Summers at the Saint
Mary Kay Andrews

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🎧 audiobook review

Thank you @Macmillan.audio @netgalley for this audio copy!

Behind this beach cover, is an entertaining read!! Full of murder, mystery, humor unexpected twists and turns and add in a dash of romance. The pacing was a tad slow in the beginning but by the last 100 pages or so I ATE IT UP! Loved all the characters Mary Kay wrote especially Traci, Livvi and Felice. I really enjoyed the audio narration of this as well.

Add this to your summer tote to read by the beach! 🏖️

This was a perfect cozy summer mystery. There was some intrigue, but nothing too crazy. A comfortable mystery, where everything gets tied up in a neat bow. The characters were somewhat predictable, but in a good way. More like reading about people you already know. There were some cheesy parts, but overall, I enjoyed it.

I always look forward to a Mary Kay Andrews book, she has the ability to make me cry or laugh while feeding me a great mystery. Her summer releases are always a favorite. Maybe. I do love a good holiday story and hers are the most merry!

Summers At The Saint, her newest book was once again a winner with me. It was a fantastic beachy summer read, but it also had a bit of heaviness included within it to keep it from being too fluffy.

The St. Cecilia, or the Saint as it is know by the rich clientele that summer there sets on the coast of Georgia. Traci Eddings owns it, inheriting it from her husband when he died. She is struggling trying to keep it a float, but she has a lot that is working against her, mainly her late husbands family. The descriptions of the hotel, from the front receiving area to the kitchens all painted a vibrant picture of where you were.

All the characters in the book, and there were plenty, from the family to the summer workers, were well written and thought out. Traci was not from a rich family, she spent her summers there as a lifeguard at the hotels pool, but ended up marrying the bosses son. There is certainly a class struggler's between her and her dead husbands family.

The mystery has been unsolved for decades, and it has a surprise twist that I will confess I did not figure out. It is a great little who done it that added plenty of intrigue to the family drama.

I read and also listened to this book, which made the 400 plus book go by quickly ( everyone who knows me know I do not like a book that roams over 350 pages ), but I feel like it was a fast paced book either way. The narrator Kathleen McInerney made the listening pleasurable with her smooth and silky voice,

Summer At The Saint is fun and entertaining and it is the perfect summer read for everyone.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audiobook format. The narrator was great and the flow and pacing was excellent. The characters were interesting and as was the plot. This is one of the best Mary Kay Andrews books I have read. I liked that it also had a lot mystery in addition to the romance portion of the book. The setting was also a draw for me as it was a beach location and a 5 star hotel which I thought was interesting which added some quirky characters as well. Overall, a great read. I liked the audiobook better for a Mary Kay Andrews book better than book format.

This was the very first MKA book I ever read, though I've heard of her before. This was advertised as a 'summer' read, which I interpret to mean fun, which is something that was also reflected in how I interpreted the cover. I don't necessarily gravitate towards 'summer' or 'beach' reads, so I wasn't sure what to expect; still, Summers at the Saint was not at all what I was expecting. I didn't understand it was going to be a mystery/thriller with real danger (drugs, alcohol, explosions!). I think if I had those expectations going in I would have enjoyed it more. Namely,
the beginning where we met all of the characters one by one (and there are so many!) felt very slow and made me lose interest at first. That said, the story was quite masterful at blending all of the elements together in a way I didn't expect.

Lastly, I did not enjoy the small romance. I found the male character's behavior icky (though believable), and while I wanted the MC to be happy, I didn't want these two together.

I really enjoyed this novel, by Mary Kay Andrews. This is only my second from this author, and I found it to be a really entertaining read. The characters were all unique, and the story propelled itself quickly. It is a hard novel to determine the genre- general fiction, meets thriller/mystery, meets family drama, meets women's fiction....?!
The cover is a bit misleading, as this one isn't a beach read. I would definitely recommend to readers who enjoy a complex mystery, filled with depth and interesting characters!

This book took me places I definitely wasn’t expecting. Based on the cover I was expecting a light beach read. Though it definitely has aspects of that it touches on so many dark subjects. And it is full of twisty family dynamics that will keep you guessing. A bit of soap opera in a book I would say:
All in all I would definitely like to spend a summer at The Saint……just not as part of their staff.

