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.

The book starts out introducing you to the many characters and all from their POV. While there are several important characters, it becomes easy within the first few chapters to keep track of everyone. While all these characters remain, the POV remains mostly from Traci thereafter.

This is a crime and murder mystery, but it is also about family drama and secrets, societal and class differences, romance, found family.

It was a tad long, but after a bit I was invested and found myself enjoying the story. I loved the beach resort setting, the new and rekindled friendships, and the second chance at love.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mary Kay Andrews books are always comfort reads for me. Somewhat formulaic I always know what I’m getting into. A little bit of romance, a little bit of mystery. But this book had so serious themes and I would advise you to check trigger warnings if you know there are certain things you don’t handle well because this is not a light fluffy beach read.

The story itself was slightly predictable at first but then took a few twists I wasn’t expecting. I’m always surprised, not usually by WHO is the bad guy, but by how far they are willing to go! And this book was no different. Summers at the Saint gives Outer Banks pogues and kooks vibes, with the Saints and the Aints. I always love the beachy settings of her books and I kept picturing that new show Palm Royale when I was reading this one!

As always, I typically find these books about 50-100 pages too long and this was no exception. It wasn’t boring but it did drag a little in the beginning so deposit enjoying the story and wanting to solve the mystery, I didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up. Luckily I was able to grab the audio and then it went much faster!

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the Advanced Copy in return for my honest review.

4.5 Stars

This was a pleasant surprise! I was thinking this was going to be a “light beach read”- and it checked all of those boxes and more. Summers At The Saint is an extremely well written novel with depth, surprises and twists throughout.

Traci Eddings grew up as an “Ain’t”. In this 5-star hotel off the coast of Georgia, St. Cecelia, you were either a wealthy “Saint” someone who vacationed and “Summered” there, or an “Ain’t” someone who was lucky to get to work there.

Tragedy struck one summer, 20 years ago, when Traci and her best friend, Shannon, were lifeguards on duty. And tragedies have continued to strike at The Saint. Traci married into the Eddings family, who owns the hotel and real estate of St. Cecelia. Traci and her husband manage the hotel side.

Four years after her husband’s untimely passing, Traci is getting her groove back as the sole CEO of the hotel. She has hired an eclectic mix of kids to staff the summer positions and put them all up in an employee dorm.

With family secrets, solicitous behavior, extortion and more- this book will grab you in ad not let you go until the very last page. If you’re looking for some summer vibes- look no further!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced E-copy of this book.

What a wild ride this was! Summers at the Saint starts out very much as a summer novel, taking place at a big resort on an island on the Georgia coast. A couple of mysteries are introduced, along with many characters and a lot going on. Once immersed in the story, all of the people and events fall into place as it winds to its conclusion. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy!

From the outside, The Saint Cecilia Beach Resort and Country Club looks like a place for the rich and famous (and spoiled) guests and residents. But once you spend some time there, you'll quickly learn that appearances aren't always as they seem.
Summers at the Saint is chock full of the usual MKA trademarks: beautiful beach setting, family drama, interesting characters, and...in this case some mystery and crime elements. I enjoyed the visit to The Saint - it was a fun and well written book that's definitely not your usual beach read (but perfect for the beach)!
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read Summers at the Saint in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read a lot of Mary Kay Andrews' books (yet), but I've really enjoyed the ones I have read. As someone born & raised in Georgia, they're a bit like going home. The surroundings are comfortable, whether they're on the Atlantic or the Gulf, in the mountains or a city. And I know I'll end up hungry for whatever her characters are cooking - literally.
This book was no exception. Set on the property of an old family-run exclusive resort on the coast of Georgia, we get to know both the family that runs the resort as well as the people in the surrounding area that keep the place running. There are quite a few characters introduced in the beginning, old and new staff members, the family that's working hard to keep The Saint afloat, and a stranger who's come to town to solve a mystery of his own. There's are other mysteries here - disappearing merchandise, odd complaints that shouldn't logically be happening, and oh by the way, a murder. There's a lot going on, but Andrews keeps the plates spinning in a way that makes it easy to keep up with the characters and the happenings.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a digital copy for an unbiased review.

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews stars the intrepid, creative, wily Traci Eddings who married into hotel royalty in Georgia and intends to keep it that way, even as the hotel she has adored her entire life is falling into ruin and it will take many, many miracles to bring it back to its glory as the "fairy tale castle" she first spotted from her grandfather's fishing boat. That there is love and intrigue and touches of scandal are the zing that Mary Kay Andrews brings to yet another story of a remarkable woman succeeding despite daunting odds with help from her friends and everyone else. Loved this one! I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

Mary Kay Andrews books are the complete experience. Mystery, domestic stories, adventure, and always a touch of romance. And in this one she beautifully balances all the genres into one gloriously fun and absorbing read. We need a name for this new genre.
The set-up and characters are large and seamlessly introduced. The Saint is the St. Cecelia Hotel on the coast of Georgia, a family run operation of great size and influence in the area. Traci Eddings was once a local (there are the Saints and the Ain'ts) who married into the family, is recently a widow and now runs the Hotel. She is the main character, but there are a multitude including her niece, brother-in-law, many hotel workers, and her former best friend. The past is as important as the present, as is both resort and local small town. A tragedy brings mystery and menace into the mix, and family politics doesn't make anything easier as Traci has one more season to bring the hotel's finances around. So many different elements expertly mixed into a delicious stew. Appealing and exasperating characters abound, a tantalizing setting and healthy dose of suspense make for a truly enjoyable reading experience.

