This kind of started like a cozy mystery.. it had a little bit of that good natured corniness. But the stakes were raised pretty early on. So I thought it was more of a thriller.. but it never listed some of that corniness. It ended up being kind of an oddball in terms of genre. There was a romance in there too which seemed out of place.

I think the premise and the setting were interesting though. The mystery itself was a good setup, if not sort of out of place with the tone of the story.

An excellent read from Mary Kay Andrews! I loved the characters--especially Traci, Livvy, and Felice. The setting was perfect. MKA expertly wove together a page turning mystery (several mysteries, really) and even added in a bit of romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sad to leave the characters when I finished it, despite the 450 page length--always the sign of a fantastic book. MKA is always a summer must read!

This book was OKAY. It was my first Mary Kay Andrew’s book so I was excited to read it. Some personal thoughts:
- If you think this is a light summer romance beach read, it’s not.
- It was too dialogue heavy for me
- Some of the dialogue was repetitive. For example, if a character made a discovery, they would tell 3-4 people. The author couldn’t just summarize it
- The book felt too long and dragged out. If the repetitiveness got taken out, it would have been at least 100 pages less
- I did like the murder mystery aspect of the story
- Overall 3/5 stars for those reasons

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader’s Copy. All opinions are my own.

This book was a dnf for me. I honestly could not get over the sever class distinction for me to get through the first 5 pages of the book. This book was given to me from St. Matin's, Press I did not choose this book, all in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

St. Cecelia's is known as "the Saint" and those who grew up there were well to-do anyone from the other side of the river was an outsider. Traci Eddings was an outsider just someone who worked there at a local hotel. One summer things changed for her and she married the son of her boss. When she became a widow the hotel she worked for at one time was now hers. The hotel is no longer what is use to be and she wants to make some major changes in hopes she can turn things around. Information about a drowning that happened years ago and then the death of one of the workers puts the hotel in danger of closing. Traci is determined to figure out what is.going on and what she can do to change things. A refreshing read filled with mystery and romance.

●Summers at the Saint is a novel set in the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia.

●The story revolves around Traci Eddings, the widowed owner of the hotel, who is determined to restore the hotel to its former glory despite facing staff shortages, financial troubles, and the machinations of her greedy brother-in-law.

●The narrative unfolds over one summer season, with Traci enlisting the help of a diverse group of recently hired summer staff, including the daughter of her estranged best friend.

●The book delves into complex family dynamics, hidden secrets, and class divisions in the small resort town. A long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to resurface, and the tragic death of one of their own pushes Traci to the brink of despair. With her back against the wall, Traci must use all her wits and courage to right wrongs, put guilty parties in their place, and possibly find new romance.

●This is a great beach read with depth and heart. It has everything sma beach read shoukd warmth, humor, and an engaging storytelling, with a mix of mystery and romance that keeps you turning pages.. It’s a story about overcoming adversity, the power of community, and the enduring spirit of a place steeped in tradition.

First, I want to say, when I started reading Summers at the Saint, I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep on reading. It was starting out slow and I couldn’t figure out where it was going. Plus, there are so many characters to remember. The reason I am saying this is to let you know don’t stop reading!!! Keep reading and you will be pleasantly surprised by how author Mary Kay Andrews takes us on an intriguing and fascinating ride of a story! Definitely a 5 star read for me!
Family drama
Secrets galore
Fabulous characters
Mystery
Deception
Summers at the Saint has so many twists and turns!
Perfect summer/beach reading!
Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#shortbookthyme
@shortbookthyme

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews: A second chance romance AND a mystery? Consider me hooked!

I very much enjoyed this summer read. The Saint is an archetypal resort way south that caters to the rich. I was surprised that this switched to a murder mystery but I went with it. My only hesitation in being 100% a fan of this is the incredible naïveté of the main character, the owner of the hotel. Still, a perfect beach read!

Mary Kay Andrews is my comfort read author. She writes southern fiction with the perfect blend of romance, mystery, and family drama.

This latest book is another complete success in my opinion. Set in a club/resort on a fictional island in Georgia, it tells of a family property and a woman currently running it that began with humble beginnings. There is an old mystery, a new death, and definitely some shady dealings going on.

