Wow! Loved this book. Thanks St. Martin's Press for offering this early. Mary Kay Andrews did a wonderful job mixing up murder, mystery and romance. Very speedy read! Thanks NetGalley now I don't have to wait until May.

The book cover of Summers at the Saint makes it appear as though it is a breezy beach read even though nothing could be farther than the truth. Although there are definitely elements of summer fun, the cheery book cover belies the darker themes of murder and mystery that are a part of this story and elevate it to a completely bingeable novel.

Traci Eddings is the owner of the illustrious Saint hotel, a property that she inherited as a result of the tragic early death of her beloved husband Hoke. The business has floundered in recent years due to Covid and other financial factors and Traci is determined to make this a profitable summer and restore the Saint to its place of glory in the eyes of elite vacation goers.

However, the summer is heralded by a horrific murder that affects Traci personally and plunges her into the depths of an all too familiar pattern of grief. An investigator also descends on the hotel, determined to solve the drowning of a child that happened at the hotel years ago when Traci worked as a lifeguard.

As disturbing secrets are revealed, Traci must question whom she can really trust and guide her personal legacy as well as the future of the Saint.

Even though this was not a traditional beach read, I loved the mystery and thriller elements. Andrews created an interesting cast of characters and delved into some interesting dynamics about family, friendship, and personal responsibility.

My only criticism is that one of the thriller elements of the plot line was left hanging-I can't really reveal more than that without adding a spoiler. My hope is that maybe since this is an ARC, that plot line will be resolved in the final copy.

However, as always a solid delivery from Andrews with a few thrilling surprises along the way.

I just love Mary Kay Andrews’ books. Summers at the Saint was the most delightful beach read/mystery. Definitely a new favorite of her summer books.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Set at a historic hotel on the coast of Georgia, Summers at the Saint is the perfect title to quick off beach reads season. With mystery and intrigue that keeps the pages turning, Mary Kay Andrews newest title is perfect for readers of Elin Hilderbrand.

Traci’s dream of one day working at the Saint has come true and now she’s running the hotel. Raised in town and commonly called an “Ain’t”, Traci started at the Saint scooping ice cream as a teenager. She goes on to marry the owner and inherits the ups and downs of running a family hospitality business. Now faced with numerous operational challenges, unexplained thefts, lost inventory and a missing resort manager, the future of the Saint is in jeopardy.

The combination of family dynamics, murder mystery and great characters creates a heartfelt story with suspense and a touch of romance. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book and it may be my favorite Mary Kay Andrews yet. The scene is set on the southern coast and it was so vivid I could nearly picture myself summering at the Saint. I enjoyed the characters that also added to the ambiance of the resort life as well as the crusty old members who you can just picture hanging around a resort like this one. The intermingling of the resort dynamics, mystery, murder and intrigue kept me at rapt attention throughout the duration of the book. The sub plot of the evolving relationship between Traci and Whelen was touched on just enough not to toss it into the romance genre.

Overall I would recommend this for anyone looking for a beach book or something to read poolside with cocktail this summer!

"Summers at the Saint" is a delightful novel that unfolds against the picturesque backdrop of the historic St. Cecelia hotel on the Georgia coast. Author Mary Kay Andrews skillfully blends elements of romance, mystery, and family drama, creating an engaging beach read.

For readers who enjoy contemporary romance, intriguing mysteries, and heartwarming fiction, I wholeheartedly recommend "Summers at the Saint." Whether you find yourself lounging by the pool or cozied up indoors on a rainy day, this novel will transport you to the charming world of the St. Cecelia and leave you with a contented smile.

It was an ok read. Not amazing, not terrible. I felt like there a few times that I wanted to put the book down because of how slow paced it was. There definitely was some twists that I wasn’t expecting, but ultimately this read was a little lackluster.

I always enjoy some MKA! This one seemed a little sadder and a little darker than her usual, but I don’t mind (kinda) dark. I love thrillers and wanted more info so I could figure out who dunnit, but I realized that didn’t matter - the plot was much more than that.
I liked the multiple perspectives that eventually dwindled down to just a few, and I loved the setting and all the details of the Saint. I do wish the ending wasn’t so predictable and sweet, but I did truly enjoy this book and read it in just a sitting or two. Fans of MKA will not be disappointed and I think this being a bit out of her usual realm can bring in some new devotees too!

I adore Mary Kay Andrews books, truly never disappointed. This was no exception it was fun had the perfect combo of mystery and romance.

🌟 4.5 Stars 🌟

What a captivating book! This is the perfect summer read!

This book has it all - drama, romance, murder & mystery all wrapped up in one!

The beginning of this book is time consuming with the introduction of characters, building of plot, the back history but once you get into the "thick" of it, it's one I couldn't put down! I just had to find out who was guilty!

Definitely would recommend! Grab it to take on your summer vacation!

