I've read Mary Kay Andrews before and find her books to be great beach reads. I read this in over a weekend and thoroughly enjoyed reading about the St. Cecilia Hotel.

Traci married in the wealthy Eddings family that owes the Saint (as it's known as) and four years after her husband's death is trying to keep it afloat in a post-Covid world. She's hiring new staff to replace those who've left and even renovates an old building into a staff dorm to attract new workers. But then tragedy strikes at the hotel and a storm of bad press hits the Saint. There's shady things happening at the hotel and the cracks are starting to show.

I really enjoyed this book but wish that the author left some plot lines out as this was a crowded plot. I don't always like an overly busy book but I did like this since there were a lot of great characters, many of whom were too greedy for their own good. There were honestly several characters and sub plots that could've been cut to streamline the book while still keeping the main plot intact. Several big plot twists occur towards the end of the book and that's really what made the book for me. I didn't quite see them coming and always loved being surprised by a twist. I will say that this book was darker than other Mary Kay Andrews' books I've read in the past but I liked the darker plot points and they kept me engaged. This was more of a 3.5 stars but I'll round up to 4 stars. I'd recommend this to anyone who wants a twisty beach read with a lot of characters.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I will not be reviewing this publicly because my issues with this book are not the fault of the author. I have a toddler named Hudson, so when I got to the drowning part I really struggled. Up until that part I was really enjoying the characters and the set up of the story. However, once I hit that part I was really taken out of the story and just couldn’t love it going forward. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book by this wonderful author.

Thank you for an advance copy, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

This story follows Traci Edding's widow to the youngest son of the powerful Eddings family as she trys to manage the exclusive St.Ceclia resort. The book begins be introducing a slew of characters working at the Saint this summer and progresses to a whodunit of both a current day tragedy and one from 20 years ago.

Overall the book was okay. It took awhile to set everything up and then felt a bit too quickly wrapped up in the end. It was also listed as a romance which it really isn't. The two characters don't even meet until 70% through the book and their relationship feels rushed. Thought it was an interesting story though and glad I read it even though it wouldn't necessarily be something I would normally pick up. MKA has an easy style of writing to read.

3.5🌟 rounded to 4 cause it was an interesting story.

I enjoyed reading Summers at the Saint. I will say there are a lot of characters at first to keep track off, along with different plot lines. The plot lines eventually all intersect with each other which makes a fun mystery beach read. This story has forgiveness, murder mystery, beach/swim club vibes and romance. Another winner from Mary Kay Andrews. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. His is my is opinion.

Mary Kay Andrews writes some of the best stories and I really enjoyed Summers at the Saint. There are a lot of characters to get to know at the start of the book, each with their own distinct place in the story. Once I had down who everyone was the story flew by. There is mystery and drama that kept me captivated as well as a little bit of romance. This is a perfect twisty summer read. I did not have the murder figured out but I had a lot of theories along the way which is always a lot of fun. The setting was so easy to visualize and I could envision the Saint as well as the vibe of the resort so easily.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced review copy.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“Those rich kids, they’re Saints. Y’all are just Aint’s.” Traci Eddings was not born wealthy. She started as a lifeguard at the Saint and eventually married Hoke, the CEO’s son. Hoke died in a tragic accident leaving Traci to attend to the Saint while the long time family business slowly started to lose traction. Traci struggled to recruit new hires so she provided many incentives to work at the Saint. She was able to hire a skeleton crew and offered them free housing along with many benefits. Amidst the chaos, a close family member tragically died and Traci believed the death was targeted.

A detective comes to town… the year Traci was a lifeguard, a kid named Hudson drowned in the pool. Her best friend Shannon was also lifeguarding during this fatality, and they fired her. The detective, AKA a family member of Hudson’s came to Georgia/St. Cecelia to investigate his death as his was clearly a skilled swimmer and shouldn’t have drowned.

This is not your typical summer romance. There’s family drama, fight for estate, a sprinkle of romance, mystery and more. I was pleasantly surprised as this was my first MKA story. My favorite part was the beginning where we got chapters from the different characters’ perspectives. It made the mystery more exciting. Read this if you love a cozy mystery at a beautiful summer resort!

Great breezy beach read for when you want a book that is engaging but not terribly challenging.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always think of Mary Kay Andrews’ books as granny beach reads, and this book was no exception. I really enjoyed the setting and premise, as the story focused on the staff of an upscale resort in Georgia. There was so much drama surrounding both present events and decades old mysteries that I was intrigued to see how all the pieces of the story would unfold and fit together. I don’t know why but this was totally giving Dirty Dancing when I imagined some of the situations with the staff and the dynamics between them and the resort guests. All in all, this was a fun read! 3.5⭐️ Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this ebook.

