A twisted soap opera that begins when twenty-two-year old Ruby announces she's getting married, shocking her stepmom, Sarah. THE SUMMER PLACE is set during the pandemic and Ruby and Gabe have been living with Sarah and her husband Eli during COVID times. Ruby's step-grandmother, Ronnie, is thrilled to host the wedding at her beach house in Cape Cod... mainly because she's planning to sell it after, something none of the rest of the family knows yet. Also in the mix is Sarah's twin brother, Sam, reeling from the death of his wife and struggling to raise his stepson, Connor.

Whew... this is a wild ride! When I say soap opera, I mean it! There is cheating galore, a ton of misunderstandings, arguments, and so much more! You need to be prepared for drama at every turn and to swallow a bunch of coincidences that bombard this family constantly. There are some really weird family dynamics at play here, everyone.

Honestly, I do not mind a soapy read in the least. Heck, I watched DAYS and PASSIONS in my lifetime! My problem with this one is that it lacked Weiner's usual lyrical and emotive writing. Each chapter was told from a different POV and it felt like a beginner's novel. "First we did this and then I felt that and then this happened and ..." There was none of the passion and beauty I usually see in her work. I kept reading because I needed to find out what was happening with this trainwreck of a family, but I wasn't drawn to the characters or their lives due to the lackluster writing. Sam was my favorite, but even he made some... interesting ... choices.

Still, Weiner gives us a lot of insight into motherhood, marriage, love, loss, and the place of women at various points in society. I had hoped for more here, but it squeezed out a 3-star rating for me (probably with a little favoritism thrown in, because I'm such a Jennifer Weiner fan).

Holy cow what a long long long winded book. The characters were highly unlikable, too much covid talk, too much adultery/cheating in general. I love Jennifer Weiner's books but this is an easy skip - would not recommend to others.

I ABSOLUTELY loved this book! The perfect beach read!!!! Jennifer Weiner can seriously do no wrong. There were so many twists and surprises, and I loved the characters (especially the women!).

I've always been a fan of Jennifer Weiner, and she doesn't disappoint once again. Fun characters, nice detailed story, and a few tears along the way. Quick and easy read,

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Thank you for the ARC from Atria Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my third read from this author and I was VERY excited to dive into it. I loved Big Summer and it made me so excited to read more from her, however, this book and That Summer were both misses from me. If you enjoy soap operas/family drama, then this book is definitely for you! While I also enjoy both, this book just had too many characters for me and at times I got lost in terms of who was who or what was going on. At times the book did feel drawn out and I was able to predict the ending, but I can see a lot of my friends enjoying this book a lot more than I did.

I usually like Weiner's books, but this one fell flat for me. There seemed to be too many relationship problems going on with this family to the point that it was almost unbelievable. Between the potential infidelity on both sides, the questioning uncle, and everything else, too much was going on. The potential paternity issue in Gabe and Ruby's relationship was at a point that I found far-fetched, as well as Eli's sections about it. I actually did not end up finishing this one, and I am unsure if I will at this point.

Every summer I look forward to a long, immersive read by this author and this year is no exception. The Summer Place, at over 400 pages, is populated with many characters and situations that draw the reader in.

There are plans for a wedding. Ruby and Gabe are young but think that this is what they want. They met as students at NYU and spent time living with Ruby’s family during Covid, eventually announcing that they want to have a simple Cape Cod wedding.

Ruby grew up as a strong willed girl and is a strong willed young adult. Her father Eli raised her as a single parent for a number of years. Readers will learn why and what secret he carries. Eli has a second marriage and family when he marries Sarah who had been Ruby’s teacher. They are enjoying a good life as the story begins.

Sarah has her own backstory of dreams deferred or let go. Her mother is a wealthy author. Veronica has been widowed and has some history as well.

Sarah’s twin brother is still finding his way when he is introduced to the story. He has been unlucky in love and uncertain of what he wants from life. He has tended to rely on others for answers.

