The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner is going to be a hit or miss depending on the reader. If you enjoy Weiner's writing style then you will be pleased. She develops characters and shows their world beautifully. However, there is a lot in the plot that you will need to suspend reality to believe. I mean there are family secrets and then there are family secrets you do not keep all the way up to a wedding! Whew!

I really tried with this one multiple times but I couldn’t make it past the first 50 pages. Thank you netgalley for my free copy.

This book was quite exhausting to read. I can usually speed through a book in the matter of 3 days and if I take my time, no longer than a week. But this one took me months. It was very slow and didn’t speed up until part 3 of the book. Part 1 and 2 had extremely long chapters that were entirely drug out. There were also 5 or 6 different POVs, which became confusing on who you were reading at some points. The family drama was there and great, but I wish that it had been contained to about 3 peoples POVs. I would keep Sarah, as she seemed to be the main character. I would also keep Ronnie and Sam as well and just keep it back and forth between their lives and not have all these distant characters come into play. Overall, I give it 3.5 stars because the story itself has potential, there is just a lot of wasted information.

Another stunning novel from Jennifer Weiner, published just in time to binge on summer vacation! This heartfelt story focuses heavily on family, being true to oneself, the ties that bind, and generational secrets. Told from multiple perspectives and beautifully written, this was a profound, powerful and poignant read. Thank you so much to Atria Publishing and Netgalley for my copy.

I adored this book, and it was a perfect read to kick off the summer! In classic fashion, this book takes place on Cape Cod, and is a multigenerational story about the secrets an extended family keeps and how they come to light on a trip for a family wedding. That all sounds complicated and overly dramatic, but it didn’t feel like either. Weiner did a wonderful job of weaving all the different stories together in a way that made it easy to keep track, with different chapters told in the voice of different characters. I loved this book and I’ll look forward to the next book of hers I can pick up!

A lifelong fan of Jennifer Weiner, I always look forward to her new releases. The Summer Place is the conclusion to the "Summer" series, full of Jewish representation, but also - a lot of unlikeable characters who seriously need to communicate with one another! While not my favorite of her books, I can never truly dislike a JW book either! I'll be eagerly awaiting her next release.

Thank you to Atria Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I've been a big fan of Jennifer Weiner ever since her first book Good in Bed. I was glad to see another summer beach read on Cape Cod, and her writing style always keeps me entertained. There were a lot of characters and a lot of secrets, and some unbelievable twists as the summer progresses. Great read, and thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I love Jennifer Weiner's writing and her latest is no exception. Loved these characters and storyline. This is the perfect beach read! It's especially fun if you are familiar with the Cape (Cape Cod, MA).
Thank you, Atria Books, for my review copy!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As I read this title, I happened to see that Jennifer Weiner is being hailed "the queen of the beach read." I have to agree - I have never been to Cape Cod but I always enjoy travelling there with her in these books.

I think she provides something for everyone with the beautiful described settings, the rich characters, the unwinding plot across decades. I feel immersed in these vivid stories.

I enjoyed "The Summer Place" specifically because it speaks to the enduring trauma we all experienced during COVID-19. The contemporary narrative is completely relatable, but by weaving in the historical bits like she always does, it didn't feel too overwhelming or dark.

I've read everything by this author, but this may be the book that convinced me to stop. It was easy to read and the characters are certainly well-fleshed out, but yikes! What horrible people. Whiny, privileged people carrying on about everything and anything. I lost track of all the people having affairs. Everyone was super woke. This may be my last book by her. Thank you anyway to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Place, by Jennifer Weiner, is a three-generation family saga, partially set in Cape Cod where the family owns a vacation home. The plot can seem a bit jumpy as Weiner shares the back stories of each family member, their connection to the house and each other. Weiner excels in creating characters that are unique in their development and yet, universal in their emotions and relationships. This is a novel about choices and the impact they have on the future.

I unequivocally enjoyed this book...I love books about multi-generation families, the beach and the consequences that flow from the choices we make. Nonetheless, I'm not sure that this story has the staying power that Weiner's past work has had. I think this is a 3.5 star read which I am rounding up to a four.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. It was a pleasure.

Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite authors so I excited to receive an ARC of The Summer Place. Unfortunately, this one did not hit the mark for me. I found myself confused with so many characters and storylines. I still plan to read the next Jennifer Weiner!

