I can always count on books by Mary Kay Anderson to have interesting storylines and well developed characters! This book was no exception. A perfect mix of mystery, romance, and perseverance. Thanks #NetGalley

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrew’s
Release date: May 7th, 2024
5 stars!

Summers at the Saint is one part the perfect summer read and one part mystery. Traci Eddings has been obsessed with the Saint, a landmark hotel in Georgia, since she was an outsider and even still now that she runs the hotel after her husband’s death. Summers have gotten harder to find employees and keep everyone happy. Traci is practically starting over employee wise, hiring a bunch of new people including her beloved niece, her ex best friend’s daughter, and a homeless chef. But what they all get that summer is way more than they bargained for. Lies, scandals, murder. What more can you ask for in a perfect for summer book?

My first Mary Kay Andrews read (or rather a simultaneous first read with Ladies’ Night) and I’m hooked! I did not realize this was a mystery at first thanks to never reading the synopsis so I was very surprised by that twist in the best way! I couldn’t put this book down from then on and couldn’t stop thinking about it! 10/10 recommend for anyone in need of a summer read!

Thank you @netgalley for an ARC of this wonderful book!

I always find Mary Kay Andrews' annual summer novel an entertaining beach read. Summers at the Saint is no exception. It has everything I like: a great summer setting with a 5 star resort; a focus on the staff; a mystery that arcs twenty years; and a bit of romance. Andrews story is addictive will not disappoint her fans.

I wanted to love this one because I typically really enjoy MKA, but the first half of this book was sooooo slow for me. Even when the plot picked up and I was more interested in it, it didn’t feel like I was pulled to read this. I started it on 3/6 and didn’t finish until 3/22… which is so abnormal for me.

Although I became more invested in the back half for sure.. this one just started way too slow to be redeemed for me. A lot of characters that I didn’t particularly like/care about- and took way too long to get to the good stuff. I did like how it wrapped up, but this isn’t at the top of my MKA list like some of her others!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an early copy in exchange for my honest review

An idyllic beach resort for the upper echelon, set off the coast of Georgia, Summers at the Saint follows the family of owners (the Eddings) and staff of the Saint Cecilia resort through the lens of Traci Eddings. Traci, a former employee of "the Saint" becomes the owner of the hotel after her husband's untimely death. Post Covid she attempts to get the resort back to it's former financial glory and in doing so, uncovers a plethora of fraud, manipulation, lies and murder. Determined to right the long list of wrongs done by her in-laws, Traci must face losing everything in order to do what's right.

This is the second novel I have read by Mary Kay Andrews, and I definitely did not expect the twists this book would take. I anticipated a quick rom-com type of beach read and instead was (pleasantly) surprised by the murder mystery plot. There's a bit of everything packed in here, mystery, crime, past lies unraveling, found family, and a happily ever after.

I was a bit apprehensive of the length given the genre of book, but I felt that the pace kept the the story moving well considering the 20 years and multiple characters that were covered. I enjoyed the story and would definitely pick up another book by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced digital copy of Summers at the Saint

Full of mystery and scandal and full on summer vibe. Enjoy reading how all of the characters stories came together at the end.

This was the first book by Mary Kay Andrews I’ve read (although I have a couple more on my Kindle). After reading the description, I thought that Summers at the Saint would be a light “beach” read, filled with descriptions of luxury resorts, wealthy patrons, and, of course, lots of delicious food. Yes, all that is in this book, but what I didn’t expect was the rollercoaster of mystery, grief, corruption, murder, family “baggage” (and not the designer luggage kind), friendships, and a touch of second chance romance. However, I liked it, multiple characters (most of them realistic and three-dimensional, not stereotypical heroes and villains) and all, especially Traci Eddings, the main female character. While still grieving for her dead husband, she takes on her nefarious brother-in-law, deals with hotel staff, and remains strong and focused.

After the first few chapters introducing all the characters, I could follow the plot lines easily (including chapters that dealt with backstories), but was still surprised by some twists and turns. The dialog was snappy and helped to move the story along. I also liked how the plot lines resolved themselves at the end. This one worked for me, and I’m looking forward to digging into my Kindle for the other books I have by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read the advanced readers copy. I was under no obligation to write a review, but happily did so. All opinions expressed are my own.

