Don’t let the cover fool you. This is not the laid-back beach read you might be expecting. Mary Kay Andrews weaves a tale of mystery, a balance of unsavory vs likable characters and of course, a little romance.

There are quite a few storylines in this one book, but it somehow worked for me. I enjoyed the back and forth, the mysteries that enfolded and trying to figure out how it would all come together. Crimes committed, long buried secrets, mending fences, wrongs righted. Another fun, quick read by MKA.

If you are looking for something different than the light beach read, give this book a try. Thanks to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion. ( )

"Summer at the Saint" is a captivating tale set against the backdrop of the iconic St. Cecelia hotel on the Georgia coast. Mary Kay Andrews skillfully crafts a story of resilience, friendship, and redemption as Traci Eddings navigates the challenges of restoring the hotel to its former glory while contending with personal and professional obstacles. With its richly drawn characters and intricate plot, this novel is a delightful blend of humor, drama, and romance that keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Andrews' vivid descriptions and keen observations of human nature make "Summer at the Saint" a beach read with depth and heart, perfect for those who enjoy immersive storytelling with a touch of mystery and nostalgia. ( )

Half murder mystery, half family drama, this was the first book I've read by the author and she didn't disappoint. I originally picked up Summers at the Saint for a beach read and, while the island resort setting is beachy, the plot was a little darker than expected. No matter, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It took a couple of chapters to get oriented, but once you get your bearings, the novel is hard to put down.

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The St. Cecilia, known as “the Saint”, is a sprawling pink themed resort that caters to only the wealthiest on a private island on the coast of Georgia. Under that lavish, polished exterior, however, all is not what it seems.

Those who stay here are known as “the Saints”; the townies who can’t afford to and only work there are the “Ain’ts”. Lifeguard Traci Eddings was an Ain’t until the boss’s son fell in love with and married her. Widowed when he was killed in a plane crash, Traci now tirelessly runs the resort, trying to continue it’s legacy and save it from financial difficulties. She is often at odds with her unscrupulous brother-in-law who never accepted her into the family. As she strives to staff the resort for the summer, there seems to be something nefarious going on and when someone ends up dead, there is that mystery to solve, along with what is going on with complaints of inferior supplies, as well as what really happened when a young child drown there many years ago. Oh, and, there may be a new man in her life as well!

Mary Kay Andrews is a popular author and this is the first book of hers that I have read. Despite the length, it was a fast, very engrossing read. A multi layered story, some of it was predictable, other times there were surprises. Genre bending and contemporary, there was mystery, family drama, and some romance. I liked how the first few chapters introduced the main players and their stories before pulling them together and I loved the setting. This was a pleasing read, perfect for days at the beach! ( )

I'll have to tell you one thing: I will be turning around and re-reading this book quite soon. There are so many plots and sub-plots that sometimes it gets to be a little too much. But the more I read, the more enthralled I became with this novel. I got so caught up in everything that was going on that I just couldn't put this book down.

I must admit that Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorite authors, but I will let you know right here that I don't always LOVE her books. This I indeed did!

The only tiny problem I had (and I admit that it is my problem alone) is that there was so much young adult issues going on and I'm a little too old to understand some of the lingo etc. Oh well, that's all on me!

Murder, theft, arson, financial difficulties, and possible love connections make this a perfect beach read. I have to admit that I didn't finally figure out who was behind all these machinations until the last quarter or so of this book.

I loved this book and can't wait to re-read it...slowly! ( )