Jennifer Weiner is one of my favorite authors. I always read her books as soon as I can get them. This time I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Net Galley and Atria Books. Thank you so much for your approval and opportunity! I can always expect a certain kind of empathy and heart from Jennifer's books. This was no exception. The book is divided into three parts. The book starts with a prologue set in 1994. Then the first chapter moves to 2018. The narrator is Daphne Berg. She is plus-sized and a social media influencer who lives in New York City. The first part of the book then goes back and forth between the present and Daphne's past and i really enjoyed the detail into who she is and how she got there. Enter Drue Cavanaugh, Daphne Berg's best friend from school until they had a falling out that ended their friendship. Drue shows up six years later when she needs a friend to stand up with her at her wedding. Drue comes to realize that she has no friends, Meanwhile, Daphne is a successful social media influencer & sensation. She has taken all the negative and used it to create beauty and body positivity. Daphne agrees to attend the wedding because, as Daphne’s roommate and friend, Darshi, points out, Drue is Daphne’s kryptonite. Without giving too much away, I will say this: once you hit a certain part of the story, it is impossible to stop reading. I didn't see this coming as I was expecting a beach read with frenemies and back story- and yea i got that, but also there are HELLA twists and turns. Just fasten your seatbelt. The character development also shines in this one. Daphne, her parents, Darshi, Nick, and of course Drue, are incredibly real, flawed, and three dimensional. I wanted to get to know them all better. I truly enjoyed this one.

I guess I missed the part of the synopsis that told me that this book was a mystery. WOW! I went into reading this book without much knowledge of the plot. In the beginning, I thought that this would be a story of how the mean girl does worse off than her victims, but the book quickly extinguished that theory. This book was unexpectedly refreshing and it was what I needed. I love coming across books that turn out like nothing that I expected (positively).

Daphne has learned to wear her plus-sized body proudly after being shamed in high school by the glamorous gorgeous Drue, who she thought was her best friend. After several years of no contact with Drue, Daphne has made a comfortable life for herself and built her self-esteem and self-confidence. It was therefore shocking when Drue turns up at her babysitting client's home to beg Daphne to be a bridesmaid in her upcoming wedding. As Drue begged and wheedled, and ultimately offered to pay, Daphne gives in and agrees. As Daphne arrives at Cape Cod, she is in awe of the grandeur of the pre-wedding festivities and can only imagine the money being spent for this celebratory weekend. As she works to blend into the crowd of the thin, wealthy people, she begins to find signs that things are not perfect in Drue's paradise. She shrugs off the signs and hooks up with a guy who seems to genuinely enjoy her company and be attracted to her. The next morning - the day of the wedding - Daphne wakes up to find Drue's body in the hot tub. With the help of her friends, Daphne pursues the killer, because as she says, no matter how horrible Drue treated people, she still deserved justice.

Weiner always delivers a great story in which to lose oneself. I love how she crosses genres: intertwining past high school drama, women's literature and issues, romance, and a bit of suspense and mystery. "Big Summer' doesn't disappoint and I think it will be a popular beach read this year.

Fans of Elin Hildebrand will enjoy this book.

👒BOOK REVIEW👒

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner
Pub Date: May 5, 2020

-DESCRIPTION-
We meet Daphne, a nanny/instagrammer, living in NYC. She became a body positive influencer after an especially horrid night at a club that left her giving zero Fs. Her "friend", Drue, was an A-Hole in high school, an A-Hole that night at the club, and now she's getting married and continuing to be an A-hole.

-THOUGHTS-
Wow. Ok. This was a rough one. I LOVE Jennifer Weiner. When I saw this cover, I thought, "ok, she's back.". Back to the days of Good in Bed & In Her Shoes. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED Mrs. Everything, but I was really looking forward to some old school Weiner.
So Part 1 of the book hits and I'm all in. I'm here for it. I'm loving the people I'm supposed to love, I'm loving to hate the villian. Perfection.
Then we have Part 2....and my WTF radar is now engaged. However, I'm along for this ride.
Here comes Part 3. And I just can't. It's like a really bad Lifetime movie, only not in the good way because this isn't a bad Lifetime Movie....this is Jennifer freaking Weiner. I just keep saying, "No. Nope. No Way." I throw my hands up. I don't know what to do.

