I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. Unfortunately, I had to abandon this book about 8% in because it just wasn’t working for me. I don’t think I can read pandemic books - the mentions of Zoom calls and getting vaccinated took me out of the story too much. The other reviews mention lots of action and secrets, but I couldn’t make it far enough to find out.

Omigosh did this one pack a wallop! I was worried about the amount of characters in this one, the pandemic storyline, all the kinda slimy things this family is involved in... but wowsa! does JW do such a great job at spinning the story and weaving the web and do all of the things to create a story like I've never read before.

Ruby has announced she's marrying her pandemic boyfriend and everyone is pretty shocked at how quickly they got so serious. The silver lining is that they all get to gather at the family beach house for one last big hurrah before it is sold. But what leads up to the day, what each family member is hiding, and how every single storyline comes together is pretty genius and leaves you picking your jaw up off the floor. Many times. Ouch my jaw hurts.

I will admit I didn't like most of these people or agree with almost any the decisions they made. It was really overwhelming that so. much. stuff. could go down in one family... like so, so, so much. But hands down it's great fun to read about it - while also simultaneously thanking the universe my crazy family is just a little less complicated...

I loved The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner!

The 22 year old step-daughter, Ruby, announces her engagement to her new boyfriend whom moved back home with her during the pandemic, the announcement shocks the family. An offer has been made to have the wedding at her step-grandmother's home in Cape Cod before putting her house on the market to sale.

Getting everything ready for the wedding has a few bumps in the road and things seem to happen at the most unexpected times leading up to the wedding day. There are secrets, misunderstandings, and confrontations that come to light-evens some relationships that were hidden. Just what I needed!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the eARC of The Summer Place in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Weiner books really pack a punch. They are tgat perfect balance if feel good and gut wrenching that keep me coming back for one every single summer.

While I've enjoyed other books by Jennifer Weiner, this book was not for me. There are so many characters and each one seems to have a lengthy backstory which the author felt the need to include (not necessary). The house is even a character for pity's sake. It was just too much. The web of deceit these characters weave simply because they will not talk to each other or face up to their actions. It was dysfunctional through and through and not for me.

Travel to: Cape Cod and New York

Well. This is not at all what I was expecting. I really think the publisher does Jennifer Weiner a disservice by putting these cartoony covers on her books, making them look like romantic comedies, when that’s not what they are.

After really enjoying Big Summer, I had hoped the others in this trio would be as enjoyable. Alas, I was disappointed. That Summer was problematic for several reasons (see my review on Goodreads for details), and this book was just…. Weird. Spoilers below:

Eli not saying A WORD to his wife or his daughter about thinking his daughter MIGHT BE HAVING SEX WITH HER HALF BROTHER is just icky. Even though we, the audience, know they’re not siblings, it just is so cringe that he wouldn’t do or say something to stop them from having sex if that’s really what he believed.

Everyone in this book cheated on everyone else and was super hypocritical about it. It made it hard to care.

Sam was my favorite character… until he randomly hooked up with a guy that turned out to be his niece’s fiancé that she was supposed to marry THE NEXT DAY. And after realizing who he is and saying “yeah we can’t/shouldn’t do this” they proceed to keep doing it under the deck. And when everyone finds out about them, they’re all totally cool with it! No one thinks it’s weird that he’s slept with both the niece and the uncle?

I usually like Weiner, but these last two books were big misses for me. 2.5 stars.

Thanks Atria and Net Galley for the advanced review copy.

Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite authors. I've been reading her books for years and each one of her books have a distinct quality that let's you know they are hers and are completely unputdownable.
The Summer Place is a family drama set just after Covid when everyone has spent far too much time together and everyone is just getting back out in the world. Sarah lives with her husband Eli, her step-daughter Ruby, and two sons. Ruby's boyfriend, Gabe, quarantied with the family and the two are now engaged. They're planning their wedding at Sarah's mother's house on Cape Cod where the whole family will be together again and every single one of them has a secret. The following story is told from each of the main character's perspectives where we get background info and really meet each one of them. We get to know their feelings and motivations and ultimately, the secret they are keeping from the rest of the family.
This was such a juicy read and perfect for my end of the summer vacation.
Thank you so much to Atria & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Jennifer Weiner's books are always a fun ride. Plenty of secrets, gossip, little twists and turns and the perfect beach reads! This one was a little long and had a a bit too many characters for my taste. It was still an enjoyable read but the amount of backstory to connect the characters dragged a little. I still love this author and while this one wasn't my favorite, it was still an entertaining and engaging read.
3.5 stars rounded up

I had a really hard time with this book. There were so many characters to keep straight plus there was a lot of back and forth in timelines. The pandemic stuff got annoying. I guess I'm just over it. Others may enjoy this story more than I did. I hate to rate a book so low but it just wasn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Published 10 May 2022.