Thank you to Jennifer Weiner, Atria Books, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of Jennifer Weiner’s latest novel, The Summer Place.

Veronica is a widow and retired novelist, living full-time in her Cape Cod summer home. She had hopes that her adult children, twins Sarah and Sam, would choose to spend their summers in Cape Cod with their own children, enjoying nature and lazy days. However, Veronica’s kids have their own problems.

Sarah has two young children of her own and a college-age adult stepdaughter, Ruby. Sarah’s sensing problems in her marriage and struggling to keep her life together. Sam has recently lost his wife and he is a single parent to his young stepson. Sam is having difficulty finding his place in the world, including dating again.

Veronica has made the decision to sell her beloved Cape Cod home and has not told her children. She will tell them after hosting one last big event: Ruby’s wedding. However, an incident involving a seemingly fun and frivolous home DNA kit, threatens to expose family secrets. Several characters panic, unsure how to handle the delicate situation without further damaging fragile relationships.

I’m a fan of Weiner’s books, but a few of her more recent ones have been lacking. The Summer Place gets Weiner back on track with her strong characters and a compelling plot. I felt most connected with Sarah’s story as it had shades of my first marriage and how I was feeling about fifteen years ago, the uncertainty and lack of emotional connection. It took me back to a difficult place, but that said, with distance and perspective, I can relate to Sarah’s troubles, without feeling overwhelmed. Weiner is a master at writing characters with strong emotional arcs.

This story is set during the pandemic. The pandemic plays a crucial role with the relationships, specifically Ruby’s engagement and Sarah feeling overwhelmed by not having her own space. Be sure to read Weiner’s afterward, as she explains the changes that were made while writing The Summer Place, due to both the pandemic and situations in her life. It sounds like The Summer Place ended up being a very different story from the original concept, and I suspect, a much better story.

The ending is perfect. It left me feeling hopeful and with a happy heart. The Summer Place definitely has a summer vibe and is a great pick for the upcoming season. It’s not a light “beach read” as it deals with very challenging relationship topics, but it will make you long for a vacation to Cape Cod.

If you're into deep character backstories, this is the book for you! Jennifer's characters have definitely matured alongside with her readers' ages, and this timely novel with family drama and intertwined "what ifs" made for a thought provoking (and lengthy!) read. Also enjoyed the callback to "That Summer," but my favorite of her three Cape Cod novels is still "Big Summer." Thank you to #NetGalley for my copy!

Jennifer Weiner writes in the acknowledgements that she wanted to write a book that fell “somewhere between a Noel Coward farce and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Well, kudos to her - she did it!

Midsummer Night's Dream consists of several subplots that revolve around a wedding, and one subplot involves a conflict among four lovers. This book definitely finds the characters engaged in their own domestic intrigue all with the pending "pandemic wedding" as a result of close quarters and quarantines!

At one point I wondered if I was reading a script for Grey's Anatomy! Or a Telenovela!

It's definitely a light beach read - rich character development, layered storytelling, and scandal galore. Thank you to the author and her publicity team for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Reader Tip: Don't gift your loved ones with a 23&Me Kit!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. It started out great, making me wanna find out more after each chapter. Ruby seemed more like side character than one of the main characters. There was no shock value. It got boring towards the middle.

Jennifer Weiner's books never fail to keep you turning the page - and this one is no exception. Written in the voice of several members of family who's mother loves her Cape Cod home as much as she loves her family. Their story takes us through their lives, loves and has a truly heartwarming ending.

A definite must read this Summer.

Weiner proves she has holding power with The Summer Place. Set around a wedding on the cape, this novel unwraps a family's messiest, most tender angles with Weiner's trademark humor and heart. Every family has secrets, but for the Danhauser family, it seems each member has one that will threaten to upend a relationship. Full of surprises, Weiner's storytelling delivers a compelling tale of family and forgiveness. Five glorious stars!

This is a book filled with secrets that can change a lot of people's lives. Ruby has decided to have her wedding at her Grandmothers house on the Cape. As the wedding approaches, the secrets start to be revealed. This story has many different relationships going on along with the secrets as each character has to find themselves. An interesting book that holds your attention.

The premise of this book seemed very interesting. There was a lot going on and I found myself confused a bit. I found it very hard to keep my attention. I wished I had found the characters more interesting.