Summers at the Saint is another perfect summer read from one of my favorite authors. There was just enough romance with plenty of drama, suspense, and danger to keep me turning the pages. And the cast of characters was outstanding!

Traci has her hands full, trying to maintain the family property after her husbands death, keeping the customers happy, dealing with problem staff, and wanting a childhood friendship to be the way it used to be. So many secrets and drama to unravel!

I always get so caught up in MKA's novels, so much that I never want to leave. Summers at the Saint is no exception. I loved my stay at the Saint and the people I met. I didn't want to leave, I didn't want the story to end. I love this story and highly recommend it. You really need to add it to your summer reading list!

Anything from MKA is a must read for me and this is no exception! Her usual charm with a little mystery and romance. This book had me hooked from the beginning and I loved it. If you’re a fan of hers, you will too! Thank you NetGalley!

Mary Kay Andrews has done it again with Summers at the Saint. This is a beach read with some teeth in it. It has everything: the beautiful coast of Georgia, the luxurious landmark hotel and the other side of that beauty and luxury that holds secrets and scandal.

There are the “Saints” and the Ain’ts” and rarely does anyone cross over . Traci Eddings did, she married the love of her life, and now widowed runs the St. Cecelia resort, “the Saint.” Life is okay although she still misses her late husband so much, but financial worries, staff shortages and seemingly constant confrontation with her in-laws are a challenge.

Summers at the Saint is intense, peeking under the beauty and luxury to show just what greed, avarice and pure evil can lead to, including murder. Author Andrews also gives the reader that little glimpse at “what if” that even though you’re reading at breakneck speed and totally engrossed allows you to sit back a bit, too, and hope for some love and happiness.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for providing an advance copy of Summers at the Saint via NetGalley. Each and every book by Mary Kay Andrews goes right to the top of my TBR list and this was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it without hesitation. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

Mary Kay Andrews didn't disappoint with her new novel, Summer at the Saint. There were lots of twists that kept me fully entertained. I love a book that has both characters to cheer for and characters to hate and this book has plenty of both. There was one major plot point I wasn't expecting: murder! Although some of the plot was easy to figure out at times, I couldn't wait to see what happened at the Saint. I totally recommend this great summer reading choice! Thank you to the author and publisher for an early copy of this fun new read!

Reading a Mary Kay Andrews is as comforting as a tight hug. Her most recent novel, Summers at the Saint, does not disappoint. The novel has a beautiful setting and a classic heroine. It is full of interesting characters and a protagonist or two. Add a romance which is the most delicious ingredient in this classic recipe. he St. Cecelia is a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia. Traci Eddings is a town local who married the hotel owner's son. Several years later she is a young widow, and an owner of the hotel. It is their busy summer season and Traci's summer hires are living together in dorm style housing provided by the hotel. Many problems occur at the hotel, but the most tragic is a murder. Also, a handsome stranger gets a job on the property and tries to solve lingering questions relating to a drowning twenty years earlier. Traci's hands are full with the hotel problems, the murder, and her scheming brother-in-law. Will she find the time for romance? This novel is an amazing read anytime of the year.

Whenever a new MKA book is published, it is a “Must Read” and I am never disappointed. This went beyond my expectations. Layers of problems exist at the Saint Hotel, but the owner, widow Traci Eddington, is determined to turn the page and create a financial success and happy, devoted staff. This book is like peeling an onion: layers of storylines from mysteries that will peel away to a different twist. And there are many twists: I loved the mystery angle, the past story of the Saint, old friendships gone awry as well as a romantic twist. It all adds up to the perfect beach read. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance read copy; this is my honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews (MKA) is one of my favorite authors. Her books are usually funny, with some serious elements.

Summers at the Saint is a serious novel; it’s a mixture of a murder mystery and a romance. This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Without giving too many details about the book, it involves extortion, blackmail, arson, and theft. The idyllic hotel has some dark secrets that have been going on for a long time.

MKA wonderfully describes the beautiful setting of the novel, a hotel on the coast of Georgia.
I highly recommend this book and her other books.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a chance to review this book.