I love Jennifer Weiner and will read anything she writes just because it's her. I will say that this book was not at the top of my favorites list. The first 40% or so - took me so long to read. It was verbose and the lengthy chapters wore me out. However, once I got to about halfway mark, it did pick up and I was able to finish fairly quickly. The story was just sort of ridiculous - if Eli thought his daughter might be marrying her potential half brother - why on earth would you not speak up!? And Rosa avoided him and didn't say a word either. I just could not get over this behavior. Sam's storyline was fine but once he goes out on the cape - I was just incredulous at where this went.
Ronnie's story was my favorite part. I wish there were more of her. She was an interesting character.

I have enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's books since the beginning and she just continues to get better. I love the family dynamics in this book and how realistic the writing is. I felt transported to the Cape.

Every summer should be a Jennifer Weiner summer as far as I’m concerned. I loved this jam-packed story of Sarah Danhauser and her family with all of their entanglements. It was the perfect summer read in the moment. There’s a real sense of Cape Cod-ness (not that I’m an expert) and the post-pandemic shutdown feelings that we all sort of had to muddle through as we figure out what our lives look like now. I could read a whole series about this family, but if that never arrives, I’m happy for this summer with them.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

While I liked Jennifer's book That Summer, this one fell short. There were so many details about the actual house that it seemed like filler. Add to that that Covid was such an important part of the story and I really don't want to spend so much time reading about Covid. The characters were pretty unlikable as well. This one wasn't for me

Jennifer Weiner continues to stun with her adult rom-coms. Her books transcend age groups. My mom loves her books and so do I for their humor, heart, and Jewish rep.

The Summer Palace is yet another great story by Jennifer Weiner. I fell in love with the family in this story and I am sure you will too! Highly recommended! #TheSummerPlace #NetGalley

I have been on a Jennifer Weiner binge this year. I have LOVED everything from her. I was super excited to receive the arc for this one. However, this one majorly missed the mark for me. This book was a disaster and unbelievable. The affairs and family drama that takes place is so convoluted and far fetched. I finished the store but was utterly disappointed.

Jennifer Weiner has long been on my list of auto-buy authors and her latest title is a staple of my beach bag every summer. But if I'm being honest, I was underwhelmed by her last few books so when I dove into 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗘, I tried to manage my expectations.

I'm happy to report that this book is much more of what I've come to expect from Weiner - family drama, secrets coming to light and characters questioning who they are and who they want to be - than her last couple of novels even if still doesn't live up to her earlier work. (𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙎𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙.) There's a little too much Covid, a few too many coincidences (the final one had me literally saying out loud "Please no!") and way too much infidelity. I'm not prudish about affairs in books but almost every character in this one cheats in order to figure out what they really want and it makes them hard to root for. Overall, I liked but not as much as I wish I had.

3.5 stars

to Atria Books and NetGalley for the copy to review.

I am typically a fan of Jennifer Weiner's from the very beginning days [Good in Bed]. I admit this one took me a little longer to get into than most of hers. It felt a little flat and there are so many characters to keep track of.

That being said, each character has a very rich, intricate history. You have to understand the histories to understand the present. And oh, what a present it is. All of these stories are strongly intertwined, only the players do not yet know it. It's when the secrets start being revealed that things start to get more interesting. I felt like I was ready for an epic family tale that was the basis for one of those 1980s nighttime soaps like Dallas or Falcon Crest.

What's interesting is how the story is also the product of the pandemic, so it does echo the flat strange lives we've all been living.

I also enjoyed the house being its own character.

Resolutions and endings as secrets were revealed seemed a little rushed and too neatly tied up with a bow. But I absolutely sobbed at the ending, feeling what the author has been going through in her own life [from what I have read online]. I think the ending of the novel finally woke up a bit because she was able to pour her feelings into the characters. And I felt it.

So while it isn't my favorite, I didn't feel like I had wasted my time with it. It kept me contentedly occupied on a rainy spring day. I'll keep reading her work.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a requested review copy via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

DNF @ 15%. So pandemic heavy and I read women's fiction/chick lit to get away from the pandemic. Sorry, but this one is not for me.

An engrossing novel that explores the ties that bind, longing and loss, and the power that lies in the choices we make when unearthing what makes us who we really are. A beautifully written conclusion to Weiner’s Cape trilogy. Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for my gifted ARC.