I thought this was going to be a cutesy book about summers working at a fancy resort, and while it was....it also wasn't? I forgot how our lovely MKA likes to take a gentle story and add in a SUPER unexpected twist that throws you straight for a loop! It was a helluva ride to read this book and just when you think the twists are done, they aren't! Give it a read if you need some spontaneity in your life

Please forgive me for my botched attempt at photo editing (I didn't try very hard as you can see...) BUT
I NEED a post of the beautiful Mary Kay Andrews in my feed, not just stories, and...
I need to sing the praises of Summers at the Saint, her new book that comes out May 7th ( just in time for my birthday!)
After listening to MKA talk about her newest book at the FM Reading Festival last weekend, I could not wait to start reading the ARC I got from @netgalley and @stmartinpress. I have read several books with beach side hotel settings in the last few years and Summers at the Saint is my absolute favorite! 5
The story begins with the very believable friendship of Traci and Shannon, two girls that worked together at the St. Cecilia resort in Georgia but are now estranged. In traditional MKA style we have a couple murders we need to help the characters solve, some romance, some decor and food description, lots of wine, and quite a few twists and turns. There are lots of characters in this book but MKA has a great talent for folding each character into the story one at a time so that you never get confused. She also writes that snappy back and forth dialogue thar moves the plot along at a galloping pace. I love her books!

Mary Kay Andrews, why did I wait so long to treat myself to your wonderful storytelling? Summers at the Saint has me excited to dive into your extensive backlist. This is exactly what I imagine when I think about a classic summer beach read.

The Saint Cecelia is an exclusive hotel complex located on a private Georgia island. It’s where the privileged go to be pampered. Traci Eddings has been running the hotel since the tragic death of her husband four years ago and this season is full of challenges, complicated by an acrimonious relationship with her husband’s family. Committed to restoring The Saint to its glory days, Traci gets creative to address the staffing shortage. Her plan seems to be successful until a tragic and suspicious death occurs on the property. Now, saving the Saint Cecelia takes on new urgency.

This is a delicious cozy mystery with a bit of romance tossed in for fun. Lots of interesting characters and unexpected twists combine to create a well crafted page turner. Pack the cooler, lather on the sunscreen, and settle in for a terrific summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

I enjoyed Summers at the Saint. The characters were wonderfully descriptive and detailed. They were all fun to get to know, the good and the bad. To me this read a little bit more like a mystery. And the who dunnit caught me totally off guard. I did not see that coming. My only tentative issue was it moved a little slow for me. But overall, still a good entertaining read.

Such an unexpectedly fun, beachy mystery! I’m not a regular Mary Kay Andrews reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book, which revolves around the Saint, a ritzy, country club island resort off the coast of Georgia. Enter the new hired help, mysterious happenings around the hotel, and a murder, and we have the makings of an engrossing summer read that you won’t want to put down!

Although choppy and a bit stilted in spots, I still felt like I knew and loved the characters. I did find it a bit frustrating that the main character seemed to blow money on frivolous things despite the hotel supposedly facing financial difficulties. But, despite these minor things, I still could not wait until I could get back to reading this book. It was just fun!

This book is a classic summer read, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did (and hopefully on a warm, sunny beach somewhere)! Thanks to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the chance to read this. 4 stars, definitely recommend!

Mary Kay Andrews does not disappoint in this mystery/novel! Oh. My. Stars. I did not see THAT ending coming. And the bizarre plot twists.... I could not put this one down. I highly recommend Summers at the Saint!#SummersattheSaint #NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers Copy.

If you’re looking for a summer beach read turned mystery/cozy thriller then this one’s for you. I could picture myself at the Saint and the characters all had such personalities that I could see them too. Think White Lotus tv show but southern? The combo worked!

This was a lot more mystery than romance (very different from other books I've read by the author), and that's fine - I enjoyed the book a lot! Lots of characters (and points of view) gather together at "the Saint" - an exclusive beach resort. After the death of her husband, Traci Eddings runs the resort. Other characters include a man investigating a decades-old death, young adults employed at the park, and Traci's bitter ex-friend. It all came together very well - the mystery is engaging, I found myself rooting for many of the characters, and I had a hard time putting the book down as I wondered how things would resolve.

