This one wasn't for me. The mystery itself was intriguing but I really didn't like most of the characters. On top of that, this is being marketed as a romance or at least mystery with romance and there is very little romance in it. The romance that is there is not very compelling and feels like it was stuck in there so it could be labeled the perfect beach read.

Another thing that bothered me is that there were a bunch of parts of this story that felt a bit outdated. We have a situation where a man storms out annoyed because a woman doesn't want to sleep with him and this is treated as appropriate behavior. Another character in his early twenties is blackmailed for being gay while some of the other characters seem more like stereotypes than fleshed-out characters (entitled rich boy, shallow gold digger, etc).

Mary Kay Andrews is a talented writer but this story felt a bit out of touch and needs to be marketed more accurately. I think plot-driven readers will tend to enjoy this one more than character-driven readers as the plot is the strength here.

Wow, this was not at all what I expected from a Mary Kay Andrew's book. It starts out as her usual beach read, but it takes a dark turn into a murder mystery. We do get a romance in a very slow way, which I really enjoyed.
The Saint is a resort, and the prologue sets apart the resort from the Townies. Tracy is a lifeguard and somehow catches the eye of the son of the resort owner.
Then we are 20 years later and a lot has happened. Tracy is now running the resort, and we meet a huge cast of characters. The reader catches on to some of the nefarious doings way faster than Tracy. Then there is a murder and the plot speeds up.
I was very nervous for a while as I read this, worrying something was going to happen to Tracy. There are some surprises and twists, but of course, at least one, if not several, happy endings. I was well entertained.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.

I can always count on a Mary Kay Andrews book to take me away and give me a book that is completely unputdownable!
Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews was fun, exciting and as usual very well written.
I think anything written by Mary Kay Andrews will keep you on your toes.
Wonderfully written, great character development and an easy to follow story.
A perfect summer novel.
This book was such a delightful surprise! A Beachy Read with an engrossing mystery and a dash of romance! Kudos to MKA for writing such a captivating story!
This book is not to be missed on your summer reading list!

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is the first book I've read by Mary Kay Andrews and I really enjoyed it. The setting was great and the plot was very intriguing. I loved seeing Traci navigate the trials of running the Saint. Doing her best to keep it afloat while being actively worked against by her nasty brother-in-law. The family drama was top-notch.
A cute developing romance and someone close to Traci is killed and we spend most of the book trying to figure out who the killer is, why it happened, and how it connects to the hotel.

While it is a bit long, and has a lot of characters I still found this story really enjoyable, along with a great setting that was super atmospheric. I will definitely be checking out other Mary Kay Andrews books.

This cover is gorgeous but boy did it mislead me. I thought this was a lighthearted summer read and it was far more mysterious and dark than I expected.

Traci Eddings worked as a teen at The Saint as a lifeguard. Later she met and married one of the ons of the original owners. When he dies unexpectedly in a plane crash, she ends up running the Saint. But boy did she end up with more than she expected.

Also the rest of the family, aside from the niece, are really pieces of work and do not do anything to make her life easier.

Besides all the family drama, this one has murder, fire, untrustworthy employees, and finally a little romance!

The audio was well done and made it feel a bit like a TV drama!

Many thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio for an ALC and St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up
The St. Cecelia is an old resort in Georgia known as “the Saint.” People that grew up going to the resort were called a “Saint”, but if you were a townie then you were an “Ain’t.” Sort of like the Have and the Have Nots. Traci Eddings grew up as an Ain’t, but during her first summer working at the Saint, she fell in love with the owners son, Hoke Eddings. They married and had a wonderful life until his plane went down 4 years ago. Traci took over Hoke’s duties of running the Saint, but she is lost without Hoke. Now, it’s coming up on the busy summer season, and she is working with the hotel GM to find enough staff. She hires a new chef, Felice, and a new waitress, Livvy. However, Livvy, is the daughter of her ex-best friend, Shannon, which causes some friction. Once the summer season starts, there is a murder, a possible new romance, and some serious family dysfunction. I found the beginning of the story, up to about 50-60% quite slow. There are lots of characters being introduced, which seems confusing at first, but it does come together in the end. The last half of the book went really fast with investigation of the murder and some nefarious dealings at the hotel. I give the first half of the book 3 stars and the last half 4 stars. Since I liked how things came together in the end, I’m rounding up to 4 stars.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance readers copy.

