I love Jennifer Weiner and have read all of her books. When I saw this I didn’t even look at what it was about before knowing I needed to read it!

I will warn you that this book is not your typical beach read or light and fun book. This book revolves around the rape of a minor and the #metoo movement. This is a heavy subject matter. This book does a good job of reflecting some of what goes on in a survivors mind after the trauma of rape.

That being said I felt like it was well written and enjoyed the book flipping between the two main characters, Diana and Daisy (also a Diana). They end up chatting online after Daisy gets several emails meant for Diana and they decide to meet. I thought that they were well thought out and good characters. I especially enjoyed the character of Beatrice (can she please get her own book of her from the end of this book on?) who is the daughter of one of Daisy.

I don’t want to go to much into the plot because I’m worried I will give it away. I did enjoy this book even with the subject matter. I think it is well written and that you should give it a read.

People will be fooled by the cover and the title, but this is not the typical "beach read". Unless that beach has a dangerous riptide.

Many reviews are calling this a revenge drama, but I would classify it more as a family drama. Yes, one woman is raped as a minor, but she isn't looking for revenge so much as to just be heard and acknowledged. We hear little of her biological family, but learn of her chosen family an how they help her find a life for herself.

The other family drama revolves around the damage done to a relationship when someone hides their past.

I've been a fan of Jennifer Weiner since her first book, and I have to be honest that I didn't connect with the characters in this title as well as I have with others. I miss the quirky, spunky, can-do lead character, but liked both Dianas in this novel. I just wanted more from everyone. Especially Michael. And the staff of the Abbey (bet they have some stories to tell). Wold love to see a future book all about Beatrix.

Reader Advisory: This book is about rape of a minor. Subject is addressed throughout the book.

3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a powerful, timely examination of male privilege, rape culture and trauma. Please read with care and the full knowledge this is not a light beach read. That summer is a dual timeline story exploring the repercussions one horrible summer night on a Cape Cod beach in the 90s has on both the victim and the perpetrators. When Diana and Daisy connect over a shared email address neither realizes how their meeting will change both their lives for the better. The book starts a little bumpy jumping around between Diana, Daisy and Daisy’s daughter Beatrice, who has just gotten expelled from the preppy New England boarding school her Dad went to because she called a classmate out for being a rapist. I enjoyed Beatrice’s character so much! She had strong convictions and the courage to stand up for what’s right. She bravely embraces her own (admittedly weird) passions for vintage fashion and felting clothes for dead mice. I sympathized with Daisy a lot too who was much younger than her rich, privileged husband and seemed to happily become the woman he wanted and molded her into being (albeit still pursuing her passion for cooking to a degree on the side). After losing her best friend to cancer Daisy really hopes her new friendship with Diana will help her feel less alone. And then there’s Diana. We slowly learn her back story as the novel unfolds and my heart just aches for the trauma she went through and her struggle trying to overcome it while also trying to figure out how to hold the perpetrators accountable and what (if any) justice can be had for the crimes they did to her. I LOVED her romance with Michael! He is the perfect, sweet caring man to help restore her faith in men. Overall a very thought-provoking and moving novel exploring the many facets of the #metoo movement. Highly recommended! Thanks to NetGalley for my advance listening copy. Sutton Foster narrates the audiobook and is amazing!

3.5 rounded up.
Trigger Warning: Rape

Ehhhhh, I have mixed feelings about this one. First, despite the title and the cover, this is NOT a typical beach read. Nor, is it a thriller or mystery like her last. It’s a contemporary fiction focused on rape and the #metoo movement.

This is told from Daisy, Diana, and Beatrice’s perspective, with one chapter from Hal’s perspective. I found Diana’s perspective most compelling and loved the Cape setting; however, it was also very unrealistic and unfathomable how things worked out for her. There were also some references that never really went anywhere and Beatrice’s perspective was interesting, but didn’t necessarily add a whole lot.

Overall, this is a good read but hits a bit short of the mark for what I expect from Jennifer Weiner.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review!

View my fun Q&A Elevator Ride with the Author. https://bit.ly/QAJenniferWeiner

Mega talented superstar #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner returns following Big Summer, with her latest, THAT SUMMER. Also, set in Cape Cod, the author tackles the #MeToo movement and many more emotionally charged topics ripped from today’s headlines.

