Unfortunately, this one was not my favorite. First, I feel that this book could be at least half of the length it is. Even listening to the audio, which clocks in at 14 1/2 hours, was a job. The narrators are great, the audio quality is overall really good. But, I felt like with this genre + plot it definitely could’ve been a lot shorter. The overall premise is good, and had high hopes to be promising. But unfortunately fell short for me. There were a TON of characters, and a lot of little sub plots that felt difficult to keep up with. I’m sad that I didn’t enjoy this one as it was my first Mary Kay Andrews, but this won’t turn me away from trying her books again!

Great summer beach read. Loved the history of The Saint and the mystery that surrounded it. A little too predictable but again, as a summer read it fit the bill. Will be recommending it to patrons.

cute little summer read. started off a little slow and took a little to get into it, but once it picked up a little bit, it gave a nice cozy feeling.

Summers at the Saint was my first Mary Kay Andrews book. Though I read the description, I went into this thinking it would be more of a light-hearted read. I was pleasantly surprised to be incorrect. There was certainly some light-heartedness, but there was also suspense and a murder mystery as well as a few secondary mysteries. While in the beginning I was a bit confused attempting to understand who's who and keep the characters straight, after listening for a few chapters, my understanding of the characters came together and I appreciated a little back story and the characters' overall development. The pace was steady, and I was sucked into the several different storylines. 3.5 stars rounded up to five. I'm looking forward to my next MKA read!

I appreciated Kathleen McInerney's narrations. She was very pleasant to listen to, and her voice was perfect for this novel set in Georgia.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews, and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Don’t let the cute cover fool you, this book centers on a murder mystery at the St. Cecelia landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia.

The main character is Traci Eddings, a former townie who married the boss’s son. Traci’s husband dies and she finds herself part owner of the hotel. The family isn’t exactly nice to her even though she is working hard to save the failing business. When past secrets resurface, Traci has more than a failing hotel on her hands.

I really enjoyed the mix of mystery and romance layered with complex relationships and old secrets. I also liked the beautiful setting; the St Cecilia hotel is a place I’d love to visit!

I thought the mystery plot was somewhat predictable, but overall enjoyed this book.

If you are looking for a book that is a more complex beach read, give this audiobook a try!

Summers at the Saint is set at and around the St. Cecelia Hotel on the coast of Georgia. It is lovingly referred to as "The Saint" and those who used to stay there were a "Saint", the others and the workers were an "Ain't". Traci Eddings was an Ain't who worked there and ended up marrying the bosses son. Her husband has died and his father is also at death's door, so she has been doing everything she can to keep the hotel profitable. Unfortunately, her brother-in-law has other plans and is trying to sabotage everything she does. In a last ditch effort, she pulls together a staff to work the summer with plans to turn it around. Someone else is causing problems with staff, and product, but can Traci figure it out. With a long ago drowning, a fire, a death and more, will all the mysteries be solved and Traci be able to save The Saint and her inheritance from her husband.

This is a tough book to categorize. It is women's fiction story, but there is a mystery, some romance, reconciliation and coming of age for some of the workers. The story is told from various POVs as well as some flashbacks. Parrish, Traci's niece plays a huge role in this book. She has no use for her father, and accepts Traci's offer of a position at the hotel. She is a smart cookie and I was rooting for her to sort out who was causing problems and possibly skimming from the hotel. The other two young women who lived in the bunkhouse were also great characters. They wanted the hotel to succeed and did all they could to help. When one of these young women end up dead, the other two begin to investigate what is really going on, putting themselves in danger. With all this going on, Traci meets someone that she finds herself interested in, so there is some chemistry and romance in the air. I really enjoyed this story and the twists that came throughout. Just a warning that there is a lot of swearing in this one, but it is realistic conversation, so I was able to deal with it. I recommend Summer at the Saint for a great summer read. I did a read/listen, but mostly listen as the wonderful Kathleen McInerney was the narrator. I love her voices, tone, expression and storytelling skill. I would listen to her read a cereal box. If you enjoy audiobooks, then I recommend you listen to this one.

This was my first Mary Kay Andrews book even though I have tons on my shelf at home! …. Mainly because of the covers making me want to wait till the summer to read them! :) this was the perfect summer read laying by the pool! I loved the characters and how well of a job she does at describing the setting and making you feel like you’re right there with them! Even though this was my first my this author, it certainly won’t be my last!

Not your typical Mary Kay Andrews I was anticipating her sassy prose and storyline but this was more serious, still an engaging read with all the rich descriptives, interesting characters.

Although I enjoyed this book, I did find that on many occasions, the characters made decisions that made me crazy and I though twere illogical.. Overall though, the narration was good and the story was engaging.

Thank you to NetGalley and the pubisher for this ARC in exhcange for an honet review.