The Saint Cecilia resort is where the who's who of Georgia spend their summers; it's beautiful, lavish, and exclusive. It's placed right in the middle of small town, coastal Georgia but not everyone there is part of the club. The town is divided between Saints and Ain'ts (those who can not afford to belong to the club) and Traci Eddings has the ultimate Cinderella story. Traci grew up as an "ain't" and married into running the Saint herself. As it turns out, being a Saint isn't all it is cracked up to be. The Saint has a sordid past with an unsolved murder and when a beloved family member is murdered years later, all of the corruption surrounding the supposed paradise starts to unravel.

I have never read a Mary Kay Andrews book and when I saw the cover, I assumed I would be in for an easy, beach read romance but I was happily surprised. This book has a little bit of everything including romance, mystery, and murder. The author did a wonderful job of making me feel like I was actually at the Saint Cecilia myself. While I don't think this book had many twists or turns, it was a fun read that kept me guessing and turning the page for more. I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Felicia, Traci, and Livvy and would love to read a sequel to see where Felicia and Livvy's lives take them.

Traci Eddings is the widowed owner of the St. Cecelia, a posh resort on the coast of Georgia known as The Saint. Locals refer to people who vacation there as 'Saints" and anyone who can't afford to stay there as "Ain'ts'. Traci grew up locally and was an Ain't working at the resort with her best friend, Shannon, until she married the younger son of the owner but his death in a helicopter crash four years earlier left her in charge of running the Saint. The hotel is struggling financially post-Covid and Traci's brother-in-law and his wife want to see her fail but Traci is determined to get the Saint back on track as the summer season gets underway. Traci hires staff including her niece, Parrish, and her estranged best friend's daughter, Olivia, and is hopeful that the summer will be successful but problems keep popping up around the resort, a stranger shows up in town asking about a drowning that happened 20 years earlier and then the death of someone at the resort threatens to destroy everything Traci has been working to save.

Mary Kay Andrews can always be relied on to craft a good story! Summer at the Saint is a pageturner with family drama, a twisty whodunnit murder mystery and a bit of romance. It takes several chapters to introduce the cast of characters but once they're set up then the plot starts rolling. The book has a great cast of characters, the story flows well, the whodunnit will keep you guessing and there's a happy ever after ending. The story also has a great sense of place and summer vibes - The Saint sounds like the perfect vacation destination (minus the murder of course!). Summers at the Saint is a fun and engaging read - perfect for the beach bag this summer!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending a digital ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

First of all, the cover does not convey at all that this book is a murder mystery type of story. I really thought this was gonna be a romantic comedy. Once I got over that surprise, it ended up being good! Very predictable at times, and there were so many POVs to keep track of! Although I will say it helped me understand the story better. Overall, I enjoyed this book! But all the characters were really stereotyped, so it was hard to really connect with them because they didn't feel that authentic. I loved the setting though, with the hotel and the big staff! I loved Traci and her story!

My thanks to Net Galley and St Martin s Press for allowing me to review this arc.

Reading a book from this author has always made me feel comfortable, like home, and this one was no different!

We have romance, murder, a cold case drowning., skimming and dysfunctional family and friends at a family owned seaside resort. This had a bit of everything, was a quick read, likeable and unlikable well layered characters with depth. I really enjoyed this ,highly recommended

I’m not sure what I expected from this book, but I think it’s safe to say what I got met and exceeded my expectations.

I was a little thrown off at first by the what seemed like neverending different points of view. But, once I was finally introduced to all the different characters, I liked that we had the different POVs to help keep track of what was going on. I thought the characters were all interesting, and the exploration of class (and changing classes too) very engaging. But really my favorite aspect was the murder mystery. I was sad when the death occurred, because I was really enjoying the character that died, but I thought it was excellent set up for the entire rest of the story. I also liked that there was a smidge of romance. I didn’t really see the romance coming, but I think it was a good addition to the plot.