I'd like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for sharing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Another outstanding book by an exceptional author.

Review will be posted on 5/27/22

Sarah Danhauser's step-daughter, Ruby, is suddenly getting married and it's shocking to some of her family members. Sarah didn't see this coming as Ruby is still very young (22!) and she hasn't been dating her boyfriend, Gabe, that long. Sarah thinks that maybe all this time together in close quarters during the pandemic brought the two together quickly. Sarah's parents have a house on Cape Cod and Sarah's mother, Veronica, is excited to to host Ruby's wedding there. What's better than a family wedding at Cape Cod, especially after the pandemic? What the family doesn't know is that Veronica is putting the house up for sale after the wedding, so this is more than just a party; it's one last hurrah. Meanwhile, weddings are stressful to plan and this one is no different. There's Sarah's husband, Eli, who is hiding secrets about his past and is being so secretive at times that Sarah is convinced he is having an affair. Speaking of affairs, Veronica is afraid her past may come back to haunt her and then there's Sarah's twin, Sam, who is hiding secrets of his own and dealing with a possible love life that may implode. Then there's the bride herself who isn't really 100% sure she should be marrying Gabe. So, I ask what could possibly go wrong? The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner is a modern family story set on beautiful Cape Cod; it makes for an engrossing beach read.

There are a lot of characters to keep track of in The Summer Place, but surprisingly, Weiner does such a good job developing them and giving us their backstories through flashbacks, which is definitely essential as it helps us to understand the many characters better. There's so many secrets....so much drama! Where should I start? I liked Ruby and the backstory involving her biological mother broke my heart. Ruby didn't have the easiest childhood, but she had a lot of support and once her father married Sarah, she had the family she always dreamed wanted. Ruby is close with Veronica and I loved their relationship and their mutual enjoyment of the beach house. Her relationship with Gabe was one huge red flag though. Sarah, while she seems like a decent human being, gets tangled in a mess that makes me question her. Eli's past is also a bit muddled as well as Veronica's. There's a lot of characters making a lot of poor choices and while I didn't agree with them most of the time, I was completely captivated, much like you would be when you watch a car crash. You just can't turn away! The only character that didn't make me completely cringe was Sam. He is lost in a way after the death of his wife and is trying to figure out where he belongs. He also gets tangled up in some major drama that was extremely cringe-worthy, but he himself isn't a bad guy. So, needless to say, I didn't really like any of the characters as they were all very complex, but tragically flawed.

Which leads me to the turn of events in The Summer Place. While I found all the drama extremely entertaining, I also found it unbelievable at times. I mean how many family members can be engaged in that much drama? How many coincidences can play out in one summer? Once I sort of let go of my expectations regarding whether this was plausible, I was able to enjoy the story a bit more as there's a lot of dramatic irony at play as well as misunderstandings that made me shudder. I read somewhere that this novel is similar to A Midsummer Night's Dream and I'd have to agree with that completely!

So, if you are looking for a family drama this summer, check out Weiner's The Summer Place. While this wasn't my favorite of Weiner's novels, I still thought it was completely absorbing and I just had to know how this disaster of a wedding was going to play out.

Are you a fan of Jennifer Weiner? Is The Summer Place on your summer TBR list? Let me know in the comments below.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for the e-book of The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner.

First of all, I'm not a huge fan of Jennifer Weiner books. I just haven't found one that I really liked. But of course, I am always willing to try again and this one sounded really good. The Summer Place is full of family drama which isn't a bad thing - I'm always into reading about family drama. This one seemed a little over the top though and I found the characters pretty unlikeable. I felt like I struggled through it and couldn't wait to finish. I think this will appeal to some though and could be a good summer, beach read.

Jennifer Weiner’s latest read does not disappoint. Lots of family drama, twists and turns galore with multiple story lines. The setting is a luxe beach house on Cape Cod during the first summer of the Covid pandemic. Worn down by pandemic fatigue, Sarah has yet one more item on her never ending to do list: Planning the insta wedding of her twenty-two-year-old stepdaughter Ruby. As in all Jennifer Weiner’s books, the characters are very well developed. As a reader, I felt I knew and understood the various family members. Incidentally, although this is not a sequel, some of the characters in That Summer are mentioned. I feel that enriches the story. This was definitely a book that was hard to put down, I couldn’t wait to see what happened next! That being said, I prefer her earlier books such as In Her Shoes and Good In Bed, which are more in the chick lit genre. Her later books are more in the women’s fiction genre. I will say that it is very interesting to see how an author grows and evolves.

