That summer is the perfect beach read! I was immediately invested in the characters and the plot, and I love Jennifer Weiner’s writing overall (and she just keeps getting better).

I'm a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner and have read almost everything she's published.
That Summer, while not a sequel, is connected to Big Summer. So if you read that one as well, you'll see some familiar characters.
The story follows two women who are connected by their initials and email addresses. They form an unlikely friendship and as the story progresses, they find out just how much they have in common.
This one has some twists and lots of secrets, so I won't spoil it, but definitely give this one a read if you're a fellow Jennifer Weiner fan, or just a fan of contemporary fiction.
Thank you to Atria Books & NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Unfortunately, this didn’t work well for me. The storyline was not linear and was extremely confusing, as there was back and forth in time, but not presented clearly. So, what I thought was happening simultaneously was not at all.

Several of the characters were not fully developed, the daughter Beatrice, the brother, even Hal the husband. He was more of a caricature in this story, one-sided. Near the end we get a chapter for him, but it would have been a stronger book if his view was expanded. Or was the intention to portray him as this caricature?
There was subterfuge on character of Diane, which was never fully explained why. At first, I thought she was a con-person, or out to blackmail. Why this a major part of the story was, and still is, baffling.

Despite these faults the story I kept reading to find out how it would resolve and honestly, it wasn’t all that satisfying. The book felt like a good draft, but needed work, like the writing was rushed or something hurriedly done with. I am basing my review off a finished product, as I ended up listening to the audiobook. Thank you for the advance review copy, it is much appreciated.

Jennifer Weiner is the queen of summer reading and THAT SUMMER did not disappoint! Characters with depth, a story line that will make you think and want to discuss with your best book club friends, all set in the prettiest location. I love how Weiner weaves a story that is relevant with humor and real life emotions. She's one of my favorite writers and her books bring me joy. THAT SUMMER really hit the mark with its story and cast of characters. Five stars!

I've read ALL of Jennifer Weiner's novels. Some I've really loved and have read over and over again. Some were just average. And some were forgettable. "That Summer" falls somewhere on the average side. Weiner is a strong writer. In my humble opinion, I think she's the best at writing in this genre. The writing and characters are always relatable and punchy. Sometimes I feel like the pay-off isn't always so great in the end. And sometimes her plotlines can creep into predictable and formulaic. But I still enjoy reading her novels. "That Summer" falls short of perfection, but I feel like a lot of readers will enjoy this.

I love the way Jennifer Weiner writes. She has a way of telling a story with such good description without being wordy.. Then the stories she tells usually have so much meat and bones & always makes me think about it long after I have read one of them.. That Summer was no different.. Daisy Shoemaker seems to have it all.. but other than her career. She really doesn’t. She has an unappreciated daughter and a distant husband. She has more than others though and hate to complain or look to deep into her feelings.. Meanwhile while this is all going on she is getting emails for another woman Daisy Starling. The two ladies eventually figure out the confusion but continue to speak with each other.. their lives are very different and their locations are different but there is something that connects them.. believing in this connection the two decide to meet.. Once they meet, we learn that things maybe weren’t so random in their meeting and maybe their is more to their relationship than a once off email.. the story twists and turns and keeps you guessing and I love this..can the two woman confront all of these coincidences and move forward or are things so crazy that they can’t… such a good story.. Enjoy!!!

I've loved Jen's writing for over 20 years and this one is no different. She writes characters you love and remember. Such a great summer read!

I almost didn't finish this one. I almost didn't make it through the prologue. I just don't want to read about a teenager girl and how she pleasures herself. Amiright? I wish I would have just started with chapter 1, but of course, that would have missed a vital part of the story. Which unfolded and developed really intriguingly. I personally didn't get lost in the back and forth of the timeline, but I could see how someone could have trouble keeping up with that part.
Here's the thing. I just would really love to see a happy married couple in a book just once in a while. Like a truly happy couple. I know this isn't necessarily the story of every stay-at-home-mom....but as a stay-at-home/work-at-home mom, its just frustrating to have yet another working woman writing a book about how stay-at-home-mom's are unhappy and controlled and wishing for a different life. Or that we are not showing out daughter to be a strong woman. And that's not the only message that's pushed so hard in this book. It covers the Me Too movement....(that is a message that I truly believe needs to be told more)...but at times the book just felt SO PREACHY. Like I don't read a ton of Christian fiction because I feel like it's too preachy. But this was preachier than any Christian fiction book I've ever read!
I kinda miss the quirky, witty, hilarious Jennifer Weiner whose books just felt like escapism. I guess I need to go back to her back list for a bit.

