Review: The Weekenders by Mary Kay Andrews

As a long-time fan, I look forward to the release of a new Mary Kay Andrews novel each Spring. Admittedly, my favorites go back a few years to Little Bitty Lies, Savannah Blues and Hissy Fit but I'm still enjoying her original and sometimes quirky characters and strong storylines. THE WEEKENDERS was no exception - in fact, it turned out to be more than what I've come to expect. There was a murder involved with more of a who-dunnit quality that I really enjoyed. Here's a quick synopsis . . .

Riley Griggs and her daughter, Maggy are headed to the North Carolina coast for the summer. The small island of Belle Isle was first developed by Riley's ancestors, making her family a fixture in the tight-knit community. Unfortunately, this summer won't be like previous summers because Rile and her husband, Wendell, have some difficult news to share with twelve year-old Maggy. After many months of fighting and basically living separately, they're getting a divorce. The plan is to break the news to their daughter over the Memorial Day weekend, the beginning of their summer retreat on Belle Isle with the rest of her family. But Wendell doesn't show up at the ferry on the designated day they were to meet. At first Riley assumes he's just bailing out on telling Maggy about the divorce but soon, Wendell's body is found in the marina and suddenly things get even more serious. Even as Riley is put on the growing suspect list, she is determined to find out who killed him, even as she learns that he has lost the house on the island due to foreclosure. With the help of her best friend, Parrish, she discovers that losing the house is just the tip of the iceberg. 

My Thoughts:

Over the past several months I've begun reading more books from the suspense and thriller genre and they sometimes get a little dark so I was ready for something more upbeat and less disturbing. Enter THE WEEKENDERS. An added bonus was realizing that even with the 'lighter' content, there was a change from her previous books. The big difference was the mystery aspect of who killed Riley's no-good lying husband. With several suspected characters, there was a lot ot think about while reading. Don't get me wrong, all of her stories are good, but this gave it a little more depth and I appreciated that. Of course, there was the usual romantic element along with friendship and the complications of family that are always prevalent in her books. There was also the more serious subject of juvenile Diabetes which fit nicely into this story and at the same time gave awareness to a growing problem in today's society.  I always love the locales MKA chooses for her novels and this was no exception. Having just moved away from Florida myself, I began missing the beach a little!

This is the perfect beach read for the summer, and for me it was a nice respite from some heaver books I've been reading. I think readers will like the murder mystery element as much as I did. In my opinion, THE WEEKENDERS puts Mary Kay Andrews back on top!

THE WEEKENDERS by Mary Kay Andrews
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Published: May 17, 2016
Print Length: 462:
Source: Publisher

Christmas Bliss by Mary Kay Andrews (Unabridged Audio Version)

It's been a few years since fans of Mary Kay Andrews' partners in crime pals Weezie Foley and Bebe Loudermilk have been heard from. In fact, the last time was in 2006 with her previous Christmas tale, BLUE CHRISTMAS. Readers were first introduced to the duo way back in 2002 in her smash hit SAVANNAH BLUES.

CHRISTMAS BLISS was released in 2013 and picks up with Weezie mere days away from her wedding to chef Daniel and Bebe very pregnant with her first child with beau, Harry, the deep-sea fishing captain. Both women seem to be charting near perfect lives but rough waters are soon on the horizon. As Weezie is making final preparations for her second, and hopefully, last wedding, her fiance is in New York City working as a guest chef in one of the city's premier establishments. As the days go by and the wedding gets closer, Daniel is almost impossible to reach. To make matters worse, newspaper clippings of photos with him and the beautiful owner of the restaurant cause Weezie's insecurities to surface. At the same time, Bebe gets a visit from a mysterious woman indicating that Bebe's divorce from her previous husband and con-man, Richard was never finalized, which means she is still married to him and could legally, according to the laws of the state of Georgia, could be considered her baby's legal father!

While Weezie jets off to NYC to find out what's going on with her fiance and his sexy boss, Bebe is determined to locate Richard and get divorce papers re-filed before Harry finds out she's still married before the baby comes.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE STORY:

Although I always love when MKA brings these two fun characters back, I was a bit disappointed there wasn't a little more substance to the story. I hate even saying that as it is a Christmas-themed book and it was charming in that regard. In the past, Weezie and Bebe have been through some crazy fun adventures and compared to those, this was a bit tame. That being said, I was glad to see both of their relationships moving forward, especially since it's been forever since we've heard form them. The story had all the charm as in previous books with the same fun characters and it was a cute story to read for Christmas time. However, I do hope that MKA won't wait so long to bring them back and maybe with more of an adventurous storyline.