What can I say? I love Mary Kay Andrews books!! This book is a concoction of friendship, love, and unexpected twists that will have you hooked from the first page to the very last. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Tracie Eddings and her best friend Shannon grew up on the wrong side of the causeway, and dreamed of one day being one of the "Saints", those privileged people who live or vacation at the Saint Cecelia Resort/ Instead they are one of the "Aints" but do manage to work there as lifeguards one summer in their teens. Both their lives change there, with Traci marrying one of the owners sons, and Shannon having a more tragic experience.

The Summers at the saint is a mystery novel with a touch of romance thrown in, focusing on Traci and a very large cast of characters including her husbands evil family and a whole host of hotel resort employees. It took me quite a while to adjust to all the characters, and the various plot lines seemed so unrealistic they took me out of the story. Once I gave in and just decided to go with the flow, the story was enjoyable and I wanted to know what was going to happen with the various twists and turns. For me this was more cozy mystery than romance, and not my favorite of the authors large backlist.


Thank you to Net galley for the e galley of this book in return for an unbiased review.

2.5 stars

Not all books can be 5 stars. SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews takes on a lot, with many characters that aren’t fleshed out and a lot of plot lines. Some of the plots are rather convoluted and don’t make sense. The setting for the novel is a golf resort called The Saint, although I wouldn’t say it has summer vibes or even a summer atmosphere. Main character Traci is the CEO at The Saint. At first, the reader is led to think the resort is a small family operation. And then the reader realizes that this is a huge company, and Traci conducts functions that don’t seem realistic (hires for a server job, trains new employees herself, oversees a huge construction project that only takes weeks instead of months).

Traci started working at The Saint when she was a teen lifeguard. Unfortunately, many years ago an 8 year old named Hudson lost his life while she was on duty. She did end up marrying into the family, but her husband Hoke died in a plane accident several years ago. In this novel, there is a reckoning about the death of the 8 year old so many years ago, other links to the past, and other current and past mysteries,.

As I said, there was a lot in this novel, and I struggled to process all the different plot lines. It wasn’t just that there was a lot going on, but most of the plot lines were just plain convoluted and contrived. There was a constant barrage of information related to all the various plot lines that precluded me from having suspense while reading. The whole novel felt very forced.

I recently read a Mary Kay Andrews’ holiday romance, and I did enjoy that one. This was far too scattered for me to ever sink into. If you’re a Mary Kay Andrews super fan, then I’m sure my review won’t dissuade you. If you haven’t read her books before, I’d suggest not to start with this one.

Light, enjoyable read! This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book but it will not be my last! I read this one in a day- perfect vacation read.

Traci Eddinga, the main character, runs the posh hotel St. Cecilia - or “the Saint” to those in the know. All is not as it seems though and soon we are caught up in a tale about theft, betrayal, murder, and long held secrets! And along the way we meet many more characters to keep the plot interesting. All of this is set in the backdrop of this beautiful beach resort. So fun!

I thought this was going to be a romance novel - period. And there is definitely some HEA! But it was more of a mystery novel, with twists and turns until the very end.

Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this digital ARC.

Once the story started after the introduction of all the characters it was good. I would have liked shorter character introduction chapters. I figured out some of the twists beforehand but it was still fun to read.

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't jaw dropping. If it would haven been even 50 pages less I think it would have been better. Sometimes less is more and parts felt like they dragged on.

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery/romance from Mary Kay Andrews.

The novel seems to start out as a simple mystery, set within the classic divide of the haves and have nots, but there are plenty of twists from there to keep you on your toes!! I loved this read and kept wanting to go back for more.

As an Atlanta native who has spent many days vacationing in Savannah and the surrounding areas, I think this perfectly captured the culture and scenery of the South and enjoyed the nods to Atlanta sprinkled throughout as well.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun and easy read. I love this author and read everything she writes.

This book is great for a vacation read. The setting of the story, an upscale resort, makes you want to e there. There was mystery, romance, family, & friendship in the story.

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were very complex and the setting was gorgeous. I loved the little details, to me they really make the story. I would definitely recommend!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I will give my thoughts once SMP addresses their readers with an explanation. Until then, all my reviews will be withheld.

I always look forward to MKA new books. This one is no exception. Great characters, a beautiful resort location, and a murder mystery that kept me guessing. Definitely a fun read that should be a great beach bag book for the summer. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC

"Summers at the Saint" weaves a captivating narrative around the intertwined lives of those connected to a prestigious resort on the Georgia coast. Traci, once an outsider or "Ain't" working at the resort, rises through personal and professional challenges to oversee the St. Cecelia Hotel and Resort, following a heartbreaking widowhood. Despite her efforts, the resort struggles financially as staff seek higher wages elsewhere, compounded by overbearing in-laws, hidden family skeletons, and the personal baggage of new hires. Layered with a haunting incident from Traci's youth, Mary Kay Andrews delivers a suspenseful, enthralling summer read filled with twists and turns.