When you live near the beautiful hotel the Saint, depending on where you live you’re either a Saint or an ain’t. Traci was an ain’t until she married into the family that owned the Saint. After her husband tragically dies in a plane crash, she is left in charge of the storied hotel; but now it’s floundering and she have one last summer to figure out how to save it. She also has to contend with her unscrupulous and greedy brother-in-law and his manipulative wife who are always trying to sabotage her. Trying to hire the best people she can, Traci thinks she is finally on the path to saving the Saint when one her own is found murdered. While uncovering the facts to solve the murder Traci realizes that the people she trusted the most may not be who she thought they were.

This was my first novel by Mary Kay Andrews and I enjoyed it. This isn’t the fluffy beach romance read I thought it was going to be but more of a light beach mystery with a dash of family drama (and an even smaller dash of romance). I think it’s the perfect book to read while on vacation because it will keep you completely engaged for the day while sitting by the pool, lake, ocean or body of water of your choice. Are the characters super believable? Not really. Do I need that for this type of book? Not really. Did I enjoy it anyway? Yes. I would call it a popcorn read (or again, your vacation snack of choice). I may grab another of hers for my summer vacation. I actually did this one entirely on audio and thought the voice of the narrator worked really well.

3.75 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio

✨Book Review✨

Summers at The Saint
Mary Kay Andrew’s

This was a fast easy read that gave off Elin Hilderbrand vibes. It might have been the beach setting or the mix of mystery and romance that made me make those comparisons.

Traci (the female MC) was a very well rounded character. I liked her dedication to the hotel and keeping her husband’s memory alive through her work there. Spending a summer living in dorms to work at a beach hotel sounds like something my younger self would have enjoyed!

The first third of the book there were so many new characters being introduced and the POVs switched multiple times that it was a bit hard to keep up. The ending was also confusing for me too. I didn’t totally get the why behind some of the mystery.

🎧Narration was done by Kathleen McInerney. She did an amazing job narrating a large number of characters. I will definitely listen to another one that she narrates.

Thank you @macmillian.audio AND @netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this ALC.

At the heart of this story is Traci Eddings, the determined widow and underdog heroine who finds herself grappling with the monumental task of reviving the faded grandeur of the Saint. Her character is masterfully crafted (just like all the others), embodying both vulnerability and tenacity, making her struggles and aspirations deeply relatable. Traci's journey is not just about saving a hotel; it's about reclaiming her life and forging a future she can be proud of.

I love the combination of mystery and romance and how the subplots all come together in the end. In true Mary Kay Andrews fashion, the setting of Summers at the Saint becomes a character. The Saint, with its history and idiosyncrasies, is portrayed so vividly that one can almost smell the salty sea breeze and hear the chatter of the guests. This sense of place is integral to the story's charm and helps anchor the myriad plot threads.

4.5 for me so I will round up to 5.. Whew! Mary Kay Andrews, did not hold back on the mysterious drama in this one. At first there were a few storylines going on that needed to keep straight and I had to listen carefully. It was all brought together at the end. I loved how it was truly a vibe of the six degrees of separation.

I was expecting a cute summer read and a whole lot of romance. Mary Kay brought some romance but she really brought the mystery with a murder in and resort scandals.

I enjoyed this book and it is definitely a binge worthy summer read (more of the cozy mystery vibes).

My only question is what the heck was up with the air conditioners? All the other resort “quirks” were answered. Did I miss it?

Thank you MacMillian Audio and St Martins Press for this audio arc!

When I selected this book, I thought I was getting a nice, fun, summer chick lit read. This is the first Mary Kay Andrews book that I have read, and I would definitely read another. I have to say it was not what I was expecting, and I really enjoyed it. While it had a lot of light moments there were some great twists and I enjoyed the mystery, suspense, backstabbing and a whole cast of characters that start out as strangers, but end up as a cohesive unit. The author created a wonderful plot with interesting characters.

The setting of the Saint and the relationships of the characters was enjoyable and a great place to stage this story. The young characters, the older characters and the past were all fascinating and I wanted to continue reading to see where it would go next. It was a great read, I would highly recommend to people. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was enjoyable and brought the characters to life.

Thanks Net Galley. for the opportunity, listen to this audiobook. I look forward to more books from this author.

