Hands down, my favorite summer beach read from MKA and quite possibly her best book yet!! The month of May to me means having a new MKA book in my hands to welcome in summer, usually pool and/or ocean side on vacation. It's just not summer without a new MKA novel! This year, I was able to read it early, cozied up at home with my blanket and furbaby on my lap. I thought that might hinder the way the book felt because this story is set at Saint, a resort with a pool and the ocean, but given how the story plays out, it felt right for me!! No matter where you read this novel, you will enjoy it. It's mysterious and captivating. It keeps you turning the pages, and you don't want to stop reading. You want to know what happened over 20 yrs ago & what happens next as well as who done it. I read this book so quickly. You can picture Saint, the restaurant, other amenities, the Eddings family members, the Saint staff, and the guests as if you were there, even in the tense moments. This was a super fun summer read!!

Thank you, @netgalley and @stmartinspress, for the opportunity to read and review early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

THE SAINTS & THE AIN’TS

Mary Kay Andrews offers readers a look into the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia. For those fortunate to grow up going there, they were “the Saints.” Those from the wrong side of the river were known as “an Ain’t.” Andrews’ main character, Traci, was from the wrong side but found a job there one summer and found the love of her life. He happened to be the grandson of the founder of The Saint. They were happily married and were in the process of bringing The Saint back to its Glory Days when he died unexpectedly. Traci finds herself widowed and left with a monumental task ahead of her, particularly since she has to deal with her unscrupulous brother-in-law at every step. Traci is always looking for quality help and hires a super young woman who turns out to be her former best friend’s daughter and reignites a hotbed of emotions. They have been on the outs since the summer they worked at The Saint.

Andrews has invented a lively cast of characters for this novel. The Saint requires summer help, and Traci decides to hire a group of young adults and provide them with a lodge. Andrews could have written an entire book on that! They do provide help, but the young people are also running their own game behind the scenes.

As the rebuilding continues, Traci realizes some things are not adding up. Money is going out rapidly for what they are getting in return. She knows who is behind it, but can she prove it? And a mystery man shows up in town asking questions about something from the past. Is he there to ruin The Saint or finally solve what happened that fateful day that changed so many lives? What other mysteries might he solve?

I enjoyed the plot of this novel. Andrews exhibits the way the “haves” treat the “have-nots” no matter where they are in the world. It is a story of how one woman knew what it was like to cross from one world into another, and she never forgot. She wanted to help others be the best they could be. The one thing I did not like about this novel was the language. It was unnecessary.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own and without influence.

Synopsis in a sentence (or two):
Mismanaged hotel intrigue meets family drama and murder mysteries

Characters:
The characters within Summer at the Saint fit the narrative perfectly. It is very clear from the start that some of the characters do not have the hotel’s best interest in mind and these characters come off as absolutely unlikable. On the other hand, Traci, the Saint Resort owner, has a strong love for the hotel, and it’s easy to like her strong dedication to her employees and career.

Pacing/Storyline:
I’ve been watching Jane the Virgin lately, so perhaps that’s why I found this Mary Kay Andrews so delightful. I’ve read many of Mary Kay Andrews’ novels, and this may be my favorite. I love a beach read, and this one managed to be an escape read and murder mystery all at once.

The story opens with a clear understanding that The Saint Hotel is struggling. Traci, the owner, works diligently to bring in new employees and treat them well. Each employee has a different reason for taking the job, and their backstories immediately pulled me in. Having not read the synopsis, I was surprised when one of the central characters was murdered. Nothing came as a shock concerning the murder plotline, but that didn’t change my interest level and the fact that I raced through this one in a weekend.

Read this if:
I recommend this one to readers who love:
📚cozy beachside mysteries
📚Robyn Carr, Elin Hildebrand, Jennifer Weiner
📚hotel staff-themed plots (i.e., Dirty Dancing & Jane the Virgin)

Rating: 4.0

Disclosure:
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, Mary Kay Andrews, and Erica Martirano for the Digital Review Copy of Summers at the Saint. All opinions are my own.

I was able to download Summers at the Saint on NetGalley and I am so glad I did! It is my first Mary Kay Andrews Book and I am mad at myself for that. If her other books are like this one I will definitely be picking another one up.

This book was perfect as the nights get longer and the sun feels warmer. It had everything I love in a book; mystery, romance, and characters you root for. I was completely shocked by some of what happened and it took the book in a direction I was not expecting but really enjoyed.

Summers at the Saint comes out May 7.

