I continue to be a fan of Mary Kay Andrews. She never disappoints her readers and this book is no exception. Set in a historic Georgia resort this story has it all. Lovely setting, interesting characters, romance, mystery, all sorts of family dynamics and an inside looks at the operations of a fancy resort for the wealthy. What more could a reader ask? It is a quick read and enjoyable from page one to the very end. This story was so much more than I thought it would be. Book clubs and beach readers will be delighted they chose this one to read.

I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press Publishers for allowing me to read a copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Brace yourself as summers at the Saint are anything but laid back and relaxed for those that work there.

This is the first book by Mary Kay Andrews I have read so I had no idea what to expect in terms of style of writing and found it an enjoyable read. If you are looking at the cover and the description and thinking this is a tame, nice summer read, italic location where the owner is working to keep the hotel afloat with a little romance, brace yourself, there is a lot more going on in this book than you will anticipate.

The start of the book is scene setting, an introduction to the characters and a little background, this part is a slower pace than books I usually read, however, once past all the intro's things start to happen, and while I could anticipate what was going to happen, there was a small twist in there I did not guess.

This book has a bit of everything, lovable characters, mystery and a happy ending.

Wow! This book went in so many more directions that I expected! I definitely judged this book by cover and title, and while I was quite excitedly anticipating an easy beach read, it ended up being so much more! This book was full of intrigue, surprise, mystery, and more, and I loved every minute of it. The characters were unique and relatable, the storyline kept me guessing, and the ending was perfect. A five-star summer read recommendation from me!

Summers at the Saint is a great read! Wonderful character development. Intriguing, complex plots. More than a decade of mysterious history between The Saints and the Ain’ts.

Summers at the Saint
by Mary Kay Andrews
Pub Date: May 7, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . ..
This one surprised me.
It is always interesting to expect one thing from a story and then be surprised to find the story is different. This one I expected a woman’s fiction with romance but we are delivered a murder mystery. This is a multiple murder mystery, perfect for the cozy mystery lovers out there.

This story blends in a bit of building romance with this mystery based on a delightful setting anyone would love to visit if it was a real location. I literally consumed this book. The story is fresh and interesting.
Andrews is an excellent writer whom I enjoy!
5 stars

I have always enjoyed Mary Kay Andrew's books and this one did not disappoint. Romance and mystery combined with great characters made this one that I couldn't put down. The beginning was a little slow but picked up the pace making me want to keep on reading to find out the story was going to end. If you are a fan Mary Kay Andrews the this is a must read. Overall I would give it 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced audio arc of Summers At The Saint. I am rarely let down by a Mary Kay Andrews novel, and this was no different! She routinely gives you an easy read with deep family ties, beach life, and a little mystery mixed in!! I was surprised that the language was a little stronger in this novel, but nothing I can't handle. Perfect summer read!

This is going to be the perfect summer read! I enjoyed all of the characters and the storyline. I found this to be a quick read for me, it was a light read that makes me wish for the summer weather! I’ve always loved Mary Kay Andrew’s books but if you have read Elin Hilderbrand, then this book is definitely for you! The characters and the build up kept you guessing thru the whole book!

Southern coastal chic sets the backdrop for this summer escape full of mystery, mayhem, and romance in Mary Kay Andrews’ Summers at the Saint. Life at The Saint Cecilia resort has historically held an undercurrent clash between the haves and the have nots—the Saints and the Aints. Traci moves from Aint to Saint after marrying a son of The Saint’s owners and then inherits a share of the business when her husband dies. As now owner and head of The Saint, she watches her bottom line dwindle, and this summer at The Saint will be a pivotal season for the success of the business. She convinces her beloved niece, Parrish, to change her summer plans to come work at The Saint and help keep the family’s legacy afloat. Parrish begins to notice inconsistencies in the hotel’s operations and just when she notes patterns in the problems, she is found dead. This tragedy pushes the problems to the fore, where the stakes are higher and more dangerous. With the help of two amateur sleuths and a sexy investigator, they solve a decades old mystery as well as uncover the web of criminal activity currently jeopardizing The Saint. With a secret baby, warring in-laws, and an unexpected romance, Summers at the Saint is full of multiple storylines that may seem unrelated at first, but come together to form a satisfying ending.

There were some chapters in the book that felt like undeveloped scenes loosely slapped together and I wondered what purpose some of these scenes served. Overall, I did enjoy the story and found it had all the hallmarks of a typical MKA book. If you follow her online, you will also note that her love and passion for hospitality and design are evident throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Summers at the Saint tells the story of one summer at a resort in Georgia affectionally referred to by locals as "the Saint." It follows Traci, who runs the resort after the death of her husband, whose family has owned the resort for generations, passes away a few years before; Shannon, her former childhood best friend whose daughter works for the Saint against her wishes; and various staff members at the Saint. When one of those staff members is discovered dead after a staff party one night, a few of her co-workers work together to discover who would want the young woman dead.

Summers at the Saint was an old-school whodunnit and I loved it! MKA is at her best when she's writing a cozy mystery, and that's exactly what this was. There was a little romance thrown in to keep you invested in Traci's story but I liked that it was more about female friendships and navigating life after grief. While the story takes place at a resort during the summer, it wasn't quite as beachy as some of her other novels. If you are a fan of MKA's earlier work like her Weezie and Bebe mysteries (as I am), you'll love Summers at the Saint!

