A perfect read that gives you all the elements of friendship, love, mystery, twists and "didn't see that coming"! Add to that some history, family drama, and well-developed likeable characters, and this will keep the reader turning the pages. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #SummersattheSaint

Great story!

This was a very well-crafted story with all the elements this author is known for. A beautiful resort, on the ocean, that has a sordid underbelly. A family at odds with each other. Friendships long ago destroyed coming back together, and new ones created. All these are skillfully woven into a fast-paced plot that captured me and kept me wanting to read and do nothing else! Recommended!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

Summers at the Saint is the latest beach read from Mary Kay Andrews, and I was so excited to read it! The book follows a cast of characters who live and work at The Saint, an exclusive island resort steeped in Southern grandeur and tradition. There is romance, mystery, old wrongs made right, and plot lines that weave around each other, seemingly unrelated until their connection becomes evident. This book is engaging, has a lot going on that somehow isn’t confusing despite jumps across time, and doesn’t shy away from mixing the bitter ugly with the sweet. I loved that the main characters in her books are getting older, what a treat to read about someone who has lived some life! In particular, I think she really did a great job turning what could have been a fluffy book into one with more substance. MKA writes the sweetest love stories, and her own love of the South is evident in how beautifully she describes warm summer nights and small coastal towns. There is no question that any fan of MKA’s writing should pick this up.

That being said, this book was not my favorite of hers and I was filled with a vague sense of disappointment when I finished it that I can’t really put my finger on. I don’t think it had anything to do with the actual details of the book’s plot (although there were things I loved and things I didn’t), but more to do with my preconceived idea of what I wanted this book to be. I was expecting more tropical glamour. I wanted to be whisked away on a fabulous vacation, where strong clever women rule and beach tanned men with sexy Southern accents fall in love with them. And there was all of that, but it just felt more watered down than I’m used to from MKA. But it wouldn’t be summer without her, and reading this book inspired me to go back to my trusty favorites- Spring Fever and Save The Date!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this as an ARC. As someone who has visited a beach community many times that sounds EXACTLY like the Saint resort in the novel, I was excited to read this novel. It has all the ingredients for a spicy beach read: beach, sun, lots of interesting characters, and crime. Unfortunately, I can’t say I would recommend it. It fell flat for me. Sometimes it was the way the characters interacted with each other, other times it was plot lines in the story. I have to be honest- I think it would make a great miniseries on Hulu or Netflix. It just didn’t work for me as a novel.

This book was a real surprise for me - in a good way! I anticipated a light summer read, but also found a murder mystery, complex family drama, and a bit of a surprise romance. It reminded me of "Malibu Rising" and Elin Hildebrand books in terms of vibes and writing style.

I was a bit worried when I was like 6 chapters in and each had been a different character focus, but it set the characters up well and was not how the remainder of the book was set up. So, if it feels overwhelming initially, it turns into a more typical novel pretty quickly.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Summers at the Saint was such a cute and enjoyable story. This had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next. This story grabs your attention right from the start and keeps you interested until the end. This had romance, mystery and was suspenseful. I can't wait to read more of Mary Kay Andrews books. They are so enjoyable and are great summertime reads or anytime reads. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest opinion. This is such a fun read and a must read.

I’m always a big fan of behind-the-scenes books in hospitality since I worked in it for so long. This story had it all: great characters (both good and bad), a fun setting of a resort on a private island, romance, and a mystery. There are so many twists and turns that will keep you guessing, all the while falling in love with the characters who are well-developed and who you can’t help but root for. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend for a beach vacation, a rainy day, or any other situation where you just want to read.

There is something about a new Mary Kay Andrews book that indicates summer is coming. Her novels always put me in that laid back summer mood. This book takes us to the Saint....a beach hotel that has been family owned. It is currently under the management of Traci Eddings who has put her heart and soul into the place ever since her husband's tragic passing. The hotel is floundering a bit so Traci decides to progressively hire an assortment of people, including her niece and the daughter of her former best friend. When tragedy strikes and scandals come to light, Traci has to fight even harder to keep the Saint going.

Andrews writes her characters like no other author I've read. They are fun, scandalous, and bursting with personality. I loved Traci and her messy crew. She has real grit and as events come to pass we see secrets uncovered and Traci comes to find out who she truly has in her corner. Not all the characters are lovable as they are not meant to be. As a reader, you love to hate them. The ending is super satisfying. You feel like you are right there in a beach chair sipping a drink and watching this all unfold. From the first page, this story grabs you. I couldn't stop reading as I wanted to see it all unfold.

I have been a long time fan of Mary Kay Andrews and this book is a perfect example of why. She's a storyteller and does such a great job of doing so. I highly recommend you pick this one up for your next beach read.

