I have been a big fan of Jennifer Weiner for a long time and this book doesnt disappoint. I loved how she switched the voice from character to character and switched timelines to give the different perspectives. Sometimes it can be a bit jarring but I really enjoyed getting the story from different angles. I also loved how she put in the pandemic but the plot wasn't revolved around it. You could see the fallout from it and how it impacted the characters but it was a more minor plot point.

🏖 BOOK / REVIEW 🏖

I'm struggling a bit with how to review / rate #thesummerplace by Jennifer Weiner. Was it a masterpiece? Absolutely NOT. Was it entertaining and full of insane family drama that made me so grateful for a "normal" upbringing? Definitely. Was it fast-paced and fun to read at the beach? 💯.

Where this one went wrong for me was the sheer volume of characters you needed to keep up with - and each were given POV chapters - and their salacious histories. I had to re-read multiple parts of this book just to ensure I had the right information. Also, there was a LOT of privileged characters in this book that would rather cheat on their spouse than work through problems or just disappear altogether. Finally, the ending was just totally implausible - like come on 😳.

Overall, this wasn't terrible and it was a quick read for me. If you don't like character heavy books, this would not be good for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite writers and I was so excited to get The Summer Place to read. Weiner is exceptional at writing characters and bringing them to life. I usually end up devouring her stories in one sitting and this book was no exception. Told from multiple character's perspective, we learn of the lies and mistruths of generations of a family and how it affects all of them. Frustrating at times but definitely what makes the book so enjoyable, I ended up yelling at the characters to to just talk to each other! But what kind of book would that be?! A boring book, that's what. Thank god for Jennifer Weiner and her flawed and real characters. I did find this story a little predictable but I thoroughly enjoyed still getting to the end. I laughed and I cried and I love books like that. Coined the "ultimate beach read", I recommend Weiner to all my patrons looking for an engrossing novel. Highly recommend.

Give me anything Jennifer Weiner and I know I’m going to love it. This novel is a lot like her others in that it is a sweeping family drama, where everyone has secrets, regrets, and undiscovered parts of themselves. I enjoyed it!

I absolutely love Jennifer Weiner. Her books are always the perfect summer mood reading. Each book is heartfelt and imaginative and each new book she brings us something refreshing and different. I've been a big fan for a long time and I always end up buying the hard copy of her books for my bookclub. If you want a great summer read then I suggest this book here as it's perfect to get you in the mood for fun summer romance.

I love Jennifer Weiner's books. I think I've read most of them. I just don't think this is one of my favorites. First of all, there were a lot of characters and while they all seem very decent, they all have little secrets and a history of infidelity somewhere along the line. Nobody is truthful with anyone else until it's almost too late.

I will say that at no time was I bored with it, she's a great writer. She knows how to write dialogue, her setting descriptions were great, and truthfully, I'm not sure I'm happy with the ending.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

3.5
Jennifer Weiner is a writer whose fiction centers around the characters. Weiner is a master at creating an entire (large) cast of characters, each with a story. These stories revolve around and into each other. This was an engaging book which I found entertaining and fun. There are funny coincidences and unlikely events that occur, but it is fun fiction! Readers of family and character dramas would love this one.

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner is a summer beach read about family secrets and a wedding weekend in Cape Cod to bring all the secrets out. Unfortunately, the book goes about it in a way as to be far-fetched, to try and incorporate too many elements, and to be sexually graphic (be warned!). Too much and too scattered, ultimately, this book is completely not for me.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/05/the-summer-place.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Three and a half stars for The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner. This was a breezy summer book that held my interest. In particular, I enjoyed many of the characters and doing deep dives into their past and present. The story, however, relies on way too many coincidences to feel believable and organic. But the conclusion feels satisfying, the writing is comfortable, and I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up another Jennifer Weiner novel on my next beach day. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another Jennifer Wiener novel that I devoured! She is one of my go-to authors. I was super excited to get to read this one as an ARC. This was not my favorite of hers, but it was still really good. Kept my interest throughout, and I recommend as a great beach read!

