Robin’s Rave Reviews 2024Â 
What a treat to read an advanced reader copy (ARC) of SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews!
This book is just fabulous! I love it so much that I did a thing. I wrote to the author directly! Although I write a lot of reviews, I seldom write to the author personally. Even after decades of writing, Mary Kay Andrews just keeps getting better and better! She makes something so difficult (writing a book that hooks the reader) look so easy.
So let’s talk about SUMMERS AT THE SAINT!
Summary
Summertime, beach resort, romance, mystery…and murder.
The St. Cecelia resort, nicknamed “The Saint,” welcomes the rich who vacation there year after year on the Georgia coast. The people who can afford to stay here are called the Saints. Locals are the Ain’ts.
Traci, one of the Ain’ts who worked as a teenage lifeguard at the hotel, ended up marrying one of the owner’s sons. Now widowed, she’s the owner of the hotel. Her ruthless brother-in-law Ric is appalled that his brother’s death left Traci as the owner of the hotel part of the business. He is a constant thorn in her side while she’s trying to bring The Saint back to a 5-star hotel after Covid caused financial troubles and staffing issues.Â
Those aren’t Traci’s only troubles. An accidental drowning from years ago comes back to haunt her. She and her friend Shannon were the lifeguards on duty when it happened. Now, when another tragic death occurs on the grounds, Traci is barely holding it all together. She’s also beginning to realize so much more is going on behind the scenes at the hotel. However, the possibility of romance adds some relief to the craziness in Traci’s life.
My Thoughts
I expected SUMMERS AT THE SAINT to be a women’s fiction/romance/ beach read. It is, but it’s so much more! Cozy mystery readers will also love this one.
It was a light, easy-read story with twists and turns you won’t see coming. Filled with juicy secrets, family discord, shady deals, murder, past indiscretions, strong females, misplaced trust, new employees with all their “baggage,” and a side dish of romance, you’ll need to set aside time for this one. Once you start it, you’ll put everything else on hold.
Right when I thought I understood everything that was going on at The Saint, MKA threw in a new detail or twist. I kept wondering how deep she would go! Could she possibly come up with another unexpected turn?
At first I was concerned about the large cast of characters and keeping them straight. Silly me. The writing was in the hands of a master. Not only could I keep them straight, they were all necessary to the story. Every time I thought I had the whole picture of how all the characters were intertwined, Mary Kay would throw in another twist. Don’t let the introduction of all the characters discourage you from reading on.
Reserve your spot at The Saint and put SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews on your 2024 summer reading list. The pub date is coming up — May 7, 2024. Did you know it REALLY helps an author if you pre-order? You can pre-order from any bookstore, but I like to support independent bookstores here through bookshop.org.Â
Book Tour
If you live in NE Ohio like me, register to meet MKA in person and have her sign your book. She’ll be at the Parma-Powers Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library on Tuesday, May 14 at 7 PM. I’ll be there! Register here. For other tour stops, click here.
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FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN is about love, friendship, family (by blood and by choice), destiny, and the choices we make. It’s a story with heart and soul. Be prepared. You’ll want to book a trip to Michigan after you read it!
Interesting fact