I discovered Mary Kay Andrews' books within the last few years. Since then, I've enjoyed each one I've read. Summers at the Saint is no different. It's another fine example of how well she writes characters. They are well developed and animated. You feel as if you know them personally in some ways. In addition, the storyline itself was rich with activity. Not only was there family drama, there was a side story that you don't necessarily see coming. There are tears and smiles. It's a well rounded conglomeration of just about everything and it's all blended together so well that you aren't exactly sure what your favorite piece is.

Overall, I think the thing that I liked most about this book is the fact that you're left wanting everyone to be able to feel equal with everyone else. Also, you can't help but be impressed by the level of story development that is involved. I enjoyed it all.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I recommend the audio. The narration was spot on in my opinion and really fit the characters. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the audiobook and ebook.

This is a fun summer/beachy read. I've liked other books by this author too. This plot line is a mystery but still lots about working at the resort which I enjoyed. I liked all of the characters that end up working at the Saint, they are a bit of a unique bunch! I loved what Traci, the main character, was doing to help the Saint despite others trying to make her life difficult. There is also a bit of flashbacks that were well done and not confusing. This book will be out in May 2024. Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook the narrator was great!

I received an audiobook ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I loved this book. Every book I have read by Mary Kay Andrews has been fantastic. I love the wide list of characters and seeing how each of their stories unfolds throughout the overarching plot of the book. This one in particular was the perfect summer read. I am usually pretty good at figuring things out when it comes to mysteries/thrillers, and while I did guess several of these aspects correctly, there were still twists and turns that I didn’t see coming. I absolutely loved it and reading it felt like sitting on the beach with a mai tai and enjoying the ocean breeze dancing over my skin.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for the review copy! I have actually never read anything from this author before but I could not help myself with a desire to dive into something light and resort themed, it's a theme I do love. This book was just what I expected so that's a win, it isn't an amazingly deft read but it is fun, filled with some extra character depth and twists/mysteries than I expected (which did not muddy the plot too much), and a light touch that made this a perfectly fun, breezy read, just what I was looking for and expecting! The multi narrator style was also a win for me, it added to the sense that I was at the resort and being in the experience of each character, which is what set this up as a stronger than expected audiobook for me!

3.5 star plot, 4.0 audiobook experience!

Summer starts with MKA so with this I’m officially in beach read season!! This book has all the hallmarks of a classic MKA summer book: mystery, romance, complicated families, and strong female protagonists. 🙌🏻 I really enjoyed it, even if it did make me wish I was on a warm beach right now. Thanks to Macmillan audio for the copy via NetGalley. I enjoyed the audiobook! The book comes out on May 7!

Mary Kay’s book is full of wonderful and likable characters. The plot was super fun! Something about it gives me a modern great gatsby vibe but I was super into it! I still have a few unanswered questions in the end but I can only speculate! Or start a book club to try and figure out the answers!
This is my first Mary book and I would love to read more!

Widowed Traci Eddings is the proprietress of The Saint an exclusive resort owned by her deceased husband’s family. As she struggles to keep his beloved hotel afloat, she deals with her conniving brother-in-law, disgruntled staff, and a series of mysteries that lead to the death of someone she loves.

The story is also narrated by various staffers who live in the on-site staff dormitory and a man in town to solve a crime from the past. There are lots of subplots, including a romance and 2 murder mysteries, but the heart of this novel is about Traci reclaiming her life and her hotel.

Why I Liked it: I’m a sucker for a resort setting, and since I read this one on my recent spring break, the vibes were vibing. While the large cast of characters was a struggle at first, I quickly got them straight and found value in each of their perspectives.

Kick off the summer with Mary Kay Andrews newest novel Summers at the Saint! Told with MKA's southern sass and charm, this novel packs a punch with all the big theme's...romance, mystery and murder.

Everyone on the Georgia coast knows if you grew up vacationing at The Saint, you came from the right side of the river and if you didn't, well you were an "Ain't." Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. That's where she met her late husband Hoke and her best "estranged" friend Shannon. After Hoke's death Traci inherits her fair share of problems at The Saint and the mysteries begin to unravel triple fold! Can anyone at The Saint be trusted?

Filled with laugh out loud moments, the pacing is brisk and the plot twists and turns will keep you guessing!

Special thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance reader copy. Available May 4th.

Traci Eddings whole life is the Saint Cecelia Hotel. She started out as a worker, and then became an owner/ manager. This summer, Traci has to deal with family strife, friendships fractured and mended, and the murder of a much loved girl. Will
The Saint ever be what Traci needs or wants it to be? With tenacity, love and friendship it can and will. Mary Kay Andrews is the best at telling this southern quirky mystery tales. Another fabulous book. Excellent narration! Kathleen McInerney is one of my all time favorite narrators. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Mary Kay Andrews for the advance ebook.

Summers at the Saint
This book takes place at the St. Cecelia it is a fancy family owned hotel. When Traci who is left unexpectedly widowed with half of the hotel to run, with her not so willing partner brother in law fighting against her every step of the way. Traci is forced to do so much of the work herself as well as keeping her brother in law at bay and has her ailing father in laws secrets are looming over her head as well. When the new season is coming new staff needed to be hired and housed. Traci looked to make all accommodations for the summer at the hotel so the new season could be “great”. She had a new dorm built and hired new people to work at The Saint. Her brother in law became even more of an unwilling partner as the story continues on. You find out the twists later in the story. He does not want to do any of this and makes for many messes along the way. There are so many fun past stories and characters that come back up and intertwine with new stories. The excitement of this book didn’t disappoint. I loved the mystery of the characters and each of their backstories were so much fun to figure out. I could not wait to read on to see if I could guess what the character was about and what they did, why they did it and could not wait for the explanations! The characters I found some very endearing some of them were just very interesting. While others you loved to hate. I highly recommend this book. I listened in audio and really enjoyed my time spent with these characters. Thank you NetGallery for an early copy of this book. #NetGallery

4 stars

While I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, the audio fell a little flat for me. I wouldn’t say, I disliked the narrator, but she just isn’t my favorite. Her voice is a little sing-songy.. Still a fun story, and a great summer read. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley!