I received a ARC of this title. All opinions are my own.

I read the audiobook of this and I think the narration just was my favorite. I really even thought about DNFing it and just moving on but then about 40% in it started to get super interesting. I liked the characters and the complicated subplots that all came together, but there was something about it that just didn’t hold my attention well.

I started this book thinking it would be a light-hearted family drama set at a summer resort. After finishing this one, it’s hard for me to put this in one genre - there’s some romance, some humor, lots of different mysteries (present and past) going on. But it’s also got dark undertones that I was not expecting. And a murder. I was not expecting a murder mystery at all!

If you know these story elements going in - I think you’ll like this one. From a mystery perspective, it’s really interesting - what tore Traci and her best friend apart over twenty years ago? And was the long-ago drowning an accident? Events from the past mix with struggles in the present as Traci works to get the hotel on solid footing again.

I will say this one was difficult for me to get into at the beginning. Aside from my whole genre misunderstanding, there’s a lot packed into this book. The early chapters spend time rotating through a large cast of characters to set up the story. I listened to the audiobook, and sometimes it was a bit of a struggle at the beginning to keep track of the characters. Once the book got going, I enjoyed the narration and the mystery elements.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio for the advance copy of this one!

3.5⭐️

Big thank you to NetGalley & MacMillan audio for the ALC copy of this cute szummer mystery!
This one is out now!!!

The cover for this one is absolutely adorable and so fun for summer!
I really enjoyed the storyline of this. I thought that it was a tad predictable on how it would play out and wrap up, but it was still an enjoyable read.
I thought the characters were perfect for this story and the audio was done so well that it really drew me in to them!

Definitely a fun, pool day read!

Thank you to #partner @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy of this audiobook! #macaudio2024

Can you believe, this was my first @marykayandrews book?! I can’t either but I have quite a few more on my shelves and one or two are definitely going in my bag for our cruise in a few weeks! I was quickly and easily immersed in the atmosphere of this bougie Georgia beach resort thanks to the impeccable writing and the narrator’s smooth and chipper voice. Based on the cover alone, I went in to this one expecting a fun and fluffy beach read but that is not at all what it is! There is deception, long-buried secrets, a cold case, murder, and a heaping helping of family drama. I was pleasantly surprised and could not stop listening!

If you haven’t picked up a Mary Kay Andrews book yet, definitely start with this one! I’ll be recommending this one all summer long!

This was a DNF for me. I found the characters, while I don’t believe were written to be likeable made it intolerable to continue reading.

I didn’t feel like the narrator for the audiobook added to the story. I found the voice to be a tad grating.

Thank you for the copy. I wish I had enjoyed it more.

Summers at the Saint is a great summer beach read, as it has the perfect balance of romance, suspense, and family drama. However, did struggle in the beginning while the author was laying the backstory of each individual. The pace quickly picks up when tragedies start plaguing the hotel and it's owner Traci Eddings. The reader is left wondering what's gonna happen next and if everything will work out for Mrs. Eddings and her employees. I enjoyed the book, but one of the downfalls of several story lines is you must pay close attention or you may miss an important detail. This is especially essential for the audiobook. However, the narrator does a wonderful job for the audio version distinguishing between the character's voices so it isn't monotonous and boring. I received the audiobook as an ARC in exchange for my opinion.

This may be my favorite #MKA book yet! Dare I say?

I was honored to have read an early copy.

I love the creative cast Mary Kay created for what’s another of her five star reads!
The character development & introduction of the key players individually at the beginning is really great! As the story further unraveled, pieces of each character were peeled back to learn more than we originally knew in the beginning.

I adored the characters, Parrish & Olivia. I especially loved the bond I share with Parrish of watching Friends episodes at night trying to fall asleep.

Thrown into this enchanting summer read is a murder that rocked me.

I must admit, I’d be an “ain’t!”

As usual, Kathleen McInerney dazzled with her narration of the latest MKA book!

Told with #MaryKayAndrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, & eye for delicious detail about human nature, #SummersattheSaint is a #beachread with depth & heart.

Thank you so much to Mary Kay Andrews, St Martins Press, Macmillan audio and NetGalley for my advance copy & audiobook! All opinions are my own.

