Summers at The Saint by Mary Kay Andrews, from the picture on the cover I was expecting a beach read, but this book was much more than that. It interweaves the past with modern day, and builds a story line around an interesting woman. Willing to think outside the box to try to save the once luxurious family resort. Some of the characters I enjoyed others not so much. I would recommend this book to others.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

It amazes me how Mary Kay Andrews can blend genres so seamlessly to write such beautiful stories. Summers at the Saint was no exception! This book combines women’s fiction, romance, and mystery and throws in some family drama to give us the perfect summer read.

I loved Traci as the main character. Even though she suffered a huge loss when her husband tragically passed away, she still showed strength and had what it takes to keep the Saint afloat. By hiring some unexpected employees, Traci was able to find herself, and a second chance at love, which I really enjoyed.

Most of the characters in this book were great (some not so much), and I loved how there was character development along with a plot that kept me guessing. I didn’t want to put this book down, and narrator, Kathleen McInerney had a lot to do with that. She was a great choice for this book. There was something about her voice that was just so peaceful, and it was exactly what I would expect if I was staying at the Saint! I highly recommend listening to this one if you can.

I loved everything about this book and look at that gorgeous cover! This book screams beach read to me, and I hope everyone else will grab it on their summer vacation to read!

Thank you Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

What a great beach read! Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down! The Saint is for the wealthy but like other businesses in the area, good help is hard to find. Traci Eddings needs to keep operations running and a way to bring staff in. She comes up with an idea that would do just that. This book surprised me. The way things shifted and I didn’t see coming! Whoa! I enjoyed the friendships that blossomed and the budding romance that was beginning. I found myself gasping as things occurred and I couldn’t read this book fast enough. There’s loss and love and new beginnings and danger. I can’t recommend it enough!

Summers at the Saint is everything that I wanted in a beach read! Traci Eddings is now in charge at the St. Cecilia resort after growing up as an "ain't" instead of a "saint." She inherited this position following the death of her husband 4 years ago in a plane crash. She is struggling to manage all of the challenges with heading up a 5-star resort. Multiple twists, a murder, the fabulous resort/beach setting, and a little romance kept me interested the whole way through. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a Mary Kay Andrews novel, so I thought it was about time to read one. This story follows several characters at the St. Cecelia’s Resort. And, my goodness, there is SO MUCH going on there. Once people start digging into a mystery from 20 years ago, several more mysteries unfold.

The story builds slowly as does the character development, so it did take me a little while to feel immersed into the story. Some of the dialogue and choices of the characters seemed “off” to me, but all in all, by the end, I did want to know how it ended and whether everyone gets what they deserve.

I do think Summers at the Saint is darker than her typical novels, so I think it’s great that she’s trying something different.

Thanks to #StMartinsPress for providing me the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

The link to my Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6475801554?book_show_action=false

I honestly had no idea that this book was going to be a mystery/who dun it read but I enjoyed the whole plot development. There was soo much going on in this book that I read it pretty quickly for it being 400 pages. This book is heavy on "class clash" between Saints and Aint's - how people can get away with things with a little hush money, which is frustrating to even imagine after reading about it. Props to the author for really putting in so much details and emotion in this book. There were a lot of characters introduced but it wasn't difficult to keep up with. This is my 2nd book from MKA and am now hooked with her writing and will definitely be exploring her backlist!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not A Casual “Beach Read”. With the cover and even a common understanding of the description, one might think going into this tale that it is a breezy easy beach read. Well, I’m of the belief that any book you read at a beach is a beach read, but this book takes some effort. If you’re looking for a simple tale… this aint that.

What this *is* though is a solid tale of survival on so many different levels. Yes, you have the tale of the struggle to save the resort that the description points out. But there is also *so much more* here, and the problems at the resort go *so much deeper* than is initially believed.