St. Cecelia, a luxury hotel/resort known as “the Saint,” has been a dividing ground for generations. If your family was wealthy enough to be admitted, you were a Saint; if not, you were an Ain’t. Traci grew up an Ain’t – until she met and eventually married the boss’s son. Upon his death, she took over running the hotel, determined to overcome financial troubles and staff shortages and return the Saint to its former glory. It will take everything she has to accomplish this before everything comes tumbling down around her.

I have read and enjoyed nearly every book this author has written, and this was no exception. I really liked Traci, her willingness to listen to her staff and her determination to get to the bottom of the problems that arose and turn the hotel around. I figured out who was behind each of the issues that came up before they were revealed in the book, but this is billed as a romance, not a mystery, so that wasn’t surprising. The romance itself wasn’t a surprise either, but I liked the way it developed as the book progressed.

I was fortunate to get this book on audio and in ebook format, and took advantage of both, reading the print book when I was unable to listen. The narrator did an excellent job of voicing the characters and portraying the circumstances of the story. I will certainly listen to other books that she narrates, and I can’t wait to read MKA’s next book, which will most likely be a Christmas-themed romance.

Kathleen McInerney knocked it out of the park narrating Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. With a host of characters to keep track of and some with accents, I applaud Kathleen McInerney for being able to bring each character to life and for giving each character their own voice so I always knew who was speaking in the dialogue sections. Great audiobook!

Thank you Macmillian Audio for the gifted ALC!

4.5 stars rounded up. Based on the cover of this book I thought it was going to be a cute little summer romance book, but I got way more than I bargained for. Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews had a little bit of everything — romance, sure, but also, family drama, mystery and suspense. I wasn’t expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised by how all the story likes twisted and wove together to create a very fulfilling novel.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Traci marries into the rich family who own the St. Cecilia Hotel when her husband dies unexpectedly. This leaves her in charge but finds the hotel is in danger of doing under. It’s losing money but she’s doesn’t know what is going on. Her niece came back to work but is killed so now she is determined to find out what exactly is going on. All that she knows is that she needs to find out who is behind all of this.

I have known of the Friends and Fiction writer’s group since the early days of the pandemic but never took the opportunity to read a Mary Kay Andrews novel until now.

3++ rounded up to 4 stars.
Containing generations worth of memories and secrets, The St. Cecelia resort is a jewel of the Georgia coast. The grandeur rises above the dunes while heroes and villains roam the hallways and the grounds in this creative summer beachy mystery. The demarcation of the saints vs the ain’ts or the haves vs the have nots is clouded by the players whose behavior and agendas blur the line. Summer fun turns deadly, resulting in the search for current crimes and long buried truths.
One thing that does not surprise me is the publishing date, which kicks off the summer reading season with a blockbuster name and a cover sure to be seen poolside and beachside in the months ahead. Kathleen McInerney returns to narrate MKA’s latest and does an excellent job bringing to life a vast and diverse cast of characters.

Shake up Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club with The Nest, pour over ice and garnish with some Flamingo Kid movie vibes … cheers!

Thanks to Net Galley and Macmillan Audio for the early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! There is a lot going on in this book. There is a young boy that drowns even though he knew how to swim, there’s an accidental murder, an attempted murder, rape, a fire, drinks laced with Rohypnol, and a widow that is running her late husband’s family’s hotel.
I was intrigued by the description of this book because it was based in a fancy hotel on an island in Georgia. I have been wanting to go to Sea Island Georgia for a while, so this piqued my interest. Also, I enjoyed White Lotus on HBO and they all have a hotel setting, I was looking for more of that kind of storyline.
The things I enjoyed about the book: One of the young girls that worked there as a teen, is now running the hotel. I liked the back story of the workers and that The Saint had dorms for their workers since it was an expensive area. The storyline of the workers stealing money from the hotel in various ways. Lastly, I really enjoyed the friendship between all the women.
What I didn’t care for: the romance felt a little added on and didn’t really go with the rest of the book.
If anyone is looking a beach read with several murder mysteries and a large cast of characters, you will enjoy this!

I was looking forward to reading this as I've enjoyed Mary Kay's previous books. Sadly, this was not as good. The setting was lovely - who wouldn't enjoy a beachside resort with all the trimmings? - but there was so much going on and far too many characters for it to be a good read.