Thank you to the publisher for the egalley of this book.

I've read everything that Jennifer Weiner has written. I love that she is developing as a writer particularly in her last few novels. This book was not as I expected but honestly I enjoyed it. The story was a bit hard at times but there were some definite twists that I was not expecting. The Diana/Daisy naming was a bit confusing in the beginning but you figure out who is who pretty quickly. Once I started this book, I didn't want to stop reading and it moved very quickly. I think we need to start thinking of Jennifer Weiner's books as beach reads....they are so much more than that. Looking forward to her next novel!

Another great read that touches on current topics. A thought provoking read to make you think, what would you do?

There’s always a guarantee when you read a book by this author that you are 100% going to get an amazing journey, this book was no exception. Such a fantastic read and why she’s one of the absolute queens of womens fiction.

A solid summer read from Jennifer Weiner, but this is NOT a light and fluffy "beach read." This one has the #MeToo movement front and center. A bit of social commentary but I really loved the mother/daughter relationship - felt very real to me.

I finished this over the final summer weekend. I was surprised when it ended up being tangentially related to Weiner's previous book, Big Summer. Even though portions of the book take place in a beachfront location, it's not entirely set during the summer. In fact, don't let the title full you - this could be read while snuggled up near a cozy fire.

This novel was an interesting read. I thought it was going to be women's fiction but it was more than that. There was intrigue and mystery around the circumstances that brings Daisy and Diana together.

I enjoyed the alternating timelines between the past and the present day. I never felt they dragged on too long. Perhaps a lot about Daisy's life was identifiable to me that I felt Diana was the stronger, unexpected character.

Different than what I expected, Jennifer Weiner takes on a serious topic of rape, familial drama and unlikely friendship.

Another lovely book by this author that is a character driven story and well written. All of her books are wonderful and this was no exception!

This was not what I was expecting and not the typical Jennifer Weiner book. Kind of dark, about 2 women with the same name and almost the same email addresses.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for a review.

Jennifer Weiner returns to Cape Cod in her latest book, That Summer. That Summer is so much more than a vacation beach read. Weiner tackles the serious topic of the #metoo movement in the telling of the story of two Diana's. The plot unfolds with alternating points of views and flashbacks in the timeline. When something terrible happens to you, what can you do to take back your power?

Another great one from Jennifer Weiner! I truly enjoyed this one. I had a love/hate relationship with some of the characters for sure. I kind of hoped the ending would be a bit different but still enjoyed how it ended.

Another terrific read from Jennifer Weiner! This book is so timely with references to current events, political and otherwise. It is a well-paced story centering around two women, Diana and Daisy (also Diana but that is in the book...), who each have their own reasons to meet and become friends.
Diana is a complicated women who had a traumatic event happen during the summer before her 10th grade year of school whilst working on Cape Cod as a nanny. Daisy was raised in a loving family by parents she adored but tragically lost her father too soon. This changed the course of her life's choices going forward, completely rewriting what her life as she had planned. As the story unfolds, you get completely immersed in both women's stories and the people that surround them. As with everything that I have read from this author, the characters are beautifully developed. I think my personal favorite character is Daisy's daughter, Beatrice, who is a high school student and has embraced her own style, or an aesthetic, as she would say.
I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone that loves a book that will make you laugh and shed a few tears and teaches you something along the way. I really enjoyed these characters and being a part of their lives.
#ThatSummer #NetGalley #AtriaBooks

Jennifer Weiner is one of my go to authors and I anticipate each book. This was no different. I was immediately enthralled in this twisty novel of intrigue, secrets, and the transformative power of female friendship, set on beautiful Cape Cod, a place I love. It will make you question what would you do?! Also a nod to Last Summer a book I also adored! Great summer read.