At first, this seems to be a tale of the resort manager building her team, Nick Fury building the Avengers style. As this slow burn story continues though, we see that not everything is as it seems, and Nick may have found Loki posing as Thor rather than the actual Thor…

Ultimately, all of the separate characters and threads do come together in a wonderful tapestry, but it takes a while to see the full picture of all that is happening and why, but for those that demand books that wrap up everything… this *is* one of those tales, at least.

Very much recommended.

I enjoyed this book immensely. The book is a perfect summer read. It has a little mystery, great characters - both the ones you like and the ones you hate, a great setting, good friendships and a little romance. I found the book to be a fast read and had more than a few surprises. I loved how the story evolved. I found the ending really satisfying. It was just really a fun read. I totally recommend curling up with this and a margarita in hand. Sit back and enjoy! I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This book is full of compelling characters including the central heroine who is strong-minded and quite determined but also extremely kind and caring toward her employees. The intriguing plot has not one but two compelling mysteries at its center. The story is full of great friendship but the romance is not as well developed. It is kind of rushed. and you never really get to know that much about the love interest. He isn't even called by his first name but rather by his last throughout much of the story. Plus, it feels like you get to know more about his relatives than you do about him. Nevertheless, this is still a fun summer read unless you're in it strictly for the romance.

The story centers around the St. Cecilia aka “The Saint”, a five-star hotel off the coast of Georgia. There is a big social segregation between the hotel patrons (the Saints) and the locals/hotel staff (the Ain’ts). This was totally giving me dirty dancing vibes minus the song and dance numbers.

The book is told in multiple POVs which at first was a little confusing and it took a bit to get who was who straight. But overall this world at the Saint was really well developed and the storyline filled with mysteries and secrets kept me interested all the way through. It’s a fun, cozy beach mystery perfect for summer.

Read for:
🏨 High-end Beach Hotel
🌊 Beachside Mysteries
💵 Haves vs the Have-nots
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Family Secrets
👄 Multiple POVs

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice Level: 🧼 squeaky clean

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, twisty, sweet and action-packed. It kept me reading and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

My brain always tells me I’m getting a fun, light beach read but that is definitely not how Mary Kay Andrews rolls. This story had some fun twists and turns that I very much enjoyed, I was disappointed when one of my favourite characters got murdered but it added to the story. The characters were great. Traci & Shannon’s story was good and only got better as the book progressed, Parrish, Olivia, Felice, K.J & Garrett added the fun with their young people escapades. I liked Whelan and was happy for Traci, I really wanted Ric & Madelyn to “get it” and they really did themselves in with their evilness. The mystery of what was really going on at the Saint moved the story along. This book was fabulous & I thought it was great.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

I loved this book! Traci Eddings has loved the Saint since she was a child. Her first sight of the beautiful resort had her hooked. When she grows up to marry the son of the owner, she thinks her life is perfect. But as everyone knows, life throws curveballs and Traci finds herself in the middle of a big old mess.
This book has everything, and I do mean everything! There are conniving relatives, there’s a secret baby. All kinds of people are sleeping with all kinds of other people. Strange things are happening at the Saint and it looks like it could be sabotage. There is arson.There is a murder. And there’s even romance.
When is the things I enjoy about Mary Kay Andrews books is the juxtaposition of the laid-back southern setting with all of the craziness that goes on in the story. This book is a wonderful addition to all her others. I know when I open one up I’m in for a good time, and this didn’t disappoint.

A summer murder mystery, count me in! I adored how the author started the book from multiple viewpoints, leading you to realize where they all came together. I felt like I was at the Saint, enjoying lunch and the beach.

I love MKA stories and this is another perfect summer escape in book form!

Set at the Saint Cecilia aka "The Saint", where you're an "ain't" if you aren't there for vacation. Local "ain't" turned Saint, Traci is managing the resort after the death of her husband. She's having trouble finding help for the summer, until she turns an old golf cart barn into dorms and the summer help rolls in. There is a lot going on in this book - affairs, secrets, a suspicious death, fire, new employees, a crazy Colonel, family problems and old problems. It's a fast, paced story - kind of predictable, but a very entertaining summer read. You can't go wrong with a Mary Kay Andrews summer read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.

