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.

For years now, Mary Kay Andrews has kicked off my summer reading. And this book, set at a posh resort on the coast of Georgia has wealthy people behaving badly, and a pair of deadly mysteries to solve.

MKA is a gifted storyteller. Her books captivate. She is fantastic at mashing up genres, and this book mixes mystery and women's fiction with a dash of romance. The setting is lovely. A family run business, The Saint is an exclusive coastal resort struggling to regain its former luster. It is vividly depicted, as is the surrounding area, giving the book great summer vibes.

The book's many characters, particularly the smart and compassionate Traci, are very well-developed. Despite the large cast, Andrew's skill ensures each character is distinct and easy to follow, even through the multiple POV format. Witty dialogue, friendship, romance, loss, family dysfunction, deception, and secrets are skillfully woven together, creating a compelling drama with a few surprising twists that ends up being very heartwarming. The writing is great, as always, and it is perfectly paced.

I could not put this down and alternated between the ebook and the audiobook. Kathleen McInerney narrates the audiobook, as she has many of MKA's books and delivers another amazing performance. She gave each character a unique voice and captured the emotions, humor, drama, and suspense perfectly. This is very entertaining and makes a perfect addition to that summer reading list. I loved it!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the free book and audiobook!

The Saint Cecilia is a coastal resort catering to the wealthy. It has a long rich history and has been in the hands of the Eddings family from the very beginning. Ever since her husband died, Traci Eddings has been desperately trying to save it. Unfortunately and unbeknownst to her, she has enemies who are working to sabotage her. When her beloved niece is found murdered, things really take a turn for the worse.
Mary Kay Andrews, the reigning Queen of the Beach Reads, has penned another perfect summertime novel. Combining murder, mystery and romance the story pulls you in and hooks you. With two story lines that come together nicely, I liked everything about it, though I did find Hudson’s cause of death a little hard to believe. I guess it’s just the skeptic in me. It has characters you’ll fall in love with and a plot that keeps the pages turning. I was able to figure out most of it, but I still thought it a highly entertaining read. 4.5 stars

Traci’s late husband, Hoke’s family own’s a very swanky member’s only type hotel on St. Cecila island. She has been running it since her husband passed.

The resort is struggling while Traci tries to figure out why. She hires some new staff and creates a live-in dorm for them on site as an incentive to work at the Saints.

We learn about the four new hirees and get a little backround on each of them.

I will say in the beginning you are introduced to alot of characters so it can seem confusing but once you get past that it is very easy storyline to follow.

Then a murder happens on the island. Once that happens so many layers begin to unfold in the story. Many long buried secrets start to surface.

I got deeply invested in the story and all of the characters very easily.

This is a perfect summer beach read filled with a little bit of romance and a whole lot of mystery. Definitely a must add to your summer reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance e-copy of Summer at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews in exchange for a honest review. This excellent summertime read has it all- murder, mystery, mayhem, love and lots of family drama. Traci Eddings, a widow in her 40s is in charge of running her late husband’s hotel The Saint. She fell in love with her late husband when she was 19 and a lifeguard at the Saint. When a little boy drowns and her best friend loses her job, she is cast adrift until she meets and marries her husband , Hoke. ,Four years after his death, she is still running her hotel.As the summer begins, she convinces her niece to help her run it but when she winds up dead , the intrigue begins.Who wanted her dead and why does the food start to taste bad even after they hired a new chef? Why are guests complaining about the quality of the mattresses and the booze? Read the book and find out.Lots of twists and turns in this murder whodunnit.Highly recommend.

Fantastic book by Mary Kay Andrews! I couldn't put it down. The ending really surprised me. I can't wait to read more from this author!

I think this book is perhaps marketed a bit incorrectly, as there are descriptions of "fun and heart-warming," a very beachy, carefree cover, but really the book does not align with that. There's a LOT of heaviness, darkness, and very much the opposite of fun. The book follows many characters and at times it can be hard to remember how they all intertwine. I don't think this dark turn is bad, I just was not in the headspace and was expecting a lighter, more uplifting beachy themed read than this. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

Such a wonderful summer read. I loved everything from the complex characters to the drama. The author's storytelling skills can literally keep you glued to the pages. Absolute bliss!

What I thought was going to be a cute, fluffy beach romance turned into a suspenseful murder mystery. I loved the setting and southern charm at the beautiful, inclusive, seaside resort for the wealthy. The author creates an intriguing cast of characters who have different backgrounds, motives and secrets. Page by page, scandals come to light and secrets are exposed, making this book hard to put down at times. There were a few surprising twists and I enjoyed how the story interlaces mystery and romance.
Overall, this is an engaging read I recommend you grab for a beach day!

Beautiful setting, but I couldn't get into this book as much as I wanted to. It felt like I was simply passing time, It's certainly an interesting premise, and I do like the writing style. I might like this a lot better if I read it at the height of summer, so I'll give it another chance.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. Had to ruminate on this book since I was mood reading it.

Perfect summer read!