THAT SUMMER opens with a woman named Daisy (whose real name is Diana, opening an email meant for another woman named Diana.

This sparks a conversation, and the two unlikely women meet up for drinks in New York, and a friendship develops. However, was the meeting planned or by chance?

Daisy and Diana are opposites—Daisy, a housewife, married to a successful lawyer with an outspoken spirited, quirky teenage daughter, Beatrice.

She did not graduate from college, due to her circumstances and chose to marry instead. Everyone takes her for granted. She also is a great cook and has a cooking business that no one in the family seems to take seriously.

Diana is a career woman and independent. However, is she really? Things are not as they seem. The two women find they have more in common than they could have imagined and a friendship develops.

There is an ongoing mystery developing and Jennifer takes us back to a time with Diana in her teens and suffered a horrific tragedy on Cape Cod one summer. This forever changed the course of her life. She has held on to this painful secret for so long. Now, as an adult, she is trying to move on from her past. However, can she?

She tries desperately to put the past behind her until she is confronted with the past head-on.

Slowly the cards are placed on the table and these two women are connecting in ways they could not have imagined. The ugly past is revealed and many have been living a lie. Do you really know your spouse?

Beautifully written, Jennifer weaves a heartbreaking tale of triumph over tragedy.

All the while, she skillfully draws a connection between appearance, status, and perception, from privilege, social class, career choices, success to age, body size, social status, bullying, rape, abuse, accountability, forgiveness, revenge, and much more. #metoo

THAT SUMMER is not a light fluff beach read; however, it is so much more!

The setting and descriptions are vivid and evocative, and the innermost feelings of the characters are emotional and come alive on the page.

Character-driven and suspenseful, fans of Weiner and new fans alike will become immersed in this storyline as well as the adorable beach cottage, new relationships, crafting, seashells, art, and most of all mouthwatering food descriptions.

When reading JW books, they transport you. You can almost smell the wine, taste the gourmet food, and hear the ocean.

I fell in love with Michael and Diana and the adorable beach cottage and the restaurant. I have read all JW’s books, and this was one of my favorites! Highly recommend! An avid fan, needless to say, Jennifer Weiner is a mega-star! The hardcover is stunning.

Celebrating 20 years of books! Congrats to the winner of the book giveaway contest and see the results of the voting. https://bit.ly/QAJenniferWeiner

THE AUDIOBOOK: The audiobook is a "Must Listen" narrated by none other than Sutton Foster (from Younger TV)

NOTE FROM JENNIFER: "I’m so thrilled to have Sutton Foster @suttonlenore as the narrator for THAT SUMMER.” (True story: my older daughter is a Broadway fan antic and a Sutton Foster superfan, so when I was lucky enough to be asked to do a cameo on @youngertv, I, of course, brought Lucy with me, and Sutton Foster could not have been nicer.) She’s a huge talent and a lovely person and I am so excited to hear what she’s done with THAT SUMMER....which you can order on audio."

P.S. Readers, I am a huge fan of Younger TV (favorite) and loved the episode with guest Author Jennifer Weiner when it came out. If you missed you you can see a clip on Jen's IG and her personal note.

I am #currentlywatching Season 7 now - the final season (on ParamountPlus) Going to miss this show! Also, a big fan of Sutton Foster and she does a killer job as narrator of THAT SUMMER audiobook! It is fabulous! Highly recommend the book and audio.

#JDCMustReadBooks

A special thanks to Atria and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy, beautiful hardcover, and audio copy.

Jennifer Weiner has done it again! She has weaved a thrilling story about revenge, self-discovery, and friendship.

When I first saw that Jennifer Weiner was publishing another "summer" book, I was immediately excited! I really enjoyed "BIg Summer," and while this book isn't a sequel, it does link the two stories together. And I loved that the two stories merged for a quick second.

That Summer tells the story of two Dianas (one nicknamed Daisy), two opposites with more in common than they know. The first half of this book was introducing both characters and flashes back to time to show their mysterious connection. And let me tell you, I did guess the twist but I didn't see it going the way it went.

