Big Book Summer Read: Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

by Donna Huber

Do you love big books? I cannot lie; I loved this big book. Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews is a wonderful summer mystery read. If you didn't add it to your list when Susan review it, you need to put it on your summer reading list now.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

May 2020; St. Martin's Press; 978-1250256928
audio, ebook, print (480 pages); southern fiction

Susan actually introduced me to Mary Kay Andrews and after listening to The High Tide Club, I knew I needed to read more. I'm not much a southern fiction fan, but Andrews's blend of women's fiction, mystery, and light romance is irresistible.

I was sad when I got behind in my reading back in March as it meant that this book got pushed back. But I am glad I got to read it as one of my pool books this summer. There's nothing better than spending a summer afternoon floating in the pool with a good book.

I absolutely loved this cast of characters. Though this is one of the longest books I've read in a while, I was not ready to say goodbye to them when I turned the last page. I hope Andrews re-visit them sometime in the future.

I think it is because I could identify with the characters. Conley wants to make a name for herself, apart from her family, and doesn't want to return to the small town she grew up in. Though her reasons for not returning are different than mine, I get wanting to move on from the past. Then there is her sister Grayson who has stayed behind to take care of not only their elderly grandmother but also run the family business. I don't have a family business to save, but I am the only one of my sisters that lives close to our parents. Speaking of their grandmother, I hope I'm like Lorraine when I'm her age. She is the typical genteel southern woman.

I did have a little trouble remembering that the setting was Florida. It felt like it should have been the coast of Georgia instead of the panhandle of Florida. I don't associate Florida with "old south".

The mystery that Conley is pursuing, as a journalist, is quite compelling. The U.S. Senator for their district is involved in a one-car accident that ends with his fiery death. He's the area's "golden child" and no one wants to look too closely at his life because it might dispel the myth they have built around him. But Conley is determined to uncover the truth.

A beach read wouldn't be complete without a little romance. While home, Conley reconnects with the boy from next door who she had a crush on in high school. He's a great guy and definitely book boyfriend worthy.

If you are looking for a book to keep you entertained, then you need to pick up this book.

Buy Hello, Summer at Amazon

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Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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