MY THOUGHTS ON THE AUDIO PERFORMANCE:

When this book first came out in 2013, I received a hard copy from the publisher. Unfortunately, I only made it a third of the way through and had to set it aside because it was too difficult for me to read the print in the book. (My eyes had started getting worse at that time). I was very sad I couldn't finish the book then and felt terrible about it.  So earlier this month I used one of my credits at Audible and purchased the audio version so I could listen to it for this Christmas season. Better late then never, I say!

Kathleen McInerney did a good job of bringing these two lovable characters to life and her Southern accent was spot on without going overboard. Though I will say, later on in the book, it started to be a little syruppy for me. I know I'm just being picky and maybe I was a bit frustrated by the lack of adventure in the story, but I have to be honest. I think if there is to be a Weezie and Bebe Mystery Number 5, I will read it reather than listen.

The bottom line is this is a cute, quick Christmas-themed book that I don't regret reading at all. The characters are beloved and I will never give up on them. This book would make a great Christmas present and is perfect for reading on a Christmas break either from school or work.

CHRISTMAS BLISS (Unabridged Audio Version)
Series: Weezie and Bebe Mystery
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published:     October 2013
Length: 7 Hrs 39 Mins
Source: Purchased

It's Release Day for BEACH TOWN by Mary Kay Andrews!

I've been a big fan of Mary Kay Andrews since SAVANNAH BLUES came out in 2002. Her wit and genuine Southern charm that she weaves into her unique stories are what keeps me coming back book after book. 

BEACH TOWN, her new release is centered around Greer, a movie location scout from Los Angeles, and the setting for the book is a small Florida town on the west coast of Florida called Cypress Key. I have a strong inclination that this fictitious little beach town may be patterned after Cedar Key, a real town that I have visited many times and is only about forty-five minutes from my home in Ocala.  As I'm reading the book, I'm imaging my memories of Cedar Key and it's making the book even more real and special for me. I know there really is a place like Ms. Andrews' Cypress Key and it is just how she describes. 

I only received my copy of BEACH TOWN late last week, so I'm still reading, but will finish up later in the week and I'll have my thoughts ready to be posted shortly thereafter. I know it's early but from what I've read so far, I believe it will be THE beach read of the summer! It already has me anxious for a short road trip to the Gulf. 

Congratulations to Mary Kay Andrews on  another winner! 

Review: Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews (Audio Version)

I have been a fan of Mary Kay Andrews' books since way back...SAVANNAH BLUES, and SAVANNAH BREEZE being two of my favorites, so naturally, when she comes out with a new one, I definitely read it. This time, with SUMMER RENTAL, I decided to listen instead. I was already reading a couple printed books and I was looking for something to listen to while cleaning the house and so forth. Besides, now that summer is here, I thought it was the perfect time for this book.

About The Book -
SUMMER RENTAL is the story of three thirty-something women who have been friends since they attended Catholic school together back home in Savannah when they were girls. Dorie still lives in Savannah and teaches at the school, Julia, a model, lives in London with her successful boyfriend and Ellis has been in banking for over a decade while living in Pittsburgh. Though each of them have had successes in there lives, they have each come to a crossroad where decisions must be made for their futures.

The girls have rented a house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to spend the month of August and thanks to Ellis doing all the research and contacting the landlord, Mr. Culpepper, there is only one set-back. Dorie's older sister was supposed to come but cancelled at the last possible minute, so its costing a bit more for each of the girls. This really nags at Ellis, since she's just been laid off from her job at the bank and worries that her severance pay will only go so far. Dorie soon solves the rent problem when she meets a young woman from New Jersey at a diner and impulsively invites her to rent the bedroom on the top floor, promising privacy, which seemed to be very important to the woman.

As the days go by, it becomes apparent that not everyone staying at the beach house is being forthcoming about their lives. Ellis can't even get Mr. Culpepper to respond to her many emails about the guy living in the apartment above the garage that they share who calls himself Ty Bazemore.  Dorie, Julia and Ellis confide in each other about the changes taking place in their lives, but they still know nothing about Meredith, the girl from New Jersey and its making Julia uneasy considering she's living with them. Finally, Julia breaks into Meredith's room one day and what she finds gives the girls every reason to worry, so they decide to confront Meredith with what they've found.