Link to Amazon review: https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R1CTZL54JFG4UY?ref=pf_ov_at_pdctrvw_srp

Summer doesn't begin until we have a new Mary Kay Andrews book and Summer at the Saint is no exception! The Saint Cecelia is a destination resort off of the coast of Georgia. The family who owns the resort is a dysfunctional family with many secrets while trying to keep The Saint resort profitable and open. The main character is Traci, who married that "good brother". He was tragically killed in a plane crash leaving Traci as the hotel President. Her brother-in-law, Ric, is the CEO of Saint Holdings managing the company's real estate. There is always animosity between Traci and Ric. Traci has no children, Ric has a daughter named Parrish. She is the future of The Saint. Traci's best friend growing up is Shannon who has a daughter, Olivia. Olivia comes to work at The Saint. Traci and Shannon have not been close since a young boy died while they were teenage lifeguards at The Saint. Will they repair their relationship?
Something nefarious is going on that is affecting profits. Who will uncover what is really happening? Will it result in their demise?
This is one of those "I just can't put it down" books. You will want to just keep reading so that you can find out what happens next! This book is a great way to begin the summer. Don't miss this one!

This is an enthralling summer story of two summers at an exclusive resort hotel community. Years ago two teenagers guard the hotel pool where a young boy drowns. Today, his half-brother searches for the cause of his death knowing he was an excellent swimmer. In the meantime another set of young women working at the Saint discover that things are not as they seem as good liquor disappears out the door and deliveries seem to be short. And there’s a touch of romance as that half-brother meets one of those teenagers from many years ago. Don’t miss this book.

Even exclusive Southern resorts are riddled with problems, and St. Cecelia ("the Saint") has it's share. The book is filled with interesting characters from the nearby town (who are called an "Ain't") and the owners, privileged guests, and wealthy people who lived on the private property (who are called a "Saint".) The Saint is the epitome of luxury and entitlement. The author has woven a fabulous story over a couple decades of the prosperity, troubles, and ownership of the Saint.

Mary Kay Andrews is known for her storytelling and for strong characters who aren't afraid to work hard for what they want and what is right. This book follows that tradition with an intricate multi-generational story that creates shocking and unexpected consequences. Characters that you love or hate, situations that will shock you, and a story I found impossible to put down, this is another jewel in the crown of the author's amazing repertoire. I read it in a single session that went well into the early morning because I seriously couldn't stop until all the pieces of the puzzle had been put into place by the author. It was fabulous and I loved it!

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of the book. The opinions expressed in my review are my own thoughts that I am privileged to share in this review.

Best book I have read this year! It was like Summer of ’42 and a mystery mashup. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I enjoyed disliking the brother-in-law and his wife. The twists and turns were great!

This is a great beach read, mystery and escape book. I enjoyed it all.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author. These are my own opinions and I’m not required to leave a positive review.

I have always enjoyed Mary Kay Andrew’s books. Some are funny and others are a little more serious. Summers at the Saint is a murder mystery mixed with family intrigue and just a touch of a love interest. I think this is a great summer, vacation and/or beach read. It’s not too heavy, with interesting characters and a few twists.

"Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was an Ain't, until she married one of the owner's two sons. When her husband tragically died, Traci found herself as the operator of this luxury property on the coast of Georgia. Unfortunately, there are people, both known and unknown, who are working against her.

"Summers at the Saint" marked my inaugural journey into the literary world of esteemed author Mary Kay Andrews, and it certainly won't be my last. I enjoyed the twists, the theme of misplaced trust, and a new opportunity for love.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is an enthralling story of a thoroughly dysfunctional, wealthy family and the resort they have owned for many years. Traci was 19 the summer she worked as a lifeguard at the Saint and caught the eye of the owner, Hoke Eddings, who was ten years her senior. They enjoyed a happy marriage until Hoke died in a plane crash. Traci had been running the Saint ever since. Her father-in-law was at death’s door having deteriorated from Parkinson’s but Traci visited at least once a week. Her brother-in-law, Ric, was nowhere to be found. Ric’s wife worked at the Saint, doing what, no one was exactly sure. Things were not going well. Between the pandemic and the multi-million dollar remodel Hoke had started just before he died, they were barely holding on. Then, a man arrived, digging up the past, and a young man, the son of a friend of Ric’s, started a summer job, and things came to a head. Sadly it cost a life. Well several in the end.

