Finally! This only took me just about the entire month of March to read. First chapter(s) I strongly considered not finishing this book. I don’t think I really even enjoyed it until I got close to halfway through it which it felt like eternity getting to that point. If this book is indicative of her other books (writing/plots) this will likely be a one & done for me. WAY too many characters especially how the author introduced them all in the beginning & basically a character or more each chapter. To me it made it confusing & just too much to start off with. The writing seemed adolescent at times which was odd. The plot had potential..I guess? I will say Andrews is good at being descriptive of the surroundings & describing the buildings landscape & all that. Otherwise though the characters were unlikable, no real character development just surface level characters that all act like teenagers. A lot of repetition in this book that just added to the feeling of a neverending book. I think the only saving grace for this one was the little bit of twist & romance added in after around 50% or so. I’d skip this one if you’re reading my review & have not read it yet.

Thank you to both NetGalley & the publisher St Martins Press, I always am very appreciative of you giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy, thank you 🙏

Another great cozy mystery, perfect for summer beach reading! Like every other novel by the great Mary Kay Andrews, this was such a fun time. I loved everything about this resort and getting to know all the "aints" that made their way to making it home for the summer. There were a few unexpected twists that made this an exciting and page turning read. The narration was also great and made for a fun listening experience. I am always looking for the next great read from MKA, and this one did not disappoint.
Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to read, listen, and review this advanced copy.

Mary Kay Andrews got me again in this pool of cozy suspense and nostalgia as old friendships rekindle amidst a backdrop of financial turmoil.

Traci has married into the powerful family that owns the Saint, a luxurious hotel she's always dreamed of. After her husband's death and the decline in the patriarch's health, she and her brother-in-law have been at odds, and the hotel's financial health hasn't been as stellar. So she recruits her niece Parrish and a number of new employees to live in a newly built dorm and help the hotel stay afloat. In the middle of this, a strange death occurs during a party that raises doubts about the motives associated with those financial troubles.

3.5 rounded up

This book follows the stories of Traci, her estranged best friend from youth, and those five employees who all live together in the dorm and become key witnesses to the death. It's no secret how much I enjoy Mary Kay Andrews's books, but that can create unmet expectations. However, this didn't happen with this book. Some elements of it did seem recycled from her previous stories, more than usual, but it wasn't in a way that made it easier to guess the answer to its mystery, so don't worry.

I was curious about Traci because she has more financial stability than Andrews's usual choice of main character, even with how her business could be in danger, but it didn't make much of a difference. I also thought there were some elements that seemed to be building up and ended up being not much. It wasn't that the answer to that was bad, just that I had expected better. These small cracks in my expectations took away some of the sweetness of the read, but only partially. And of course, it could be something that only I thought should have had more importance, and other readers won't feel the same way.

As for the conclusion, it was good. A lot of it is easy to guess, but the development isn't boring until you get to the "answer key." The romance was weird to me, on the other hand. Luckily, I didn't pick this for the romance, but this could have been a better read without that awkward couple. It's funny to conclude this, because I know Andrews from her romance novels, but this one wasn't to my taste. And I think those are my criticisms. Overall, this was a very enjoyable book, making it one of my favorites by this author. It's always such a good time when summer comes and I get to read another of Mary Kay Andrews's mysteries.


Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Mary Kay Andrews has another excellent novel. The setting is the Saint, an exclusive resort on the coast of Georgia and the well-to-do family that owns it. One pictures St. Simons and the environs. Of course, they come with unique personalities. The widow of the one son, Traci, is trying to run the resort after the untimely death of her husband. But her husband's brother never liked her and is as unscrupulous as they come. There is a thrilling mixture of intrigue, pitting the well-to-do's against the locals. There are so many plot twists that you will have a hard time putting the one down!

