Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews May 7, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary copy of this novel!

I have really enjoyed reading novels by Mary Kay Andrews and her newest novel, Summers at The Saint, definitely does not disappoint. Her newest novel has it all…a murder mystery suspense old and new, lost loves, new relationships, romance, and a whole lot of summer action!!!

After Traci Eddings’ husband, Hoke, dies in a plane crash, she is left to manage a high-end resort, The Saint Cecilia. Hoke’s brother Ric takes care of the financial dealings, but Traci does not trust him. Years ago, when Traci and her friend Shannon worked as lifeguards at The Saint’s pool, a boy died from drowning. Years later, the incident gets forgotten, but not by everyone. Something about the boy’s drowning does not sit well with his half-brother. Now, Traci’s niece is found dead and there are more questions rather than answers. Are both incidents related? What did Traci’s niece, Parrish, uncover? Could that have gotten her killed? There is some shady business going on at The Saint, and it is up to Traci and some of the other employees to figure out what is going on before more people get hurt.

This was a 5-star read for me!!! There are two mysteries to solve…one past, one present. This is a perfect summer mystery beach read! Available May 7, 2024, just in time for Summer!

First thought: OMG this is amazing! You get hooked from the beginning and as the story unravels it continues to twist and pull you in! The characters have depth and make you cheer them on. Loved this so much, it’s a great read going into summer! Highly recommend it has a bit of everything for everyone.

This story is about the The Saint. Which is a posh 5 star resort for the elite. You either are a member of The Saint or an Ain’t.

Traci and her bestie were ain’ts and worked as a lifeguards at The Saint as teenagers. Traci fell in love with the son of the owner that summer and became a Saint. However also that summer a little boy lost his life in the pool and Shannon her bestie was blamed and banished from The Saint. Their worlds went two different directions.

Fast forward 20+yrs and Traci is a widow and now the CEO running The Saint. Due to Covid and a large reservation the resort is in the red. So this season is critical and will be the tipping point.

The story tethers between past and current and is multi pov of a few key members of the staff. You get bits and pieces of the scandal happening and small clues to try and solve the mysteries of The Saint. There will be murder, blackmail, mistakes, buried secrets, mistakes and so much more.

This is a summer must read run and add to TBR now, this book Launch Day is May 7th, 2024.

Literally Themes you’ll find:

* Exclusive 5⭐️ Resort for the Elite
* Summer Season
* Buried Secrets
* Multi POV
* Murder
* Inheritance
* Finding Justice
* Second Chance Romance
* Staff Housing

☀️🛟🕶️☀️🛟🕶️☀️🛟🕶️☀️🛟🕶️☀️

I have enjoyed Andrew's summer mysteries and this one was no exception. This one is set at the Saint hotel in a small town that you are a Saint you ain't. The story centers on Tracy who was an aint that married the hotel's son who has since passed away and the pressure to keep the hotel successful rest on her. She hires a crew for the summer and lots of trouble starts happening at the hotel. There's a death and the mystery around it along with things happening at the hotel. I enjoyed how the story unfolded and how each one of tied to the hotel.

Kathleen McInerney did a great job with the narration. Thank you @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio @netgalley for a copy of this beach summer read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the early copy of this book.
I am a huge fan of the show, "White Lotus." This book reminded me of that series. This book is filled with an array of colorful characters set against the backdrop of a 5 star resort. They say never to mix business with pleasure and no one follows this rule, leading to secrets and deception.
With money, comes power and with power comes corruption. The people of the Saint are the epitomy of corruption.
The Saint is a family owned resort designed to accommodate the rich. The majority of the characters we are introduced to work at the Saint in some capacity. The Saint is full of secrets, some dating back 20 years ago.
This book is the unraveling of these secrets and the web of lies that have created the foundation of the resort.
When one of the employees (and niece of the manager) is found dead after an after hours party, this book becomes the fast paced drop on a roller coaster ride, The twists and turns will leave you guessing until the very end.
While I think categorizing this novel as a romance is a bit far fetched, there is a relationship that is brewing in the latter half.
I thoroughly enjoyed the whodunnit of this novel and I loved that I wasn't able to predict the final outcome.

