this book was okay. i don't think women's fiction is a genre for me, but i can see what people see in it.

I have always been, and always will be, a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner's work and Big Summer was an absolutely wonderful read! It's not really summer, to me, without a new novel from her and I was so thankful for this story and these characters at exactly the time I needed to read them!

I love Jennifer Weiner books. Big summer was no exception. This one is female centered with themes of body image and expectations of women. Talking about subjects that have the potential to make people uncomfortable or think about things is so important.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of Cape Cod, the story follows Daphne Berg, a plus-size Instagram influencer, as she navigates the complexities of rekindling a friendship with her glamorous ex-best friend, Drue Cavanaugh, amidst a chaotic wedding weekend. Spoiler alert: The plot takes a dark turn when Drue is found dead in a hot tub, and Daphne must unravel the mystery, discovering shocking secrets about Drue’s life and the true identity of the killer.

This was an interesting story - one that took a turn that surprised me! 3.5 stars rounded up!

The first half the book felt like a cute rom-com. I liked learning about the girls at school and growing up and I loved the prep for the wedding. I liked the main character, Daphne, and how she earned her status as an influencer. Stomp those feet, girl!

But Part 1 ends with a shocking murder! From Part 2 on, this was a different book. Suddenly is was a murder mystery. I liked the mystery. It felt scooby-doo-ish as they work together to try to figure out who-done it. I really liked Daphne and her friends and their working to figure the mystery out.

Fun story, good twist. I liked it, it was such a unique story!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I felt the same way about this as I did about Mrs. Everything- it was trying to do too much in too short of time. I felt like I was being subtly chastised the entire time instead of caught up in a story and learning through the characters' experiences. I'm a long time Weiner fan though, so I'll keep on reading, hoping to get back to the style of writing I originally fell in love with several books ago.

I always love Jennifer Weiner and this one didn't disappoint! Hard to comment with sharing spoilers, so I'll just say - get this book!

Big Summer was a fantastic read that gave me all the Big Feelings. Jennifer Weiner is just so good at her craft and I’ve never not found one of her books to be moving and poignant. Unputdownable, per usual.

This was such a fantastic book, though it's unsurprising as much of what Jennifer Weiner writes is well-loved by me.

I read this a long time ago and for some reason forgot to write a review. Big Summer was a great read. I really enjoyed it!

Jennifer Weiner never disappoints, I've loved every book of hers I've read so far.

It's hard to really classify this book into just one genre because there are themes of family, friendship, some romance but also mystery. Daphne, a plus-sized influencer, reconnects with her former best friend Drue after a fight sent them on their separate ways six years ago. Drue begs Daphne to be her maid of honor in the wedding of the summer, and Daphne ends up being swayed. However, nothing goes quite as expected.

This book was full of body positivity, self-love, and finding what matters most. There were great Jewish references, character growth, and thoughtful handling of heavier subjects.

I loved the first half of this one, but felt like the second half didn't live up to the potential it could have had. This may absolutely be a me problem though! While this was my first Jennifer Weiner book, it won't be my last!

2.5 stars

This was just an okay read for me.

Although aspects of the main character were relatable and I did like the message and narrative on social media, I think the overarching plot was a bit too much for me. I think that before the twist, I was liking the direction the story was going in only for that 'surprise' to throw me into left field.

In regards to holding the reader's attention, I could see how the plot twist would've done that. It definitely did add an anticipatory element that had me questioning what happened and what would happen. However, I don't think that I was invested enough in the characters or the story to care.

It was an okay, mediocre read but not one that I would ever recommend because I can't think of a particular audience that would LOVE this book more than it being a mere enjoyment.

I've been disappointed with Jennifer's books in the past but I was hoping that this one was better then the last few books of hers. But sadly, this one wasn't any better then them.

This book is about an influencer who's bigger then most girls, and gets to wear big clothes that look flattering on her instead of making her look like a big girl like she is. Her "best friend" Drue was always trying to make her feel like crap, being mean to her and of course the big girl thinks it's so flattering to be even be accepted by the rich, popular and gorgeous that she lets her get walked all over her. Ughs, Like we haven't seen this a billion times! BORING! I gave it an extra star because parts were too bad but it deserves 1 star.

Weiner has done it yet again with an impossible to put down novel centered around a relatable, strong female character.

Drue was Daphne's best friend until one night where Daphne was set up by Drue and things were never the same. Daphne moved on and now loves her life and Drue waltzes back in and Daphne thinks that things are different now. But are they? Daphne jeopardizes her lifestyle, her true friends, and learns things about herself that she isn't sure she wants to know as she drops things for Drue. The book was good but repetitive in nature in spots and goes back to the same whiny behaviors but all in all, I liked the book because we all have had friends that have taken advantage of us and we would like a do-over.

It took about half the book for me to start to feel invested in this one. The characters all felt a little juvenile.

This book is one that I could recommend for a female audience who enjoys fictional lifestyles regardless of if they are relatable. It is always fun to take bits of characters and make them similar to yourself. It helps you enter into the book as a ghostly background character.

This was an easy, though honestly, extremely predictable weekend read. I don't think I've read other books by the author, though I've come across the name many times. The story focuses on plus-sized influencer, Daphne, who is asked to be a bridesmaid for her estranged school friend. The premise sounded entertaining enough, but the story never really took off for me. I didn't connect with the characters and thought, Daphne, while complaining that people judged her unfairly, was constantly guilty of doing the same thing..This is human, of course, but went against what she preached. Though this was not exactly a standout read, it was what I wanted it to be, an easy pool read, so I can't really complain.

An enjoyable read with a few twists and turns. A social media influencer is invited (somewhat out of blue) to be a bridesmaid in the wedding of a former best friend, turned enemy. The wedding is a huge spectacle of wealth and privilege and she reluctantly agrees to participate. All is not what it seems and instead of a wedding, the bride is murdered and the protagonist is in the midst of being framed for a murder. Not great art, but a super fun read.