Gabe, Ruby’s fiance, was raised by a single parent. She, too, has a story. It may surprise you with its plot twist.

What will happen as all of the story lines and characters intersect and interact? Readers will enjoy finding out. Ms Wiener really knows how to tell her story and keep track of everyone.

Enjoy this one if you want an ultimate summer/beach read. You won’t forget this wedding day.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria for this title. All opinions are my own.

Wow. There's a lot going on in this book. I was a bit hesitant going in because I don't have much interest in books with lots of pandemic talk - too soon, too fresh, had enough, no thanks. But I'd read the other loosely connected books in this very loosely connected series, so decided to suck it up because Jennifer Weiner does have a way with words and with spinning an interesting story. And despite some of the things I didn't love about it, I ended up enjoying it. There's a fair amount of pandemic talk - after all, one of the main characters is marrying her Pandemic Boyfriend (thus named because they started dating shortly before Covid and he ends up moving in with her and her family when the quarantine hits New York). We follow several characters through storylines full of secrets and self-discovery. And be prepared for a couple of large (and by large I mean ginormous) coincidences. They're a bit over the top, for me at least, but they also underscore the fact that while sometimes yes, communication can be overrated, at other times a lack of communication leads to misunderstandings and to issues becoming much larger than they need to be.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC ebook!

I liked this one. There were so many layers and drama within this family dynamic. I loved the “beach vibes” and could picture the beautiful beach house and Cape Cod landscape. Just like in Wish You Were Here, I struggled with the covid/post-covid timeline. It still feels too soon. There were also so many characters that some of the storyline got lost. Big topics/situations were introduced during a chapter were then only briefly touched on again near the end. The ending felt a little rushed and also slightly unbelievable. Even with the epilogue, I felt like there were things still unresolved. Overall this was a quick, easy read with lots of drama and a true “summer” feel.

This was not my favorite read from this author. I’ve really enjoyed her other books but this one felt difficult to get into it and the characters were so unlikeable! It was hard to connect with anyone. The relationships were dysfunctional and weird and there were too many issues that felt forced. This one just wasn’t for me.

What a let down.

I was really uncomfortable with the sexual content of this book. While I can accept that infidelity may be an important plot point in a novel, it was constant and frustrating. It was obvious to me that the author tried to insert every possible social issue they could come up with. She clearly tried too hard to be “diverse.”Hints at an incestual relationship is absolutely not okay with me.

Also, what’s up with the title and the synopsis!? This book basically went off script. I feel like her last book did the same. Something is seriously wrong with the marketing of her novels. I can’t even come up with an appropriate audience for this.

Someone told me that this book was like a bad episode of Jerry Springer. This was spot on! While Jerry Springer can be entertaining, it’s pretty obvious that the scenarios are outrageous and unbelievable. Unfortunately, it felt like this novel tried to normalize that type of content.

I do feel like this book had potential. Which is why I’m being generous with 2-stars.

I would not recommend this book to anyone.

Thank you to @atriabooks and #netgalley for my advanced e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Place
By Jennifer Weiner

What a gorgeous mess of a book and I was here for all of it.

This story began with a wedding – this is the impetus of it all.

There is Ruby planning a wedding and setting a date three months away, in her grandmother Veronica’s Summer Place in Cape Cod.
Then there is Sarah, who is Ruby’s step- mom, Eli’s wife, and also Sam’s twin sister, whose stories we will come to know in one very special whirlwind of a summer.

There were so many characters but they all had a huge role to play in the Summer Beach read of the year.
The way the story flowed, and how each of the characters’ individual story lines were presented, was in excellent timing, that it didn’t feel overwhelming at all.
I loved how the story came together beautifully in the end.

The Summer Place really is the perfect Beach Read – it satisfies the craving for that juicy drama we just sometimes crave for.

This was one of my favorite recent Jennifer Weiner books. I generally found the characters reasonably flawed but likeable. This book is the perfect beach read.

“Karma might not always be fast, but that bitch was always on time.”