3.5 stars. This is a multi-character book that takes place in NYC and Cape Cod with loads of family drama. It is mainly centered around the family preparing and gathering for a wedding on the Cape. I enjoyed this book. It was a bit of a slow start for me…lots of back stories…lots of characters to follow…didn’t really fall in love with any characters. However, at some point I found myself very invested in the story and I really liked how it all came together in the end. Definitely worth a read.

Ruby and Gabe are getting married!  Their loved ones all seem equal parts thrilled and apprehensive.  It seems as if all of the adults have secrets of their own, which they fear will come to light when the whole crew gathers at the beach house in Cape Cod for the nuptials.

I've always been a big fan of Jennifer Weiner, with more hits than misses over the years.  This one was...not my favorite.  The pacing was very slow and it wasn't the fluffy and fun summer beach read I've come to expect from her.  It wasn't a bad book, just not what I was hoping to get.  It was absolutely not what I would expect from "the undisputed boss of the beach read".  But if you want something a little slower, a little messier...this is your book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Though others in my book-loving world aren't being so kind about this one, I really enjoyed The Summer Place and will read anything that Jennifer Weiner writes. I enjoyed the magical elements weaved throughout and thought some of the relationship issues were timely and relevant. And I'm finally ready to read stories about COVID so, bring 'em'! Weiner writes amazing family dramas--and I'm here for them and have been since Good in Bed was published more than 20 years ago. Kudos to you, Ms. Weiner!

Perfect Beach Read 🏖 Thank you, Atria Books, for gifting me a copy of The Summer Place {partner}

Genre: Fiction
Trope: Chick-Lit
Format: 📖🎧
Pub Date: 5.10.2022
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆

"For forty years, the house had stood, silvery cedar and gleaming glass, on the edge of the dune, overlooking the waters of Cap Code Bay."

I love Jennifer Weiner's books as she has this way of writing that allows the reader to get to know her characters in such an in-depth way that you begin to question whether you know them better than your own family. The Summer Place is just that type of reading. I genuinely feel that I may know that flawed cast of characters better than my own family.

It took a while for me to get into the frame of mind that each chapter would focus extensively on one character and then the next. Some chapters took me 30-40 minutes to read because they were long and packed full of information. But, by the end, I was flying through and in awe of all the connections revealed between family members and long-buried secrets that had been dug up. It was a fascinating look into one family, their flaws, love, and forgiveness. And somehow, I needed more from the ending? I don't know; maybe I just wasn't to say goodbye to the characters.

There were two characters that I think I enjoyed the most, and that is the house (read the book, and you'll see what I mean) and Annette. I loved Annette's addition to the story and her brutal honesty. Our world is so forgiving of the men who walk away, but it is cruel to the women who do or the women who choose not to have their own families.

📖 Long chapters
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 In-depth character descriptions ( 8 )
😩 Quick ending
📝 Felt like a book of short stories

I recommend you read The Summer Place if you're a fan of Liane Moriarity books.

I've vacillated between liking this book and being overwhelmed by this book. Through the first few chapters, I really appreciated the commentary on the everyday life during COVID quarantine. Everyone adapting to being around the same people day in and day out, creating new routines, and dealing with the overall stress of the onset of a global pandemic. Weiner's commentary was both comical and therapeutic. I also enjoyed the character development. There seemed to be no "hero" in this story which accurately reflects real life - no one person is perfect in action or thought. However, the story contained almost too many plot lines. Who fathered this person? What is someone's sexual identity? Will she or won't she cheat on her husband? Again, very reflective of real life since a family's dynamics are often multi-faceted. I just wanted it to be a bit more streamlined for the purpose of enjoying the story. Also, I wish that the beach house ("The Summer Place") had more of a starring role. I felt like it didn't appear until about halfway through, and was overshadowed by the many storylines. Overall, I can see The Summer Place as a decent beach read, but wasn't my favorite of this year.

