This is the ultimate summer read—full of romance, a dash of mystery, a murder, and plenty of family drama. Mary Kay Andrews crafts underdog female characters you'll absolutely adore! Dive into this book and see if you find yourself cheering for the Saints or the Ain'ts. Perfect for enjoying by the pool at a charming Southern resort.

A big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC for review.

Mary Kay Andrews’ "Summers at the Saint" is a captivating novel that showcases her exceptional storytelling talent. The story is set against the backdrop of the luxurious St. Cecilia resort—affectionately known as the Saint—on a picturesque island off the coast of Georgia. The narrative follows Traci Eddings, who, after the death of her husband, is left to manage the Saint amidst a series of formidable challenges.

The novel expertly intertwines themes of suspense, mystery, family drama, and romance, set within the vibrant and alluring world of the Saint. I was constantly entertained and curious what the next chapter would unfold. Andrews’ vivid descriptions bring the resort to life, with its pink-and-white striped awnings, lush golf course, and stunning ocean views vividly painted across the pages. The setting is so well-drawn that readers will feel as though they are right there with Traci, navigating the complex world of the Saint.

Andrews crafts a richly layered story with well-developed characters. Traci, the protagonist, is both resilient and relatable, navigating not only the operational difficulties of the resort but also the emotional weight of her past and present relationships. The novel’s strength lies in its diverse cast of characters, including Shannon’s daughter Olivia, a wealthy family’s son, and Traci’s niece Parrish. Each character is well-rounded, and their interwoven stories create a tapestry of emotional depth and intrigue.

The subplot of romance adds a refreshing dimension to the narrative, offering moments of levity amidst the drama. The mystery surrounding a tragic drowning from twenty years ago intensifies as the story progresses, revealing deeper layers of the past and its impact on present-day events. The novel maintains a suspenseful pace, with twists and turns that keep the reader engaged.

Overall, "Summers at the Saint" is a richly textured story that blends suspense with heartwarming moments and vibrant scenery. It’s an ideal beach read, offering a perfect mix of drama, mystery, and romance against the backdrop of a captivating luxury resort. Mary Kay Andrews’ skillful storytelling ensures that both new and longtime fans will find themselves enthralled by this latest offering.

I absolutely love Mary K and her novels never disappoint! She has all the warm fuzzy elements and friendship elements that I adore! 5 stars

Summers at the Saint is Mary Kay Andrews' summer book. I really enjoyed this book, it's a page-turner with a bit of mystery involved and some good plot twists included. I was immediately drawn to the characters of Traci, Parrish, and Liv and quickly got engaged in the story. There are two storylines (one in the past and one in the present) both set at the St. Cecelia Resort.

Summers at the Saint is a fun summer read that I was able to read in one day at the beach. I look forward to the next Mary Kay Andrews book. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Summers at the Saint is available now.

Summers at the Saint was a wonderful read. Andrew’s books are always a hit and many patrons have been regularly asking for recommendations for the summer; this is at the top of the list

I always enjoy a great summer read. This book had such a great setting and had the potential to be a perfect summer read. Unfortunately there were just too many characters and too much going on to really enjoy the book. Thank you, NetGalley.

Is it even summer without reading an MKA novel? This one is perfection! Love the characters, loved the story, and absolutely couldn’t put it down. Another winner!

Review posted: 5.22.24

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I absolutely love MKA’s books. Everything (from the writing to the covers) just makes my day. I was excited to receive my ARC and even took it to Biloxi to read while I was at the spa on hubby’s birthday (don’t worry- I made plenty of time for him after I got the massage to get all the kinks outta me!)

Her characters are so real. Plus, I like how there is usually several themes running from the book (some romance, some mystery, usually a friendship gone awry).

What I liked:

I am 100% here for this cover. In fact, I kinda want to walk down the beach this summer, carrying it everywhere I go, so people can ask what I’m reading.

Traci. Going from an Ain’t to a Saint was def something that some people would not understand about her. But she didn’t lose the scrappiness of the ain’t lifestyle. LOVE her.

The mystery. Even though I guessed a bit, I was still HOOKED.



Bottom line: Pair it with a frosty drink. Pair it with a ice cold beer. Pair it with the cold AC on high blast. Pair it while sweating everything off at pool or beach. Just read it.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Mary Kay Andrews latest book was worth the wait! It tells the story of a struggling resort on the Georgia coast and how Traci, the owner, is doing everything she can to keep it afloat. To the surprise of Traci and her small community, her efforts are thwarted by sabotage and even murder. Yet again, Mary Kay weaves together a delightful cast of characters that come together to tell a story of friendship, mystery, and ultimately a happy ending. Can't wait for her next one!

This was the first book I read by Mary Kay Andrews and I was hooked from the beginning! I didn't expect this book to have the twists and turns that it did because it seems like a light beach read, but I found myself invested in what happened and who was behind it. I don't have much in common with any of the characters, but that didn't stop me from feeling connected to most of them. The author really brought each character to life and I felt like I was hanging with the Saint crowd, although I'm clearly more of an Ain't.

I liked the story and I was surprised at the ending and how it all wrapped up. I am not one to like endings of books, but this one seemed like it worked and was the best option to wrap up this story, so I would say this ending satisfied me. I will be reading more from this author in the future!

4 stars, I really enjoyed this one.