My Thoughts:


Let me start with the narration of this book. Hands down, it is great. Not everyone can pull off a true Southern accent and Isabel Keating does a fabulous job. She expertly manipulates her voice to distinguish between each  of the characters and it is flawless. She has done the narrations for many of Mary Kay's books but this is the first one for me. There were a few times, though, that I felt she over-pronounced a few words but thankfully, that only happened a few times, so I can easily overlook that.

As for the story, I thought the premise was good and with the backgrounds of the women, had the potential to be very interesting. Unfortunately, I felt it fell a little short of my expectations. Without giving too much away, the part concerning Ellis and her love interest was a bit too predictable for me and honestly, a little fairy-tale-ish. I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a pessimist, but I don't know many good-looking young men, who work as a bartender at a hoppin nightclub that falls in love with a woman the first day he meets her and is ready to change his whole life for her! Really?? C'mon!!! I realize this is fiction, but . . . On the other hand, maybe thats why I choose to stay away from romance novels. I'm more of a realist than that.

That being said, I just wish that Ms. Andrews would have dug a little deeper and come up with some really good content and maybe a few surprises along the way. And believe me, that is very hard for me to say because I have been such a fan of hers for so many years. Maybe a few less storylines would have allowed the more prevalent ones to shine through.

I really wanted to love this book and it pains me because I didn't. But that doesn't mean it won't appeal to readers who really enjoy escapist or chic-lit novels.  As for me, my tastes change and evolve and maybe I'm now leaning more towards different types of books. But that doesn't mean I am not a Mary Kay Andrews fan anymore. I know she just released a new book, SPRING FEVER, and I will read it just like all her previous books and I hope you will too.

SUMMER RENTAL(Audio Verson - Audible.com)
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Published: August 2011
Length: 14h 46m
Narration: 4 out of 5 Stars
Story: 3 out of 5 Stars

BTT: Recent Enjoyable

This week's Booking Through Thursday question is . . .

What's the most enjoyable, most fun, just darn entertaining book you've read recently? (Doesn't necessarily mean funny, just GOOD)

A few months back I read THE FIXER UPPER by Mary Kay Andrews [Review here] and that, for me, was just pure entertainment. I have been an MK Andrews fan since I first read SAVANNAH BLUES years ago. The thing that always draws me to her books is her ability to come up with the most interesting and fun characters - not only the main characters but the supporting characters as well. They are always original and give the story depth. They're not just created to help fill up pages, they play an intricate part of the story. With the stand-alone THE FIXER UPPER, Andrews introduced us to a new set of characters living in a small Georgia town. The protagonist, Dempsey Killibrew, a Washington D.C. lobbyist, finds herself in trouble with the FBI, thanks to her boss, and high-tails it to Georgia to escape the press and humiliation and to figure out what her next move should be. She picked this hole-in-the-wall town because her father inherited the old family home there and he convinces Dempsey to 'just go down there, clean up the place and we'll flip it and make a bundle'. The problem is, her father hasn't seen the place in decades so Dempsey has a rude awakening when she gets there.

This was a completely entertaining novel that was pure fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recently Reviewed -

• DIRTY LITTLE ANGELS by Chris Tusa

[TSS] Review: The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews

THE FIXER UPPER, the latest novel by Mary Kay Andrews was exactly what I've come to expect from this talented Southern writer. I've been looking forward to this release ever since I read about it on her blog when she first started creating the story. I thought the premise was clever, combining a dramatic story of political bribery and blackmail with just the right amount of Southern charm and romance. And lets not forget the wicked wit that is ever present in Ms. Andrews novels.

Here's what Harper Collins has to say about THE FIXER UPPER -

After her boss in a high-powered Washington public relations firm is caught in a political scandal, fledgling lobbyist Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left almost broke, unemployed, and homeless. Out of options, she reluctantly accepts her father's offer to help refurbish Birdsong, the old family place he recently inherited in Guthrie, Georgia. All it will take, he tells her, is a little paint and some TLC to turn the fading Victorian mansion into a real-estate cash cow.

But, oh, is Dempsey in for a surprise when she arrives in Guthrie. "Bird Droppings" would more aptly describe the moldering Pepto Bismol–pink dump with duct-taped windows and a driveway full of junk. There's also a murderously grumpy old lady, one of Dempsey's distant relations, who has claimed squatter's rights and isn't moving out. Ever.

