Daphne Berg is at the cusp of a successful career- or at least a lucrative side gig- as being an influential plus-sized Instagram influencer. When she is approached by a popular up-and-coming designer who specializes in plus-sized fashion Daphne is elated. Daphne is less elated when former frenemy Drue Cavanaugh, who tortured Daphne and others throughout high school, attempts to come back in to Daphne's life. Even worse is the fact that Drue is begging Daphne to be in her upcoming wedding, claiming that she has no other friends to do it. Daphne bends to Drue's will eventually but has no idea what is really in store for her.

This book could not have been more timely or more engaging. I absolutely loved it from start to finish. It is well-written and engaging and full of surprises. What I can honestly say that I loved the most was the way that Weiner truly understands the mindset of a plus-sized woman who has struggled with body image her whole life and is doing her best to accept herself as she is. This is not a book with a perfect hero who loves her every curve, this is a book with a woman who is being portrayed as being flawed yet trying so hard to love herself. There are many of us out there that can relate to this, myself included.

This book also contained some surprises uncharacteristic to Jennifer Weiner's usual writing style, and I loved it! There was a twist that I didn't see coming at all and I enjoyed reading about what happened in the aftermath. Since I enjoy women's fiction as well as novels with some mystery in them this scratched both of my itches!

I absolutely loved this book and will be recommending it to everyone that I know who reads this genre. She has really hit this one out of the park and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I started this book & was instantly hooked. This book discusses social media (the good & bad), women’s body image, frenemies & how to stay true to yourself. Daphne’s character is one of my favourite book characters ever, she felt so real & relatable. This book opens you up to explore the world that’s around us & women’s societal views.

Big Summer was a Big Disappointment. It started out very strong. I really like Daphne and the story that was being spun. Seeing her and Drue's complex relationship and their reconnection felt like a strong plot point.

Then the twist. My god the twist. It felt like a YA with immature instagram obsessed teens who turn into amateur sleuths trying to solve a murder.

This was such a departure from the Jennifer Weiner who wrote Mrs. Everything. Which was a top 3 book at 2019 for me. I suppose this foray into a completely different genre just wasn't for me.

This was a great book, perfect summer 2020 read! The characters were interesting and I loved the element of drama, talk about influencers, and how the author described the locations there were. It was easy to follow and I couldn't put it down!

Daphne Berg and Drue Cavanaugh meet in high school. Drue the popular girl befriends Daphne. The friendship does not always run smoothly but Daphne is always ready to forgive and forget Drue’s on and off again snubs. Then one evening the now college girls go out and the two girls have a huge falling out. Words are exchanged and the friendship is broken.
Six years later Daphne is now developing her reputation as social media influencer promoting her big girl image. Drue works for her father’s company and is newly engaged.
Daphne is not only surprised Drue has contacted her after all this time but is floored when Drue asks her to be her maid of honour. Understandably suspicious Daphne agrees to be in the wedding attracted by Drue’s opulent lifestyle and memories of their past friendship.
BIG SUMMER is a story about the dynamics of female friendships. Other important themes include body image and the power of social media.
Jennifer Weiner has another winner with BIG SUMMER. The story and the characters are engaging. Great escape reading.

Daphne had it rough as a kid. She was always the bigger girl. She went to a fancy school but only because her dad was a teacher there and she got in for free. Her parents were the type to cover the entire lawn with blow up characters at Christmas. Which Daphne thought the Christmas decorations were amazing until it wasn't cool. It was tough making friends. Good friends especially.

Drue was the cool girl. She was the girl everyone wanted to be with. She was the rich girl and her family owned the school. She got away with everything - including bullying everyone who crossed her path.

Daphne kept up her friendship with Drue after school ended. Sure, she knew she was being used. But with Drue as a friend, life was an adventure. Something was always about to happen. One night the girls come back from their separate colleges and everyone meets up to go to the club. Everything is great until she finds out that Drue just feels sorry for her because she's the poor, fat girl.