I always look forward to a new Mary Kay Andrews novel as a light, entertaining read, so I was pleased to receive an ARC of Summers at the Saint. While darker than her feel-good Christmas novellas, it does not disappoint.
"The Saint" is the nickname of the St. Cecelia, a luxury, family-owned resort hotel on the Georgia coast. People wealthy and privileged enough to stay there are called "Saints"; the locals who live in Bonaventure, the working-class town across the bridge, refer to themselves as "Aints."
The story is told in third person from multiple points of view—too many, according to some reviewers. The main protagonist is Traci Eddings, CEO of the Saint, who is striving to bring the hotel back to profitability after financial loss and forced vacancies during the pandemic. Tracy grew up as an Aint, but when she and her best friend, Shannon, got summer jobs at the Saint, Traci met and fell in love with Hoke Eddings, heir to the family fortune.
Fast forward twenty years, when the bulk of the story's action takes place. Hoke was killed in a plane crash, and his widow, Traci, assumed his role as CEO. Not only does she have to deal with the resort's financial challenges, but her relationship with her brother-in-law, Ric Eddings, is strained.
Like most businesses, the Saint struggles to find enough employees to provide the first-class service guests are accustomed to, and the lack of nearby affordable accommodations is a deterrent to would-be staff. Traci's solution is to build a dorm on the hotel grounds where new employees can live rent-free. She persuades her niece, Rick's daughter Parrish, to move in as her guest-relations manager. Another new hire is Olivia, daughter of her ex-friend Shannon. Traci and Shannon haven't spoken since that fateful summer when they were working as lifeguards at the Saint, and a young boy drowned on their watch. Shannon was fired after the incident, but Traci's job was spared because she was engaged to Hoke.
Although some of the plot lines seemed a bit contrived, Summer at the Saint was an enjoyable read. It has mystery, romance, family drama, and deep, dark secrets to uncover.

This was not one of Mary Kay Andrews’ best novels. She took two genres, mystery and a light summer romance, but they just didn’t mesh very well. She’s used these genres in past novels where the story line worked. There is a good story and mystery here, but it dragged on and on. I almost didn’t finish reading the book.

I hadn’t even read the description of what this book was about before reading because for me, Mary Kay Andrews is an automatic read. This book did not disappoint!

Widow Traci is running her husband’s family’s hotel after his death, when quite quickly, several mysteries are being uncovered. From a look into a death long ago at the hotel, a current death (this one caught me by complete surprise), family being up to no good and something shady happening behind the scenes of the hotel- well, needless to say twist after twist. And in MKA fashion, a little romance thrown into the mix.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an early read!

Mary Kay Andrews has done it again! Summers at the Saint is a perfect vacation, or anytime, read. With the weight of a family dynasty on her shoulders, Traci is doing everything she can to ensure that The Saint, their resort, has the best summer ever. However, with twisted secrets from the past coming back to haunt her things are difficult. Toss in blackmail with a side or arson and figuring put who she can trust while keeping the legacy alive is a challenge. With an intriguing, and lively, cast of characters and twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat, Summers at the Saint is a beautiful tale of family, hope, and perseverance.

Summers at the Saint has me ready for summer! I really enjoyed this novel by Mary Kay Andrews.

Traci is an “ain’t” from the wrong side of town. She grew up poor and then married into the wealthy Eddings family who owns the illustrious Saint, an exclusive hotel/club. After her husband’s untimely passing, she’s trying to save the Saint. She recruits her niece and a cast of characters to work at the Saint. But mysterious things are happening at the Saint, and Track is determined to get to the bottom of it.

With lots of twists and turns, I was captivated by this quick read. I stayed up way too late finishing it. The story was unique and interesting. I found parts a little predictable, but others surprised me! Definitely one I recommend!

5 stars rounded up. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a ride! Summers at the Saint had me hooked from the very beginning. The characters are so well developed - some you will love and some you will hate. The story moves along at a fast pace. The twists and turns kept me turning pages late into the night.

I think this would make a fantastic movie!

Another spring, another fantastic MKA novel! This grabbed me from the first page. Told from the point of view of several characters, MKA expertly weaves a touch of romance, murder mystery and family conflict into quite a page turner. The setting of a fancy beach resort was a plus too. This might be one of my favorites of hers! I’m grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital arc of this book.

Author Mary Kay Andrews has outdone herself with this seasonal offering of Summers at the Saint due out May 7. She has taken a predictable beach read and turned it on its end, incorporating crime, scandal, and family drama in this unputdownable novel.

Set on a private island off the coast of Georgia, St. Cecelia is a historic resort founded by the Eddings family. Traci, wife of the late Hoke Eddings, manages the hotel and all its amenities, while her philandering brother-in-law Ric runs the real estate side of the business.

Like most employers on the island, Traci is facing personnel issues as her chef and guest relations employees are off to higher paying positions, and she is struggling to fill their spots as well as have enough staff for the upcoming busy summer season. She decides she can solve housing for some of her staff by converting a building into a dormitory, making Ric irate about the money she is spending.

Traci is unaware of the mismanagement of hotel assets by the property’s general manager and his minions, going on right beneath her nose. Before long, the shenanigans going on at the Saint will turn deadly as one of the employees has disappeared.