The best part of this book is the character building. The book jumps points of view and you feel like you really get to know the family members - kind of a peek behind the curtain. I liked the story but man, this felt LONG. You get a lot of background and then speed through the end. I could have done without some of the world building in the middle. Fun story but by the end I was tired of reading this.

The Summer Place is filled with family drama. I look forward to Jennifer Weiner’s new release every year. It’s the perfect book to kick off the summer reading season.

While I wasn't a huge fan of most of these characters, the plot lines were just WOW. Just when I thought the author couldn't add in any more twists and turns, here she comes with another one! I think my biggest issue with the book was that there isn't a lot of "present day" storyline. A lot of it is backstory or repeats of the same events from different people's POVs leading it to have a tendency to feel a little bit redundant. Overall, if you love Jennifer Weiner's other books, then give this one a read! The plot line will leave you guessing and hooked the whole way through.

Well THAT was unexpected! Leave it to Jennifer Weiner to keep me on my toes!

Life, Love, Relationships, Family Dysfunction and Scandal (and lots of it).

When Covid hits, Ruby rushes into an engagement with her boyfriend Gabe. The fact that her stepmother Sarah disapproves, somehow makes it more attractive.

Twins Sam and Sarah have always been close, but middle age has forced them apart. Meanwhile, Sarah is unhappy in her marriage to Eli and Sam suffers from general discontentment.

Grandmother Ronnie, was once a celebrated author. Something happened a while back that stopped her from publishing. Only she knows why.

Secrets are at the heart of this novel by Jennifer Weiner. The question I asked while reading this was why each family member felt they had to keep them, and why, if they loved each other so much, they felt it so necessary? There is dysfunction and there is scandal, but there is also love.

A drama filled novel that truly made my eyes pop at times! Though this wasn’t my favorite of Jennifer Weiner’s novels, I will say that it sure kept me fully engaged.

Thank you to Ariele Friedman at Atria Books for the arc via NetGalley.

A buddy read with Kaceey!

Review posted to Goodreads and Twitter.

I was excited to read this one and I got about 200 pages in but then one of the relationships became very uncomfortable to read about, and I did not finish the book because it totally turned me off. Its too bad that all the books have to hit little check boxes now for this ultra woke publishing of late. I really think that this could have been a good beach read, but I don't want to read about a relationship that goes against my beliefs. The book was also riddled with infidelity and I'm not a fan of reading about it either. Where are the morals??

The Summer Place is the sprawling, epic story of a family and the challenges the individual members are facing. They survived the COVID-19 quarantine, but can they make it through the preparations for and Ruby's upcoming July 4th wedding at the family home on Cape Cod?

Weiner says she wrote The Summer Place during late 2020 and early 2021 because she wanted to tell a story set right after the pandemic about "a family whose members had come through the pandemic year, . . . " that would be a cross between "a Noël Coward farce and A Midsummer Night's Dream, where the pairings are driven by otherworldly interference." She also wanted to examine the myriad ways in which the quarantine "exposed the fault lines in relationships and the buried foundations of money and privilege and sacrifice that hold up our lives, whether or not we acknowledge that they're there."

Weiner could not foresee that her mother would be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2021 and succumb to the disease a mere nine weeks later. Suddenly, the story also became about loss, as well as the relationships between mothers and daughters, "and how the torch gets passed from one mother to the next." And The Summer Place became a love letter to her beloved mother's spirit.

Weiner focuses each chapter in The Summer Place on one of her characters, revealing their history and background, life experiences, and the choices that brought them to their present circumstances. Ruby met Gabriel Andrews in college and he is the first boy she has ever loved. "Ruby For Sure," as her father, Eli, calls her, makes up her mind and gets what she wants. And what she thought she wanted was to marry Gabe, who makes her feel safe and loved. During the pandemic, she and Gabe lived with Eli and her stepmother, Sarah, along with her two younger half-brothers, in the family's four-story brownstone in Brooklyn. Now they have settled into their own apartment. When she announced their engagement at Shabbat dinner, she expected someone to try to talk her out of it. Surprisingly, no one did, and Ruby is becoming increasingly convinced that she has made a bad decision. Perhaps for the first time.