Overall, I did like this book. Jennifer Weiner knows how to tell a fantastic story about two individuals and connect their stories. It's my favorite part of her books, finding that connection. If you enjoy her previous books, I have no doubt you will enjoy this one too.

*Trigger Warning:* This story contains sensitive subjects, with a bulk of the story focusing on rape and sexual assault. Please be cautious if this is something that will trigger you!   
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Daisy Shoemaker lives in Philadelphia with her overbearing husband, Hal and teenage daughter, Beatrice. She begins questioning her choices in life, realizing that even though her life is amazing, she’s unhappy. She incidentally receives emails from a Diana Starling that were not meant for her. She in turn befriends Diana S. and “accidental” friendship turns into a spiral of disturbing secrets that could change Daisy’s life forever.   
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I really liked this book a lot and always get caught up and amazed by how Jennifer Weiner hits it out of the park with intricate storylines and character development. Hearing from multiple characters, mainly Daisy and Diana, but occasionally from Beatrice and once from Hal. The backstory and build up to the end was so great I was completely HOOKED. However, the last chapter got me because there was this huge build up and then I felt like it fell flat. But don’t let that deter you from this book, it was stellar!

It took me a while to write my review because it took me some time to digest this book and decide how I wanted to summarize it. I think I expected it to be a beach read and it isn't, exactly, though it is very well written and relevant to the issues of the day. Trigger warning: sexual assault; I feel this is an important note, especially for survivors of sexual assault.

That Summer revolves around two women named Diana - Diana Starling and Daisy (Diana) Shoemaker. Daisy is a middle aged wife and mother of a teenage daughter, Beatrice; like many women at this stage of life, Daisy is a bit bored, a bit lonely, a bit unfulfilled. When Daisy receives several emails that should have gone to Diana Starling, she forwards them and the two women strike up a conversation, then decide to meet for drinks and a friendship is born. Daisy sees Diana as everything she isn't - mature, self assured, in control, successful, unmarried with no children - the life that Daisy could have had if she had taken a different path. As their friendship blossoms, it is clear that Diana isn't everything that Daisy believes her to be - and that their lives intersect in ways that Daisy never expected.

That Summer touches on difficult themes of sexual assault, healing as a sexual assault survivor, and how decisions from the past can snowball and affect the future. That Summer is an unforgettable novel of survival, healing, friendship, and what it is to be a woman in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

🌾 Happy Pub Day to #ThatSummer! 🌾

Curling up with a Jennifer Weiner book, for me, is like catching up with an old friend.

I have been a HUGE fan of Weiner since the early 00’s, since Good in Bed came out and then In Her Shoes which was then turned into a movie with Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette!! (Ugh - I love Toni Colette 😭).

Jennifer Weiner books remind me of being a young working gal, taking the LIRR into the City to work, everyone always drinking coffee out of their Greek blue and white paper cups, reading the paper, or reading books, during the 45 minute train ride. Every summer, I would always have a new copy of a Jennifer Weiner book.

And every year still, I wait and see what new book will drop by Weiner, and every year, I scramble to read it, and I am never disappointed.

But don’t let the cover and title fool you, there are some heavy themes in this books.

From Philly to Cape Cod, this is the story of two very different women who meet by chance, but who may very well be more similar than they think. It’s about power dynamics in a relationship, manipulation, lies, accountability, friendship, and has themes related to the Me Too movement.

Completely immersive, I started this yesterday and flew through it, and thought provoking, this is a timely novel of women who have been made to feel small and insignificant, but who ultimately find the strength and power to have their voices heard.

Thank you @atriabooks & @jenniferweinerwrites for my #gifted ARC!

*BTW if you haven’t read ‘Big Summer’ yet, there is a pretty big spoiler at the beginning of this one for it so I suggest you check that out first, if you’re so inclined!

I began reading Jennifer's books last year and was excited to get this advance reading copy. I loved Big Summer last year, and loved That Summer this year!
We have two POVs - both Diana but one of them goes by Daisy since her husband preferred it.
Diana was (TW) raped by some boys at the Cape years ago, and is seeking them out to make things right and hold them accountable. What happened affected her deeply and she has been in a downward spiral.
Daisy has no idea what is coming her way, nor that her husband was part of the crime, until she befriends Diana and the truth all comes out. She has been "stagnant" in life.
Great character development, great plot, very thought provoking and timely writing

As a big fan of women's fiction, I was pleased to discover Jennifer Weiner's new summer novel to be more than just a light summer read. I enjoyed getting to know all the characters and the way she connected the dots between all of them. The author definitely showed the far-reaching repercussions of "boys just being boys". Foolish actions can keep coming back to haunt you years later. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to preview That Summer.