Traci grew up on the coast of Georgia in a town where the St. Cecelia resort was in its heyday. If you were a local, you were known either as a Saint or an Ain’t. Traci was an Ain’t, but she did work at the resort during the summers, eventually marrying one of the owner’s sons. Traci has been running the resort due to her husband’s untimely death. The Saint is showing signs of wear and Traci is determined to bring it back to its glory days. She finds some new people to hire, promising them a place to live while they are working. When a murder occurs on the property, things go downhill. There are interesting characters and the story is as good as you would expect from this author.

Also reviewed on B&N (1IrishEyes430) and Kobo (IrishEyes430)

The Saint Cecelia, the luxury resort owned by the Eddings family, was a major player in the town’s economy, and had been for as long as anyone could remember. Traci Eddings, widow of Hoke, was responsible for the day to day operations, and she was aware where they were struggling. Realizing that affordable housing was a huge concern for the young people looking for work, Traci refurbishes the golf cart shed and offers free housing as an incentive. Finding a really good waitress at a competing restaurant, Traci offers the free housing and a higher wage, and Olivia accepts Traci’s job offer at The Saint.

Lots of drama and intrigue at The Saint this summer! Traci is trying everything to hold things together, while being undermined by her brother-in-law Ric, who wants payback for his daughter Parrish agreeing to work at The Saint in order to help Traci out. We’ve got theft, murder, sex, drugs, and Caribbean music, all wrapped up in family dysfunction. This is a great read, one that easily captured my attention, and, as always, I appreciate the HEA.

A great summer read! Traci is running the St. Cecelia resort, also known as “The Saint” in Georgia. Financial troubles and lack of staff are making this season challenging for her to keep the resort going.

Beach read yes please that is what Summer at the Saint is. It’s got a little bit of everything murder, mystery, romance, and the summer Resort.
A must read

This book was such a fun roller-coaster of emotions to read. I didn't see half of the twists coming, and I loved that! What a cozy, who-dun-it murder mystery with summer fun, family drama, and the politics of the hotel running as an undercurrent throughout.

Every year I hope that Mary Kay Andrews has another book coming out.
This one does not disappoint.
It has been one of the high points of the summer for my library patrons.

I so loved this book by Mary Kay Andrews. The characters were wonderful and the story line was interested along with some really tense moments.
The fact that Traci became part of this family of owners was a blessing in disguise. She worked at the resort and fell in love with one of the sons. They made it through the courtship much to his brothers displeasure and worked well to keep the resort running. Due to a horrible accident Traci is left a widow and has to deal with the resort on her own.
As time goes by and she hires her niece to help run the hotel, it becomes apparent that all is not right. Something is fishy and it's not the seafood that is being delivered spoiled. There are just too many things going wrong. BUT, Traci has hired a group of people she knows she can trust.
Then another incident happens to take away another family member the one who was so close to Traci she was like a daughter. Traci knows she has to regroup and does and sets to work finding out what exactly is going on.
This story will keep you guessing and wanting to just read. Forget about dinner, the kids, the house just make sure you finish so you can find out just what is going on and if Traci can come out ahead.

This was actually more enjoyable than I expected it to be. I was anticipating one of those meandering, plotless books that middle aged white women seem to love, and it certainly wasn’t that. Instead, it was a perfectly pleasing mystery with plenty of clues and even a bit of action. Seemingly unrelated details were smoothly woven together in a satisfying way, and there were nice little relationships that got nods throughout.
I did have a few gripes, mainly to do with the various perspectives the author was trying to weave together. The main thing is just that there was no reason to have so many different POVs. At the beginning, I think we heard from almost every single major character, and a couple of characters that seemed like they’d be major but then got shunted off to the side a third of the way in.
One example of this was I believe KJ (yeah, he was presented as a main character in the first several chapters and then became so sidelined that I hardly even remember his name). He was the POV for two or three chapters right at the beginning and then never had a POV for the rest of the book. Frankly I found this choice incredibly frustrating, especially due to the fact that (spoilers follow) his only role in the story is to help set the staff dorm on the fire, apparently because he was blackmailed over his sexual orientation. Making the story’s only queer character a repressed gay jock with daddy issues who’s willing to commit crimes to avoid being outed? And give him absolutely no sympathy or perspective beyond that? Kind of a crappy thing to do in my opinion. (Spoilers end.)
There were also one or two plot hooks that got thrown out for no clear reason – namely, the mysterious helicopter accident that killed Traci’s husband. It honestly kind of seemed like the author just needed the husband out of the way, but the way it was talked about made it seem like it would be important. Nope, not so much.
All that aside, there were elements of this book that were quite well done. The romances, while not the main focus, were sweet. There was some excellent representation of various challenging family relationships, especially with aging relatives. And while it does deal with sexual assault as a central plot point, the issue was handled in a sensitive, compassionate way.
Generally, I wouldn’t consider the book anything special, but it’s a perfectly enjoyable story.

DNF @ 36%

Guys, I really wanted to like this one, but I couldn’t finish this one. I think there were too many issues with things I would rather not have in books.

First off, this book had a beautiful setting. The Saint was such an enchanting and alluring place that I would’ve loved to visit. However, I think the situation with all the characters was too much to work with given the plot. There was too much going on and yet I felt like nothing was happening.

I honestly think this book could’ve started at the 15% mark.

Thank you, Netgalley and SMP, for the ARC!

Love Love LOVE the queen of summer! Such a good read that I enjoyed! I'm so glad that I got the chance to read it early and will definitely be recommending it to multiple people who enjoy these types of novels. I enjoyed the characters and especially enjoyed the writing by this author. I'm excited to see what the author comes out with next as I'll definitely be reading it! Thank you to the publisher for my early copy of this book!