Mary Kay Andrews has done it again. Not only does she write the perfect summer books she also manages to throw in a little mystery as well. Summers at the Saint takes you on a journey full of summer adventures that you can easily place yourself in the book along with the characters. Such descriptive writing that flows so smoothly that before you know it the story has ended.
In my opinion this is a must read this summer!

Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary ebook to read and review.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews
#NetGalley published 5/7/24
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

This romantic cozy mystery was a fun book even though it contains some tough subjects. The first half of the book was all mystery. Then the light romance mixes in around halfway. Does anyone remember the Dr Seuss book The Sneetches? With the Sneetches with or without their stars? We'll. This book is about the "Saints" And the townies the "Aint's". Yes, there is a little snobnery in this book but it surprisingly did not bother me. Probably bc it was only here and there bc of the vindictive, greedy brother in law of the FMC.

It's a good story. I do really like reading, MKA books! They are usually light and easy to read the perfect beach read that actually takes place at a southern beach resort.

#summersatthesaint #marykayandrews @marykayandrews
#bookrecommendations

US pub date: 5/7/24
Genre: beach read
Quick summary: Traci started her career at five-star hotel St. Cecelia as a teenage lifeguard, where she fell in love with the owner's son. Today, she's struggling to keep the hotel successful after his death - and the death of one of her employees will make things even harder.

I think lots of readers would love to spend summer at the Saint...just maybe skip the murder in real life. I enjoy books about business owners, so I loved seeing Traci take control of her destiny - hiring a brand new staff, building a dormitory for them, and basically doing everything she could to make the summer a success. As bad things started to happen, she and her staff chose to fight, and I was rooting for them! My main issue with this book is that it dragged a bit towards the end - 448 pages is a lot for a beach read! But I recommend this one for the beachy vibes! 3.5 stars.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Kay Andrew’s books are my favorite summer/beach reads and this one does not disappoint! Easy to read, great storyline and perfect for summer! Definitely recommend!

This a is very fun, engaging beach read as all MKA books are! It took a minute to get to know all of the characters in the story, but well worth the investment. This book has romance, mystery and a happy ending as all of Mary Kay Andrew’s’ books do! Loved it!

An intriguing blend of family drama and intertwining mysteries definitely made this one of my favorites by this author. I really enjoyed the characters and a few times was quite surprised by a few turn of events.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC of this most enjoyable story in exchange for my honest opinion. I have already recommended this to several of my friends as a summer must read.

Summers at the Saint reminds me of those great nighttime soap operas of my childhood. This is set at a grand old hotel on the coast of Georgia. There's a lot of conflicts and conspiring between the old money family that owns the property, and the staff, and the guests. It's a fun, summer drama. At the center of it is Traci who was a townie working at the resort who married one of the sons of the hotel family. So she's still an outsider but also the boss. She's dealing with a hotel that's bleeding money, grieving over her husband, and trying to keep everyone happy.

I would like to say that maybe Traci would be able to attract and retain staff is she upped what she thinks is a generous $100 signing bonus. Maybe add another zero? ;)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy. I am required by law to disclose this.

Mary Kay Andrews doesn’t disappoint with her latest offering Summers at the Saint. Who doesn’t love a mystery with a little romance set on the beach. It’s a perfect summer read! Love the twist at the end! Enjoy!!

Traci Eddings has been running the famed The Saint Cecelia resort (known as The Saint to locals) alone on an island off Georgia's coast since losing her husband four years ago. A widow in her early 40s she has thrown herself in to reviving The Saint. Not just a summer read, Mary Kay Andrews’s latest novel also delves into family secrets and scandal against the gorgeous backdrop of the resort and island .Traci is determined to make The Saint a success while dealing with her meddlesome and condescending in-laws. When tragedy hits too close to home she and a group of unexpected allies, including her former best friend Shannon (who worked with Traci at The Saint as college lifeguards), join forces to uncover the mystery and danger that could destroy The Saint forever. Andrews will not only keep readers guessing, she will have them daydreaming about island summers with the perfect sunset.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When her husband Hoke passes away, Traci Eddings inherits the St. Cecilia resort. She feels as though she’s struggling to survive. It doesn’t take long before she realizes that she’s inherited more than the resort; she’s inherited the family drama, too. Can Traci right the wrongs of the past and carve a new history for ‘the saint’?

This is a great mystery with a touch of romance and betrayal and long-buried secrets.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley for my honest opinion.