-RATING-
⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 stars
Basically, decide for yourself. I can't help you.

-SIMILAR RECOMMENDED READS-
Ugh....ummm...I don't know. I'm at a loss.
Little Earthquakes
Good in Bed
In Her Shoes
Old school Weiner.

I really enjoy this author’s writing, and I have found that each of her books that crossed my path are different.

This book was a bit unusual for me because I am not on instagram, so I learned a lot about social influencing. I also am not a follower of socialites or all the cool stuff. I am not a shopper. However, I found it intriguing that the young ladies in this novel made a living from this and how absorbed they are by this activity, but it really didn’t make any of them happy.

However, there are other more worthy elements to this story some of which I didn’t anticipate, but highly enjoyable. There is mystery, childhood friendships, and an overall lesson to the story.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I am looking forward to reading much more by Jennifer Weiner.

I received this book for review about a year ago when I was reading a burst of ebooks. During the pandemic I find myself once again turning to my trusty ebook reader for new content. These days I've been alternating between ebooks and print books to give my eyes a rest from screen time. Just like I try to alternate between a tv show and a movie.

I'd started this last year and it was easy to fall back into the rhythm of the writing and recall what had happened to the sisters since the beginning of the book.

The novel ends just before the 2016 US Presidential election. Knowing what's happened since then this book made me wistful about the hope present during that time. I'm younger than Jo and Bethie but I recall the hope that a woman reaching the highest political office would be a tangible achievement that women would be believed when they said something horrible was done to them by a man, that women could finally have true autonomy over our bodies, and be treated with respect by all.

Weiner deftly transitions between the two stories. They orbit each other, like moons on different rotations around the planet known as their childhood, coming together on occasion to have shared experiences. I really enjoyed that each character was fleshed out and had her own story in addition to their shared story.

Daphne is a plus size influencer who reconnects with an old friend who is very wealthy and getting married on Cape Cod. I appreciate how body positive this book is and I love the relationship with Nick. There is a surprise something new from Jennifer Weiner that is a departure from her other books and I was totally hear for it.

I love that reviewers and bookstagrammers are keeping the surprise a secret and I hope everyone goes into this book not knowing what to expect so they can all be surprised.

One thing I will say--the descriptions of Cape Cod will get you SO PUMPED for summer!!

I loved this book! It took quite a turn I did not expect but that made me love it even more. I really liked Daphne. She was snarky and i liked how she turned something embarrassing to her advantage. Although, it did bother me that she was upset with the way people treated her over the years but she was super judgmental of other people’s looks. This is one of those books you shouldn’t read if you only like books about nice or likable people. I don’t want to say more because I don’t want to spoil anything but this is a terrific summer read.

A few pages into this one, I wasn’t sure I would want to finish it. Daphne Berg, the plus-size influencer who tells this story was far from a comfortable character. She is insecure, defensive, and doesn’t appreciate the value of the people in her life. It isn’t until a life-changing event happens that she begins to grow up and take responsibility for her self, and at that point I became quite fond of her and invested in her escapades.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Whenever I curl up with a Jennifer Weiner book I know I'm in for a great novel! And this one was riveting as it has all the elements I love in a good thriller: past and present, mean girls, media influencers, disparity between wealth and poverty, family drama, intrigue, a murder or two...well, you get the picture! Daphne is finally making it on her own as a media influencer of plus-sized clothing. She's been fat-shamed all her life, mainly by her "friend" Drue whom she met in 6th grade. Drue befriended her and then consistently drew her in and alternately scorned and belittled her. Years later when Drue shows up begging Daphne to be her bridesmaid, Daphne is shocked and offended but eventually gives in when Drue begs her to be forgiven and says she has changed. And that's just the beginning! Weiner always has contemporary issues in mind; in this case one is just how much social media can affect and change people (often in ways we aren't even aware of), but she also addresses the complications of female friendships, forgiveness, and redemption. I think this is my favorite of Weiner's so far!