Traci Eddings has spent her summers at the Saint since she was a teen. Unlike the wealthy people in the area Traci spent her summers working as a lifeguard at the Saint as a teen. Then she met her husband there and married into the owning family of the resort and holdings. Finding herself widowed, she is now the one managing the Saint hotel, and ensuring its success. However, she cannot seem to understand why the Saint is not turning a profit. Following Covid, she has struggled to keep staff, and is now determined to have a successful summer season. She builds a staff dorm, and convinces her college graduate niece to work at the hotel over the summer. Everything seems to be going to planned, except when one of the staff after parties gets out of hand, and the resort wakes up to discover a dead body. Now Traci must work with her resources to find out what happened, and how to save the Saint.

This was an enjoyable fast paced mystery with plenty of twits and turns drama and action. To me this would be a great summer read to keep your interest and to keep you guessing. I enjoyed the novel and the story, despite there being more than enough difficult characters. The audio production was executed well, and the narrators were enjoyable to listen.

First I want to thank Net Galley for the audiobook ARC. Next I want to let you all know that I am a long time fan of Mary Kay Andrews. I have always read her books and I wasn't sure if I would like her books as she transitioned from romance to mystery. I am happy to say that I have loved the more mystery themed books just as much as the romance novels. This book has a major mystery, some minor mysteries, and a great cast of characters. It's set in a hotel resort so both the staff and the guests add to the fun. The writing is well done (as always) so the read is smooth and fast. This will be great for lovers of cozy mysteries but will also make a great beach read. Just a really enjoyable book!

I liked that this was more a mystery than a romance, like it was categorized as. The author kept you guessing and threw in some curve balls. I definitely couldn't stop listening even though the narrator did a horrible job.

Right from the start, the story grabs your attention with its mix of mystery and charm. Traci, along with many interesting characters, navigates the resort's history and hidden secrets. The story blends a murder mystery with the challenges of running a fancy resort after a big crisis, keeping you hooked until the end.

Even though there are many characters, the story moves along quickly, making it easy to read. Some parts might feel a bit sudden, but the overall mystery and relationships make up for it.

At its heart, this book is about Traci's strength and the friendships she forms during tough times. She becomes the soul of the Saint Cecilia, fighting to keep its legacy alive while uncovering the truth behind the mysteries.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook ARC.

This book had a lot of moving parts and they all came together so well. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Well done.

This is a great story about an elite resort on its own island. It's become very expensive for the help to live locally so the CEO of the resort has noticed that she's losing key staff and it's extremely hard to bring new people in. She decides to update a rundown storage building into a dorm. Tracey, the CEO, is a fairly recent widow and has issues with her in-laws who own the resort.. As the story progresses, the reader begins to learn about how rotten things are at the resort.

This book is packed with descriptions of dealing with a resort; its rich guests and members, staffing issues, and so on. But the real, but hidden issues are revealed slowly. When a death takes place, at the resort, the mysteries start to become apparent to Tracey.

The book wraps up by revealing all that has been happening below the polished facade of the resort. A tangle of lies, conspiracies, and unlikely co-conspirators are unraveled by the end of the book.

Mary Kay Andrews is the queen on contemporary romance mystery. Summers at the Saint doesn't deviate from her typical style with its intriguing murder mystery, strong female characters, and a light romance. Summers at the Saint is entertaining and a quick read. Of course, the audiobook version is always done well. I have everyone one of her books and I highly recommend everyone of her titles.

Thank you for the advance copy.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. In this story, the Saint Cecelia Resort, known as the Saint is the star location. The Saint is a luxury resort off the coast of Georgia. It gives me vibes of the Cloisters Resort on Sea Island, off the coast of Georgia. One summer Traci and her BFF Shannon work as lifeguards at the resort. Traci falls in love with the son of the owner and eventually marries him. Meanwhile Shannon gets fired and stops speaking to Traci. Fast forward 20 years and Traci is now the widowed owner of the Saint and trying to restore the resort to its former glory. They are losing money despite full bookings and packed restaurants. On top of the money concerns, there is also an investigator poking into an old scandal regarding a drowning at the resort twenty years ago, and then there is a murder. Traci, with the help of a landscaper begins looking into what is happening at the resort and the murder. Also, a couple of the new summer hires also start looking into the death.

I wish there was more communication between the teams looking into the mystery at the Saint. They were all on the same side. Some of the characters act in an unbelievable fashion. I really rooted for Traci, and Shannon, and Shannon's daughter, but this book at 400 pages is a bit too long and really would have benefitted from tighter editing. I was disappointed in the first 25% of the book and almost did not finish. I'm glad I did and I give this 3 stars. Thank you to Net Galley and @macmillanaudio for the ARC.

Traci Eddings has dreamed of The Saint ever since she was a little girl. Now, she is running the hotel. However, since the death of her husband, the owner's son, and the pandemic, The Saint is losing money. Traci is determined to turn things around this summer. But when her niece and best employee, mysteriously dies, she must deal with heartbreak yet again. This was a great story, told from multiple points of view. And just when you think you know what happened, there's a twist.