This was such a great read. I have only read a few of Jennifer Weiner's books so far but really enjoyed them. I can't wait to read more.

I had both the audio and ebook for this and I really liked being able to switch between the two. Flew through it in no time.

An excellent domestic family drama that held my interest from start to finish!

A great summer read from Jennifer Weiner. This is my new favorite from her. It’s deep and thoughtful, but has a lightness and joy that was a huge relief to experience as a reader. I enjoyed the multi-generational dynamics and the well drawn characters. And even though by the end of the book the impossible coincidences the plot turned on were so numerous that it felt a bit like Alice In Wonderland, the story was so good that I didn’t care. Definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a copy of this book.

For fans of novels with dysfunctional and dramatic family dynamics, The Summer Place might just be for you. To me, this book would best be described as a combination of a dramatic ‘This Is Us’ episode with a guilty-pleasure, trashy reality TV show. Some of the plot likes/overall directions the story went into were so odd/far-fetched (and frankly unbelievable they all happened in one family) they actually seem like they could happen in real life. This novel’s major storylines include (**spoiler**) excessive lying between partners (not to mention cheating), multiple family secrets (including paternity) and overprivileged characters that have no sense of reality. I honestly couldn’t decide which of the multiple characters I disliked more as the chapters flipped back and forth throughout the course of the book.
My review is a bit harsh, but if any or all of those plot lines in fiction don’t bother you, or if you read Jennifer Weiner’s books regularly, you may like this one more than I did.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC!
2/5

I’m sticking with a mini review on this one because it just really didn’t work for me and I ended up DNFing at 44%. I’ve read a few books by Jennifer Weiner in the past and have enjoyed them for the most part but this one was just beyond me. To say this family is dysfunctional would be an understatement and to me that doesn’t really fit the summer beach read mood. I also was not keen on the way the story was told. There are so many characters and having to go back to each character’s back story and how it fits in with the end game got really old. I also have a hard time reading books that have a lot of adultery. Multiple characters played that game in this book and I was not into it at all. There was just SO MUCH deception on all sides and it got to be more than I could handle. But like I said, this just did not work for me personally. If you’re a big fan of Jennifer Weiner or big family dramas featuring dysfunctional families with secrets galore than you might enjoy this one.

Ugh. I usually enjoy her books. This one was tedious. Every possible family drama in one book. Just so preposterous I couldn’t connect with anyone in the book. And I’m so sorry and disappointed.

The Summer Place is the third in Weiner’s ‘Summer’ titled series. I loved the previous two, and Weiner has become an auto-buy summer author for me. I was excited to read an advanced copy of this title. I also listened to the audio, narrated superbly by Sutton Foster, who has also narrated the others in the series, and I highly recommend this format. Each title fully stands alone and only loose references to other characters tie the books together.

While this title held my interest throughout, I found myself lost at times amidst the vast cast of characters. A few characters had multiple names or nicknames, and that added to the never-ending web. Keeping track of who was related to who, and how, was a bit tiresome.

Weiner’s characters are always solid, and I enjoyed the different story threads, despite having to reorient myself as they switched back and forth. As a result, the book would have benefitted from a more narrow focus, allowing Weiner to sink her teeth into some of the characters more deeply. Her strength is always capturing women grappling with the expectations put upon them by society or with the many internal conflicts women face of confidence, body image or the road not taken in terms of career vs children and family.

This is a solid beach read and I will continue to pick up Weiner’s summer offerings. I do feel that the previous two in the Summer series are stronger.

Another knockout from the summer queen Jennifer Weiner. What I love about her is that each of her summer reads follow a completely different formula but give us realistic perspectives of women.

The Summer Place is a multigenerational novel following.3 generations of family as they navigate their relationships and secrets in a post-pandemic work.

I love that this book gave a realistic take on motherhood in so many of its forms: mother/daughter, grandmother/step grand daughter, mother/stepmother, birth mother/daughter and touches on those who don’t want motherhood to be part of their journeys.

