the story. I enjoyed the cozy mystery aspect of the story even if some stuff was predictable but there were still some twist that I did not see coming.

I did not expect this book to be so deeply entrenched in mystery, secrets and intrigue. While I guessed certain aspects of the plot twists, I was still surprised by a few of the outcomes. I liked how this story was rooted in the class warfare of a town, where the wealthy vacation at the Saint each summer and the poor are relegated to work at the high-end resort. There were plenty of endearing and quirky characters from the neurotic hotel guests, to the new hires, and the family members who own the resort.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it! I'm not a big mystery reader, but I devoured this multi-POV mystery. Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-arc.

Disappointed to say I did not like Summers at the Saint. So much of the language and dialogue felt very dated and as if the author was trying too hard.

What a surprise! I had no idea that this book, set at a luxury resort on the Georgia coast, would involve not just one mystery, but two (you could even argue that there are three). The unexpected twists gave this glossy beach read a bit of grit, which was refreshing and also kept the pages turning.

However, I found portions of the dialog unrealistic considering the age of the characters and the modern setting. Many of the resort staff members are in their early 20s but talk as if they’re from a different decade, which pulled me out of the reading experience a few times.

I also felt that this book would have benefited from a couple content warnings, specifically where the main mysteries are concerned. There are difficult topics discussed, which some may find triggering and I encourage readers to look these up in advance.

For me, this novel was at its best when it highlighted the happenings at the St. Cecelia, including the uppity guests and greedy in-laws. I also really enjoyed the FMC, Traci, and her determination to make the resort shine. If you enjoy books that feature an upstairs/downstairs vibe, with a dash of mystery and romance, then I think you'll enjoy your stay at the Saint!

This was a really good book full of romance, friends, deceit, and suspense all set around the beautiful Saint Cecilia resort in Georgia.  I liked that I was pulled into the story immediately by the prologue that introduced Trace and Shannon and how they had been friends since they were little girls.  It also introduced one of the first scandals at the Saint and led into Trace and Shannon being all grown up and no longer best friends.  The scandals only grew after Trace's husband died and she had taken over The Saint, while still grieving for Hoke Eddings.
It was interesting to learn the residents of Bonaventure, Georgia were either Saints, who were wealthy or Ain'ts who were the townies or workers at The Saint.   However, Trace grew up as an Ain't and married a Saint and became one of them.  After Hoke died she ran The Saint.
I enjoyed the characters, the romance and all of the riveting suspense as the story unfolded.  I could not put the book down.  I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

The Saint is a country club for the wealthy.
A kid died many years ago when Traci was a lifeguard there. The other lifeguard had been fired but it was no one's fault. Now his half brother is looking into what really happened. Traci is also trying to keep the club going and finding new ideas and remodeling where she can,. Her husband had a died a few years ago and so she inherited his part of the hotel while his brother is trying to make her look bad.
Then someone ends up dead and more things come into light. I really liked Traci and her niece.It was a good book
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

In her latest beach read gem, Mary Kay Andrews transports readers to the sun-drenched shores of Georgia and the iconic St. Cecelia hotel in Summers at the Saint. It's an engaging tale of family drama, long-held secrets, and one woman's tenacious fight to save her beloved coastal resort.

Andrews's storytelling shines as protagonist Traci Eddings, the determined widow inheriting the struggling St. Cecelia, takes center stage. Facing financial turmoil, a scheming relative, and the revelation of a tragic past event, Traci must rally an endearing crew of summer staff to turn the hotel's fortunes around. Her journey crackles with spirited dialogue, a delightfully zany cast of characters, and Andrews's signature flair for capturing the soul of the Southern experience.

Andrews deftly juggles genres, infusing the summer drama with welcome dashes of romance, humor, and mystery. Her vibrant descriptions truly transport readers to the cloying salt air and lush coastal scenery of the Georgia lowcountry. If you've ever been to The Cloister on Sea Island or the Don CeSar in St. Pete, you're going to feel right at home at The Saint!

A true master of the beach read, Andrews has once again crafted a story that sparkles with wit, warmth and a celebratory zest for life's simple pleasures. Summers at the Saint is a delightfully immersive summer escape brimming with heart and humor.

I really enjoyed this book and found the setting and all of the characters to be so charming. The plot was good and had great twists but the only deterrent was that the transitions sometimes seemed a bit off.

Perfect beach read! I have previously only read Mary Kay Andrew’s holiday books, so this one - which I loved - encourages me to go and read her many previous summer books. The setting is fantastic and there’s a murder mystery woven into the plot which kept me up late reading just one more chapter.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC. Summers at the Saint is available now! It’s an enchanting escape.

