Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by the queen, Mary Kay Andrews, and perfectly narrated by another favorite, Kathleen McInerney. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 5 summery stars!

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" who worked at The Saint with her best friend, Shannon, one fateful summer. As fate would have it, she met and married the boss's son, only to lose him in a plane crash. Now the owner of the hotel, she's determined to restore it to its glory days, even with post-pandemic financial issues and staff problems. Her brother-in-law, Rick, is determined to see that she fails.

Summer can officially begin now that Mary Kay Andrews has a new beach read! This one has heart and humor, plus a mystery with plenty of twists, along with wonderful descriptions of locale and food. Traci was a great character; determined to do things the way her husband would have wanted, always being respectful of his family even when they were anything but. There's a coming-of-age factor here too, with young people anxious to set their own paths, despite what their parents may think they should do. I had both the audio and digital versions, but mostly listened to it because McInerney's narration is always perfection. A must read for the summer.

A perfect summer read and exactly what I have come to expect from @marykayandrews! A great story with a touch of intrigue, mystery, romance, friendship, and family drama. I would grab this one for your next lake weekend or beach getaway.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I want to preface this by saying that I wholeheartedly thought this was going to be a fun summer romance book and I quickly found out I was very very wrong. Goodreads has it marked as Romance, Mystery, Chick Lit and I think it should be just Mystery... The romance in this book was subpar and honestly I skimmed through those sections because it was the last thing I cared about in this story. It also felt extremely predictable, forced and I didn't really gather any true connection between the two characters.

Although this book was partially predictable, the ending did have me shocked. I had a pit in my stomach the entire time I read this and I wanted to know what was going on! I do think it was a bit long winded and took a while to get into, but I did enjoy the story because it was so different compared to what I normally read.

I don't think I would personally recommend this book to anyone, however I think there are lots of people out there who would enjoy it!

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read the ARC!

I absolutely love Mary Kay Andrews novels, and Summers at the Saint did not disappoint. Traci is a wonderful, strong female main character, and the setting at a resort that is poised for a recovery was a setup for a great summer novel.

This book has more than its share of intrigue, and when one of the characters dies, it took my breath away. Honestly, much of what is happening is known to the reader, though there are a couple of significant twists that took me by surprise. The romance angle did not play as much of a role in the book as in others by this author, which I found slightly disappointing, as I was expecting it to be more of a major storyline.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the digital ARC of Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. The opinions in this review are my own .

St. Cecilia "the Saint", a five-star hotel off the coast of Georgia, attracts a well-to-do clientele. If you are able to stay at the landmark resort you are a "Saint" and if you are one of the locals who can't afford it, you're an "Ain't". That's what Traci and her former best friend Shannon were when they were growing up. They managed to work there hoping to meet someone wealthy and see how the other half lives. Traci luckily caught the attention of and married Hoke Eddings, the owner's son. After Hoke died tragically, Traci runs the hotel and her brother-in-law Ric, who hates her, runs the real estate side of the business. Traci is working to enhance the hotel's experience and hires a new group of employees. One of them starts to uncover some suspicious activities taking place. And another new employee, Whelan, is secretly investigating the drowning of a young boy which tragically happened many years ago when Traci and Shannon worked as lifeguards. The Eddings family appears to have used their influence to keep the story out of the public eye. But Whelan is determined to learn what happened. Traci has her hands full as she works to preserve her husband's legacy.

A little heavier than the Mary Kay Andrews novels I've read, Summers at the Saint provides an intriguing story in a well-detailed resort setting. There are lots of secrets, a dysfunctional family and a possible murder in this world of the haves and have-nots. Plus, a budding romance and some witty dialogue, including humorous interactions with some very difficult, entitled hotel guests. Andrews is a reliably entertaining author. Her latest doesn't disappoint.

4.25 stars.

Traci has her hands full running her deceased husband’s family resort. There is deception and murders happening as secrets start coming out. I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my honest review.