This moment changes everything for Daphne. She starts learning to love herself - at least trying. She starts a plus size blog and becomes Instagram famous. Life becomes good without Drue in her life.

Years later Drue is getting married. She has no friends. She's been mean and bullied everyone until there was no one left. But she's turning life around. She'd do anything for Daphne to be her bridesmaid. Daphne is stronger - what could it hurt? A weekend in Cape Cod. A fancy wedding - maybe celebrities. It might help her social profile.

Big Summer sounds like a story about friendship and forgiveness right? Well it is, but there's so much more! There's murder! There's mystery! There's sexy love scenes! I've been a fan of Jennifer Weiner for a long time. She's a talented writer. Some of my other favourite books from her are Then Came You and Mrs. Everything.

Woooow! I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I procrastinated starting this book because it sounded like floozy chick-lit (no offence to chick-lit because I love the genre!) but then a twist was thrown in and it became something totally different. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for an awesome summer read. You won't want to put it down!

Perfect summer beach read (or stay home and social distance read)! I really enjoyed this book! I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to ruin it (I didn’t read anything about it prior to reading it and was so pleasantly surprised with how the book unfolded). I definitely recommend this book - realistic characters, an interesting plot, fun settings and a very current component with today’s social media.

Thanks to #netgalley for the advanced copy of #bigsummer by #jenniferweiner

It's been awhile since I've read a Jennifer Weiner novel. I used to read everything but in the last few years, there have been so many other books to read that I somehow missed a couple. I decided this year that I just had to read Big Summer. I am patting myself on the back for that decision. It was an amazing read and one I think all of you should pick up this year.

Here's the synopsis:
Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.
Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.

A sparkling novel about the complexities of female friendship, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.

I'll say right off the bat that there's a twist to this novel that I did NOT see coming. I will say nothing more because I think it's important that you're also blind to it so be warned if you come across other reviews where they start going in depth into certain aspects of the story.

You may have noticed that I've already been flailing about this book on social media but only rated it four stars on Goodreads. I don't have a great answer for why I couldn't give this wonderful book five stars. If I was allowed a half star on the site, you better believe I'd give it. There were a couple of small things that ultimately don't matter but threw off the flow of the story for me and when the flow is wrong, well, it's hard for me to love it. Most of these things dealt with timelines and social media. I had a really hard time figuring out how old the characters were supposed to be (usually not important but in a story like this a character who is 25 is very different to one who is 20 or 35). What didn't help was references to social media in the flashbacks. In one instance, Daphne mentions how on her first day at a new school in grade six her mom was probably posting pictures to her Facebook page. Except...that could not have happened. Yes, Facebook was around then but not for the average user. I don't know why this bothered me so much but it did. Also, the prologue really, really threw me off for a good chunk of the book.

The majority of Part One (there are multiple parts to the novel), was told in flashbacks and it was used to help get the story story set up. You had to understand all of the players before you could really get their motivations. And even then there were some surprises.

Weiner doesn't shy away from the complexities of friendships and how high school can have a lasting impact on some people. The relationship Daphne, Drue, and Darshi (Daphne's roommate and best friend) had at school was one I am sure many females can relate to. Daphne felt privileged that someone like her was being noticed by the popular girls. Drue knew the power she had over people and sometimes played with them, yet could also realize how important her friendship with Daphne was (but that didn't stop her from being a total witch). Darshi, for her part, was the loyal friend who was there for Daphne but was unwilling to put up with Drue's bullshit when she came back around - which was fair but also hard for Daphne to deal with. No one is perfect. That's the reminder that Weiner gives us and it makes me so, so thankful that high school was a relative breeze for me compared to those girls.

I liked Daphne. Really, really liked her. I loved that she was going after what she really wanted - being a plus-size influencer - and was having a great time doing it. She seemed like a fantastic woman that I would love to have drinks with and get to know even more. Personally, I don't know what it's like to be overweight. I mention this because Weiner created a character that everyone can identify with. And, you kind of learn a lesson from it too. She challenges your perspectives and, for me, puts a very real voice that I normally would never hear into my head. It's so necessary and so well done.

