4/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

SYNOPSIS -- The St. Cecelia, aka "the Saint," is known to have two groups of people: The "Saints" and the "ain'ts." Traci Eddings was an "ain't," desperate to get her feet in the door since she was a young child and delightfully shocked to nail herself the boss's son as a teenager. Unfortunately, Traci finds herself now-widowed and running the Saint alone, with only her dying father-in-law and disparaging brother-in-law by her side. Deep in the throes of keeping the hotel afloat, tragedy strikes, bringing with it secrets from a long-ago drowning and a whole slew of despair. Traci, armed with her supportive staff and an unlikely ally, works to keep her job, her family and her home safe, while also picking up the pieces of her very broken heart.

This was my first read by Mary Kay Andrews, and after hearing a ton of hype for THE HOMEWRECKERS last year, I was eager to pick this up. I was not disappointed! Though I think this book was a little bit too long, it had me hooked the entire time! I love a story with rich people behaving badly, and that was exactly this, plus some perspectives of "the help," which gave us an even fuller picture of the chaos at The Saint. This book is described as a beach read, and, while it is that, it's also so much more! There was a depth here that I wasn't expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself deeply invested in the characters' wellbeing. The mystery was a good one and I was SHOCKED -- like jaw-on-the-floor-shocked -- at some of the twists and turns. With complex and creative interwoven characters and a whole world of drama, this was such a fun read!

Summers at the Saint

What a fun, twisty beach read! I enjoyed this escape to the Saint for a season. There were some twists I saw coming but others that surprised me. I loved the variety of characters and how everything came together at the end. Some of the motives felt a bit overdramatized, but that's part of the joy of beachy reads.

I really enjoyed the audio narration. Even with the variety of POVs, it was relatively easy to follow who was who. I listened at 2-2.5X and followed along quite easily.

Thank you to Macmillian audio and St. Martins Press for the ALC/ARC. Summers at the Saint is on shelves May 7, 2024. My opinions are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the new book by the queen, Mary Kay Andrews, and perfectly narrated by another favorite, Kathleen McInerney. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. 5 summery stars!

Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was an "ain't" who worked at The Saint with her best friend, Shannon, one fateful summer. As fate would have it, she met and married the boss's son, only to lose him in a plane crash. Now the owner of the hotel, she's determined to restore it to its glory days, even with post-pandemic financial issues and staff problems. Her brother-in-law, Rick, is determined to see that she fails.

Summer can officially begin now that Mary Kay Andrews has a new beach read! This one has heart and humor, plus a mystery with plenty of twists, along with wonderful descriptions of locale and food. Traci was a great character; determined to do things the way her husband would have wanted, always being respectful of his family even when they were anything but. There's a coming-of-age factor here too, with young people anxious to set their own paths, despite what their parents may think they should do. I had both the audio and digital versions, but mostly listened to it because McInerney's narration is always perfection. A must read for the summer.

This was an amazing story and so well written! It’s a perfect vacation read, or anytime really I mean it’s Mary Kay Andrews! She is a one click author for me!!

I did enjoy the mystery, it kept me on the edge of my seat. There were many twists and turns, kept me guessing for sure!

Whether you feel like you're a Saint or an Ain't, this book takes you into a cozy summer mystery with just a touch of romance. The cast of characters provides you with plenty of people to like (and not like!), a small mystery and a large one, and hints of summertime romance. There were twists I didn't anticipate, with a few that I did, and more than one mouth-watering menu description.

To be honest though, when I started listening to this audiobook, I wasn't sure I would make it through. By the introduction of the sixth character in what I interpreted as a narrator role, I felt like it was going to be a bit much, whether I was reading with my ears or eyes. However, the author then started to pull it all together into one ongoing story, and I did come to appreciate the background story that had been given on each of the characters individually to set up their stage as they entered the story. It turned out to be an enjoyable read, but that rocky start impacted my overall rating of the book.

3.5 stars

This book wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. I have read some of her other books and the summary made me think I was going to be reading a rom-com or cozy beach read, but that wasn’t what I just read. I mean I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t what I was expecting. This was more of a murder mystery/dark beach read. It also was not a quick read. This book was way longer than it needed to be. It kind of dragged on a bit too much for me.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I finished this book a few days ago and have waited to get my thoughts together before leaving feedback. I liked the beginning and end of this book but did not care for the middle. I wasn't looking for a murder mystery; I thought this would be a light, beachy read like the rest of her books. I also did not care for the fat shaming and the LGBTQIA shaming or that it was used to blackmail someone. Do better.