Thank you NetGalley for thr ARC! All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this mystery and spending time with the people at this resort! Traci knew how to look for the best in people and how to bring it out in them. What she seemed to lack was confidence in herself. As the book progresses that definitely changes. There were some of the people that participated in things that I saw coming.....and some that I did not!

2.5- will be a 3 on GR.
This was my first Mary Kay Andrews novel and it wasn’t quite what I expected. I thought it would be more of a romance, when that was a very, very minor theme. I just didn’t really like this, but that may be more of a me problem. This had a similar vibe to Hotel Nantucket by Elin Hilderbrand, which I loved so maybe that’s why it wasn’t my favourite.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195790574-summers-at-the-saint

This wasn't what I was expecting - there were a lot of overlapping plot lines and a murder mystery. I really wished that the POVs that were introduced in the beginning of the book were carried through. I understand that would have been difficult, but it felt a bit odd to me that it narrowed down to just Traci's POV carried us through the last half of the novel.

I really enjoyed the story and the setting was very easy to imagine. I felt a lot of sympathy for Traci and the author definitely wrote convincing villains in this story. The romance felt a little out of the blue to me. I didn't get a sense of sexual tension and then suddenly there was a budding relationship.

Overall, I found this entertaining and easy to read.

When I requested a copy of this ARC I was very excited as I had recently read Bright Lights, Big Christmas and loved that story (it was my only 5 star romance last year). It is probably my fault in that I didn’t read the synopsis of this book, I just figured from the cover it was going to be another delightful romance story. This novel is more of a cozy mystery or light thriller than it is a romance so that threw me for a loop. It all felt a little too predictable and drawn out. I feel like the same story could have been told in about 100 less pages. It did have a great summer/vacation atmosphere so if you are looking for that in a book, this would be a good choice. I also was not expecting depictions of sexual assault so if that is triggering, steer away. Besides the assault scene there is very little other questionable content in the book. 3.5 stars rounded down because I have a feeling I will forget the plot by the end of the month.

I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of characters that are introduced in this book. Unfortunately, due to the length of the book, I found it difficult to keep reading in a digital format. If I had the physical book, it would have been a quicker read. I enjoyed having multiple characters to follow and felt that I was deeply invested in the lives of each one. From the rich to the check to check lives, all were bound together by one significant place.

I’m an avid MKA reader. She was the author that made me fall back in love with reading as an adult. This book was staple MKA. Little love, lots of plot, and tons of juicy scandal! It took awhile to settle into the story but once the scene was set, it was very engaging. True to her roots, MKA delivers a complex story with multiple view points. I cannot wait to talk this one over with my mom!

The first few chapters start off a little wonky in my opinion. There were too many characters introduced back to back and unfortunately for me it didn’t seem to flow well. It does all come together later (and each character has a place) but it was a choppy start. Once you get into the story it’s a lot of fun with the trademark humor MKA brings to all of her books. Picture an exclusive resort, shady staff, family drama, a little romance, and a murder mystery to keep you guessing. This would be a great vacation book! For a lengthy book, I felt the ending was a bit rushed and it did leave me with a few unanswered questions (like what happened to Ric???).

Overall, this is one I would recommend to those who enjoy women’s fiction and are MKA fans. While this wasn’t my favorite book by her…she is definitely one of my favorite authors! Love her and always look forward to reading her books.

P.S. The Karin Slaughter reference was on point🤣 Love her books!

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

Thank you to @netgalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC. As a little girl Traci looked up to the 5 star resort, The Saint as an outsider. Now a grown up and widow after marrying the owner's son, she is in charge of this fascinating place. But this place isn't all it is cracked up to be. Many questions behind the scenes takes the polish off the silver. This book was good but full of drama. #SummersattheSaint #MaryKayAndrews #May2024 #StMartinsPress

This book is different than the other ones I’ve read by her.
I’ve read her romance and this is a murder mystery.
If you’re looking for a good murder mystery book with a lot of detail & a lot of characters this is your book. This is one where you have to be paying attention to all the different characters because of you don’t then you will be lost 40% of the time like I was.
Was it good? Yes it’s interesting.

In marrying Hoke, Traci became enmeshed in the Eddings family and their lives that revolved around the success of the Saint. The Saint actually became a member of the family and resonated as a character in the entirety of the book. It led to the demise of friendships such as Shannon and Traci's, cover ups of illicit behavior, and financial deception. Parrish, Livvy and Felicia were there because they believed in the success of the hotel. They wanted to part of the team that contributed to its success. However, as Livvy and Felicia began to unravel the truth when it came to the unusual circumstances surrounding Parrish's death and those whom actively participated in it, they quickly realized that one's supposed dedication such as Charlie was merely a facade. Like Ric, underlying motives prevailed even at the sacrifice of others. This book certainly had a large amount of twists and turns as the reader actively explored "who did it" which I found captivating. It gave a glimpse into how money can change a person's behavior only to benefit themselves. I was so happy with the ending especially when it came to Traci and Whelan. I highly recommend this book.