I really love Mary Kay Andrews' books. They are a saucy mixture of romance, mystery, human foibles, class differences, and, above all, The South (of the USA). Summers at the Saint is Ms Andrews at her best, twisty mystery and bold romance. As an oldish person, I feel a bit out of touch with some of the characters' antics, but, oh well, I gotta keep up with the times, right? Anyway, I highly recommend this book for you summer (beach?, resort?, backyard?) enjoyment.

Thank you to the publisher who lent me an e-arc via Netgalley. This review is optional and my own opinion.

l absolutely loved this book. I was a bit nervous because of some of the reviews but it was a favorite of mine.
Lots of mystery with some romance in the mix.
When Traci's husband dies she inherits his resort hotel. She has to deal with the drama his family brings. There is drama of things going on in the hotel that Traci isn't aware of.
Her employees start noticing things happening around the hotel that are just a bit off. Then there is a murder end everyone is trying to figure out what happened. I loved the mystery going on.
Thank you to netgalley for gifting me a copy of the book.

Cute beach read! The author does a good job with character development so you feel as though you know and related to the characters. The book was a little slow at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

I had no expectations going into this book! I have never read a Mary Kay Andrews book but just knowing the popularity of the author, I knew it would be something! What? I wasn’t sure. BUT! What I got was sooooo entertaining! I can tell why she’s popular!

There is a lot going on in this book! When I tell you I didn’t know what to expect, I mean it! I didn’t even read the synopsis, I saw a pretty cover & I thought yes that looks interesting! I was thinking just purely based on the cover & the first couple chapters this would be a light fluffy “let’s save the hotel with this ragtag group!” So when the death happened?!? I was SHOCKED! An author killing off a character we get their perspective?! I couldn’t believe it but I really enjoyed it!! I was fully invested in that storyline. I liked how we had all these different people trying to solve the mystery and how it really felt authentic to how people would actually act in this situation.

Speaking of characters, man were there a lot! At the beginning I was like oh no! I’m not gonna be able to keep everybody straight. Especially bc it’s a little bit of whip lash trying to keep up with the changing perspectives. But she handles this perfectly (as any seasoned author would!) I found that just being along for the ride & not getting bogged down with who’s who really made me understand what was going on with the changing perspectives. I think my favorite characters were traci and livvy, they were so spunky and I really liked how they would stop at nothing to find out what happened to Parrish!

My only negative here is the whole storyline with the past & the guy (honestly can’t remember his name) trying to find out what happened to his brother. I didn’t think we needed that storyline other than to show how bad of a guy ric was & to provide a love interest for traci. I think I could have done without that but that’s only personal preference!!

I really enjoyed my time with this book & now I’m curious to read more MKA!

MKA returns to the summer read with the allure of a grand southern hotel, where a lot of mysterious things have happened and some odd / illegal things continue to happen. As Traci Eddings tries to staff the Saint for the summer, she makes some strides forward, yet there are some nightmarish steps back.

Summers at the Saint is a hard-to-put down summer read. This grand hotel had me aching for summer, and I’m glad I had this read to get me started.

I've been reading Mary Kay Andrews books for years, and I always enjoy them. Whether it's a summer romance, a cozy mystery, or a holiday romp, the stories are always so entertaining. Summers at the Saint is no exception. It has family drama, an old mystery and a new one, and a lovely romance.

The story takes place at a place called The Saint, an exclusive resort run by Traci after her husband died tragically. It's the start of the season, and The Saint might be in financial trouble, and Traci is doing everything she can to keep the business afloat. But with missing inventory, long-held secrets, and a shocking murder plaguing the resort, Traci and others must figure out what's going on before it's too late.

There are a lot of layers to the story, and it's told from a multitude of perspectives as well as small glimpses into the past. There are a lot of different points of view, and I was a little worried at the beginning that there might be too many, but it totally worked in the context of the story. The Saint, an exclusive resort, has many employees, and this family-run business has its fair share of secrets, and there's a lot to unravel. I was hooked from the start when an incident at the resort changed the course of many characters' lives.

There are a lot of dark elements to the story, what with the murder, the grief, fractured friendships and marriages, animosity between family and friends, attempted murders, and more, but the story is well-balanced with budding friendships and romantic relationships, second chances, family bonding, and a gorgeous coastal setting in the summer. I actually thought the beachy, sunny, and beautiful setting juxtaposed the darker aspects of the plot really well.

MKA is an author I always look forward to reading, and buddy reading Summers at the Saint with Leslie @ Books Are the New Black was so much fun. The story was quick and entertaining, and even though we predicted a few things pretty early on, it was still fun to see how things played out.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Whirlwind of a read with romance, murder, and mystery.

Setting is the Georgia coast where Saint Cecelia aka The Saint is a posh hotel where the elite go and those that are not of that status are called the The Aint's.....haha

Traci Edding lands a job at the hotel and ends up married and widowed as well as landing sole ownership of the hotel. So much happens that makes this book such an exciting read.

I highly recommend this book for those that love a good fast paced read that will keep your interest all the way through,

Thank you NetGalley for the digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.