Summers at the Saint was so much more than I anticipated it to be, in a good way! I have read several MKA books and have enjoyed them all but this one takes the cake. It is about a multi-generation family owned, elite resort, called St. Cecilia, also known as The Saint, set on an island off the coast of Georgia. The story focuses more on the family and the employees, rather than the guest, giving a modern day Dirty Dancing vibe, which I loved. Sounds perfect, right? However, looks can be deceiving and not everything is as perfect as it appears. After all, you’re either a Saint or an ain’t.

I loved the diversity of characters and how MKA uses strong independent FMC in her books. I appreciate that the author repeats key info from time to time, to help the reader to remember small tidbits of info that may have been missed/forgotten but are important to know. Furthermore, she does this in a way that doesn’t feel redundant. There is a lot going on and a lot of characters to keep track of but it wasn’t hard to follow and easily kept my attention.

I was fortunate enough to have an epub and an audio copy of the book and appreciated having both. Kathleen McInerney’s narration enhances the experience, bringing the characters to life with impeccable tones and inflections while creating a believable narration. McInerney delivered a spectacular performance from start to finish.

Do yourself a favor and go in blind, like I did, you won’t be disappointed! There’s a little bit of everything…romance, mystery, suspense, unseen twists, and plenty of family drama making it a perfect summer read!

TW—drug abuse, death, rape

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, MacMillan Audio and Mary Kay Andrews for granting me early access to Summers at the Saint in exchange for an honest review.

Summers at the Saint is another enjoyable read by Mary Kay Andrews. Traci Eddings is a widow and runs the St. Cecelia (The Saint), a posh hotel off the coast of Georgia. Those who can be part of the community are called the “Saints” and those that are on the outside are the “Aints.” Traci was an “Aint” until she married the son of the owner and eventually became the manager when he passed away. Her brother-in-law, Ric, runs the real estate portion of the business and both him and his father, Fred, don’t want Traci involved in the business; however, her husband’s will dictate the order so they must follow it. The story begins to move forward with an interesting mystery when one of the workers at the Saint dies.

As the story begins with the hotel’s current state along with exploration of Traci’s origin with the hotel, the writing provides a great insight into how a popular place can suddenly struggle. The Saint needs to change with the times to stay competitive as what made it popular in the past may no longer be the case. With this side of the story, I think MKA did a great job as it was easy to connect, and it seemed realistic. I do enjoy this side of MKA’s writing as I love the realism she puts in her stories. There may be things that are more on the fictional side, but I like that a lot of the stories from her actually seem like they could be real. The mystery was nicely tied into the rest of the story, so everything seemed to flow nicely together. Overall, this was a very enjoyable story and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

Add this delightful novel by Mary Kay Andrews to your must read list this summer! Perfect beach read, it has a little bit of everything. There are compelling characters with juicy drama, and there is the perfect blend of romance, betrayal, and even murder and suspense! I personally think the beach setting was a perfect setting because it adds familiarity and comfort, as well as easily identifying and emphasizing the Saints from the Aints. I could easily envision the scenes as well as the personalities and mannerisms of the characters. I was reminded of some Netflix series I have watched and I can picture this being one, too! Lighthearted and fun, but with intriguing twists, this one will keep you engaged from start to finish!

#summersatthesaint #netgalley #bookreview

3.5 stars

Who knew the hospitality industry could be so cut throat? A good, suspenseful summer beach read with some romance and not just one, but two mysteries. Tons of twists, backstabbing, and even murder make this an enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC.

I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. I expected this to be an enjoyable beach read, but it was so much more. Family drama, theft, murder, and friendship surround Tracy Eddins, who runs the St. Cecelia Hotel. There are two types of people in town - the Saints (who can afford to stay at the posh resort) and the Aint's - the townspeople and hotel employees who struggle to live in the area. Tracy is a Saint, but she used to be an Ain't. I suspect this will be a favorite read this summer.