Summers at the Saint is my 3rd MKA book and the best one I've read yet! It gave me slight Hotel Nantucket vibes, so if you like that book you'll probably like this too.
This book has a variety of genres- a little drama, a little mystery, and even a little romance. It also covers two time periods and BOTH are exciting. The past has a suspicious drowning and some ex bff drama, and the present has a murder and other suspicious happenings at the hotel. I enjoyed how likeable the main character is. Though she is owner of a fancy resort and therefore a "saint", she grew up as an "ain't" and married into the life. It wasn't a book that's obnoxiously about rich, country club folk. I did find myself wondering how she didn't suspect something fishy (literally) was going on at the resort.
Overall, this would be a fun beach read!
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is my seventh book by this author. There is always a concern when reading several books by the same author. The concern would this book be as good as the last? Well I can tell you that once again, Ms. Andrews did not disappoint! This is a captivating, stay up late, can’t put down read!

The Saint is a huge sprawling hotel complex located off shore of Georgia on the Atlantic Ocean. The official name of the hotel is “The Saint Cecelia”. Traci Eddings is one of the owners of The Saint. She is dealing with financial issues and staffing shortages as the summer draws near.

I am not one to write spoilers. I will however tell you there are awesome characters that you will love and a few you will wish would walk into the Atlantic and not come back. Ms. Andrews characters are deep, emotional, smart and memorable. There are twists and turns that you never see coming. The book is a lovely combination of business, family, suspense and romance. Another great read by Mary Kay Andrews. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next!

I would like to thank Ms. Andrews, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting story about beach town resort and what it takes to run them. Family and love along with the mystery it all runs deep in this book. There is also a whole lot of intrigue. I n this town you were either a Saint or you were an Ain't! If you were a Saint that meant you grew up going to the St. Cecelia located on the coast of Georgia. If you were an Ain't you came from the wrong side of the tracks.
Traci Eddings was at the beginning on the wrong side of the tracks but she was good enough to work at St.Ceceiia's. She had the fortunate luck to marry the son of owner. Now she has found herself widowed and struggling to keep the Hotel up and running . Thanks to the economy and her brother-in-law. He would like her to fail and put her under so she can loose everything. Along with that there are lots of other crazy things that happen !
Truly enjoyed this book and I know you will as well. Mary Kay Andrews is an amazing author who when writing does us all a favor by writing such thoroughly enjoyable and shareable works of art! You will be talking about this one and maybe even make this one your next book club book! Happy Reading!

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and it did not disappoint! It was so freakin cute! Definitely going to be a top summer and beach read for 2024!

🌴 For those of you looking for a novel to kick off your summer reading, look no further! As always, MKA delivers with a Southern story filled with mystery, sass, family drama and just a sprinkle of romance and flirtation. This is my favorite of her novels since the High Tide Club, which was the first I read by her and remains in the top spot in my rankings. But this is a very close second!

🌴 I flew through this book and was thinking about the characters and plot even when I had to be away from it. It has short chapters (yay) which made it easy to read in short chunks even when I only had a few minutes.

🌴The first few chapters introduce a TON of characters right off the bat, which I was worried would be confusing. But she did a great job keeping everyone’s POV in a very distinct voice, so I felt like I got to know the characters and their motivations - with maybe one exception whose arc felt a little lacking or incomplete - very quickly.

🌴 The reason I was so hooked on this book was definitely the mystery. With MKA’s books, who the “bad guys” are is never really in disguise, but she doesn’t give away much early on either. This had excellent pacing with a slow unraveling of the mystery that kept me frantically turning the page. She did a masterful job of showing us the who, how, why and when.

🌴 Pick this one up at your favorite bookstore whenever it goes on sale TOMORROW, May 7th

I have enjoyed all of the books by Ms. Andrews, and this is no exception. The description of the St. Cecelia, homes, landscapes and more made me feel like I was there.

This story is more of a mystery/suspense with a bit of romance. Traci Eddings was previously an ’Ain’t’ vs a ‘Saint’ as the wealthy are known before marrying Hoke Eddings and becoming a reluctantly accepted member of the family.

After Covid caused a downturn in the hotel bookings, Traci works to bring back a profitable St. Cecelia. She manages to hire staff and builds a dorm for them since housing is so expensive in the area. The group becomes friends but are they really? There are tragic losses, and a long-ago tragedy is questioned, with surprising outcomes in the present day.

There were several sad parts to this story between the tragic losses of loved ones but also those Traci had known and trusted were not who she thought they were. Some hid what they were doing and tried to cover up their crimes with heinous acts.

The story is full of twists and turns, secrets, murder, suspense, and betrayal along with an unexpected HEA for Traci. I highly recommend this story for all that love books by Mary Kay Andrews.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this new work.

I was looking forward to a “summer read” as I’ve come to expect from Mary Kay Andrews but I was instead disappointed by the repetitive storylines, too many characters, too much repetition. It was fun, I’ve give it that, but not what I had hoped for.

I can’t deal with how much I love MKA, I just can’t. Her books are such a breath of fresh air when I read them even though there’s still a murder or mystery going on. I fall in love with the characters easily and this book was no exception.