MKA has written another fun, atmospheric summer mystery with twists I didn't see coming! She made me feel like I was vacationing at The Saint. There are many characters to keep up with but the storytelling flows so smoothly that it was easy to keep up. Loved it!

A web of the past and present and tragedy all strung together to create a great story. I definitely didn’t see where this one was going but I like it that way. I don’t feel like they quite grieved the loss enough it kid of felt like a blip in the radar but beyond that it was really good. Honestly pretty realistic too because there is a lot that happens behind closed doors and a lot that people will pay good money to keep secret too.

I really thought I knew where this one was going, but I really didn’t and it was great. I listened to the audiobook, some of the accents were a bit much but it was pretty good. Thanks NetGalley & St Martins Press for the ARC.

I didn't love this one as much as I have enjoyed other MKA. I didn't like that they made the niece feel guilty for wanting to experience Europe instead of saving the family business. I don't believe that it's any family member's job to save a family business, so I had a hard time getting past that. Because of this decision, some others happened that obviously aren't great, so I don't think this is an MKA that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a beach read.

I received an advance audio copy. All thoughts are my own.

The Saint Cecelia, a sprawling oceanfront hotel complex, is the setting for this summer’s beach read “Summers at the Saint by the talented Mary Kay Andrews. Traci Eddings, a widow since her husband’s tragic death four years earlier, has inherited the hotel and a lifestyle far different from her simple childhood. She now deals with employees, ever increasing financial problems and her untrustworthy brother-in-law. She still missing her best friend Shannon who hasn’t spoken to her since a child drowned in the hotel pool when they were lifeguards years earlier. Now with her niece Parrish at the front desk, Shannon’s daughter Livvy a server in the hotel restaurant and star chef Felice in the kitchen, it looks like a good summer is in store for The Saint. However, there is a heartbreaking death at a hotel after party, suspicions of mismanagement, and an investigation of that long ago drowning. Traci needs to discover the secrets that hide in The Saint before there can be more tragedy.

Mary Kay Andrews has delivered a suspenseful, impossible to put down mystery! I love The Saint and its pink clothed employees! I love the behind-the-scenes look at hotel management! I want to read more about Traci and Whelan!

A summer read with romance and mystery. It didn’t need to be so long. I was getting bored and looking forward to it ending.

This is my first read by this author. I don’t usually read this type of genre but found it to be a mix of general fiction, summer beach read, domestic drama, mystery, romance, and even a bit of suspense. It follows the family and employees of a beachside resort on the coast of Georgia known by the locals as “The Saint” with a clear line between the haves and have-nots or as this book terms it, the “saints” and the “ain’ts”. The storyline moves smoothly between the various characters and back and forth through time to incidents that happened at the hotel in the past in carefully labeled chapters.

I really enjoyed the found family feel that the widowed owner, Traci, fostered at the Saint for the employees. There were some great side characters that formed relationships with each other and the hotel through their work and living situations. However, there were also characters mixed between the family and employees that were out for themselves and sometimes it was difficult to tell which ones, especially for Traci. Traci put her trust in a few people that I questioned from the beginning. I got the feeling that she wasn’t exactly a great judge of character and wanted to see the best in everyone. While I empathize, that isn’t always a good trait for the manager of a business.

I really enjoyed this story though I did think it was a bit predictable at times. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Kathleen McInerney and switched to the ebook a few times to follow along. I found some of her character voices to be odd choices. The mid-forties widow sounded like a teenage girl and was sometimes hard to distinguish from the other characters in their early twenties, Livvy and Parrish. The male character and general narrator voices were fine, so I’m not sure why those choices were made for some of the female characters.

Recommended for a light beach read. I will definitely try this author again.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for a copy provided for an honest review.

Summers at the Saint is the latest novel by veteran author Mary Kay Andrews. I am not usually a fan of what I think of as light and fluffy books, but over the last couple of years, I’ve developed an appreciation for this author’s work. This story centers on a fashionable beach resort hotel and those that run it, with the focus primarily on the women. It’s a good summer read—not a bad choice to take to the beach, actually. My thanks go to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the invitation to read and review. This book will be available to the public May 7, 2024.