Eli Danhauser, a periodontist, was a single father for seven years after his wife, Annette, left him and Ruby. She made it clear that she never wanted to marry, have children, and settle down. In fact, when she discovered she was pregnant, she didn't even plan to tell Eli. But he found the pregnancy test and convinced her they should marry so he could provide insurance for her and the baby. He also promised that if Annette was truly unhappy, she could walk away without repercussions. Annette was very clear about her lack of maternal instinct. Eli was equally clear, except he only wanted to defer having a family, while Annette never wanted one at all. And when Ruby was just a year old, Annette did, in fact, leave.

At just twenty-five years of age, Sarah wasn't really equipped to become a stepmother. And it wasn't easy. But she loved Eli, and her parents, Lee and Veronica, adored Ruby and loved spending time with and doting on her. Sarah wisely gave Ruby space to grow fond of her and eventually that's what happened. Sarah and Eli's marriage has been happy, especially with the addition of their two sons to whom Ruby has been a devoted big sister. As a young woman Sarah made the difficult decision not to pursue a career as a concert pianist. Instead, she earned a liberal arts degree and has enjoyed a successful career developing music curricula. But she has always harbored doubts as to whether she chose correctly.

Veronica, aka Ronnie, always wanted to be a writer and eventually accepted that her novels were commercial works. She acquired an agent, fielded offers from several publishers, and her first book was not only published. It was also adapted into a film. Her second novel was also published, but Ronnie was living dual lives. She loved her husband, Lee, an attorney, but when she went to New York City for meetings and events, she was a different woman. She was Veronica, a successful writer who even dressed differently than Ronnie. And she had an affair about which Lee never found out. She was never sure if Lee fathered Sarah and Sam, but he didn't suspect that he might not be. Ronnie never stopped writing, but she did not publish any more books. Now widowed, she lives full-time at the Cape, maintaining her secrets, including the unpublished novels tucked away in her closet. But she may have to confront the truth, depending on the results yielded by the DNA testing kits her sister has purchased as birthday presents for Sarah and Sam.

Until he was thirty-four years old and met Julie, a single mother, Sam's relationships with women never lasted more than six months. He was the "dumpee" so many times that he began breaking up with his girlfriends before they could dump him. But he and Julie were happy because Julie was needy, and she made him feel capable and strong. Her son Connor's biological father was perpetually absent which gave Sam a chance to form a strong bond with the boy, fortunately. Because when tragedy struck, Connor needed the stability and love that Sam provided him. Over the years, some of his girlfriends and Sarah observed that Sam didn't appear to really know who he was, having been been something of a chameleon his entire life. "I feel like there's this piece of you that maybe you're not entirely sure about yet," Sarah told him. Sam decides it's time to finally figure out what is missing from his life.

The COVID-19 pandemic takes a toll on each of Weiner's characters, but none more so than Sarah. Suddenly she and Eli are both working at home, and the boys are attending school via Zoom. They urge Ruby to come home for the sake of her safety, and permit her to bring Gabe with her. Eli becomes withdrawn, uncommunicative, and Sarah grows convinced that he must be having an affair, although she can't imagine when he would have time to get involved with another woman when he is always at home, traipsing through the house in his noisy flip-flops and getting on Sarah's nerves. As the pandemic draws to a close and the world begins opening up, the boys return to school and Sarah returns to work, too. But she rents a studio and escapes there to find solace and practice the piano, as she ponders why her once-happy marriage seems to have fallen apart and Eli refuses to even discuss what's wrong. Things become even more complicated when she runs into Owen, her first-ever love who broke up with her via email when he left for college and refused to ever speak to her again. He's now a handsome FBI agent who wants to explain what actually transpired two decades ago.