Jennifer Weiner has delivered yet another must-read with her latest novel, Big Summer. It's well written, relevant, and full of characters who are real and complicated. Daphne's story will keep you hooked - and surprised - the entire time you're reading it and I think it's one everyone should add to their reading list this summer.

*An e-galley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

I really liked the writing style and format of this book, it’s a story of Daphne a smaller Influenster who’s journey into blogging and the world of social media is just taking off. After many years an ex friend who hurt Daphne renters her life to make amends. But everything is not quiet as it seems.

Don’t be fooled by the summer feel of this book title and cover. I went into this read thinking it was a light and fluffy beach read but I was surprised to find it actually borders more on the Thriller Genre. Very exciting read and I felt very connected with the characters and the story line.

This story started off as one thing and then completely switched for me. I was pleasantly surprised and hooked from beginning to end! 

The Pros: What worked for me 

The story is split into 3 parts, with each highlighting a different element. In the first part, we are allowed to see what life is like for Daphne and how she evolved as a child through snippets into her past. This was my favourite part of the book because it was very well written and the reader gets a real feel for Daphne's personality and thought process.
The story also sheds light on the behind-the-scenes life of an influencer. I've always been in awe of Instagram influencers but have never really understood the mechanics behind it. Through Daphne, we get an understanding of that world and that was pretty cool for me!
I really like the way the author approached body positivity and fat-shaming. This isn't the first book I've read featuring a plus-size protagonist but it's one of the few where I felt it was realistic. Daphne is never truly comfortable with her weight, and still makes disparaging comments/ worries about others' thoughts in her head, and that seems realistsic; I dont think the trauma of weight-shaming ever really leaves a person. I also think the author makes some very poignant observations on standards of beauty and availability of clothes, etc. While heavyhanded at times, it did give me food for thought. 
Right when you think you have the story pegged, IT COMPLETELY CHANGES! I was actually taken by surprise and it was frigging awesome! That's all I'm going to say because ... spoilers.

The Cons: What I didn't like 

The second half of the book starts to explore different themes like infidelity, murder, and the manipulative personality of Drue. We are also introduced to quite a few new characters. At times, it got a bit confusing for me to keep track of things.
While I liked the twist that the story took (and it was done really well!), the second half wasn't as strong or compelling as the first half of the book. 
The ending was a bit cliché and I wasn't a fan of it. Things were just a bit too conveniently tied up for my liking and I didn't really find the motive very believable. 


At the end of the day, I really enjoyed my experience with the book. It was insightful, had a great protagonist, and took me by surprise. I cannot wait to read more by this author, and I really can't recommend this book enough - 4/5 stars from me!

Review: Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner.

This book was such a pleasant surprise. I was expecting a light summer read with some romance sprinkled in but it becomes so much more. There was a lot of very important discussion about social media, body image, self-love and acceptance. I thought the way this was interwoven throughout the story with humour was so well done and relatable for a LOT of women. The second half of the book was the murder mystery I didn’t know I was looking for. I was hooked and couldn’t wait to finish reading. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It is the perfect summer read and I would definitely recommend adding it to your summer TBR! Four stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for my copy of this book.

Jennifer Weiner is one of my favourite authors and I have read all of her books. Thank you for releasing this book a few weeks early so that we could enjoy the wonderful distraction during a difficult time. There are a lot of layers to this story, self-perceptions and body image, perceptions of others, challenging friendships, relationships with family, the social media era and finding love. As you read the story, you can feel what the characters felt, especially if you had a relationship with someone like Drue. Things aren’t always what they seem, Daphne had the strength to see the best in people despite how things appeared to others and she comes to realize what truly matters in life. There are surprises and twists in the story that keep you up reading late into the night! Big Summer is a Big Hit for the summer of 2020!

I'm not even going to lie, I thought this would be a book that I would find just so/so. The reality is very different. It was a great book dealing with female relationships, body image, and the expectations others tend to force on females in general. I've read books like that before, but Jennifer Weiner managed to not make those subjects come across as preachy or like you were reading a lecture. The book was just so well done and 100% relatable. Ita a book that once you get started reading, you don't want to put down until the end.

