Title: Summer Rental
Author: Mary Kay Andrews
Narrator: Isabel Keating
Genre: Chick Lit
Published: June 2011 – Macmillan Audio
About: (from the Goodreads synopsis) Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves in their mid-thirties and at the crossroads of life and love… A month in North Carolina’s Outer Banks is just what each of them needs.
My Take: The first half of the book pretty much fills the reader in on each character’s background. When Dorie brings home a woman to rent one of the beach house bedrooms the story picks up. She’s on the run from her crook of a husband and needs a place to hide out. There are also sparks between Ellis and Ty, the owner of the rental house. Ty’s about to lose the house to the bank so he’s moonlighting as a bartender and day-trading during regular hours. The rest of the time he’s trying to keep his renters happy by getting rid of bugs, you know – landlord stuff. Ellis is the one who lets him know when anything’s wrong but she has to do it via email. The email exchanges between the two were quite funny and endearing.
I really liked Isabel Keating as narrator. I’m not from the south but if the conversation between author and narrator at the end of the audiobook is any indication, she did a great job on the voices. I learned that Keating is the only narrator of Mary Kay Andrews’ books and the author is thrilled with her performances.
So, despite my feeling that the first part of the book was a little slow, I enjoyed Summer Rental. Listening to it made me feel like I was on the beach and enjoying vacation with the characters in the novel. Recommended to fans of Mary Kay Andrews and enjoyable beach reads.
Source: I bought it.
Bookfan 
Her stories are so cute, though I have found them to be a bit slow in parts.
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I haven’t read anything from this author before. I’m not really a fan of audio books but I would like to read the book. Great review!
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I’ve always loved Mary Kay Andrews. I’ll have to add this one to my list.
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That’s one of the interesting bits of listening to a book instead of reading it is the narrators take on local dialect. It’s hard to know what a southern voice is from Podunk because most of us are transplants lured from the cold. A best friend I have from down here is a true G.R.I.T.S – she grew up in NC and I considier her accent to be the a real southern one.
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I’ve read a couple of her other books but now I’m thinking of listening to the one or two sitting unread on my TBR shelf. I loved listening to this book 🙂 And I love the “true G.R.I.T.S” designation – appropriate on a few levels, right? 😉
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I love reads that take me out of the here and now and plant me in a place that is more relaxing, so this one sounds like it would be a winner for me. I am glad to hear that you enjoyed it and that it captured your attention. Great review!
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Mary, I have to agree the first half of the book was a little slow but over all I liked it too!
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I haven’t read one of her books in ages, but they’re usually fun! This sounds like another good one.
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I’ve only read one book by Mary Kay Andrews, Deep Dish, and I enjoyed it. I’ll have to keep this one in mind.
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I like this author and after reading one of her books I swear I walked around the house talking with a southern accent the rest of the day. I can take slow in the beginning if I know that in the end it is worth it. sounds like it will be 😀
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I love love love Mary Kay Andrews!! I have to go see if this one is available on Recorded Books.
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It does sound like a great book to listen to while at the beach 😀 Awwww how lovley that would be
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I read one book by Mary Kaye Andrews – Little Bitty Lies – and thought it was cute. I have a few others of hers, but might try to find the audio version of them instead and this one is going to shoot right up to the top! Great review!!!
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I really enjoy MKA’s books. I’ve only read a few of them but they were so good. I have quite a few others sitting on my Kindle. I’ve never listened to any though but I bet they’d be great entertainment. I also like when the same narrator stays with the author especially if she’s good.
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Not an author I know but one i’ll be sure to keep an eye out for. I love the thought that this book is about a group of women who have been friends for such a long time, glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the recommendation.
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That is one of my biggest fears in audio books. What if they read too slowly.. or too quickly… what if they can’t kick in the story for my taste… arghh.. I’m neurotic when it comes to audio books!
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PK, I think a good narrator can get the reader through slow sections. In this case, she did.
I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I didn’t like the book. What I’ve found is that multiple main characters usually make for a lot of back story. I love Mary Kay Andrews’ books and recommend them. The one that got me started was Blue Christmas. I think you should give that a try 🙂
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I am really trying to get in to audiobooks, It passes the time so easily and helps me keep on track with my household chores! I will have to add this one to my list! It looks really cute!
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