This book was simply average for me. While I did finish it, this plot was a bit all over the map for me and I found I wasn't wanting to reach for it often. I found the plot to be a bit repetitive at times and didn't hold my interest well. A good summer read but forgettable overall.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.*

I'm a MKA fan and was excited to see this one come up on NetGalley.

Summers at the Saint is classic MKA - romance, mystery, a few good twists and a sunny locale.

It is the story of Traci and Shannon, best friends that grew up in a summer resort town on the wrong side of the tracks. Those with the means spent their summers at the Saint Cecelia Beach Club & Resort (The Saint). Traci and Shannon find themselves working as lifeguards at the Saint the summer they turned 19. When a young boy drowns on their watch, both of their lives are turned upside down. Traci winds up married to the heir to the resort and Shannon is fired, pregnant and alone. The women become estranged.

20 years later, Traci is a widow running the financially troubled resort and she hires Shannon's daughter along with a crop of young promising staff whom will live in new staff housing that Traci builds in an effort to attract good help.

A series of awful things happen and Traci & Shannon are forced back together to face the past as well as try to figure out what is at the bottom of the troubles.

I really liked this one. A terrific summer beach read!

*with thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This book had a little bit of everything - romance, mystery, friendships, and family secrets! It was a fun, easy read and would be the perfect book to take to the beach with you. I was worried that there were going to be way too many characters, but the author did a great job of moving from one POV to another. It was not overwhelming and was interesting to see how all of their storylines overlapped. It was also evident this book was well-researched, and I loved the behind-the-scenes look the author gave us of all the things that go into managing a hotel. My only wish was that the epilogue was just a little bit longer because I wasn't ready for Traci's story to be finished. Overall, I highly recommend this book and gave it five stars on Goodreads!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I enjoyed reading Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

I listened to this one on audio and it was very binge worthy. In true MKA fashion there were twists and turns but it was the depth of those twists and turns that kept me hooked to this story right until the very end. If you’re looking for well developed characters, beach side atmosphere, friendships through the hard times and a hint of romance here is an awesome beachfront or pool side read.

Do not let this book cover fool you! What I first expected as a relaxing beach read, this novel is not that. Mary Kay Andrew's latest story has a little bit of everything in it - romance, workplace scandal, and murder mystery. While I found this story enjoyable, I would warn readers that there are a number of characters to keep track of and a TON of plot. I will say, Mary Kay Andrews knows how to throw a twist into her stories!

This was fantastic!! I have read a few others of Andrew’s but this one tops those. I was fascinated by this dysfunctional family and old money resort. Traci was such a wonderful character and I felt all of her pain and joy. Her happy ending was my favorite. I also loved the multiple view points as the story was set. I’ve already got a few more of her books on hold from the library.

Mary Kay Andrews delivers a charming summer read once again.

I have read her for years and this book is just as fantastic as the others. You can tell she is a veteran writer by the way she builds the worlds around her characters and makes you want to root for them in the beginning.

This author will make you want to run to your closest beach and put up shop as long as possible!

Summers at the Saint has a little bit of everything going on. It’s got major family drama, a few scandals, a ton of secrets, a mystery, and a little romance. The setting is a fancy resort run by a family that doesn’t quite see eye to eye and Traci, the CEO, is trying to keep it afloat and hopes that her new summer hires will be just what the resort revitalization needs.

Out of all the MKA books I’ve read this is by far the longest but it read really quick because of the storyline being face paced.

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I love Mary Kay Andrews's books and this one is no different.

Traci Eddings was an outsider whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation at the The Saint. But she worked here.and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Her unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. So she hires some interesting summer help, Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens them, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair. Traci has to find a way to deal with all of the challenges and win the day. Loved this book!

I absolutely loved Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews! Many interesting characters, family drama, and mysteries. It was hard to put down because of all the twists and turns that happened throughout the book! I kept trying to figure out what was going to happen next, but never succeeded! I highly recommend reading Summers at the Saint! You will not be disappointed!

Mary Kay Andrew’s Summers at The Saint is a fun and captivating cozy mystery. There is a lot going on in this book with several story threads and a large cast of great characters. There is something for every reader in this story; in addition to the mystery, there is light romance and some big family drama. If that isn’t enough, there is dreamy setting of an upscale resort on a coastal island.

The story starts with the building of the summer staff, and that allows for the introduction of many of characters and their motivations for taking a job at The Saint. Traci Eddings, who inherited the hotel when her husband passed away, has a lot on her plate running the resort, and to make matters worse, she is dealing with ungracious in-laws, curious guest complaints and a lot of red ink on her ledgers. The tension builds as more and more minor mysteries are threaded into the story. There are long unsolved mysteries, day-to-day drama, and plenty of lies and deception. In her usual panache, Ms. Andrews weaves together the various threads to a surprising story zenith and culmination.

Summer at The Saints is the perfect vacation read, and the audio book narration is fabulous.