St. Martin's Press
5/23/23
Fiction / Women's Fiction
Paperback, 464 pages
"Andrews is the queen of beach reads. This one combines our love of romance, HGTV shows, and murder mysteries. What more could you want?”
—CountryLiving.com

"Andrews sparkles in this fast-paced tale. Andrews’s fans will eat this up."
—Publishers Weekly
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 follows disaster, and Hattie’s dream might bankrupt Kavanaugh & Son. 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 plumbing 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.
Dear Reader:

Like a lot of you, I watched a LOT of home renovation shows during the global pandemic. One night, after another marathon viewing of The Fixer-Upper, I started thinking, and the next thing you know, I’d written the outline for The Homewreckers, which features a Savannah contractor named Hattie Kavanaugh, who, with her father-in-law, restores old homes for a living. Hattie was widowed at twenty-five and has thrown all her passion into her work.

Then, one day, a Hollywood producer notices Hattie on her latest job site—a Victorian house in need of extensive repair and gets a brain-storm—he’ll create and produce a beach house renovation show called "The Homewreckers" and cast Hattie against a hottie male lead designer.

Of course, if it’s one of my books, you know there’ll be complications—bad pipes, dry rot, and yes, a body buried at that beach house Hattie is in a race to restore. And someone is out to see that Hattie doesn’t succeed. Did I mention there’s also a romance brewing?

Best,

Mary Kay Andrews
The Homewreckers Book Club Menu
For a "Homewreckers"-themed menu I wanted something that echoes the theme of the book itself; something meaty—dare I say, beefcakey, something with heat, and something sweet.

If your book club is like mine, they’ll devour the marinated beef tenderloin with fig-onion jam from The Beach House Cookbook. Alongsid, serve Bloody Mary Marinated Tomatoes. And for dessert—everyone loves Lemon Bars, especially these super lemony ones.

A book-themed cocktail is always a hit, so we came up with "The Homewrecker" which is simply pink grapefruit juice, club soda, and vodka with a splash of lime. Or, if you’re doing brunch, how about a "Homewrecker" Screwdriver?

—Mary Kay Andrews
Menu

"The Homewrecker" Cocktail
"The Homewrecker" Screwdriver
Beef Tenderloin with Fig-Onion Jam
Bloody Mary Marinated Tomatoes
Lemon Bars* (see recipe)