Furthermore, everyone in Guthrie seems to know Dempsey's business, from a smooth-talking real-estate agent to a cute lawyer who owns the local newspaper. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the pesky FBI agents who show up on Dempsey's doorstep, hoping to pry information about her ex-boss from her.

All Dempsey can do is roll up her sleeves and get to work. And before long, what started as a job of necessity somehow becomes a labor of love and, ultimately, a journey that takes her to a place she never expected—back home again.

One of the things I really like about Mary Kay Andrews' books is that she jumps right into the story on page one. By the end of the first chapter, you are well into what's happening. Another thing she is fantastic at is creatng the most interesting and fun characters. This certainly holds true in THE FIXER UPPER as well. I instantly liked Dempsey the moment I started reading her words. She may be inexperienced professionally, but she has a fighting spirit and a good heart that makes you want to pull for her from the beginning. The supporting characters are equally as likable and each have their own distinct purpose in the story.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Birdsong, the family home, and how, with the help of some locals, Dempsey sets to work in fixing it up. The underlining story of her ex-boss implicating her in illegal activities makes for a good balance of drama mixed in with this story of family and what it means to find out where you come from. And ultimately, where your life will take you.

I would encourage you to read this very entertaining book even if you're not usually a reader of chick-lit. Personally, I don't particularly like the term 'chick-lit'. I think it has a stigma that gives the wrong impression of a book. In this case, Is this a crime novel? No, it isn't. Is it full of drama? No, not really. What it is, is a thoughtful story about family, self discovery and the character of people. The story of Dempsey and her legal troubles that are looming over her are completely realistic and interesting but the experiences and people she encounters while fixing up Birdsong teach Dempsey more than any high-powered job in Washington D.C. ever could.

Once again, Mary Kay Andrews has written a book that was well worth the wait. I want to thank Book-Fan Mary for sharing her advanced copy with me after she found out how much I was looking forward to this book. Mary wrote her own review a few week ago and you can read it here. Also, there's a cute video of Mary Kay Andrews talking about THE FIXER UPPER here on Harper Collins' website. For more about Mary Kay and all of her books and to read her equally entertaining blog, click here.

Sometimes we just need a book that makes us smile while we read and ends up making us feel good. If you're looking for something to read this summer, you can't go wrong with THE FIXER UPPER.

THE FIXER UPPER

Author: Mary Kay Andrews

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: June 23, 2009

Pages: 432

Rating: 4 our of 5 Stars

The Sunday Salon: First Day of Summer

First, I'd like to say Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there, but most especially to my own father, Lou. I've been blessed to have a father who, although he's faced health problems, at 74 is still able to do most things he enjoys, like cooking, fishing and making beautiful things in his wood-working shop. My father is also the family historian and keeper of family photographs. He and I have talked about working together on a genealogy project and since I'm not working anymore, I think the time is right to start. I'm looking forward to that very much. So, Happy Father's Day Dad!

Since the weather down here in Florida is downright sweltering these days, I'm not doing too much out doors. With the humidity, the heat index is nearly to 110 degrees! So I'll be staying inside today with a book and keeping an eye of the U.S. Open.

The book I'm reading today is the latest from Mary Kay Andrews titled THE FIXER UPPER. It's a stand alone novel about a young woman, working as a lobbyist in D.C. but after her boss is accused of many terrible things by the FBI he pretty much throws her under the bus. She needs to figure out what to do with her life, so she goes to a small town in Georgia, where her father lived as a boy and has inherited the old historic family home. Her plan is to go down there for a month or so, fix up the place and flip it and figure out her next move, professionally.

As with all of Ms. Andrews books, there's great wit, southern charm and wonderfully original characters that make it a great summer read. The book is being released this Tuesday, the 23rd. I'd like to thank BookFan Mary for graciously offering me her advanced copy. I'm about a third of the way into it and I'm already loving it. The thing I like about Mary Kay Andrews' books is that they're not all chick-lit fluff. There's always a great story to be told, usually about family or personal retrospect. I've read every one of them and I haven't been disappointed yet. Sometimes you just want to read a book that makes you laugh along the way.

I didn't get as much reading done last week as I'd hoped to. But I did post my review of THE PRUDENT MARINER by Leslie Walker Williams. You can read that review here.

As for the rest of today, I'll be staying inside with my book, munching on some cold, sweet melon my Dad brought over the other day. I hope y'all enjoy this first day of summer with a really good book.