If you’re a fan of Jennifer Weiner, or at the very least if you’ve followed her work the past couple of years, you’re probably wondering two things about her latest novel: What happened That Summer (Atria Books)? Is it the same summer as in Big Summer? Or in a less tongue-twisting way, is this a series?

The answer to the first question turns out to be obvious. And while you may know by the end of the prologue what might have happened, it is merely the catalyst for the story.

The answer to the second question is no. However, there are two main similarities that link That Summer to Big Summer. And one is a spoiler of sorts. Both books have scenes set in Cape Cod in the summer, and a specific house there. What happened at the house in Big Summer is spoiled in That Summer. So, if you don’t want to be spoiled, read Big Summer first. However, they are not a series.

OPPOSITE WORLDS SHARE COMMON GROUND

In That Summer, Diana “Daisy” Shoemaker is at a point in her life where she feels unfulfilled and maybe even neglected by a husband hung up on 20th-century gender roles, and a teenage daughter that loves her taxidermy and her Etsy store more than Daisy. Then, Daisy begins to get email invites to wonderful soirees and other elegant functions that she realizes are going to her email address by mistake — it’s only one character off from the intended recipient.

When she contacts the other Diana, she finds a friend in Diana Starling, a jet-setting consultant with a New York City home base. But as their friendship grows, Daisy finds out they have a lot more in common than she first thought, including a troubled past and an unpleasant secret that connects both their families.

WOMEN LIVING LIFE ON THEIR OWN TERMS

With That Summer,* Weiner continues her exploration of female characters who, by different means and in varying ways, have been reduced. These are women who are not able to fully realize their potential in a world run by wealthy men (and the authority and privilege they are granted), women who are stymied by societal stereotyping — until they forcibly take back their power. Whether it’s punching someone (Big Summer) or being an initiator (That Summer), these women must push their way into being their real selves.

This is what I most resonate with in Weiner’s novels. She’s reinvigorated that emotional journey to self-actualization with her latest novel. That Summer reminds me of what I first fell in love with when I read her debut, Good in Bed — a woman’s struggle to resist being defined by society, no matter what’s thrown her way, striving to live life on her own terms. It touches a part of me that now realizes the more you conform, the less people care about who you are — and the less “authentically you” you become. Break free, and be yourself.

This is easier said than done for many women. So much of society is set up to cater to men. As a byproduct, women have been objectified, abused, pushed into roles that they dared not attempt to get out of, or flat-out forgotten. All of these were at one time acceptable behaviors and circumstances in American society — some acceptable until only recently — and for those that weren’t, they still came without adequate — or sometimes any — punishment.

MULTI-GENERATIONAL VIEW OF WOMEN’S PROGRESS

Through the main characters, Daisy and Diana, and the girls and women surrounding them, Weiner shows readers a generational view of the slow progress we’re still making out of women’s oppression. Staunch gender roles of the Boomer generation, the difficult transitions for women of Generation X, and the frank defiance of Gen Z are all on display in That Summer.

So while you may initially want to find out the mystery of “The Two Dianas” (what Weiner first called this book), the more intriguing story lies in their journeys from confined and conforming to finding out who they really are.

*Trigger warnings: references to and a scene of sexual assault and allusions to hate speech.

THAT SUMMER is a story about surviving our pasts, confronting our futures, and the sustaining bonds of friendship. This one was a true page-turner. I was hooked from the start and struggled to put it down.

We get to follow two women with the same name that couldn’t be living any more different lives.

I picked this one up expecting a light and fluffy beach read but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. This book focuses on dark and tough subjects and I recommend looking at trigger warnings before picking this one up.

I rated this one 4⭐️. This was my first book by Jennifer Weiner and it won’t be my last. I look forward to picking up Big Summer and other backlist titles.