Traci grew up near St. Cecelia, the fabled resort and playground of rich Atlantans. When she was young, you were either a "Saint" or an "ain't." She was definitely an ain't, but she worked summers at the Saint and eventually married one of the owner's two sons. Although their marriage was happy, he died young in a plane crash, leaving her childless and trying to recoup the losses from the pandemic and an ill-timed reodel.

This summer is going to be particularly trying with both the chef and guest relations manager leaving. She cobbles together some replacements, sweetening the deal with free housing, but she cannot anticipate the challenges she'll face as she's forced to deal with a long-ago tragedy along with a very new one. And little does she know that the Saint's financial problems are due in part to embezzlement.

Mary Kay Andrews has once again crafted an impossible-to-put-down novel with just the right amounts of mystery, romance, and good old-fashioned hatred. There are a few loose ends--either red herrings or forgotten plot elements, but those are easily overlooked. I had a hard time with a cringey moment when her new love interest got mad over her refusal of sex at a truly inopportune time, but the novel overall is just so good. #SummersattheSaint #NetGalley

In a resort town where the high end resort is The Saint Cecelia; you were either a "saint" or an "ain't". Which means either you had money or you didn't. Two "ain'ts" were Traci and Shannon. They were two life guards at the Saint and could not save a nine year old boy from drowning. Shannon got fired but Traci did not and she went on to marry a co-owner of the Saint and is now running the business. After COVID the Saint was in the red and Traci really wants to get in back in the black. She is doing everything in her power to get it there. But then another mysterious death takes place. Some of the new "ain't" employees are trying to figure out what happened to Parrish but they better be careful because Parrish was on to some wrong doings happening at the Saint. What a whirlwind ride you go on with some twists and turns. You really get into the different characters and find the good, kind people and the not so good and kind people. There is family drama to the highest. It is a very fun read and I highly recommend especially if you are looking for a great beach read with some substance.
Thanks to #netgalley, #stmartinspress and @marykayandrews for an ARC of this great read.

What a catchy phrase, the Saints and the Ain'ts! Traci and Shannon dreamed about the Saint, a ritzy resort on an island but things don't always turn out the way one expects. After a tragic drowning of a little boy nothing is ever the same for the best friends. Secrets come out as this tangled tale unravels with one secret that changes everything. Lots of characters and things going on in this enjoyable book.

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews is a riveting story with the perfect blend of mystery, family drama and even a little romance. It is set at the fictional St. Cecelia landmark hotel, better known as “the Saint” on the coast of Georgia. Rich and well-connected families vacation here every year. If you are a family who can afford it, you’re known as “a Saint”. Otherwise, you’re “an Ain’t”. Traci Eddings grew up an Ain’t, but while working at the Saint one summer, her life changed forever. Not only did she witness a heart-wrenching tragedy, she met her husband, Hoke, the son of the wealthy owners of the resort. Twenty years later, Traci is running the Saint on her own after her beloved husband died unexpectedly. Faced with financial and family challenges and a devastating death on the property, Traci is struggling. Her brother-in-law, Ric, and father-in-law, Fred, want nothing more than to oust her, but her husband’s will seems to be airtight. As the story progresses, we get Traci’s backstory and that of her best friend, Shannon. We also learn about Fred’s and Ric’s sordid past. Can Traci save the Saint and right some of the wrongs of her husband’s family at the same time? The secrets of the past are gradually revealed as the events of the present come to shocking conclusion. This was a story that kept me glued to my seat and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Traci Eddings runs The St. Cecilia hotel (aka “The Saint”), a luxurious pink Georgia landmark that’s the summertime playground of wealthy members and guests. This summer though, things are looking a little less rosy as bookings are down and key employees quit to work at a new resort up the coast. To get the hotel back on track, Traci assembles a ragtag staff of employees, including her niece, a posh frat bro who flunked out of college, and the daughter of Traci’s estranged childhood bestie. When tragedy strikes too close to home, Traci finds out how many secrets are lurking the shadows of The Saint.

If you love Mary Kay Andrews for beach reads with a side of romance like I do, Summers at the Saint delivers on that front and a whole lot more! There’s murder, an old mysterious death, family secrets, drama, and intrigue too. Featuring a large cast with no shortage of ulterior motives and a web of lies connecting the past and the present, this story breezes by even though it has almost 450 pages. With a well-crafted mystery, a cast of characters you’ll love (and love to hate!), and MKA’s signature writing style, this book had me wishing I could spend my summer at The Saint!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an advance copy of this book.

The story of a luxury resort hotel and the family that owns it is entertaining, engaging and titillating at times as long-buried secrets and scandals are revealed. Traci Eddings married into the family and is doing the best that she can to resurrect the popularity of “the Saint”, facing opposition from her brother-in-law-law, her former best friend and the past that haunts the hotel. I really enjoyed the way the author wove the past events into the current ones and made the story so realistic with so many descriptive details. I felt bed for Traci, losing her husband and taking on the burden of running the Saint when she has so many opponents. I marveled at her genius idea to turn an old golf cart garage into a dorm and use it to attract new hires. I really enjoyed the interactions between the characters and their backstories. This is a tale of a lost friendship, love, and knowing how to run a business using knowledge and backbone. It is also the story of determination, grit and honesty as well as having fun at a resort and learning how to forge a future and a legacy in unexpected circumstances with multiple obstacles. The story includes a little mystery, a little history about the Saint and a lot of family drama that held me glued to the page. The pace is fast, the plot is multi-layered and compelling and the characters are dynamic and relatable. Good contemporary women’s fiction with a few surprise twists along the way!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”