Summers at the Saint takes readers on a captivating journey to the iconic St. Cecelia hotel, where deep-rooted traditions collide with hidden scandals. Traci Eddings, the determined widow-turned-owner, faces an uphill battle as she fights to restore the hotel's former glory amidst staff shortages and financial woes, all while thwarting the schemes of her conniving brother-in-law. Mary Kay Andrews weaves a tale filled with warmth, humor, and unexpected twists, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end. I was pleasantly surprised by the book's unpredictable twists and turns, and I thoroughly enjoyed the depth and heart woven into its pages. A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this pre-release copy.

You know the tagline for Kay’s Jewelers “every kiss begins with “Kay”? Well, every summer begins with MKA!

MKA has a special gift for the perfect beach read! A little mystery, a little romance with relatable characters and an engaging storyline!

Highly recommend!

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is a delightful, heartwarming, and captivating summer novel. This book offers a perfect mix of old and new friendships, blossoming romance, and hidden secrets nestled within the walls of a hotel in desperate need of saving.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews is a women’s fiction novel that mixes a bit of romance with a murder mystery. The story in Summers at the Saint is one that is told by changing the point of view between the characters and also by a bit of flashing back to the past.

Traci Eddings grew up along the coast of Georgia where she came from a modest background and was one of the locals who’s family couldn’t afford the luxury St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel, also know as the Saint. It was known in town that the rich came from all over to stay at the Saint and others were simply known as the Ain’ts. One summer Traci and her best friend from town got jobs at the Saint and that is where Traci met her husband, the son of the wealthy owners of the Saint.

Now twenty years later Traci is running the Saint herself after he husband passed unexpectedly. Looking to fill the staff Traci tries some new ideas to recruit staff and make it a profitable summer including getting her niece to stay and help despite her brother in law’s objections. Things definitely don’t go as planned however when a murder takes place on the secured grounds of the hotel and Traci’s father in law passes leaving her ownership of the Saint in question.

Mary Kay Andrews is one of those authors that if I get in a slump or find myself muddling through some sub par books I can also count on one of her books to bring my spirits back. Summers at the Saint was no exception to that fact when I immediately found myself transported to this old resort and watching as the summer staff took over. Just as I had images of Baby’s time at Dirty Dancing lodge popping into my head we get murder and mayhem to dive into making this story fly by! Definitely one I’d recommend and an author I’ll always return to reading.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I do love a nice Southern gal who can drop an occasional F-bomb,”

I sat down to read few pages and got sucked into the story. Finished my ARC in afternoon. Cover is like The Saint - picture perfect but hiding secrets. Classic MKA. Beautiful setting, mystery. and a little romance. And now I want pink beach umbrellas, lounge chairs and pink themed cocktails.

Releasing before the summer vacation period in the US, Summers at the Saint is still the perfect beach or poolside read. With colorful, likable characters and a Southern take on the “Saints and the Ain’ts,” Mary Kay Andrews has given us another lively read. Don’t get too comfort in your beach chair because you just might jump up and say, “I didn’t see that coming, that way!” Plenty of her twist and turns but even more making it different from what you thought and more the better because of it. Be sure to take Summers at the Saint this year on vacation with you.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I finished this book a few days ago and have waited to get my thoughts together before leaving feedback. I liked the beginning and end of this book but did not care for the middle. I wasn't looking for a murder mystery; I thought this would be a light, beachy read like the rest of her books. I also did not care for the fat shaming and the LGBTQIA shaming or that it was used to blackmail someone. Do better.

** spoiler alert ** I am a fan of Mary Kay Andrews and have enjoyed some of her previous books and I have not read even close to 1/4 of her library.

Traci Eddings is the owner of St Cecelia which is a landmark hotel which boasts yearly repeat visitors. As an elite destination, the visitors were referred to as The Saints. Those who lived in town and were considered less-than were referred to as Aints. Traci grew up as an Aint but now as the owner of the hotel is a Saint.