Very enjoyable read and a great vacation book!

At over 400 pages this was a whopper for a romance book, but there was so much more to it than that. There was a murder mystery, sweeping scenery and lots of adventure.
Traci Eddings inherited the St. Cecilia resort when her husband passed away and she is struggling to keep it afloat. But she’s not only inherited the resort, she’s inherited a whole lot of family drama as well. And as you get into the story, you find out that there’s a lot going on behind the scenes. And speaking of the scenes, the setting is stunningly gorgeous and makes me want to give up farm life and move down there and enjoy it for myself.
MKA sets the scene beautifully and brings a lot of characters to this luxury resort and also takes you back to when Traci lifeguarded for the “Saint” back when she was a teenager and then the present day running of the resort. There are also chapters from an Anonymous POV which bring in the mystery element to the story.
If you’re looking for a mystery with a side of romance, then this is the book for yiu.
Thanks to st. Martins press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

The St. Cecelia, is a well-known coastal resort in Georgia where wealthy guests flock to each summer. Traci inherited her late husband’s share of the business that she now runs with her brother-in-law, Rick, but they each have different visions how the resort should be run. Once known for its premium service, the “Saint” doesn’t hold the same prestige as it used to. Traci hopes to bring it back to its once high standards but Rick is more concerned with the bottom line. When tragedy strikes the family, secrets emerge suggesting that something sinister had been occurring at the Saint for decades.

The storyline was captivating and the characters were believable. I really enjoyed Traci’s determination to make The Saint a better place and loved the twist behind the underlying mystery. This book packed a big punch from a family drama, to a buried secrets, a murder mystery and second chance romance!

DNF at 70%

Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me. I just felt like there was too much going on and could not get invested in any of the characters’ stories. That being said, I did make it to about 3/4 of the book, so I might eventually get back to it.

I could totally see this being the perfect book for a lot of people. Just don’t expect a light, summery beach read, because this has more substance than that. I think fans of Mary Kay Andrews would absolutely enjoy this one, so don’t let my review steer you off; I’m clearly the minority with Goodreads’ rating being 4.25!!

Reward yourself with Mary Kay Andrew’s novel-a satisfying, uplifting summer treat. This double mystery set at “The Saint,” the stunning St. Cecelia Resort off the coast of Georgia, is perfect for your summer tote. This is a restorative tale packed with spoiled relationships between friends and family spanning decades. MKA has staffed The Saint with suspicious summer help, ungrateful, outrageous guests, and plenty of “over-the-top” events-from entertaining beach bashes to calamitous explosions-real and between friends! The unspooling mysteries will prolong and illuminate your summer reading days well into the night. Perfect with a glass of wine at sunset.

I have tried a Mary Kay Andrews book in the past and didn’t love it, but once I saw this one available I knew I had to give her another shot because people RAVE about her. However, unfortunately this one missed the mark for me. From the cover, I thought it was going to be a more lighthearted romance-y novel, and was surprised to find out it was a murder and true crime kind of vibe. Nonetheless, I persisted because I actually like mystery aspects in books! But I have been trying to read this one for months, and just find myself not wanting to pick it up, and not really “caring” about what happens like a reader should. There were certain aspects I enjoyed, like the beach setting but overall, I just don’t think this book was for me.

I went into this newest from Mary Kay Andrews with no idea of the premise. I loved the cover, and knew that from the experienced pen of the author, it would be a perfect novel for summer.

I really enjoyed Summers at the Saint. The setting at a gorgeous resort hotel in the southern USA was a great getaway. There are characters to love, dislike, and surprisingly, a mystery/suspense element that had me turning the pages.

Another winner from MKA! This will be a fantastic read for the patio, pool, or beach.

There could be TW for some readers, so check those out.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the electronic advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This book was cute and captivating and had my attention from start to finish. I enjoyed the characters and loved that there were multiple storylines which consisted of a murder mystery, lots of family drama and a little bit of romance.

I found Summers at the Saint a difficult book to get into. There was so much going on and so many points of view, that I just couldn’t connect with it. That said, I did like the lead character. But the intrigue and drama just wasn’t to my taste. Three stars.