Teaser Tuesday 6.16.9

It's Tuesday and time for a Teaser!! This weekly event is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading. Here's what you do:

• Grab your current read
• Open it and let it fall open to a random page
• Pick two sentences to share, being careful not to include any spoilers!

My teasers are from a book I just started reading this morning, but it's written by one of my favorite authors, Mary Kay Andrews. Here we go . . .

"I heard that much at church," Ella Kate said. "Way I heard it, you're mixed up with some Yankee congressman, and you and your boss, a married man, were in cahoots to try and bribe him."

"They were talking about me at your church?" I was mystified. And mortified. "Nobody in this town knows me." ~ page 175 of THE FIXER UPPER.

Yes, I know. I broke the rules this week and used more than two sentences, but I just couldn't stop myself. As I said, I only started reading this morning, but I can already tell I'm going to enjoy this book. I can always count on Mary Kay Andrews for a completely entertaining southern story. Absolutely perfect for the summer! It will be available for sale on June 23rd.

For more teasers, visit Should Be Reading or simply click here.

Book Review: Deep Dish

Being a Southerner, it isn't hard to figure that I love Southern Fiction and no one does it like Mary Kay Andrews. DEEP DISH is the story of Gina Foxton and Tate Moody, two regional TV chefs from Atlanta who are competing for their own show on a national cooking network. They end up doing a reality-type competition and the winner gets the new show. You don't have to be a foodie to enjoy this book. Its a fun story that has original twists in it, but overall, the ending is predictable. The characters are new and are independant of the SAVANNAH BLUES series. Like all her charachters in her books, they are likable and quirky. There's just enough romance and excitement, but if you're looking for hot, steamy romance, this isn't the book for you. It was a quick read and entertaining enough that when I did have to stop reading to go work or do house chores, I wanted to hurry and get back to see what would happen next. Its a great summer read that has a feel-good ending.

Mary Kay is currently working on her next book, THE FIXER UPPER, which will take readers back to the SAVANNAH BLUES series and beloved characters Weezie and Bebe. You can click here to check out her website for more information on all her books.

Drying Out

This past weekend was a great reading weekend. It started raining here Friday and didn't stop until late last nite. It was a nice steady rain that will be good for the yard. I spent alot of time curled up on my couch reading. Since I'd finished THE LOVELY BONES, I was ready to start a new book so I picked up DEEP DISH, by Mary Kay Andrews. I've been looking forward to this one. Its southern fiction with alot of humor and after reading some pretty serious books lately I am ready for some lighter reading. If you're from the South, like I am, you can really appreciate this author. I made a pretty good dent in it the past few days so I'll give a full review once I've finished.

Sunday's bible study was very good. We're doing a series on 'Comebacks' and this week we focused on emotional comebacks. Troubled relationships, etc. It really hit close to home with me, as I'm experiencing some problems in my life with a family member. Its been going on for almost 4 months now and it bothers me every day. In church, we focused on guilt, grief and grudges and how to let go of all three and hand it over to God. Its actually hard for alot of people to do. You can't change people or even change what they think of you. Sometimes you have to just move past it and go forward. I found myself wishing that the family member I am at odds with were there in church with me.

A cheerful heart (emotions) is good medicine, but a broken spirit (emotions) saps a person’s strength. Proverbs 17.22

Mary Kay Andrews New Book Released Today!

Finally, its here! DEEP DISH, the new Mary Kay Andrews book will no doubt have all of the southern charm and wit as her other books, plus a great story. This book will introduce a whole new set of characters, leaving Weezie and Bebe from SAVANNAH BLUES, SAVANNAH BREEZE and BLUE CHRISTMAS to hold on a bit longer. This is a story of two rivalry tv chefs and its sure to be a real hoot! I like to read her books in between others with heavier content. Its a nice change to read something that will lift your spirits and make you literally laugh out loud. This would be a great book to take either on Spring Break or to read over the summer - if you can wait that long! I suppose being from the south, I can relate to her southern characters and the way life is down here in the south. Ever since I picked up LITTLE BITTY LIES, her first book under this pen name, I've been hooked. Her real name is Kathy Hogan Trochek and she used to be a journalist for the Atlanta-Journal Constitution before writing mysteries using her real name. Her mysteries are good too, but I really like the books by Mary Kay the best! Hopefully this will be another New York Times Best Seller!!