I haven’t read a Jennifer Weiner book in quite awhile, but was gifted a copy of The Summer Place from NetGalley right before my Spring Break trip to the beach, Given that this is a “beach read”, I figured it was a perfect fit. This book is a little outside my usual romance genre, more of a chic-lit read, but I really enjoyed it. It is a character heavy and drama filled read, but I loved how all of the lives intertwined in the end. The parts that resonated with me most were about the struggles of mothers in the Covid world. It is well worth added The Summer Place to your summer reading list.

I love Jennifer Weiner so I was really excited to get this ARC. The book spans a few generations mainly between New York and Cape Cod. The family it follows has a lot going on, a lot of behind the scenes drama, and at times I was a little confused about who was who but it all came together in the end for me.
We have matriarch and successful author, Ronnie. Eli and his wife Sarah. Their three kids including Ruby, who is set to marry Gabe, her pandemic boyfriend. Then there’s Sam, Sarah’s twin and his wife Julia and her son Connor. The book also goes back and forth in time seeing how each couple got together, earlier affairs and so forth. Though it’s a lot to follow and cover I did enjoy the book. There were parts that were better paced than others and some of the drama was a bit coincidental but in the end the story touched me and I felt close to the family. This was a little different for Weiner but I think the more I think about it the more I’ll appreciate it.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

The Summer Place is the story of a family of flawed characters, and how they come together in the Cape Cod house to "celebrate" Ruby and Gabe's wedding. Each chapter is told by a different character in the story, and each one helps explain current and previous emotions and behaviors. So, that's a plus - this book is well written.

Every character in the book has some kind of secret, and it's difficult to spend so much time reading about the separate and collective hurts and conflicts. Somehow, I found all of these people to be off-putting. I was just kind of disgusted by the end of the book.

Thanks for NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Summer Place.

I’ve had the privilege of reading several of Weiner’s books. Thank you NetGalley. Her writing is fluid which encourages the reader to read and read and read! At some point in this book. I thought there were way too many coincidences, but, as usual, Weiner ties them all together. At the end, it all tied together. I really enjoyed it.

Jennifer Weiner delivers another good beach read. After isolating together with her family Ruby and her boyfriend Gabe decide to get married. The wedding is a great opportunity for the family to get together for a last hurrah before The sale of the grandmother’s home on Cape Cod. Meanwhile Ruby’s stepmother and father have become disconnected. The story will unfold, secrets will be revealed.
I enjoyed this book but had to suspend belief about a couple of the plot premises.
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

Jennifer Weiner!!! The Summer Place is Jennifer Weiner's best work yet! I have been a huge of Jennifer Weiner's since meeting Cannie Shapiro in Good in Bed! But The Summer Place has everything! Weiner's comical undertone, a little mystery, and good family-centered stories to make you have allll the feels as you read along. This one really had me! There are parts that made me laugh, reminisce, intrigue, and cry harder than I have in a while over a story line.
Ruby is getting married! No one thought a wedding would happen so soon out of quarantine but as the world is now, of course it makes no sense! But as the world starts to move one, so does Ruby and Gabe. Sarah is most excited Ruby chose the Cape to finalize her vows. After a rough start at step-motherhood, Ruby honoring her family at the Cape makes her feel loved and excited. And that's where the story starts. Everyone has choices in life. Its what we do with those choices that determine how our life is shaped. Weiner introduces you to a family and slowly over time let their personal struggles and choices reveal themselves. Sarah and Eli have been married for what feels like forever. Eli and Sarah met when Ruby was young and made a go of it. Adding two more boys to the mix, they lived happy ever-after. Until their choices started haunting them from their past. The same with Sam, Sarah's twin and her mom, Ronnie. Is there ever a choice we make that doesn't hurt someone, even ourselves?
I will definitely be recommending The Summer Place to all my book-loving friends! And I will always be looking out for Jennifer Weiner's work! She just does not disappoint!! Special thanks to NetGalley, Jennifer Weiner, and Atria Books for the advanced Digital Copy in exchange for my honest opinion! 5 HUGE HUGE stars for me!

I love a multi-generational drama filled with flawed and messy characters, secrets, miscommunication, and surprises. Jennifer Weiner has the gift of writing characters that feel so real that I feel like I know them and I wish I could offer them some advice.

The story alternates POVs between: Sarah (wife of Eli, stepmom of Ruby), Eli and his daughter Ruby, Annette (Ruby’s mom), Sam (twin brother of Sarah); Veronica (mother of Sarah and Sam); and Rosa (her son Gabe is Ruby’s boyfriend).

Even though it’s a fairly big cast of characters, each of the stories are unique and captivating and they all intertwine and impact each other.

The story takes place during the pandemic – some of the characters have been forced to live together and others have been unable to see each other much because of Covid restrictions. All readers will be able to relate to the irritations once experiences when you never have a break from your family members.

The setting is mostly in Veronica’s summer beach house in Cape Cod. The best way I can describe this book is to say it’s like the Jewish version of The Paper Palace which is also a multi-generational family drama set in Cape Cod. I loved the Jewish elements woven into this story.

If I have one complaint with this book, I would say that some of the plot points seem like pretty unbelievable coincidences or circumstances but they also provide the best surprises.

This story has a lot of heart and really made me think about family bonds, traditions and the ties that bind.

Thank you to Atria Books, Simon and Schuster and Net Galley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ruby is getting married to her pandemic boyfriend and her close friends and family are all getting ready to converge at the family home in Cape Cod. Little do they all know how many secrets will be uncovered before and during their time together.