A perfect summer beach read, or in my case, a Sunday afternoon porch read that I devoured start to finish in one afternoon. Summer season is almost starting. Traci Eddings, now the CEO of the five-star resort, St. Cecilia (known as the Saint), was once the townie who married into family business. After her beloved husband died in an air crash a few years before, she's carried on in his memory without her normal focus. But staffing becomes a major concern and she steps up with an innovative solution that ends up riling others. You're drawn in quickly to the story and into respect for Traci and dislike for the other family members. As you go along for the ride, the story twists and leads you down unexpected paths until the totally satisfying conclusion.

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martins Press, for the opportunity to review this book. At first glance, I hesitated to dive into the large novel. When there are multiple characters, it can be hard to keep all the details correct. I am so glad I kept reading. The story swept me away at the dramas at a family business and more. This is not your easy, breezy beach read, but one that kept me guessing right up until the last page!

Have you ever read a book that you expected one outcome from and then it took a completely different turn in the best way possible? This was that book for me.
This book had it all and I absolutely loved it! I was completely engrossed in the dreamy setting, the family drama, the scandals and the suspense. It was fast-paced and edgy with both fun and questionable characters along with a little romance sprinkled in. I highly recommend for a great summer read that checks all of the boxes!

Thank you NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a #gifted eARC of this book I exchange for my honest review.

I was in my happy place reading Summers at the Saint. It is a fun, entertaining read that takes you to summertime in Georgia at an inclusive family resort.

The main character, Tricia, is very likeable, there are some great secondary characters, there is a murder, family dysfunction, betrayals, secrets, friendships, and even a budding romance. The story is written in an easy to read style and the pacing was good although I think the book could have been a bit shorter (than its current 400 pages). I was absorbed by the novel and looked forward to picking it back up the few times I had to leave it to do other things. I found the ending maybe not quite as strong as the rest of the story. However, overall, I had a great, enjoyable experience reading this novel and recommend it as a solid summer read!

Thanks to the publisher for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

🌴 🌴 🌴 🌴 🌴 / 5

Wow! This book was magnificent and had a lot going on! I have mainly read MKA’s Christmas books so I jumped at the opportunity to read and listen to this one!

The book takes place in at the Saint, a beautiful 5 ⭐️ resort in Georgia, I was not sure what to expect but there a number of interesting sub-plots filled with dark secrets! I absolutely loved this book and basically listened/read it the entire weekend! The narration was great and the book was fast paced! My only complaint is that I wish I could have some of Felice’s cooking and reading it on a poolside chair at the Saint!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s press, and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this book! Jessica Clarke, the narrator of the audiobook, was amazing to listen to! Add this to your TBR, it is out May 7, 2024!

I only started reading Mar Kay Andrews two years ago through a recommendation of a friend. Since then I have read a dozen of her books and enjoyed them all. This new release is no exception. I found Summers at the Saint to be well-written and engaging, a true page-turner. MKA has a way of adding mystery to each of her books that I find intriguing. Her character development is well done. This novel in particular is the story of the "Haves and the Have-Nots". I would not call it a light-hearted beach read, but I do highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was my first Andrews book and I am definitely interested in going to her backlist. The book had a little bit of everything: romance, mystery, family drama! The ensemble characters are fun and remind me a lot of Elin Hilderbrand's novels in respect to the fact that there are so many intertwining people and stories.

The story is so well written and I think lovers of various genres will enjoy it! Perfect for the upcoming summer season to read at the beach or on a resort.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Summers at the Saint is out on 5/7/24.

“People—and it’s mostly the ones who’ve never had any—they say money can’t buy happiness. But you know what it can buy? Choices.”

I am HERE for the summery beach reads with a little sprinkle of murder and a dash of mystery and drama. I couldn’t put this book down!

Summers At The Saint has everything you need in a story to keep you invested and flipping those pages. There’s family drama, questionable characters, some down and dirty business deals, all set against the backdrop of a pink beach resort for the wealthy and connected.