*Thank you @atriabooks for the copy in exchange for an honest review.*

I have been reading Jennifer Weiner’s novels for what seems like forever now. I don’t know if it’s me who has changed or her writing that has changed, but I feel like I’m not enjoying her more recent novels as much as I absolutely loved her earlier works. That being said, this novel is about a blended family all cooped up in a big house during the throws of COVID - there’s romance, struggle, and a big family dynamic, not to mention all the secrets they keep. One thing I must say is that I wish it was more about “the summer place,” as the title suggests.

The Summer Place reminds us that growing up shouldn’t mean growing apart

The Summer Place is a story about stories. Told from multiple POVs, we meet Sarah and Eli Danhauser, who are struggling to reconnect but are breaking under the pressure of the secrets they keep from each other. Ruby and Gabe, a young couple encouraged to fast-track their relationship by the COVID quarantine. Sam, who has always been unlucky in love, raising his young stepson after the sudden death of his wife. Veronica, the family matriarch, grappling with the loneliness of growing old. And finally, a beach house in Cape Cod at the center of it all.

As each member of the family prepares to celebrate Ruby and Gabe’s wedding at the family beach, they also start to realize they can no longer outrun their secrets. The wedding promises to be both cathartic and explosive for these characters, and the book takes us on an immersive and emotional journey across the decades and secrets the led us to the present. The Summer Place is about grief and regrets, resentment and longing, and finally coming back to love.

True to her style, Jennifer Weiner writes a creative story reflective of our times

As soon as I finished reading The Summer Place, I reread my last two reviews for Jennifer Weiner books. I remember Big Summer and That Summer as two completely different stories with the only commonality being that they take place in Cape Cod. But now I realize that, even though these books can be read as stand-alones, there is a powerful connection between the three. They are fun, fast, and flirty, and also insightful and meaningful. These are all stories about what it’s like to be a woman, society’s expectations, family pressures and other shared experiences.

In The Summer Place, we also discover new viewpoints and perspectives. The men of The Summer Place are tender, responsible and supportive of the women in their lives. In the beginning, the multiple voices might feel confusing, but it all quickly clicks into place as you get to know these lovable and relatable characters. In the end, you’ll feel renewed and hopeful. And this is why I will never pass on the opportunity to read a Jennifer Weiner book.

The Summer Place is about Sarah and her crazy family: her 22-year-old stepdaughter is engaged to her pandemic boyfriend, her mother is selling the family's Cape Cod home, her husband has been inexplicably distant, her brother is struggling with a terrible loss, not to mention her stepdaughter's mother and future mother=in-law...

SPOILER ALERT: I liked this. BUT I have a hard time with infidelity, and infidelity plays a large part in this story. It's definitely not my favorite Jennifer Weiner book.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for my copy of The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner in exchange for an honest review. It published May 10, 2022.
The way this book started was SO interesting. Unfortunately, this book should’ve come with a warning. So much sex, I ended up skipping those parts. It ruined the book for me.

Great book, great author. I look forward to her books and this one did not disappoint. Lighthearted, easy read.

engaging and insightful, with well-crafted characters that readers will come to love. The relationships between the characters are complex and realistic, with heartwarming moments interspersed with tension and conflict.

I love a good family saga. I do wish there was a little less of the pandemic but I do see where it was needed for the backstory. This family was a mess. So much disfunction in one book. There was a ridiculous amount of infidelity from everyone. The ending could have been a little different and not just abruptly change.

This one felt all over the place - I wasn't really connecting and despite liking her previous novels, this one wasn't for me.

I love Jennifer Weiner's books and her character development. I especially love this story where the characters lives' intertwined. One of the plot-lines made me angry and I was shocked. Great beach read.

I love Jennifer Weiner and usually rave about all of her books. This one just didn't do it for me. I felt there were so many characters that it took a bit to get into them. And once I was able to, I just didn't care too much by then.