You know that summer is just around the corner when Mary Kay Andrews releases a new novel! Summers at the Saint is that new book!
St. Cecelia is the name of the Georgia hotel and club frequented by the wealthy. Although everyone refers it as The Saint, the employees from the other side of the tracks refer to themselves as 'the ain'ts. Traci Eddings was an ain't - but she's now running the resort after the death of her beloved husband.

I always enjoy Andrews' protagonists. They're driven, smart, kind, intelligent and fair - someone you'd like to know in real life. Traci is very mindful of the staff are doing, providing some perks to keep them happy. It's been hard to find staffing this year.

Readers are going to know what Traci doesn't. We get to see what's going on under the surface. And it's not good at all. I have to say, I didn't expect some of what happens, but it was quite all believable. I was so mad with those characters!

To temper that plotline, is a perfect yes, no, maybe so romance. There's also some twists that I didn't see coming - and they changed my prediction for the final pages. I was happily wrong!

The narrator was Kathleen McInerney - a favorite of mine. She's voiced quite a few of Andrews' other titles and they've also been wonderful to listen to. McInerney's voice matched the plot if that makes sense. She embodies the characters and brings them to life. Each character has been given an identifiable and believable voice - both male and female, young and old. Her voice is very pleasant to listen to, and she enunciates very well. Her voice easily portrays the emotions and actions of the plot. An excellent presentation of a wonderful book!

Andrews has done it again. She's written another book that grabbed my attention and held it from first chapter to last. A must for your earphones and beach bag.

I received this for review from the publisher. Whew there was a lot of drama and mystery in this book. This is the story of the Eddings family and centers mostly on Traci, the widow of Hoak, air to the St. Cecilia Hotel. Traci is trying to build back the failing hotel to the days of its grandeur. Not everyone in the family agrees with Traci’s execution and the hijinksc ensues.
This story was much deeper than I anticipated. From the cover I expected a high energy beach book. Although it does take place at the beach and has those summer vibes, this is not the Nantucket love story I was thinking it was. There is murder, betrayal, mystery and yes romance. I enjoyed this very much even though it was different from what I anticipated.

Looking for a good read to take on summer vacation? No need to look further than Mary Kay Andrews' latest summer romantic mystery. It's set on a private island off the Georgia coast at the Saint Cecelia, an exclusive beach resort and country club. It's been in the Eddings family for a hundred years and is now being run by Traci Eddings, the widow of the family's youngest son.

The busy season is about to start and Traci is having trouble with staffing. She's decided to create a dorm out of an old garage to provide free housing for her employees as an added incentive, along with an attractive signing bonus. And she begs her niece Parrish to postpone a European trip to man the front desk as guest relations director.

Parrish soon notices guests are reporting some strange problems, such as uncomfortable mattresses and poor television reception, and starts keeping a 'bitch book.' There are complaints from restaurant diners too about not receiving top-notch liquors and the new executive chef notices less-than-fresh-fish from longtime suppliers. What's going on at the Saint?

When one of the staff is found dead, two of her dorm mates team up to figure out who killed her. But are they putting themselves in harm's way? Meanwhile Traci is becoming entangled in a possible romantic relationship. Is she ready to begin again?

Although some parts of the mystery are easy to figure out, there is still a nice twist up MKA's sleeve. This is a fun, light, and entertaining read. I've read some complaints about the number of f-bombs in this story but I was thinking as I read that MKA is a master of creating realistic conversations in this day and age.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for an arc of this new novel via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

This was a good mystery with just a little sprinkle of romance thrown in. Traci runs the 5-star hotel that she inherited when her husband died, along with the headaches that can happen when trying to keep the members and guests happy. I liked the young characters who lived in the staff dorm. There was one character that I initially thought was going to be a decent guy and he turned out to be a jerk. My favorite character was Felice, the no- nonsense chef who doesn’t let anyone push her around. I enjoyed this book that wasn’t too intense, but wasn’t simple fluff either.

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

Mary Kay Andrews is an author that I look forward to reading. Each time there is a new book, I have to get it to add to my shelves.
#SummersattheSaint was no exception. Taking place at a resort in Georgia, this book had a great story, some mystery, murder and interesting characters.
Traci lost her husband a few years ago and she was thrust into his job managing his family’s resort. At the beginning of the Summer she makes some staff changes much to the dismay of her brother in law.
Shortly after the changes we have a murder, some thefts and maybe a little romance.
I really enjoyed this book and I wish it wasn’t over.
I originally got this book as a free read ARC from @netgalley, but waited to buy the hard copy when it came out.

Well this was not what I expected! (The cost of not reading the synopsis!) I was ready for some fun summer hijinks at a glamorous resort, but was shocked by a dead body! Once I processed that, I flew through this 400+ page book. So many twists and reveals. Some I saw coming, many I did not. I like it that way, it makes me feel smart while still being entertained! Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this early copy in exchange for my honest review.