Drama, drama, drama! I can always count on Andrews for a great beach read with a side of murder! I love how I can read her novels and just know they are hers. 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. I loved 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.

"Summers at the Saint" is set in an exclusive resort on the coast of Georgia where a clear class structure is still in place. Those who are guests and members of "The Saint" are referred to collectively as "Saints" and those who work there and live in the nearby blue-collar town are "Aint's."

The resort has been around for decades, and the family that runs it isn't particularly savory, except for Traci Eddings, a young widow who was a local Ain't that married into the family. While she works to restore The Saint to its former glory, she also is a fair and compassionate employer who tries to "do right" by her employees, knowing that they are the lifeblood of the business. Unfortunately, her business partners (her father-in-law and brother-in-law) don't agree. All they're interested in is the bottom line. And right now, The Saint is bleeding money.

As the story unfolds, we're introduced to multiple mysteries, each of which eventually leads to the other. And the closer they get to the answers, the more dangerous it becomes to live or work at The Saint.

Mary Kay Andrews presents a cast of characters that you love to like or like to hate, and each serves their purpose well. The answers slowly reveals themselves as the story unfolds and the pacing is great.

Thank you to Mary Kay Andrews, the publisher, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and Mary Kay Andrews for the opportunity to review Summers at the Saint for an honest review. As with all Mary Kay Andrews books that I have read, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the thriler/mystery aspect of the book, the nostalgic feeling of The Saint and the romance. The characters were engaging and most of them were enjoyable. The audio was spectacular; Kathleen McInerney has such a gift of changing characters that you would think there are many narrators. Such a great story that keeps you engaged through the whole thing. Review also posted to Goodreads.

Oh gosh, where do I start? This book was a ride! It read like a fun vacation read, with dark twists and turns. I loved the character development, and every direction this book took me in. If you are looking for a fun summer mystery, this is it!

Thank you, NetGalley and McMillan audio for the advanced lesson copy of this book!

St. Cecelia is a landmark hotel known as the “Saint.” Tracey was working at the Saint as a teenager when an unfortunate drowning took place. Fast forward and Tracey is now running the Saint after marrying one of the owner’s sons. Now another death has occurred and past and current lies are coming to light. Can Tracey keep the hotel running and solve decades old mysteries, while also protecting those around her?

Mary Kay Andrews does it again. This is an intense story of friendship, love, betrayal and deep family secrets. This will have you sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for the next plot twist.

Kathleen McInerney does a wonderful narration providing multiple voices for all the characters. It was easy to decipher which character was talking and she brought the story to life.

Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews. I went into this book blind and has no idea what I was expecting but this book was so much more than I thought it would be! Mystery, suspense, romance - it had it all! Lots of twists to keep me interested. I loved the narrator! The perfect summer book!

Mary Kay Andrews does it again! I loved this book! A wonderful summer beach read, family drama, and a who-dun-it! This book has it all, along with Kathleen McInerney as its narrator. She does a fantastic job as always with her narration.

I was expecting a fluffy summery book, so I was a bit shocked when I realized there is a murder mystery involved!
I did like how the mystery unravelled and kept me wanting to read to see how it all resolved. I also felt that the ending was satisfying.
I can definitely see a lot of people grabbing this one as a summer book to read by the beach/pool.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mary Kay Andrews, and Macmillan Audio for graciously sending me the audiobook to review. As always, all thoughts are my own.
Sadly, this book was not for me! The setting was lovely, who wouldn't enjoy a beachside resort with all the trimmings? There was so much going on and far too many characters to keep up with!
The story revolves around Traci, the owner of the St. Cecelia Hotel, and her staff navigating a series of challenges during the summer. Right from the start, the hotel is beset by one problem after another. Adding to the intrigue, another death occurs on the premises! Are these events connected? Will Traci succeed in saving the hotel and ensuring its survival?

These summer releases are off to a fantastic start!

I have read a few of Mary-Kay Andrews' books and they are always so enjoyable. This one might just be my favorite so far!

Synopsis:
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 one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair.
Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart.

This book was a roller coaster. It starts out feeling very summer-ey and wholesome, but quickly takes a darker turn when tragedy strikes.

MKA's books always seem to dip into different genres, and this one was no different with themes of mystery, domestic suspense, and a little romance too. She is just such a good story teller and I always get so swept up in the characters. It was a great read! This book is the perfect addition to your summer beach bag. It is a bit longer, so this would be a good one for reading during a summer getaway.

Please note, there is some death and mention of rape so please proceed with caution if these may be sensitive topics for you.

I was not anticipating this book to turn into what it did, but I’m not mad about it. I know that Mary Kay Andrew’s is an author with a lot of experience in her field so that was part of my reasoning for downloading and requesting this book. Summertime is the perfect time for an audiobook and this one kept me interested enough. Would I read it again… probably not, but I’m glad I read it at least once.