In The Homewreckers by Mary Kay Andrews, we are introduced to Hattie, a young widow and house flipper who is recruited to make a TV show. This may be the woman’s most difficult assignment yet as the story includes lots of drama surrounding the home including the case of a missing woman. The Homewreckers publishes on May 3, 2022.
From The Publisher:
Hattie Kavanaugh went to work restoring homes for Kavanaugh & Son Restorations at eighteen, married the boss’s son at twenty, and became a widow at twenty-five. Now, she’s passionate about her work, but that’s the only passion in her life. “Never love something that can’t love you back,” is advice her father-in-law gives her, but Hattie doesn’t follow it and falls head-over-heels for a money pit of a house. She’s determined to make it work, but disaster after disaster occurs, and Hattie’s dream might cost Kavanaugh & Son their livelihood. Hattie needs money, and fast.
When a slick Hollywood producer shows up in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, she gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: star in a beach house renovation reality show called The Homewreckers, cast against a male lead who may be a love interest, or may be the ultimate antagonist. Soon, there’s more at stake than bad pipes and dry rot: during the demolition, evidence comes to light that points to the mysterious disappearance of a young wife and mother years before.
With a burned out detective investigating the case, an arsonist on the loose, two men playing with her emotions, and layers upon layers of vintage wallpaper causing havoc, it’s a question of who will flip, who will flop, and if Hattie will ever get her happily-ever-after.
Book Review:
Once again, Mary Kay Andrews shows her mastery of combining Women’s Fiction with Mystery. The story has interesting, well-developed characters and a plot that will have you riveted to read more. There are several light-hearted moments that made this a highly entertaining read.
The fact that Hattie is a home restorer on the fictitious HPTV network who is paired with a designer makes for an interesting dynamic. Hattie is used to designing/decorating her restoration homes and is a little affronted to have this loss of control. Moreover, the financial burden of renovating this home within a budget has Hattie feeling more than a little stressed.
The discovery of a wallet in the walls of the home leads to a mystery. It seems the identity of the owner of the wallet is a wife and mother who has been missing for the past 17 years. Furthermore, there is much more drama to engage the readers in this home renovation. That is, besides finding the home in much worse shape than Hattie had expected.
I appreciated the strength of Hattie’s character who is driven in a business where women are not always given the respect they deserve. Andrews does a good job in pointing this out. There is a bit of romance in this book, but it is not a romance novel. Set in Tybee Island Georgia, The Homewreckers is a thoroughly enjoyable read and one I’ll be recommending over and over again.
Audiobook Review:
I listened to the audiobook version of The Homewreckers which was narrated by Kathleen McInerney. Her performance was enjoyable, and easy to listen to. I appreciated her ability to adapt her voice to multiple characters with realism. I have no hesitation in recommending the audiobook version to those that appreciate this format.
What I Liked:
- The use of a strong female protagonist
- The use of a house renovation and TV show as the setting
- The integration of Women’s Fiction and Mystery genres.
I Recommend This Book To:
Those readers who enjoy Women’s Fiction.
My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Acknowledgments:
Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Similar Books I’ve Reviewed:
The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews
Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews
The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews
I'm All Booked Up
The mystery aspect sounds interesting.
thathappyreader
The mystery really added to the book ladies! Thanks for reading and commenting.
According to Chren
The house renovation setting sounds really interesting and we love a book with a strong female protagonist.
thathappyreader
I loved the setting! Thanks for reading and commenting ☺️
Amanda
I love this author! So I will have to add this to my Summer reading list! Wonderful review, thanks for sharing 🙂
thathappyreader
Thank you for reading and commenting! MKA is one of my favourite authors too!
readandreviewit
Great review! I love the combination of the tv show aspect and the mystery, that’s really interesting – and it’s always great to see strong characters! Thank you so much for sharing.
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading and commenting Ceri!
GWT
She lost her husband at 25? That’s a tough one. But the wallet belonging to the missing lady of 17 years, ooh, intrigued.
thathappyreader
That would definitely be a tough one. Thanks for reading and commenting. ☺️
Cindy Davis
It sounds really interesting. How is the language? (mild cussing or a lot of cussing?)
thathappyreader
Not a lot of cussing if any. Thanks for reading and commenting Cindy.☺️
Wendy Williams
What a wonderful review, Jodie. I have my review for The Homewreckers up today too! I sure enjoyed it. The audiobook sounds amazing.
thathappyreader
Thank you! I’m off to read yours now Wendy☺️
The Yorkshire Dreamer
The description got more and more interesting as it progressed! I thought it would be a simple romance story at first, but then a mystery is thrown into play!
I also love a book with a strong female protagonist! Thank you for sharing. 😊
thathappyreader
Thanks for reading and commenting. Romance is only a very small part of this book.☺️
Her Digital Coffee
This sounds awesome and I definitely want to add it to my list. I love the mysterious element to this story. I’m super interested in what happens next! Great review and thanks for the recommendation!
thathappyreader
Thank you for reading and commenting!
Jaya Avendel
I have been hearing more and more about this book, so I loved getting your perspective on the skillful blending of two genres. The characters and setting also sound unusual and interesting!
thathappyreader
Thank you for reading and commenting Jaya!
Riana Ang-Canning
Sounds like a great read! The premise is super intriguing and I’m definitely a sucker for any sort of home reno show. I love that this author combines women’s fiction and mystery. I don’t read a ton of mystery so this might be a great avenue to get me into it.
thathappyreader
I don’t read a ton of mysteries either Riana but I think that MKA and Sally Hepworth are excellent at combining Women’s Fiction with Mystery. Thank you for reading and commenting.☺️
Angel Lewis
Sounds like an interesting mystery. I love the renovation shows! That is a great back drop.
thathappyreader
I think so too Angel! Thanks for reading and commenting.
ellegracedeveson
Ooo this sounds like a great book! I defiantly think I’ll be giving this a read myself asap. Thank you so much for sharing such a great and in-depth review, I always appreciate reading them before I buy! Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
thathappyreader
Thank you so much Elle! I appreciate you reading and commenting.☺️
Karalee Shotola
I haven’t heard of The Homewreckers, but I love that it includes a mystery as that is my favorite genre to read. I’ll have to check out the audiobook!
thathappyreader
I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did Karalee! Thanks for reading and commenting. ☺️
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Carla
Excellent review, Jodie. I also loved the mix of genres in this story. Kathleen McInerney is a narrator I am very familiar with and I do enjoy her performances. I agree with your thoughts, I really enjoyed this story.
thathappyreader
Thanks Carla! A narrator can really enhance a book and I appreciate their performances immensely.