Initially there seemed to be so many characters to keep track of but honestly, there was no need to worry. The character development is always there with Andrews. Traci, Livvy, Felice, and Whelan were amazing and the mystery of Parrish was done perfectly. There’s something about her writing that feels like a warm hug, seriously. The romance is clean and sweet for the most part which is just how I prefer it. I'm slowly buying all of her backlist but this one is going on my shelf immediately as well.

If you are expecting that light chick lit beach read this is not that story. Yet quite enjoyable reading is this romance with a big mystery at its center. A small town with an upscale resort taking center stage (the members the Saints and the townspeople the Aints). There are a lot of secrets and plenty of crime to keep everyone engaged here, MaryKay Andrews continues to surprise with her twists and turns . Thank you netgalley and St Martins Press for this read

The St. Cecelia Hotel is a luxurious hotel in Georgia. If you and your family have enough money to stay there, you’re “a Saint” but if you live on the other side of town, you’re “an Ain’t.” Traci grew up as an Ain’t, but married into the family who runs the Saint. After her husband passed, Traci finds herself running the hotel and doing her best to keep it afloat during difficult financial times. She hires a group of new staff for the summer who live onsite, and mysterious and tragic events start occurring.

This book was unexpectedly dark and twisty. The cover gives off a summer vibe, and while the synopsis does indicate there is mystery at play, it also references it being a beach read with humor and warmth. I personally didn’t find those elements in this book. Instead, it’s deep and dark, filled with tragedy and mystery, with just a hint of romance sprinkled in. There are a lot of characters to keep up with and so many things happening. It definitely kept me on my toes, but also felt longer than necessary.

Thank you to and NetGalley for the ARC.

If you are still experiencing colder temps where you live, but itching to hit the beach like me, you might want to pick up Summers at The Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. It is the perfect escape for armchair travellers — a murder mystery with a second chance romance and found family, all in the setting of a beach resort! I cannot believe this is only my first novel from this author! I really like the straightforward story and the relatable characters. Reading this is akin to snuggling inside a warm fuzzy blanket. Love how comfy and at home it made me feel afterwards. Definitely checking out other Mary Kay Andrews books!

First I’d like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. This was a very fun summer read. I thought it would be more of a romance novel but there was a good mystery involved and the romance was just a side plot. There were actually a few different mysteries to be solved in this book and keeping track of who was involved with which one kept me guessing and kept the story light and fun.

It was a little long and I think it could have been 59-75 pages shorter but overall I really enjoyed it. The three main female characters were great and I loved their friendship and them all being strong women in the novel.

Overall it was a solid 4/5 stars and I would definitely recommend as a good summer read.
#netgalley #summeratthesaint #marykayandrews

This was my first book by the author, Mary K Andrews, and she did not disappoint, it makes a perfect beachy/summer read. Summers at the Saint captivated my attention from start to finish. The narrative of this story was a mixture of murder mystery, rich family drama, and a hint of romance. It is told in different point of views and a few flashbacks that pieces the plot together in a profound way. I did not expect the turns thrown at me in this book, Mary knows how to spin a tale. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this advanced reader copy.

At the St. Cecelia (better known as "The Saint"), a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper.. 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 one of "the Aint's" , but she got a job as a lifeguard there as a teenager, along with her best friend, and they spent their summers there every year. Then Traci met and fell in love with the owner's son, and they ran The Saint together for years until her husband died in a plane crash. Now, The Saint isn't doing so well financially. Traci has one season to turn things around, Between her unscrupulous brother-in-law pulling out all the stops to try to make sure she fails, the tragic death of one of their employees, and someone showing up to revisit a drowning at the hotel back when Traci was a lifeguard, Traci has her work cut out for her. Welcome to The Saint.... I hope you enjoy your stay!

I am a huge fan of this author's books and this may be my new favorite. This is the perfect beach read. There is the beach/pool setting, there is romance, there is a mystery, characters to love and hate, & plenty of suspense. This is definitely one you are going to want to add to your beach bag this year. You are going to love it..... I guarantee it!

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book and it definitely won't be my last. To be completely honest, I picked this book because I liked the cover, so I went into it completely blind. I was surprised by how interesting this book was - part beach read, part mystery, which is absolutely up my alley! If I had one thing to criticize, I'd say that I liked the beginning chapters where each part was narrated by a different character. I would have liked to hear more from the individual voices (KJ especially). Overall, I found this very enjoyable and devoured it while sitting in my pool.
I would recommend this to others looking for a fun beach read this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC!

Sadly a DNF for me. I'm typically drawn in by storyline like this but it just seemed like each new chapter was the introduction of a new character or a whole set of new characters. It was more than I could handle in my reading life right now. Seemed like it would be entertaining to chip away at the reasons Livvy's mom doesn't want her to work at The Saint. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough to keep me hanging around at the moment.