Worse, the business may hang in the balance as Ric tries to remove Traci from the Saint by creating a new will for his father Fred, who is dying from Parkinson’s. Trouble is, the last will and testament may not solve Ric’s attempt to wholly run the Saint and the real estate holdings, thanks to a scandal a couple of decades ago that his father was able to cover up by throwing lots of money at it to secure a non-disclosure agreement.

As if the in-fighting between Traci and Ric wasn’t enough, Ric’s second wife Madelyn knows about his cheating, and she has put into motion some plans of her own, hanging onto the marriage because the pre-nup would leave her with zilch.

While all these struggles are going on inside the Eddings’ world, guests enjoy a prosecco in the Saint’s ritual salute to the sunset, an elevated menu in the hotel’s restaurant, and the Saint’s signature pink beach chairs and sun umbrellas, oblivious to all that’s going on behind the scenes.

Andrews, known for using humor, twists, and insightful detail, makes this a beach read that will surpass all others this summer. Known as the Queen of Summer Reads, Andrews splits her time between Atlanta and a second home on Tybee Island.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting March 24, 2024.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I might be a little biased because I just love Mary Kay Andrews. I’ve never read a book that I haven’t loved by her.
Summers at the Saint was wonderful. I loved all the different society backgrounds coming together in love and friendship.
This book had it all
Mystery✔️
Love✔️
Heartache✔️
Murder✔️
Friendship✔️

I just love a great beachy mystery and Mary Kay always delivers a great story. Summers at the Saint might be my new favorite.

Mary Kay Andrews is a one click author for me. Her books never disappoint. I went into this one blind and I was not sorry! I mainly read romance and I love that this book was a little romance and a lot mystery!

I typically read romance and I thought that's what this book was. I was wrong. Haha! There was a hint of romance but overall it was a dramatic mystery.

I kind of figured out who the "bad guy" was early on, but didn't realize the extent of it all.

The Saint sounds idyllic and not like somewhere I've ever stayed. Too fancy for me.

I did enjoy the book and would recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Tracy Eddings, the widowed owner of St Cecilia’s (The Saint) Resort, is in search of key summer staff. As an incentive to hire and retain the best, Tracy offers free staff housing. She puts together a her niece, Parrish, who was supposed to be moving abroad, Olivia, the daughter of a former friend, Felice, a young upcoming chef whose boyfriend left her high and dry in a motel, KJ, the son of a club member whose well-to-do father thinks his son needs to “get a job” in the real world, and .Garrett, a well-liked existing staff member who she promotes to head waiter. All five move into the free dorm housing just in time for the opening day and summer is off to a great start==until a murder takes place at The Saint. I really enjoyed this book. There was mystery, a bit of romance and a lot of who-done-it.

Traci Eddings grew up on the wrong side of the river as "an Ain't", but now Traci owns and runs the five-star summer resort, The St. Cecelia, making her "a Saint". When Traci was a teenager she worked at the Saint as a lifeguard, where she met Hoke Eddings, one of the sons of the owner of the Saint, and ended up marrying him. Now, four years after Hoke's tragic death, Traci is trying to figure out how to salvage the summer season at the Saint coming out of the pandemic. Struggling to retain staff, she decides to build on-site housing for some of the Saint's employees. After persuading her niece to postpone her Europe trip and work one last summer at the resort, and after hiring some new summer help to work there, she thinks things are turning around. But after new information about a long-ago tragedy at the resort comes to light and a suspicious death on the property, it seems there's more than meets the eye at the Saint.

I know Mary Kay Andrews as one of THE beach read writers, but I have to admit I've never read one of her books. I really had no idea where this story was going and while it went a bit off the rails at times, it was a very fun and easy read. I found the characters well-written and the story flowed nicely. I loved getting the perspectives of the different characters and seeing the events unfold through their eyes. Though I'm not sure the romance subplot added much to the story. This was a great book to start to get into the summer season.

Traci Eddings grew up on the 'wrong side of the bridge' to be considered one of the elites that vacationed at the St. Cecelia. But after working a summer job as a lifeguard and meeting and eventually marrying the boss of the "The Saint"'s son, she's helping run the place that was always so near to her. After being tragically widows and running the hotel she's determined to keep her late husband's and his family's legacy alive. But everything from the economy to her help to her brother-in-law seem to be conspiring against her. When a stranger comes to down looking deeper into a long-ago drowning at the hotel followed by another tragic death, will Traci be able to keep the hotel running?

I really enjoyed this character driven story and found most of the characters really charming. It is not a book that will stay with me, but it was a fun, easy read on the plane.
Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy. All opinions are my own.

This was my very first Mary Kay Andrews book and I was not expecting all of that! I absolutely adored this book from start to finish!