With that being said, Summers at the Saint fell short for me. There were parts of the story that I enjoyed and then there were parts that I felt too far fetched and not believable in the least. Plane crash, rape, drugs, arson, murder, and embezzlement were just a few of the themes. One or two of these would have been fine but there was just too many thrown at the book. I also felt like the author ended the story very abruptly.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you are looking for a typical beach read, this isn’t it. But Summers at the Saint is so much more. The Saint Ceclia is an exclusive hotel on the coast of Georgia. It has been owned by the same family forever. Traci Eddings was from the wrong side of the river. But one summer while working at The Saint, she met the owner’s son. They were married but he was tragically killed a few years later. Traci is now running The Saint but is pitted against her brother-in-law at every turn. There is romance, fraud, family drama, and murder all wrapped up in this wonderful storyline. It’s not to be missed.

What starts as a possible family drama story turns into a who done it and why. Perfect book to get lost in wherever you find yourself this summer!!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5! I loved this book! This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book, but now, I have to read them all!

The Saint Cecelia ("The Saint") is a resort/country club/hotel located on the coast of Georgia known for its characteristic pink facade that 13 year old Traci Eddings described as "a pink fairy castle". It is a place where the rich and privileged come to play. The Saint has been owned by the Eddings family for years, and it employs quite a few people from the local community. There are many personalities that come together at The Saint which result in great friendships, drama and scandal. Andrews' character development is fabulous; I felt like I knew these people, and I loved the relationships she cultivated. They all have to deal with life's tough and unfair problems, but how each of them deals and treats others is different. Some are good-hearted; others are not. But how much of that has to do with their upbringing? Summers at the Saint is funny, tragic, dramatic and full of emotion. I highly recommend picking up a copy to read this spring or summer. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC.

Here's the thing about this book. It was probably among my top ten books to read for this year, and I was SO excited to receive an ARC and be able to read it ahead of time. However, it just sort of ... fell flat for me. It's possible I went in with too many expectations, and the disappointment was a little stronger with this, than if I wasn't anticipating it as much.

The way I perceived Summers at the Saint was the opposite of how I usually go through books. I was super into the first few chapters and absolutely loved the character building. Yes, there was a whole ensemble of characters but surely they would all seamlessly be woven into a common storyline? Well ... yes and no.

Starting with what was good — there was obviously a clear vision for what the main plot was and it was interesting enough to keep my attention. I liked the aspect of a little mystery thrown into a backdrop of family drama, and privilege versus not. The nuances with who the characters were really caught my attention in the beginning and I was looking forward to how the larger plot would play out with the obvious disappearance/mystery.

I guess that's where the problems started for me. I remember reading the book, a few chapters in, and there were already like five different POVs introduced. And I thought that had to be it, but then there was another POV, and then another, and ... another. It was very difficult for me to keep track of how the characters fit into the story and their relationships because almost every chapter was being told from a different perspective, at least in the beginning. I think that's why I never could clearly connect all the side characters to the main characters and actually be invested in what they were contributing to the story.

I enjoyed how the bond between Traci and Shannon was explored, and how it played out in the present. I also appreciated the little power struggle Traci was going through since her husband died, and the whole storyline with her niece. It's not debatable that there was a lot going on plot wise and I actually think there was so much potential there because it had all elements of being a very good story. But something in the way it was told and executed just didn't play out as well as I wanted it to, and I found myself struggling to understand all the characters.

In the end, I only cared about Traci and Shannon and their history more than anything that was happening in the present, which says a lot I suppose. I don't think this is a bad book by any means, and I know a lot of people have enjoyed it; I think it just didn't resonate with me on a personal level, unfortunately.

Wow a must read for this summer!!!! MKA has outdone herself with this new book. It has everything you need to be an outstanding read~ drama, loss, love, loveable, courageous characters.

Loved this MKA book!
She has outdone it this time with the twists and her typical wit!
It’s summer but the St. Cecelia Resort (The Saint) in Georgia needs employees. The current owner ,Traci, must fine ways to get out of their financial troubles and return The Saint to its former status. The stairs she knew well as one on the islands former “have nots” - unable to afford to stay.
Now as owner, she must navigate the nefarious brother-in-law, her estranged best friend and a sad event from the past that resurfaces.
You will want to read this one!
Out 5/7/24 preorder today!

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#summersatthesaint
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