All of Weiner's characters are fully developed, with lush backstories that inform and provide context to their present circumstances and conundrums. Each character is empathetic, relatable, and flawed in some fundamental fashion. Although she loves her children dearly, Sarah questions the life-defining choice she made years ago. Was giving up her potential career as a professional musician the right move? Can the problems in her marriage be repaired, particularly given that she has no understanding of what or who has managed to drive a wedge between her and Eli? Gabe's presence dredges up a brief time in Eli's life when he exhibited poor judgment and engaged in behavior about which he has remained deeply ashamed. He can't bring himself to discuss it with Sarah, instead growing increasingly neurotic and permitting himself to become estranged from the woman he loves. He suspects there is a terrifying link between his conduct and Gabe that could derail Ruby's plans for a happy married life. But he is thwarted in his efforts to obtain confirmation before traveling to Cape Cod for the wedding. Ronnie receives disturbing and unexpected news from her physician during her annual check-up. She knows she has to share the information with the family, but is set on doing so after the wedding so as not to ruin Ruby's special day. Sam is surprised by the dawning realization of what the "missing piece" of himself might be, and begins exploring his feelings, making a new friend in the process. But he resolves to sneak away for a bit and put his theory to the test when he and Connor are in Cape Cod for Ruby's wedding. Ensconced in Ronnie's guesthouse, her wedding dress in its clear plastic garment bag, hanging on the back of the bathroom door, Ruby makes a momentous decision and shortly thereafter encounters her mother, Annette, arriving for the ceremony.

Weiner deftly orchestrates the revelation of her character's secrets and the fallout from them. Not every secret, once brought to light, is destructive, and some end up having no impact at all or actually bring about healing. Other truths remain hidden, and Weiner leaves it to her readers to decide if that outcome is wise or could constitute a smoldering mistake with the potential to have draconian consequences at some future time. There are confrontations that bring resolution and misunderstandings that are ironed out, much to the relief of those affected. At least one development is shocking, wildly improbable, and so outrageous that it is almost exquisitely perfect.

The story moves at a brisk pace and the dialogue is crisp, often witty, and believable. The characters' internal struggles are compelling and emotionally resonant. But Weiner injects humorous aspects to the story that keep it from becoming maudlin or cloying, and she astutely prevents the characters from taking themselves too seriously, the one exception being Eli. But his earnestness and struggle to forgive himself are core aspects of his personality.

The Summer Place depicts family members who are devoted to each other but don't always listen to or find it easy to love one another. The pandemic was a trying period of time for Weiner's characters, just as it was, in varying degrees, for every single one of her readers. It caused Weiner's characters to do what so many people around the world did: reevaluate. Being quarantined for months with close family members highlighted habits and idiosyncrasies that might easily be overlooked under normal circumstances. Weiner compassionately examines how one family not only survived, but managed to emerge from those dark days with a greater appreciation for each other, reconciled to their pasts, and committed to the future. Together. And she does so in entertaining and big-hearted fashion, making The Summer Place a book everyone who enjoys family dramas should read at the beach or by the pool this summer.

This is my second novel that takes place during the pandemic - the first one I read I think I enjoyed reading about it after living it, but now my second novel recapping the pandemic feels a little tiresome for me- I likely would not have felt this way had I not read another one right before.

This novel had a lot going on - and a lot of characters -, this was not a bad thing, however, it is a little harder to focus on a “beach read” when this is the case. I did overall enjoy the book and would recommend it for Jennifer Weiner fans. This was my 3rd novel by this author. I enjoyed this book much better than the last one I read, Mrs. Everything.

The Danhauser family - both related and extended family are filled with secrets, regrets, love and forgiveness. Their unique ability to leverage the beautiful setting on Cape Cod to both cleanse and renew their perspective is what makes them so wonderful.

I'd just finished a much heavier novel and this one was the perfect palette cleanse and prep for summer reading!

DNF. I can’t get past the unbelievable coincidences, and with the could-be incestuous relationship, I’m out.

I dnf’d this book at 20%. These are my thoughts based on what I managed to complete.

I was excited when I heard this book was coming, as I’ve been a big fan of the author’s last 3 or 4 books. However, my first red flag should have been when the synopsis mentioned the story takes place during the pandemic. That’s just a little too much reality in my fiction. But I decided to give it a try anyway. Unfortunately, I could not get past the pandemic setting. There were also too many POVs for me to follow. Every time I stopped reading it took me days, sometimes weeks, to pick it back up again because I just wasn’t invested in the story. Having said all that, depending on how the audiobook is done, I may try again when that is released.

I love Jennifer Weiner's books, and this one did not disappoint! The Summer Place is a study in the complexity of being human, especially being a human woman, and the reader will go back and forth between hating and loving the characters. There are a few twists and turns along the way, which will keep the pages turning, and readers guessing.