An alternating perspectives family drama with a bit of a mysterious edge- this was one I flew through because I wanted to know what happened. The characters were real, the dialogue was on point, and the plot twists kept me going all the way to the last page. I have loved seeing the evolution of Jennifer Weiner's writing over the years, and this one is my favorite yet.

Jennifer Weiner is the queen of summer, beach reads!! I have loved the other Summer books and had to have this one! These books give me such a warm, fuzzy feeling, but also bring the drama!! I love the story and overall message. This one had multiple POV and would go into background stories on character that made them so interesting to me! Thank you so much atria and netgalley for this ARC!

I hate to say it because I do (usually) love Jennifer Weiner's books, but this one was just cringey for me.

This book goes heavily into each character's backstory for what seems like most of the book. It was hard to keep focus on the actual main story line because these backstories were so long--I'm talking chapters that would take an hour of reading time. It was exhausting to read and then have to remember what was going on in the main storyline before the next long backstory took place. This book also deals heavily with COVID-era flashbacks, which may be triggering for some.

On top of that though, I just didn't like the story. It seemed like every character was hiding some heavy issue or personal drama that could be easily resolved through communication. And, I'm sorry, if you suspect your daughter may be in an incestuous relationship without her knowing, you SHUT THAT DOWN RIGHT AWAY. Hence, the cringe-fest. I guess I will be marking this review as a spoiler, but I can't hold back on that plotline. It realllllyyy turned me off from this one.

I'm hoping for much more from Weiner's next book, but appreciate the advanced copy for my honest review.

Jennifer Weiner knows how to write a deeply compassionate, charming, character driven story. Her writing style is so effortless it feels like coming home to a safe and comfortable place to explore. Her novels are a journey through relationships with all their secrets and successes.
I devoured The Summer Place in one sitting and you should too.

Talk about a modern family! When we meet Sarah, she has some issues with her marriage. And she’s upset that her stepdaughter has gotten engaged so young to someone that doesn’t seem like her best match. Weiner strikes a comfortable tone writing about this family and I found myself really enjoying the ride through all the wedding planning and family logistics.

But oh the drama! Sarah’s husband drifts farther and farther away for no real reason she can see, there are issues with the soon to be inlaws (big ones!), Sam, Sarah’s brother is also hiding a secret, and it’s all set against the idyllic summer backdrop of the Cape.

The Summer Place really plays out in the best possible way like a Shakespearean comedy. It’s the perfect beach or vacation read when you want something light, but juicy! Special thanks to Netgalley and Atria books for an advanced e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

I keep trying to figure out what to say about The Summer Palace. While I didn't dread reading it I also wasn't in a hurry to get back to it. There were so many characters and for about 70% of the book we get their full life stories. By the end it all comes full circle and we figure out how everyone is connected. Oh, and the coincidences were in full abundance. Unfortunately there were just too many to be believable. Nice beach read with fully developed characters.

Really not my thing. I read Big Summer a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. This one was too much drama. Everyone had a secret, or two. It just got a little over the top for me.

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.