A special thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Saint is a grand old hotel. Its guests and members are the wealthy. In this town they are the “saints” and the normal people are the “aints”. Most normal people could never aspire to be a member there let alone an owner.

But Traci Eddings is a rare exception. Her and her best friend Shannon were “aints”. They even worked at the Saint in their teens. But Shannon got fired and Traci married Hoke Eddings and when Hoke died she became one of the owners of the hotel.

Traci has been trying to run the hotel well since her husband passed 4 years ago but it’s been really hard to keep bringing in the same amount of money.

But something fishy is going on at the Saint.

When one of the employees is murdered, it opened everyone’s eyes that something must be going on.

I’d say the death in this book caused a major shift in the storyline. We started with a book set at an upscale hotel with a determined widow and a cast of young, beautiful employees.
Then the beach book vibes veered into a mystery. Because now Traci is determined to find out the details of the murder.

This book was interesting and kept a steady pace. I read the ebook so I didn’t realize how long the book was when I started it. I remember looking up the page count at one point and realizing it was close to 500 pages! Normally a long book intimates me. But this one didn’t slow down for a minute.

Another entertaining MKA book with a strong, likable, female main character that the reader will be rooting for.

I got to read an early ebook edition from NetGalley. Thank you!

Book Review
Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews

Sidebar- on the surface this cover makes one think of happily ever afters, beach reads, vacation resorts and young love……. But there is a darkness that casts a shadow over The Saint….

Thoughts and Tropes
- cozy mystery/ beach whodunnit vibes
- Large cast of characters
- Multiple POV
- Aints vs Saints : contrasting economic status ( the wealthy vs the locals)
- Felt like the sinister underbelly of the privileged and the wealthy was exposed ( think Dirty Dancing for a modern generation with the focus on drugs as opposed to pregnancy)
- Sins of the parents pass down to their children ; you cant escape the past

Lesson learned
What happens at the Saint, stays at the Saint- until it doesn’t

Overall
I really enjoyed this one. Pace was easy and fluid. The author took the time to give background history on the hotel and the staff members. There was enough doubt sown about what was really happening that it kept me second guessing myself and my predictions.


Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own

This was not your typical Mary Kay Andrew’s read! This had more a mystery suspense aspect to it and I loved it. This will be a great read for the summer!

3.5 ⭐️’s
Andrew’s book are always entertaining. The Saint was no different except it just wasn’t believable. There were too many things happening at the resort for no one to notice them. Still an engaging read and listen, just lacked plausibility. So put your blinders on and just enjoy the ride. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

This book right here is why Mary Kay Andrew’s is the queen!! 👸🏽 Filled with her same, fun hearted, love, and this time for a twist, a bit of suspense!! I immediately fell in love with the characters and the warm, beautiful setting!! Highly recommend picking this one up!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this wonderful ARC!! 💜

I love Mary Kay Andrews’ heartfelt, light reads! This was a wonderful read. Keeps you wanting to read, and you become invested in the characters!
Thank you for this early copy!

Mary Kay Andrews can set the scene! It's barely a few pages in before you are part of the drama of The famous Saint Hotel and hoping to help Traci as she competently manages the daily problems. I loved the characters and could have read a whole series staged the hotel! The death hit me hard and it was surprising but that's a testament to Andrews' ability to build a whole world!

It was a true page turner, a beach book, a bit of a thriller and an actual murder myster y- you don't find too many authors that could pull that kind of combination off!
#Stmartins #Summersatthesaint #marykayandrews

This was definitely one of those books where I feel like going in. I could have predicted what was going to happen but then it just took turn after turn I was not expecting and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

You have Traci who at the start is a carefree lifeguard at the hotel "The Saint" then you fast forward a few years and her life is in tragedies. When she marries a member of the family who owns that hotel and tragedy has struck. She is now forced to pick up the pieces of her life as well as the hotel and run it on her own.

This is a really fun mix of mystery, comedy, shady history and some romance. There are several points of view and narratives that are going on throughout the course of the story so it can get a little bit muddled and confused, but that doesn't really take away from the enjoyment of the story itself.

I fully enjoyed all of the twists and turns that this book took. That constantly left me flipping the page to find out what was going to happen next and what more deep secrets could be discovered.

This one wasn't exactly what I was expecting from Mary Kay Andrews, it was seen better! Most books I've read by this author are cozy and clean romances--like hallmark movie style. But this one was more of a cozy mystery/suspense novel! (Like a mild lifetime movie!) It was an easy read/listen and kept me engaged throughout!

I feel like sometimes I just need something light and fun to read. Mary Kay Andrews fits the bill.

Summers at the Saint has a little bit of mystery, mixed with some romance and family drama. Traci is part of the "Ain'ts" and as a teenager she falls for Hoke, one of the "Saints". Trace and her best friend Shannon went through a horrific experience when they were teen lifeguards at the Saint and a young boy died on their watch. Shortly after that incident, Shannon was fired and the two never spoke to each other again. Now, Traci is the CEO of the Saint after marrying her sweetheart Hoke, whose family owned the resort, and Hoke passed away unexpectedly 4 years ago. When another death happens at the resort, the mystery really starts to unfold, as does the romance and family drama.

The book started off with a ton of characters and I immediately thought "oh no" as I tried to keep track of them all. However, they are all closely tied together and not too hard to follow. I was easily caught up in the story, the mystery, and the characters. This would be a perfect summer beach read!