I am glad I read this book "pre summer". Any Weiner book brings a certain summer sensibility but this one dealt with some heavy topics that made it not quite a light read. Which was totally ok! After some recent reads with questionable characters, all of the female characters (and some of the male or non-conforming) in That Summer were SO LIKABLE! Even while dealing with tough situations, I was still so happy to follow these characters. Also, there was a theme related to the #metoo turning point a few years ago, but the way this book was written, it didn't feel dated and I think it will hold up over time.

The cover and the title suggest this is a light summer read, however it is anything but. This book talks a lot about rape, consent and sexual abuse. There is an explicit mention (not by name) of Brett Kavanaugh, and this book seems to be a fictionalized version of someone like him.

I think the subject matter and the #metoo movement is important, but I'm not sure this book was executed as well as I would have liked. The beginning took a while to get into. It was confusing to see how the characters were connected and the timelines jumped around a lot. This book really would have benefitted with at least a year in the chapter headings. Diana, especially, went backwards and forwards in time throughout the book and it was hard to follow (the past is clear, and then the assumption is that everything is in the present, but about halfway through the book, the timeline jumps backwards about six months or so, which doesn't make sense because she's mentioning characters that she's already interacted with that in this chapter she doesn't know?).

I did read an advanced review copy so some of the things I found in this book may be fixed before final publication, but there were a distracting number of consistency errors (he left his apartment but he returned to his house?) and descriptive phrases that were repeated word-for-word on consecutive pages. I did not take these into account with my review rating, but overall, the book felt disjointed and not cohesive.

Daisy, one of the main characters, seems very naive. Beatrice's chapters were interesting, but they all seemed to be a bit unfinished and they really didn't tie into the narrative. Diana's jumped around too much to really get a solid picture of her and her life. Again, the subject matter is important, but I think this one needed a bit more work.

As always Jennifer’s books are amazing! This is the perfect beach read and you won’t be able to stop so bring lots of sunscreen with you! Such a great 5 star book!!

Jennifer Weiner books had always been hit or miss for me. But the last two she has written have been hits for sure! I love the subtle mystery she has started weaving into her books. It was the one point that I felt was missing from making all of her books great. I enjoyed the friendship between Daisy and Diana and how it seemed to come about randomly. But when you find out it may not have been a random occurrence, things get more interesting.

This book is not the “light beach read” it may appear to be and empathizes the old saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. Dealing with heavy topics (content warnings below), THAT SUMMER reads like a fiction, with some mystery and drama thrown in, set in the Cape. The pacing reminds me of BIG SUMMER where the beginning is a bit slower and then WOW does it pick up closer to the middle; the back-and-forth story line took a while for me to grasp. This book definitely made me think.

“THAT SUMMER” that the title refers too isn’t the peachy keen one you’d expect. (potential spoilers ahead) This book deals with the MeToo movement and mentions the Kavanaugh case and challenges “boys will be boys”. As someone who has never experienced what Diana experienced “that summer”, I can’t rightfully conclude if the ending had a solution, but this was definitely a thought-provoking and timely story.

*Important note for those who haven’t read BIG SUMMER and plan to* there is a HUGE plot spoiler in this one. It’s about a sentence long, and if you’re not paying attention you might not even catch it, however, if you are good at remember names and making connections, it will most definitely spoil BIG SUMMER for you.

Content warnings: steamy scenes, cancer, rape (specifically descriptive in chapter 16 and 33), sexual assault, alcohol abuse, abusive relationships, body image issues + dieting, suicide, homophobia

Jennifer Weiner's books are ones I look forward to every year, and That Summer was exactly what I'd hoped for. Daisy and Diana were deeply fleshed out characters, and as a teacher/mother to girls, I loved how Beatrice was portrayed (both being accepted and rejected throughout her storyline). I enjoyed the plot and the reference to Drue Cavanaugh (from Big Summer). I did have to slow down a couple times because I got confused by the perspective. I actually book-talked That Summer to a group of high-level eighth graders this morning and already have my copy in the hands of a student. That Summer is a timely, well-written story paired with a summer escape - I enjoyed every word! Thanks so much to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #ThatSummer by Jennifer Weiner.

This book willl be a great summer read for those who want something a little more serious than the typical beach pick. Will be recommending this at the library!