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Summers at the Saint: A Novel Paperback – May 7 2024
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"Andrews perfectly balances the second chance-romance with the twisty mystery against a beachy backdrop that will please any armchair traveler." --Publishers Weekly
"A fun, heart-warming, and intriguing summer read. For readers who’d enjoy a blend of friendships (old and new), budding romance, and secrets held within the walls of a hotel that needs rescuing, as in Elin Hilderbrand’s The Hotel Nantucket." --Library Journal
Book your summer escape with a "mesmerizing mix of mystery and romance" (Publishers Weekly, starred) from the New York Times bestselling author of The Homewreckers and The Newcomer.
Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .
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.
- Print length448 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherSt. Martin's Press
- Publication dateMay 7 2024
- Dimensions15.5 x 2.6 x 23.6 cm
- ISBN-10125036115X
- ISBN-13978-1250361158
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“[A] mesmerizing mix of mystery and romance . . . Andrews’s expert exploration of complex family dynamics, hidden secrets, and class divisions in a small resort town add authenticity to the gripping mystery and swoony romance. Series fans and newcomers alike will be riveted.” –Publishers Weekly, starred review
"A fun, heart-warming, and intriguing summer read. For readers who’d enjoy a blend of friendships (old and new), budding romance, and secrets held within the walls of a hotel that needs rescuing, as in Elin Hilderbrand’s The Hotel Nantucket." --Library Journal
“A mix of scandal and humor follows one woman’s quest to bring a historic hotel back to glory.” --Southern Living
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : St. Martin's Press (May 7 2024)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 448 pages
- ISBN-10 : 125036115X
- ISBN-13 : 978-1250361158
- Item weight : 480 g
- Dimensions : 15.5 x 2.6 x 23.6 cm
- Best Sellers Rank: #1,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #150 in Domestic Life in Women's Fiction
- #218 in Contemporary Women's Fiction
- #877 in Contemporary Romance (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
MARY KAY ANDREWS is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 novels (including Bright Lights, Big Christmas; The Homewreckers; The Santa Suit; The Newcomer; Hello, Summer; Sunset Beach; The High Tide Club; The Weekenders; Beach Town; Save the Date; Christmas Bliss; Ladies' Night; Spring Fever; and Summer Rental, all from St. Martin's Press, as well as The Fixer Upper; Deep Dish; Savannah Breeze; Blue Christmas; Hissy Fit; Little Bitty Lies; and Savannah Blues, all Harper Collins), and one cookbook, The Beach House Cookbook.
A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, she earned a B.A. in journalism from The University of Georgia (go Dawgs!). After a 14-year career working as a reporter at newspapers including The Savannah Morning News, The Marietta Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she spent the final ten years of her career, she left journalism in 1991 to write fiction.
Her first novel, Every Crooked Nanny, was published in 1992 by HarperCollins. She went on to write ten critically acclaimed mysteries, including the Callahan Garrity mystery series, under her real name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. In 2002, she assumed the pen name Mary Kay Andrews with the publication of Savannah Blues. In 2006, Hissy Fit became her first New York Times bestseller, followed by dozens more New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestsellers. To date, her novels have been published in German, Italian, Polish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Dutch, Czech and Japanese.
She and her family divide their time between Atlanta and Tybee Island, GA, where they cook up new recipes in their restored beach homes, The Breeze Inn and Ebbtide—both named after fictional places in Mary Kay’s novels, and both available to rent through Tybee Vacation Rentals. In between cooking, spoiling her grandkids, and plotting her next novel, Mary Kay is an intrepid treasure hunter whose favorite pastime is junking and fixing up old houses.
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Traci Eddings is the widow of one of the co-owners of The Saint. A prestigious summer club that caters to the rich. After Traci’s husband dies in a tragic plan accident she is left to keep The Saint not only in business but thriving.
Traci’s brother in law Ric has long resented Traci and his brother for marrying her. They are constantly at odds on how to manage The Saint. Traci’s beloved niece Parrish (Ric’s daughter) agrees to take on the guest relations job for the summer to help them out.
After another tragic death on The Saint’s property, Traci finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation that could involve some her employees. In addition to the police investigation, Traci is also trying to figure out why The Saint is seeming to always lose money even thought the hotel is sold out and their sales are up.
This book is an excellent mix of women’s fiction, mystery, drama and romance intertwined. It’s told in multiple POV and there is a lot going on but somehow the author manages to make it easy to follow along. This is a 4.5 rounded to 5 for me!
At the heart of the story is Traci Eddings, a widow determined to restore the Saint to its former glory despite facing myriad challenges, from staff shortages to familial betrayal. Andrews’ journalistic background shines through as she skillfully crafts a multi-layered plot filled with twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats until the very end.
What sets “Summers at the Saint” apart is its rich cast of characters, each with their own secrets and motivations. Through multiple points of view and a series of well-executed flashbacks, Andrews brings these characters to life, making it impossible not to become emotionally invested in their fates.
But perhaps the true strength of the novel lies in its portrayal of female relationships. From Traci’s bonds with her friends and family to the camaraderie among the Saint’s staff, Andrews captures the power of women supporting women in a way that feels both authentic and uplifting.
The Narration:
I had the pleasure of experiencing the audiobook version of “Summers at the Saint,” narrated by Kathleen McInerney. Her exceptional performance breathed life into Andrews’ characters, providing distinct voices for each and enhancing the overall listening experience.
Final Thoughts:
“Summers at the Saint” is a must-read for fans of women’s fiction and mystery alike. With its compelling storylines, well-developed characters, and evocative setting, it’s a book that lingers in the mind long after the final page is turned. Whether you choose to read the print version or listen to the audiobook, you’re in for a treat.
4.5 stars (rounded up to 5)
Thank you to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC of the book and audiobook. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.
Mystery “lite”
Thriller “lite”
Beach read “lite”
It’s like a whole host of genres mashed together in a Beachy summer read. But don’t assume when I say “lite” that the author hasn’t dug into some triggers because there are some to acknowledge in this one.
I actually think this is the first of the authors I’ve read and yet I’ve been following her for years with the Friends & Fiction podcast (and all her friend’’s books are auto buy for me). So shame on me because it was lite enough to feel like a lite read but deep enough that i wanted more.
The story follows Traci who is now managing an exclusive resort called the Saint. Her beloved husband died in a plane crash and the hotel is bleeding money but she won’t stop fighting to find a way to bring it back to the shiny little escape she used to look at from outside… and the one she now runs.
Cue a death on site, family nastiness and a bunch of young adults with heart and nastiness… you’re just gonna have to read it to find out which one is which!
Totally surprised me how much I enjoyed this.
“Those rich kids, they’re Saints. Y’all are just Ain’ts”
The setting is an exclusive hotel on the coast of southern Georgia. St Cecelia, affectionately known as The Saint. At the beginning of the story, I was slightly worried because there are a lot of characters introduced very quickly. But, happily, they are easy to track as they each get involved with the others very quickly. The plot becomes quite convoluted but MKA's simple writing style makes it easy to follow.
A lot happens in this book. We experience a tangled web of extortion, blackmail, arson, theft, murder and scandal. What more could a reader want? Oh yes, there is also a bit of romance. We meet characters we like, we dislike and some that we are uncertain of.
As always, with MKA, The Saint is a perfect beach or airplane book. Easy to read and interesting. I couldn't wait to see how it would turn out but I didn't want it to end. Dilemma!!!