The Newcomer: A heartwarming, feel good novel perfect for an escapist read

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Letty Carnahan is in trouble. She’s on the run from New York City; she has her four-year-old niece, Maya in tow, and her sister was found dead in the entry hall of her glamorous townhome. Letty believes she knows who did it: her sister’s awful, money-grubbing ex-husband, Eli Wingfield. Andrews expertly builds the tension (and a sweet romance) while exhibiting her deft hand at developing quirky characters, strong southern women, and charming locations.” As for this love, it's complete insta-love and honestly, at times, a little cringe-worthy. Joe falls for Letty basically on sight and is rather pushy in trying to convince her to be in a relationship. (Hey this is crazy, we just met, I'm not turning you in, let's move in together... umm ok?) It was all a bit much.

If you enjoy being at the beach, finding new friends and a new home, seeing a character blossom, and seeing how things turn out for characters, this book will be for you. Plausibility is one thing. I did have to suspend some disbelief while reading this book. Another issue I had was feeling detached from the characters. I did not really feel invested in Letty and Maya's plight. I feel ambivalent about the romance mainly due to not feeling connected to the characters and not feeling really any longing or attraction between the characters. I enjoyed the story and especially the folks at the hotel - not only the owners, but the quirky old folks who had been staying at this same motel for years. I also enjoyed the romance and the mystery. This was a little darker read than Sunset Beach, but a good book. Now, the old folks staying at the motel were a total trip. I could completely buy their crazy. And I loved Ava, who was a sweet, overly-trusting, but tough and brave mom, who just wanted to take care of everyone. (I didn't believe that Maya, who had endured great trauma, just sweetly sat and colored for hours each day while Letty worked--I'd like to meet that four-year-old!) The motel setting was spot on, and I desperately wanted to be at the beach while reading the entire book. Picture Letty, Joe and Maya 10 years from now. What do you picture them doing? Do you think they will be happy? What kind of teenager will Maya be? Do you think Letty and Joe will still live at the Murmuring Surf?

Mary Kay Andrews

As Letty begins to settle into life at the Murmuring Surf for herself and Maya, more of her sister’s secrets become revealed to her. Letty tries to piece together the puzzle of her sister’s murder, with her number one suspect being her sister’s ex-boyfriend, a crooked real estate investor. The longer Letty stays at The Murmuring Surf, the more complicated the mystery seems to become, but when she finally starts to trust her new friends the pieces begin to fit together. This the first book I’ve read by Mary Kay Andrews, which makes me - you guessed it! - a MKA newcomer. From what I understand, it’s a little different than most of her other books primarily due to a slightly darker tone and subject matter. A woman, with her 4-year-old niece, is hiding out in Florida from her sister’s baby daddy after he kills her and is looking for said 4-year-old. While The Newcomer is a murder mystery with some romance, it’s a light beach read as you might have already detected by the cover. The cast of characters are endearing. And there is no mistaking who the bad guys are. The circumstances are a bit far-fetched and the story is fairly predictable. And it’s a bit too long. But I liked it. It gave me the change of pace I needed from heavier books. Letty is on the lam as she is the main suspect in her sister’s murder, but she knows that her niece's father is who the police should be looking for and she will do anything to protect Maya. Joe is a dedicated police officer, but he can’t stop thinking about the mysterious woman who showed up at his mother’s motel and he wants to get to know her better.

The basic plot is good but there are too many side issues. Read when you have plenty of time available. Tanya’s dark past does catch up with Letty and Maya, but cute officer Joe is never far from Letty; keeping her and Maya safe is his top priority, not to mention, a romance is heating up between the two. I did enjoy the light and snappy writing style, but in case it’s not yet clear, this book is just too long. The mystery and romance aren’t entirely original either, and the characters are somehow simultaneously cliched and unbelievable. The Florida motel setting is great though, and something about it gave me southern Schitt’s Creek vibes. Letty shook her head. “I really had my heart set on this place. I’ve heard so much about it, and I promised Maya we’d be at the beach.” “It’s that doggone Southern Living article,” Ava said. “Forgotten motel, my ass. It’s been five years, and I’m still turning folks away.”Author Mary Kay Andrews gives her readers what they expect. If you’re in the mood for this type of book, grab your beach towel, relax and enjoy. You may even want to go out and play some bingo afterwards. But we also witness how Ava and her teenage daughter Isabel starts forming an intimate bound with her. Ava gives her job at the motel and she realizes how she manages the place professionally and it seems like Joe starts liking her, too. Maybe his feelings more than liking her as a friend. Everything about this particular story was predictable, and while I did enjoy the resolution; the book overall did not satisfy me like I hoped it would! I still can’t wait for her next book though, because MKA is a great writer.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read The Newcomer in advance of its May 4, 2021 publication. But as soon as she opens her eyes in her rental car Kia, she sees scrutinizing eyes of officer Joe banging her car door to warn her pull out her car because there is no vacancy at the motel.I was surprised that my biggest struggle was with the romance. I expected it to be the most fleshed out part, but it was unbelievable to me. It felt rushed and forced. I would have liked to have seen the relationship develop more. The nice lady was standing right outside the bathroom door, arms folded across her chest. The cop from the parking lot was standing next to her. A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, she earned a B.A. in journalism from The University of Georgia. 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. Some of the residents and staff at the motel are highly suspicious of Letty, while others are ready to welcome her and Maya with open arms. The owner’s son, Joe, a former detective, believes something about Letty’s story doesn’t quite add up… but he’s also willing to give her the benefit of the doubt… for a little while, at least.