Complex and nuanced, I enjoyed this book immensely though I will say it was a tad long for the storyline.

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This was a sweeping novel about a family and their lives, especially their loves and the losses. Without spoilers, the characters face issues like paternity, sexual orientation, old lovers, death of a family member and more. Jennifer Weiner handles these issues with grace and restraint.
The characters are very well done, they’re authentic and true to life. I also liked the descriptions of house and Cape Cod. I really enjoyed this book a lot even though it went a little long, 4 stars.

Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of That Summer comes another heartfelt and unputdownable novel of family, secrets, and the ties that bind.

When her twenty-two-year-old stepdaughter announces her engagement to her pandemic boyfriend, Sarah Danhauser is shocked. But the wheels are in motion. Headstrong Ruby has already set a date (just three months away!) and spoken to her beloved safta, Sarah’s mother Veronica, about having the wedding at the family’s beach house on Cape Cod. Sarah might be worried, but Veronica is thrilled to be bringing the family together one last time before putting the big house on the market.

But the road to a wedding day usually comes with a few bumps. Ruby has always known exactly what she wants, but as the wedding date approaches, she finds herself grappling with the wounds left by the mother who walked out when she was a baby. Veronica ends up facing unexpected news, thanks to her meddling sister, and must revisit the choices she made long ago, when she was a bestselling novelist with a different life. Sarah’s twin brother, Sam, is recovering from a terrible loss, and confronting big questions about who he is—questions he hopes to resolve during his stay on the Cape. Sarah’s husband, Eli, who’s been inexplicably distant during the pandemic, confronts the consequences of a long ago lapse from his typical good-guy behavior. And Sarah, frustrated by her husband, concerned about her stepdaughter, and worn out by challenges of life during quarantine, faces the alluring reappearance of someone from her past and a life that could have been.

When the wedding day arrives, lovers are revealed as their true selves, misunderstandings take on a life of their own, and secrets come to light. There are confrontations and revelations that will touch each member of the extended family, ensuring that nothing will ever be the same.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a wild three generational family drama story. There are a lot of characters and a lot of dysfunction in this family. Be prepared for some infidelity if that is something you don’t like in your reading! All the characters had such different personalities and that definitely made it more interesting. This one had me quickly turning the pages to see how everything was going to turn out. A perfect summer book with the Cape Cod setting. Overall I really enjoyed this one!

***4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account***

"For forty years, the house had stood...had waited, patient and steadfast...the house had only ever been able to watch. All the pain, all the mistakes - no, no more to drink tonight; no, not him, no not her; no, don't open that door; don't answer the phone; do not let that man back in your bed..."
"And now, another summer was approaching...changes were coming."

From these first words of the family drama The Summer Place from blockbuster author Jennifer Weiner my heart was overwhelmed with emotions. I knew this literary journey was taking me on an emotional ride filled with over the top drama, sweet remembrances, and life altering decisions.

Ronnie, the family matriarch, lives year round in the family's summer place. She once was a best selling author but has chosen not to publish anymore. This doesn't mean she no longer writes. There are hidden manuscripts in the house. Another secret it holds for her.

Her daughter's family is coming back for Sarah's stepdaughter Ruby's wedding to Gabe. The thing is this relationship is on fast forward since the Covid lockdown. Now Sarah's husband's Eli has been distant since meeting Gabe's mom over Zoom.

Sarah's twin Sam is a people pleaser conforming to others but now a single father maybe it's time to find his authentic self.

There are characters and issues not mentioned but you get the idea. This family has more drama than years of General Hospital. There are a few too many convenient coincidences but that is part of the juicy soap opera theme throughout this book.

I really enjoyed the audiobook narrated by multi talented actress Sutton Foster because of her compassionate tone as this family keeps too many secrets protecting loved ones when they are just protecting themselves.