What a wonderfully complicated story Andrews has written, full of deceit, goodness, hatred, love, and murder. People were mis-identified and put at risk. Trusted people no longer could be trusted. Trusting people learned their own lessons, which were not to distrust. It was an emotionally charged read with excellent characters, shaped quickly within the book leaving the reader emotionally charged and fulfilled. Andrews often writes feel-good books, and in the end this is one of them, but the characters go through plenty to get there. It is full of endless surprises and keeps the readers on their toes. Excellently written. Thanks, Mary Kay Andrews!

I was invited to read Summers at the Saint by St Martin’s Press. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #SummersAtTheSaint #MaryKayAndrews #SummersAtTheSaint

MKA is my favorite go-to author for the perfect pool/beach read to kick off summer. She has hit the ball out of the park yet again with this mind-bending, creative and edgy novel. SUMMERS AT THE SAINT has all the goodness of mystery, murder, lies and secrets.. family dysfunction.. and a wholesome second-chance romance with sweet touches of funny banter. All take place on the grounds of a luxurious, landmark hotel of the wealthy.. The St. Cecelia called “The Saint” on the Georgia coast. Andrews captures riveting suspense with all the feels of a soap opera in a picturesque southern summertime setting. This is fast-paced with sooo many (edge-of-your-seat!) twists and turns, is a bit dark in places but Andrews balances those well with (her) signature style of heart-touching, endearment within her characters. What a tale, loved it! ❥ 5 stars — Pub. 5/7/24

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

“If what you’re doing doesn’t terrify you, you aren’t doing it right.” Sage advice from my favorite character!

I went into this assuming it would be a cute summer read. I got so much more than that—what an absolute delight! Murder, mystery, family, multiple scandals, and SO MUCH MORE.

Taking place over a few weeks at the beginning of the summer season, Summers at the Saint tells the tale of both an idyllic beach resort, and how messy things can get when family works together.

I absolutely loved the characters (even the terrible ones; they were all written authentically and believably). The setting was perfection. Having lived in the south for many years, I could picture The Saint and all of its beauty (and the people who would stay there). I was on the edge of my seat for much of the book after things started to go sideways, and was thrilled with how much story the author packed into this book.

Highly recommend you add this to your summer reading list!

Traci grew up in a tourist town and she was from the wrong side of the causeway. The Saint hotel was a beautiful resort she dreamed of. In her teens she lifeguarded there. She met and married the owner’s son. After his tragic death, she took over running the hotel. Things get harder at the hotel so she asks her niece Parish to help out. Parish starts to uncover bigger issues.

This is a wonderful summer beach read. It has a little bit of everything, some family drama, romance, a small town, and a mystery to solve. Mary Kay Andrews always writes a captivating story that you can easily get lost in.

I absolutely loved this book and was so sad it was over! The perfect beach read with glamour and mystery.

I read my first Mary Kay Andrews book years ago when I traveled with my mom for a work conference to Palm Beach. I found it at a beachside bookshop and it was raining the next day. I sat with my grandfather at the pool all day under a huge umbrella to keep us out of the warm rain, and read the book. We split nachos. It was such a great day!

I bring that up to say that since my very first Mary Kay Andrews book, I’ve been hooked. Now when summer is approaching I know it’s time for a new MKA book and they always charm me. In her latest book, Summers at the Saint, romance, mystery, and long-buried secrets collide one summer at a luxury resort.

What is Summers at the Saint about?