The audiobook was so good as well! I love having multiple copies of a book so I can read when I have some down time and listen when I need to multitask! A win/win for sure. The narrator did a fantastic job of making this story come to life for me.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and @marykayandrews for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It pains me to DNF and give this rating because I’ve loved other books she’s written. The setting was lovely, and I was expecting a light beach read, but that’s definitely not what I was getting. This was just too much. Too many characters, unlikeable at that, and too many separate things going on. It just wasn’t for me, and I couldn’t connect with it.

"Summers at the Saint" by Mary Kay Andrews offers a delightful blend of tradition, scandal, and redemption set against the backdrop of the iconic St. Cecelia hotel on the Georgia coast.

Traci Eddings, the widowed owner of the hotel, faces a daunting task as she strives to restore the Saint to its former glory amid staff shortages, financial woes, and the scheming of her greedy brother-in-law. With a motley crew of summer hires, including the daughter of her estranged best friend, Traci must navigate personal and professional challenges while uncovering long-buried secrets that threaten to unravel everything.

Andrews expertly weaves together a captivating narrative filled with warmth, humor, and unexpected twists. Traci's journey is both relatable and inspiring as she confronts adversity with determination and resilience, ultimately finding strength in the face of despair. The richly detailed setting of the St. Cecelia, with its colorful characters and deep-rooted traditions, adds depth and authenticity to the story.

With its blend of romance, mystery, and heartwarming moments, "Summers at the Saint" is more than just a beach read—it's a compelling tale of friendship, forgiveness, and the enduring power of hope. Andrews' skillful storytelling and keen insight into human nature make this novel a perfect summer escape that leaves a lasting impression.

🏨 Summer at The Saints - Mary Kay Andrews

3.5⭐️ - I liked this, but I wanted to love it. I am a big fan of MKA. Her books always surprise me. While this one was lovable and “light,” I just didn’t feel wowed. It was good, but I was looking for great.

Again, overall, I enjoyed it. It was a fun listen but it was lonnnnng. I’m always surprised by the length of MKA books. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was a touch shorter. There were also a lot of characters. Now, this could be an audio thing but i struggled at times to keep track. I’m not sure if I would have felt this if I read the physical book. But on the plus side, it had romance, it had mystery, it had family drama, it had a fun summer setting. All of those things kept me into the book and were parts of the story I enjoyed. Recommended to MKA readers or someone who likes mystery in the summer. Don’t be fooled by the cute cover, it’s not all fun and games inside the book!

I absolutely loved this novel. Mary Kay Andrews did not disappoint with the drama.
This book was fantastic and is going to be a wonderful summer read. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press or the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for my complimentary eARC and to MacMillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

There are many storylines in Summers at The Saint and it was difficult to keep them all straight at the beginning; Mystery Romance Murder Theft. Eventually things setting down and the story takes off.
I’ve only read Mary Kay’s Christmas books, so this an interesting read. There is plenty of action to keep you occupied while sitting beach or poolside this summer !

I paired the audio with the eARC.
I always enjoy listening to books narrated by Kathleen McInerney.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for the #AdvanceReviewCopy

Genre: Mystery/Women’s Fiction
Release Date: May 2024

Summary: Traci grew up on the other side of the river making her an outcast when it comes to the prestigious resort named The St. Cecelia (The Saint for short). But eventually, Traci marries the owner’s son and after his accidental death, things change and Traci now owns and runs the hotel. This however has been no easy feat as her late husband’s family is not only restful of her, but her brother-in-law continues to give her a hard time daily. Traci must continue to navigate the muddy waters and when an expected turn of events occurs, her life changes once again. Searching for answers, praying for strength, and managing her in-laws is more than Traci can take.

My Thoughts: Like all Mary Kay Andrews books, I loved this one. It grabbed my attention from page 1. This is really like 2 murder mysteries in one. One is a blast from the past, while the other is current. There were a slew of characters introduced early on but this was done with care and intention, allowing the reader to get to know each one carefully. There was never confusion around the characters due to the flawless execution. Each character and story blended nicely with the overall arc like a well fitted glove. The mystery kept me on my toes, even though I did figure out early on what was happening and who the guilty parties were. I think this still worked because I truly connected to a lot of the characters, and became deeply invested in their outcomes. The book also offers much more than the mystery as it contains family drama, loss and explores failed friendships.

Packed with many punches, this one will have you curled up reading anywhere you have the time to fit in just one more page.

Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️