I received a free copy of this novel/audiobook from the publishers via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Part family drama, part comedic relief, part young love, new love, long-lost love, all mixed together with a COVID wedding. What more can you ask for in this perfect summer beach read?! I've read a couple novels that take place in the COVID pandemic and felt they were 'too soon' but this one takes place emerging from the pandemic and there are some witty one liners about the experience that we can all empathize with and chuckle at. That twist at the end though! I had to go back a couple chapters and reread. I can't believe this is my first Jennifer Weiner novel, it definitely won't be my last!

Whoa! What a ride. It was very fast-paced. The writing style kept me hooked and I didn't find myself losing any interest. I enjoyed getting to know each of the characters and how real the story felt. The author did a great job painting the setting, so it was easy for me to visualize the scene played out before me. I recommend giving this one a chance!

I love Jennifer Weiner's beach reads, but this one was a little too much drama for my taste! There are some really sweet moments with the family together, but too much duplicity from nearly every character to actually like any of them.

I love a Jennifer Weiner book in May. High drama to kick off the season. Lots of characters made this feel full in a good way, redundancy of events from different POVs made it feel full in a bad way. Overall quick and enjoyable.

Thanks to Netgalley & Simon and Schuster for the ARC and Jennifer Weiner for another great read

🏖 This book was such a delicious summer-y read! I absolutely fell in love with the characters and their stories. The Summer Place is a story where the summer home is almost a character of its own, as it’s a place truly special to all of the members of the family as they convene one last time for a wedding. 

💕 This story had everything–romance, secrets, characters finding themselves at all stages of life, and even a little humor tossed in for good measure. I adored the entire family, Weiner has a way of endearing her characters to you and this book reminded me of some of her earlier writing in all the best ways. 

☝️ If you pick one book to stow into your beach bag this summer, let this be it.

I really enjoyed this! Jennifer Weiner has long been one of my favorite authors. I was so swept up in this family’s saga. I loved the back and forth between multiple POVs from Sarah to Sam to Ronnie. There was a lot of storyline to keep up with but I wasn’t confused or lost at any point. I did think the house’s perspective was a little odd. I ended up listening to the audiobook and I think Sutton Foster’s narration helped me enjoy the story. I can’t wait to see what Weiner writes next!

Another hit from Jennifer Weiner! This one introduces us to a lot of characters and gives a lot of points of view. Weiner does such a good job of writing a family story and making the reader want to know everything about the characters and how their story is going to affect another character's story.

I’d say overall I enjoyed The Summer Place. It’s not my favorite title by Jennifer Weiner, but I would recommend it to other readers.

This author is really great about creating characters who value honesty, even in terribly compromising situations. I believe this story to follow in that same pattern.
Family drama and how each member of a family contributes to that drama or tries to shut it down is always interesting to me, as I come from a large close-knit family and the drama is definitely strong!

I went into this one thinking it would be a good beach read, but it’s more women’s fiction and a little heavier than your typical beach read.

I loved the setting of the Cape and kind of wish there had been more of that! The title and cover lead me to believe it would be a true beach read, which for me, it wasn’t. Not that I didn’t enjoy it, that is to say. I did, I just expected something…different, I guess.

In the end, I give this one 4 out of 5 stars because I really enjoyed the family story and backstories of the characters. With every family drama, like this, expect a little mystery along with long-held secrets to surface. Jennifer Weiner packed a lot in this book and it’s worth the read if you enjoy stories about families and the issues they face.

Many thanks to the publisher, Atria Books, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital advanced copy of this novel.

I have read every single one of Jennifer’s books. I look forward to her new release every summer and this summer is no exception. I’ve loved that her last few books take place in Cape Cod. The descriptions of the atmosphere and the setting make me feel like I’m there.
Jennifer’s books have the perfect mix of family drama with a small mystery that keeps you guessing and wanting to turn the pages. This book is one of my recent favorites and it’s going to be perfect for sitting outside with a beverage relaxing or taking with you to the beach on vacation. I can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this book!

Thank you #netgalley and #simonandschuster for an advanced copy of #thesummerplace

This book was a fun treat! I loved it! It was a good reset after I read a heavier book. It kept me flipping pages well past my bedtime!!