“Staying married, she’d decided, was a choice; one that had less to do with love and more with forbearance.”

The Cape is my absolute favorite place to be in the summer and I am not even sure what I would do if I didn’t have a new Cape inspired Jennifer Weiner book to kick off the season with. Full disclosure though, I started this book in May. MAY. And I was so ready for a light beach read set on the Cape! But this one was heavy with a lot of moving parts and I just wasn’t in the mood for a book like that. #MoodyReader Now it’s July and I’ve picked it back up and finished in a day.

This was a complex familial story of cheating, betrayal, and owning up to your past transgressions. If there was ever a place special enough where a house could feel things and could know that it belonged to a family, though, it is in Cape Cod. I loved that little touch! But the story felt a bit disjointed at times. Some of the plot points were slightly ridiculous in how they came together and just way too coincidental to even be believable.

Thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the author's previous book, Big Summer (5 Stars), but The Summer Place was a completely different feel of a book. This was not the beach summer story I expected. I did find it funny that the story was centered around the step-daughter marrying her "pandemic boyfriend, I married my pandemic boyfriend. Which brings me to why I thought this story was odd. There was a lot going on and I could not connect or relate to the characters, but if you suspect that your daughter might be dating her half sibling WHY do you not say a thing? What kind of Jerry Springer was that? There is nooooooo way the thought of your wife knowing you had an affair over two decades ago compromise the well-being of your daughter. I don't know, that was just a big turn off for me.

I liked this more than I expected to. The characters were well drawn, but there were a few too many of them and that unnecessarily complicated the story. The plot was fine, this story could have been told in 100 less pages. I love all of the Cape Cod descriptions.

A family comes together at their Cape Cod house to host and celebrate a wedding. Each member of the family is carrying something that will complicate their time together. A mother who walked out, a marriage ending, a diagnosis. While the descriptions of the Cape are true, the rest of the story feels a bit forced and formulaic. I did not feel that it was one of the authors best works.

Jennifer Weiner wowed me again with another family drama. In her latest creation, a wedding is in the works for Ruby on the shores of Cape Cod, bringing her family together for this special day. What is a joyous wedding if it doesn’t create tension, raise questions, and reveal past and present family secrets?

Weiner made me feel like I was vacationing in a small town on Cape Cod. I could hear the ocean waves, feel the mist of the sea air, and smell the hydrangea bushes in full bloom. Using her ideal backdrop, Weiner plopped me in the middle of a unique family drama. Secret pasts, blended families, and new discoveries keep this story floating without a cloud in the sky. The Summer Place is told from multiple points of view, including one “unusual” voice that ties all of the individual storylines together. I am a massive fan of Weiner’s beautiful and messy characters, the themes she is always willing to explore, and her love for a good old fashion summer on the Cape!

Thank you for this summer treat. The house reminded me so much of my family summer home growing up where the real world has no place and true colors come out.

Back in 2020, I read Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner and I remember that it was body positive and had a little romance and mystery, but for some reason it just didn’t do much for me. I have since wanted to try more of her books so I was excited to read her newest book, The Summer Place. I am happy to report that I loved this one!

The Summer Place is the epitome of contemporary family drama. It follows the family and extended family of Sarah Weinberg-Danhausser. Each family member is dealing with their own issues and secrets, especially in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and lockdown. This is a classic example of a family drama where many of the characters make some very questionable decisions and mistakes, but there is also hope, forgiveness, and love embedded in their stories. Despite not agreeing with some of the things the characters did, I loved the family dynamics, the Cape Cod setting, and the journey each member of the family took to bring everyone together.

While the cover is so pretty and colorful, this is by no means a light read. While it is lengthy (around 400 pages) it read very quickly and easily for me, especially with the audiobook, and I think it would make a great beach read if you want something a little more substantial. I’m so glad I picked up another Jennifer Weiner book and I definitely plan to read more!

Thank you so much @atriabooks and @netgalley for the gifted copies!