3.5 stars. I think I am in the minority on this one so definitely check out some other reviews if this one is on your radar. The last few books I've read by Andrews have been fiiiiiiiiine, but they just seem to be lacking a little something to make them solid recommendations from me. I loved the exclusive resort setting of this one as well as the mystery backdrop. But......there are sooooooooo many characters, and this book is simply way too long for the draw of the plot. I also think that for as much as Andrews tries to be current and forward thinking in her views, she throws in occasional outdated stereotypes and comments that make me cringe. I wouldn't tell someone to skip this one, but it wouldn't be the first book I'd pick up this summer.

I loved the narrator of this book. This was also a great mystery. MKA always knows how to write a a good book.

Great story! a bit of friendship, family drama, romance, mystery. A great beach read. I loved the characters. My only slight negative is that it felt a bit long but overall a great novel from MKA! Great narration too and really enjoyed the author/narrator interview at the end

Well, Mary Kay Andrews has done it again!
Summers At The Saint is definitely a HIT!!
In her usual style, she reels you in, and before you even know it you are cheering for all the players!!

Traci Eddings had a novel life! She was happy. She was in love! And then, she was a widow…
You see, she met her husband when she was just a teenager, working at the biggest and best hotel in town, The Saint (or St. Cecelia’s). They fell in love…and stayed in love…to the surprise of his whole family. 😮
But they were not happy about it, as his family OWNED The Saint…and Traci was from the wrong side of town…

The story goes back and forth between NOW, and all that Traci is facing alone, as she now runs the hotel. Normal problems like staffing and things that can go wrong… but it seems like there is just so much going on…and something is ALWAYS going wrong…

And then we go back to the days when Traci was just a kid, working there with her best friend Shannon… all the antics they did. The fun they had…until that one day with the little boy…

As we go on we certainly feel the small town vibe, as well as the influence this one family has on the entire town!

Traci is working hard to bring the hotel back to its former days of glory…but is having a rough time of it…and then tragedy hits home…and her entire world is rocked and spinning out of control…

As some unlikely helpers join her to try to get to the bottom of it, the story unravels…and, if you are like me, you will be GLUED to the book and hanging on every word!

Oh…and there a Daschund!! Lola! (I have two at home…both rescues! And, one is currently asleep on my legs! )
She made me LOL when she said it was a rescue…a mix…half Daschund and half Velcro!! Sooo true!!! ❤️🐾❤️🐾

4 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me, rounded up to 5!

#SummersAtTheSaint by #MaryKayAndrews and narrated beautifully by #KathleenMcInerney.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. It is due for release in just a few days on 5/7/24!

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A different direction than the normal MKA books I have read and was totally drawn into the story from the first pages. Traci a widow from the wrong side of the tracks now runs the family owned luxury resort known as the Saint. Slowly getting on with her life after the sudden death of her beloved husband and recouping from the COVID shutdown has its own set of challenges. Trying to open up for another season has caused Traci scrambling in different directions, staffing shortages, finding a new Chef and the list goes on. Coming up with the idea of offering a sign up bonus plus free on site housing has gotten her the results she hoped for. Things seem to be going well, but when her niece who works there goes missing and guests are complaining about everything……something is wrong, but what?
A well developed story that has suspense, old mystery and new mystery to be solved. Family secrets, who dunnit and why? I listened to part of the story as a audiobook, but preferred reading. Only because I could keep all the characters straight. It definitely was a book I enjoyed reading and just couldn’t put down. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #SummersAtTheSaint #MaryKayAndrews

Let me start by saying WOW!

It has been a while since I've read a Mary Kay Andrews book, and I was totally surprised by this one (in a good way).

Going into this book I figured it would be a cute summer romance kind of book and was I ever in for a surprise.

This book has a lot of different things going on in it, secrets, murders, summer along with lots of twist and turns that I never saw coming. At certain points I was like, oh, the book is over and yet there was more and more and more.

I truly enjoyed this book, and it definitely deserves a 5-star rating!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this and give an honest opinion.

This was my first book by this author & overall, I did really enjoy this one!! I will say though, something about the authors writing seems juvenile to me?? I can’t quite explain it. Also, I kinda felt like Whelan & Traci’s relationship was kinda random… I like them together but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was strange. I loved the setting of the story, it definitely got me in the summer vacation mood. I also really enjoyed the mystery aspect as well, it was very entertaining.

The Saint resort is a dream of your classic southern beach town or is it? The Eddings are Saint royalty but with their own dark secrets. There is murder, mystery, money, romance, and family drama in the great summer beach read. A nod to many a famous southern resort town.