If it hasn't been added to your Summer Read List, you should do so immediately

I thought this book would be a chick lit and lighthearted book, and while it did offer some of that, it became something else halfway through. I didn't really like that direction and found the plot a bit too cheesy and unrealistic. I like Weiner's writing and how she brings her character to life, but this specific story just didn't do it for me.

3.5 stars

I really liked Jennifer Weiner’s Mrs. Everything. There was a lot of depth to the story and characters. Big Summer was worth reading but not quite as satisfying. The story is told from Daphne’s point of view and focuses on her friendship with Drue. Daphne is now a plus sized social media influencer but it was a long road to her own self-acceptance. Drue wasn’t much help when they were teenagers — playing her like a yo-yo. In their early 20s, Drue re-enters Daphne’s life to ask her to be a bridesmaid. Daphne can’t figure out Drue’s motivation but can’t resist Drue’s lure. There’s some romance, a mystery and quite a few pulls at the heartstrings. Weiner draws on lots of themes in Big Summer — body shaming, social media and class differences, to name a few. I liked Daphne and I also liked that Drue was not uni-dimensional. I didn’t love the mystery and I especially didn’t like its resolution. This was really a mixed bag. Entertaining but not as strong as Mrs. Everything. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

This was a great book that was a roller coaster to read in a good way. The book follows a young woman who reconnects with a high school friend to be part of her wedding on Cape Cod. I thought that this would be your typical contemporary story about friendship but it is so much more!
I also really enjoyed the body positive message in the book. We get to see Daphne, the main character, struggle with her body image and her weight and we get glimpses into her journey for accepting herself and her body, and we see a commentary on society and fat phobia. I really appreciated this conversation in the book! I thought the author did a good job.
Overall I loved this book! Completely different from what I was expecting.

I've read a few books by Jennifer Weiner and have enjoyed them. However it was not the case with her latest book, Big Summer. The prologue was promising, then its all about Daphne, who has confidence issues since high school. She wants to believes that because she is being bold on her blog, that she outgrew her low self esteem. Daphne and her entourage did entice me to get to know them, or care about them and as a result, I could not get beyond reading 25% of the book. It was not a book for me, however this will not stop me from reading other and future books from Jennifer Weiner. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to @netgalley and @simonschusterca for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Big Summer follows a plus sized social media influencer named Daphne as she attends the wedding of an ex-friend who bullied her in the past. I loved the message of body positivity that was throughout the book. It also shone a light on social media culture, something I think a lot of people still don't understand.
@jenniferweinerwrites writing flowed together so beautifully. Like pieces of a puzzle, they were scattered but in the end they made sense when put together. The reason I say this is that it's a romance but a suspenseful mystery too!

As a plus sized woman as well, I have been where Daphne has been, over the years I did learn to love my body, it took a while, but it happened and I am so happy it did. 😊 Thank you @jenniferweinerwrites for writing a book with such an emphasis on body positivity💖

I don't want to say to much more as I would give the best parts of the book away!

Can I say though, how STUNNING the cover is?!?! I adore the colors.

It’s PUB DAY for this summery book!! I was looking forward to this one SO much, Jennifer Weiner is one of my go to authors....buuuut it seems I’m the odd man out on this one.

I loved the first half of the book. It read like her usual woman’s fiction style, while dealing with important topics such as body image, and social media. It was on par for 4 stars at the start. The second half? It took a turn for the worse for me. I was bored by 65% and I found I wasn’t eager to pick it up anymore.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I felt like it was trying to be too many things (woman’s fiction, mystery, romance) that no one genre stood out and it ended up just bland. Parts of it weren’t believable to me. I’m not sure if it’s because I had high hopes for it or if it is just mood, I liked it but it wasn’t my fave of hers by a long shot.

Please check out the other reviews out there though, because I’ve mostly seen glowing rave reviews so I’m definitely the unpopular opinion on this one! Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley for the gifted book to review, all opinions are my own.