I received an ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Summers at the Saint was full of family drama, mystery, and just the hint of romance for an entertaining summer read. Traci Eddings runs the Saint, a haven for the rich on the coast. From a poor family, Traci fell in love and married Hoke. Widowed now, Traci is trying to keep the Saint’s bottom line running above water. New hires and new policies seem to be moving the hotel in the right direction, until her niece is murdered and her brother-in-laws plotting puts the hotel at risk. Full of shady characters, the story twists and turns until you cannot tell whom to trust and the past comes in to play to save the Saint. Great world building and some strong heroines drive another great storyline with a satisfying HEA from an author who is a must read. My voluntary, unbiased, and non mandatory review is based upon a free review copy from NetGalley.

Loved Summers at the Saint! The perfect beachy summer read is coming out just in time for your beach vacation. A must-read for lovers of Elin Hildebrand.

What I was expecting was a nice little beach-type romance. What I got was a story with a little bit of romance and a whole lot more. This book included, desperation, romance, murder, a beach and sunset, extortion, clear cut protagonist and antagonist, a hunky guy and a young lady whose world will be turned upside down. If you hadn't guessed, I loved this book and will highly recommend it.
Thank you #netgalley and #marykayandrews for the ARC of #summersatthesaint

I LOVED this book. This was my first title by Mary Kay Andrews, despite having several on my TBR.

Best friends Traci and Shannon grew up hearing that "either you're a Saint, or you're an ain't." The Saint Cecilia is an ultra posh, exclusive club that the elite summer at. Traci and Shannon fell under the category of "ain't." Both girls managed to secure summer jobs as lifeguards at the Saint, until tragedy struck, sending one girl home and damaging their friendship.

Fast forward, Traci is now the CEO of the Saint. Her late husband, Hoke Eddings was the CEO until his unexpected death. Traci is doing everything she can to keep the hotel profitable and run it the way her husband did. There are obstacles in Traci's way and as she corrects course she is faced with even bigger challenges and heartache.

This book had everything; heartache, family drama, murder, secrets, and new love. Despite clocking in at 400 pages, I managed to read this within just a few days; that's how good it was!

Put it on your TBR, you won't regret it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for this ARC.

What a fun book! I felt immersed in the multiple characters and storylines from the beginning and wasn't quite sure where the story would go, and was pleasantly surprised. There are a couple of unexpected points in the plot (I don't want to give away anything), but all part of the family drama/saga! If you've ever traveled in the South, you'll relate to various aspects of this book and the vivid descriptions of the coastal South communities. This had great characters and great storylines - highly recommend as a beach read.
Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for access to this e-ARC.

This novel by MKA is my favorite of the three I’ve read so far. The characters came to life, thoroughly engaging my interest immediately. The action is absorbing and the dynamics of Traci’s dysfunctional family and the gradual revelations of organized theft, blackmail, illegitimate heirs, murder and attempted murder make the book hard to put down. The pacing is perfect, and the setting of the exclusive resort on the Georgia shoreline, the haves and have nots of the beach town, and the friendships and budding romance of the story’s main character all contribute to a great story.

I read an advanced copy of this thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley. This was definitely set to be a beach read but with unexpected twists and turns. Summers at the Saint is set amongst a beautiful back drop of a posh hotel where the wealthy frequent. Those in the town that it is located are often seen as the “Ain’ts” because they cannot afford the luxuries of the hotel, and also often struggle to make a livable wage. This novel focuses on Traci Eddings, who grew up as an “Ain’t” but married a wealthy man, who later passed away. The twists and turns that this novel takes the reader on are very addicting, and kept me binge reading. There is mystery, deception, murder, and a whodunit focus in this novel. I definitely would recommend a reader going in with limited information in regards to what this novel is about. There were a lot of people in this novel, but I found it easy enough to keep up with. Highly recommend for fans of mystery, summer reads, and Mary Kay Andrew’s!

I'm all in when it comes to this authors books, I was a bit surprised at the way this one turned out, good storyline, good plot twists , beautiful background setting , the murder and mystery was a bit much for a summer read but This author has always written good stories.