Jennifer Weiner is a go to author for me. When I see one of her books I instantly grab it and read it right away. Her latest does not disappoint! Written in her usual different POV style, I was hooked from the very first page and loved the unraveling and development of each and every character. Make sure you pick this one up when it comes out this May!

This summer’s beach essential novel is about the Levy-Weinberg family who endure living together during the pandemic year. When restrictions are lifted and the adult children move out of the ‘safe bubble’ of COVID living, an announcement of an impending wedding tips the scales on a tense family situation and drama ensues. Weiner writes about “a man making sense of his sexuality, a husband confronted by an old mistake, and a wife tempted by an old love!” It’s a minefield to be tiptoed carefully through and a Pandora's box of secrets to be unleashed slowly.

Weiner explores how the seemingly never-ending quarantine revealed the cracks in relationships. To do this, she’s highlighted each member of the extended family, giving them a voice, and allowed readers a seat at the table to see the secrets each one is hiding. Weiner begins with the house being put on the market and then piece by piece, chapter by chapter, reveals the memories the house has held. The writing in the prologue is spectacular!

“The molecules of her walls vibrated with the echoes of every conversation ever held in her rooms; the ceilings and the floors and the dirt below hold the resonances of all she’s seen.”

I can see why so many readers are attracted to Weiner’s novels. She’s frank and she understands how people act, react and respond to major life events. She writes to include a little of all of us and her insight keeps us coming back for more.

I was gifted this advance copy by Jennifer Weiner, Atria Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The Summer Place is a warm comedy of errors a la Noel Coward. Mismatched couples all head to a family wedding on Cape Cod where they figure out where their hearts belong. Bittersweet mom moments, especially in the context of the death of the author’s own mother during the writing of the book. Ms Weiner is the thinking person’s beach read- great characters, humor, and interesting plots are always guaranteed. Another winner!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

The Summer Place is full of family drama, good people making not so good decisions and well developed characters surrounding an upcoming summer wedding on Cape Cod. Jennifer Weiner's novel was engaging and I was quickly swept up in the imperfections of family dynamics. Though, the final affair seemed a bit unrealistic. However, I enjoyed getting to know the relatable characters and being transported into another families secrets, gossip and steamy relationships.

Thank you NetGalley & Jennifer Weiner for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved this book so much. It's full of family drama and although it felt odd to read about Covid, I felt like she handled that storyline perfectly. She gave us hope of coming out of this pandemic and being reunited with our loved ones, no matter the drama. Her characters came to life for me and their storylines were incredible. I was going crazy trying to figure out how she was going tie up the storyline, but it all came together. As someone who has never been to the Cape, I now need to add it to my list.

I'm always going to read Jennifer Weiner, especially in the summer. This book was enjoyable but far from my fave by this author. I enjoyed all of the characters but their relationships were all too far fetched.

Jennifer Weiner does it again with this lovely tale of family and finding love over and over again. This book shows not only the importance of blood ties, but also of the friendships and families we create for ourselves.

Bravo to the author for truly bringing the characters in this book to life! With lots of twists and secrets alongside complicated family dynamics, it would make for a great beach read. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

Beach read with some substance! This family saga has it all: love, death, affairs and overall drama. Throughly enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's latest summer binge read!

This is a great summer beach read. It has all the parts of a dysfunctional family - lots of secrets, annoying family members, new relationships, and of course lots of drama. It is very character driven with each chapter a different POV. After you get several chapters in, getting all the POVs, you start to get really invested in their stories - past and present. I love that none of the characters are perfect, they are all flawed in some way.

There were a lot of serious, modern theme woven into the story, but at the same time there was quite a bit of humor. I think people can relate to what this family was going through in some ways, but if not, it's good to put yourself in someone else's shoes and see it from their point of view.

Family drama, secrets and so many affairs are the central plot points of the latest novel from Jennifer Weiner. I can say that this wasn't for me and I'm giving The Summer Place 2 stars.

The main character, Sarah, is now in the midst of wedding planning for her stepdaughter during the Covid pandemic. Sarah has been Ruby's stepmother since she was a child. Ruby's relationship with her pandemic boyfriend, Gabe, has moved very quickly because of Covid. They now say they want to get married on Cape Cod in only a few months at the home owned by Sarah's mother, Ronnie. As wedding planning commences so much family drama and secrets are revealed. Sarah's husband, Eli, has been distant from her. Sarah's old boyfriend reappears in her life, Ronnie revisits her past indiscretions and Sarah's twin brother, Sam, explores his sexuality after a tragic loss. There is so much more going on in this book and I don't want to give anymore away.

Honestly, this book was exhausting for me to read. Every character was given at least one chapter from their point of view and because of this the same events were being told from different points of view. I was bored by this and the book felt way too long. A lot of the background and details could've been cut without affecting the overall story in my opinion. I did enjoy that there was a full cast of characters but think that they didn't all need to be given their own chapters from their point of view and some could've been left out all together. I also felt a lot of the drama was just too much. The coincidences in this book were beyond unbelievable and I was rolling my eyes at certain points because of how unrealistic some coincidences were. This wasn't necessarily a bad book but it wasn't for me and I would say this is a pass.

Thank you for Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I am a fan of Jennifer Weiner's books and was very excited when I received this book for review. It had all the makings of a great story but it did not hit the mark in my opinion. Set before, during, and after covid, this is the story of a blended family, preparing for a wedding. As the story moves on it becomes clear that all the characters have secrets. Unfortunately, it also becomes clear that non of the charters are likable, weak, and looking out for themselves.