I was disappointed with this book. I didn’t feel engaged with it at all. I felt like the writing and dialogue between characters was very immature.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5 Stars
Happy pub day to Mary Kay Andrews and Summers at the Saints! Thank you to @marykayandrews, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen 🎧 to this book for an honest review.

📅 Tuesday, May 7, 2024 was the pub date for Summers at the Saint. 📅

🎧The narrator for this audiobook is Kathleen McInerney.🎧

I do love a good Mary Kay Andrews read. She is on my auto-buy and auto-read lists. From a girl born and raised in the south, I can confirm that she captures southern flare beautifully in each and every work!

Summers at the Saint did not disappoint in any capacity. I loved the typical southern appeal with Mary Kay’s splash of mystery and whodunnit. It’s the perfect summer read. As a matter of fact, I suggest that you read it poolside with your favorite cocktail!

Everyone in Georgia knows The Saint Cecelia as “The Saint”. It draws the wealthiest clientele and historically has had a highly competitive hiring process. However, The Saint has struggled financially over the past few years and they are faced with offering enhanced employee benefits such as onsite housing. The Saint is the best place to vacation and work. Every summer is sinfully sweet except the two in which deaths happened on the property. It’s amazing to see who knows what and who is connected to one another. What other shady happenings can be happening right under the owner’s nose? Pick up the book to find out. It’s definitely worth the read and may even surprise you a time or two!

Summertime ~ Hotel life ~ Family ~ Secrets ~ Strong Women ~ Coastal Georgia ~ Social classes ~ Romance & Love ~ Murder ~ Financial ruin ~ Siblings ~ Well-written characters ~ Beautiful backdrop ~ Audiobook ~ Must read for MKA fans

I highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book was released 07 May 2024.

This is powerful book. You will feel a whirlwind of emotions. You will watch a group of unlikely friends become each others everything, as people like to call their ride or die friends. It follows a path of friends from college into adulthood and through life events and self discovery. You will be crying with them and cheering them on through each journey they take. You will want to visit the places, see the views, and enjoy the food and drinks. It is a very inspiring story of of 4 unlikely people becoming everything they dream possible and more.

*Beawre of tigger warnings for sucide, mental health, lose and addiction. *

I’m an occasional reader of Mary Kay Andrews and thought Summers at The Saint looked like a fun book to kick off my summer reading. It was ... but I was surprised this is a murder mystery. It’s set at the beginning summer on the grounds of a luxury resort named the St. Cecelia on the Georgia coast. “The Saint” has been owned and operated by several generations of the Eddings family, and the story is told from management’s perspective. It was interesting to learn about the “behind the scenes” aspects of running The Saint, and the sense of place is strong with detailed descriptions of food, amenities, and furnishings.

The plot includes many dramatic elements including family secrets, rich people behaving badly, rivalries, and romance. There’s a contemporary nod to Dirty Dancing with young resort employees living on the grounds in staff housing. This novel is long (450 pages) even at 1.75 speed, and it mostly held my attention. The audiobook, expertly narrated by Kathleen McInerney, felt like a movie in my mind.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for access to the advanced listening copy of the audiobook.

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT
Mary Kay Andrews

This is your sign from the universe telling you that just because a popular author is liked by many doesn’t mean they are going to be liked by you. The only difference between your and Tiffany’s reading experience is you.

Don’t let Tiffany pick the books you read.

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT is about a resort, Traci, the owner of the resort, and it’s about a class structure (the SAINTS and the AINTS), you either are or you ain’t,

Traci must have a great summer season to save herself and her hotel. She has a reputation to uphold and a sneaky family member to keep on her watchlist. To complicate things, she just hired her ex-besties daughter which is its own box of trouble.

Will she save herself? Will she save the resort?

I was stuck on a 10-hour flight in a tight seat and chose this to listen to.

That was a mistake but not my first one. It felt torturous listening to the audiobook and the combination of being confined to a sitting position while listening felt like it would never end. If I had died on the flight and SUMMERS AT THE SAINT was the last book, I ever read my elders would assuredly roll over in their graves.

My first mistake was not reading the synopsis or checking out any other books by Andrews before requesting this one. I wanted an escape, something set on hot summery days, maybe an even hotter summer fling, anything but this.

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copies!

SUMMERS AT THE SAINT…⭐⭐