Our protagonist is Traci Eddings, the young widow of Hoke Eddings, heir to the Saint Cecilia resort. Traci has inherited part of the business from her late husband, but there is a power struggle in play as the book opens. The old man is dying, and the surviving heirs are scheming. The business seems to be on the rocks, or near to it, and Traci can’t figure out why. She makes several smart changes, hires good people, and yet…

We have interesting side characters. Parrish is Traci’s niece, whom she persuades to postpone her studies for one more summer as Traci implements the changes that are needed. We have the new cook, Felice, as well as Livvy, a capable young woman that Traci hires away from the diner where she is waiting tables; and we have Livvy’s mother Shannon, who used to be Traci’s best friend. Shannon completely dumped Traci many years ago, leaving Traci bewildered and hurt; she still feels that way. Lastly we have Whelan, who is working at the Saint as a pretext while he tries to unravel the circumstances that led to the death of his younger brother at the resort’s pool many years ago.

The book’s strongest aspect is the side characters, particularly Felice, Shannon and Livvy. Other characters are one dimensional, either entirely good or entirely awful. Rather, this is a plot based book. There are a great many moving parts, with a blend of genres that include romance, mystery, beach reads, women’s fiction, and contemporary family drama. It is in weaving the many pieces of this story that Andrews’s experience shines through. If there is a plot element that conflicts with another, or that is simply illogical, I didn’t spot it. At the end, everything and everyone is accounted for; in fact, I might have preferred not to have every single aspect resolved, and every positive character quite so perfectly happy. I seldom argue in favor of ambiguity, but in this case, it wouldn’t hurt.

I was fortunate enough to receive both the Kindle and audio versions, and once more, Kathleen McInerney does a fine job of narration with all of the women characters and the internal monologue. Her voice isn’t deep enough to voice the men’s characters well, and I suggest adding a second, male narrator next time around.

The story held my attention quite nicely as I did my morning bike ride, and I recommend it to Andrews’s loyal readers, and to those that enjoy a good beach read.

I picked up Summers at the Saint thinking it was going to be a light beach read. I was pleasantly surprised that this turned out to be a cozy mystery. I rated this book 3.75 stars. I wish there was a little more development in the romantic story line. I enjoyed that there were two mystery story lines evolving at the same time also.

Summers at the Saint was a fun summer beach read with romance and mystery all woven into one. It was definitely entertaining but it just felt a little long for me.

I love to jump into a good Mary Kay Andrews, and this one delivers. I thought I was picking up a cute beach read and it turned into a murder mystery in the best way possible. There are a lot of characters in this book to keep up with, as we have an entire hotel staff and some guests, but it was all laid out well and easy to keep up with, as the book will constantly hold your attention. I really liked Traci and some of the other side characters in the book. I saw many things coming and predicted several things that were going to happen, but I was slightly off on a few things…so I love when a book gets me like that.

I switch between an ebook and audio book for this read. The audio is done from one of my favorite narrators and she really added to the overall experience for me while consuming this one and I definitely did nearly 90% on audio! I couldn’t stop and had to know what was going on. Highly recommend putting this on your summer reading list!

Bottom Line: Read it!

Releases May 7, 2024

**I received a copy of Summers at the Saint from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are of my own.**

Another good summer mystery/southern read from Mary Kay Andrews. I loved that this one was based on the family and extended family of the rich and well off. There's a lot of tragedy, horror, and deadliness to keep you interested in the story with the touches of southern life and romance to soften the blows and lull you into the story. It was great!

The St. Cecilia, the Saint, is a prestigious resort on the coastline in Georgia; offering its members and guests a luxury experience. Traci grew up across the river and as a child she imagined herself staying at the resort. One thing everyone in town knows is you are either a "Saint" or an "Ain't" and Traci was on the wrong side of the river. One summer she and her friend Shannon score a job at the Saint, but that summer changed their lives entirely. Traci married the boss's son and Shannon stopped talking to her entirely after a fatal incident that left Shannon without a job. Now decades later, Traci is widowed and trying to restore the Saint to its former glory after facing staffing and financial difficulties. She has assembled some summer staff members to help fill some gaps and one of them is Shannon's daughter. Traci is fighting for the Saint, trying to mend old hurts, and keep her greedy brother-in-law from ruining everything she has worked towards. It's opening season at the Saint and it will be unlike any other. Old scandals and new collide in Mary Kay Andrews upcoming twisty novel, "Summers at the Saint". You can find this new summer read in stores starting May 7th!

"Summers at the Saint" takes readers through the lives of friends, family, coworkers, and lovers. Do not let this cover fool you, the story inside is full of twists, betrayal, and old money secrets. While this story primarily focuses on Traci Eddings there are multiple POVs that we follow throughout. This novel is full of twists and there is no way that you will see all of them coming, while some are obvious there are a few that will leave you shocked. Andrews did a great job keeping the story flowing with the multiple POVs and was able to provide each character with their own distinct story without detracting from the main plot. This is the perfect read for lounging by the pool or on the beach.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with the audiobook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.