On a small island off the coast of Georgia sits a stunning luxury resort called the St. Cecilia, that is more commonly referred to as the Saint. Traci Eddings was six when she first spotted the pink castle-like building of the Saint. She was thirteen when she first stepped on the property for a friend’s birthday party. She was fifteen when she and her best friend Shannon got summer jobs working at the ice cream parlor at the Saint and learned that there were two social classes: the Saints and the Ain’ts. She was nineteen when she met and fell in love with Hoke Eddings, the son of the family who owned the Saint.

Nineteen years later, Traci is widowed and the owner of the Saint. When staff shortages and financial troubles plaguing the hospitality industry since the pandemic threaten to upend the busy summer resort season, Traci finds a way to restaff and keep the resort running. She has converted an old building into dormitories so staff have a free place to stay for the summer, and she’s gone out to recruit a new chef and customer service staff. Including the daughter of her former best friend Shannon, who is not pleased to have her daughter working for Traci or the Saint, and the daughter of her unscrupulous brother-in-law who turned down a summer program to help out at the Saint.

When new information comes to light about a tragic drowning that occurred at the hotel twenty years earlier, Traci finds herself up against nearly insurmountable challenges to keep the resort afloat. Things are off to a rocky start, and when another murder occurs at the resort, Traci may not be able to salvage the resort she’s loved from the moment she laid eyes on it.

What did I think?

Summers at the Saint is a wonderful example of what a talented storyteller Mary Kay Andrews is. Whether you’re new to her books or a longtime fan, her latest novel will captivate you. Well-crafted characters and vivid imagery make the reader feel as though they are at the Saint as the events of the novel unfold. I could picture the pink-and-white striped awnings, the lush green golf course, and the sweeping ocean views.

Traci is the central character, but Andrews builds out a full cast who add texture and intrigue to the story. Chapters are narrated from a variety of perspectives, including Shannon’s daughter Olivia, the son of a wealthy family whose dad wants him to learn a lesson by working at the Saint, and Traci’s beloved niece, Parrish. The characters are well-developed, but what makes them shine are the complex and often emotional relationships among them. There are several families who are experiencing the seams beginning to pull apart. Traci and Shannon’s friendship is introduced in the first chapter, and their falling out and hurt feelings in the present harken to real life friendships.

There were characters I loved and others I loathed. There was a bit of romance in a subplot that added a light breath that lifted the story up. Traci can’t seem to catch a break this summer. More than anyone else, the Saint is important to her and so is her husband’s legacy. But with so many things going wrong, it’s hard to not wonder if this is a streak of misfortune, or whether someone is behind it. The drowning from two decades earlier seems when it’s first introduced as the catalyst that broke Traci and Shannon’s friendship, but as the book goes on it becomes clear that the drowning may have more fallout than it first appears to.

The threads of suspense, mystery, family, friendship, secrets, forgiveness, drama, romance, and status weave together throughout the story, building a layered story that had me locked in to the story. A cast of complex characters and a beautiful and vivid setting make this book a perfect beach read.

Thank you to St Martins Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.

It’s publication day for Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews! Grab your copy now as you don’t want to miss another mesmerizing tale by Andrews – a perfect way to kick off the summer reading season. I am an Andrews completist – I adore her writing and her newest did not disappoint.

St. Cecelia, known locally as the Saint is a fancy hotel on the coast of Georgia. If you grew up visiting, you were referred to as “a Saint.” If you couldn’t afford a stay and lived in the wrong side of town, you were “an Ain’t.”

Despite starting life as an Ain’t, Traci Eddings started working at the Saint as a teenager and fell in love and married the owner’s son. Years later Traci is widowed and runs the hotel herself, despite her despicable brother-in-law. The Saint is struggling, and Traci is giving everything she has to have a profitable summer. As she hires new staff and builds a dorm for on-site housing, mysteries from the past come to surface and there is a tragic death on the grounds of the hotel.

This is a page turning mystery told from different character points of view, with twists and turns that had me ignoring everything around me so I could read. I almost felt like I was watching a movie as I read. MKA has the ability to transport readers directly into the pages of her stories, and while I had to know what happened, I didn’t want to leave the setting. I encourage readers to get their hands on this and be prepared for an excellent reading experience.