I would describe this book as chic lit with a little bit of mystery tossed in. The main character Daphne was very like able. The other character Drue reminded me of a snobby girl in high school (I’m sure we all can think of a few people in our lives that fit that description). It definitely wasn’t a suspenseful novel but I don’t think it was supposed to be. I’ve read a few of Jennifer Weiner’s books in the past & they’ve been just okay but I gave this one 4 stars. The characters were relatable & I found the story line was relevant in regards to body image & social media influences. Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC!

This book was full of surprises. I thought it was going to be a typical beach read. That quickly changed with the mystery. It was a quick, fun read. Also felt I learned a little more about “influencers” on Instagram.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.
I have been a long time fan of Jennifer Weiner and, while this wasn't my favorite book, I did enjoy the shift of genre (as I didn't expect it.) I didn't expect the thriller element of the book and was excited to see where she took that storyline. I will say that I preferred the first half of the book to the second half but I think this is a great summer/beach read that I'll recommend to friends. I'd love to see more of this type of work from Weiner in the future. My one critique is that Weiner has begun to allow her politics to influence her writing. In my opinion, the two things should remain separate. I don't need to know about your distaste for the president or conservative politics. I'm sure the majority of your audience already knows how you lean but if you want to expand to a wider variety of individuals, it would just be something to keep in mind.

Daphne is a plus size influencer living in New York. Imagine her surprise when her high school friend, Drue, shows up out of the blue asking her to be her bridesmaid. They had a falling out 6 years ago and there has been no communication, she doesn’t even follower her on social media. Drue has always had everything. She made Daphne feel inferior by being her best friend one day and ignoring her the next. So why does she need Daphne now?
This book is about relationships, social media, and family. I love that Daphne, although not rich, let a more fulfilling
life and had the comfort and love of her parents! When I got a little over the halfway point, I could not stop reading it! I stayed up way too late to finish it because I needed to know what happens! This book was so different from what I was expecting, and in a good way! I loved Weiner's previous books, and this one felt a little outside
her genre and I loved it!

This book was just a bit of fluff, which is fine if that's what you're looking for. I think that's all the author ever intended it to be. To me though, it was a let down because I know she is capable of writing much better books, like last year's Mrs. Everything. I could read another author when I'm in the mood for fluff.

I've been in lockdown for two months, reading books on environmental justice and refugees and war; it was time to pick up something completely different. So, I snatched up Jennifer Weiner's newest novel Big Summer.

With some trepidation, having learned the protagonist is a plus-sized beauty with self-doubt. Could strike a little too close to home, or could make me seethe with stereotypes.

Daphne has built a career as an influencer and her latest sponsor is a fashion designer who wants to expand into plus sizes. Leela's clothing makes Daphne feel glamorous and confident.

Perfect timing, as Daphne has a wedding to attend.

Out of the blue, Daphne's high school friend Drue called with a request to be her maid of honor. Daphne was doubtful at first.

Drue was wealthy and had been a mean teen who took up, used, and dropped friends. But their adventures together were always exciting. And Drue seemed to genuinely admire Daphne's relationship with her folks, especially her dad.

Their relationship ended badly when Drue took Daphne clubbing where an arranged 'date' was to give her a night to remember. Daphne learned of the arrangement and had a melt down--recorded on a cell phone. The video became a social media sensation.

Daphne used the moment to rebrand herself into a fierce fat woman promoting self-acceptance.

Drue pleads she is a changed woman, making amends for her teenage terror years. Daphne gives her another chance.

At the wedding, Daphne learns that Drue isn't as excited as a bride should be. The over-the-top wedding costs big bucks, and Drue's dad interrupts the party with a meltdown. There's trouble in paradise.

The first section of the novel is typical women's fiction, its well-developed characters dealing with issues readers will relate to.

Then comes a sexual encounter between Daphne and a wedding guest. Warning: it's a bit of a sex manual about how to use hands, etc. The next morning he is missing.

Everything changes when Drue is discovered dead. Daphne and her mystery lover are prime suspects. The rest of the novel is the unraveling of Drue's family secrets and the identity of her killer. I didn't put the novel down. I loved the unraveling of the mystery.

Weiner nicely incorporates the current online culture of social media, living one's life online. Followers want genuineness, but how does one keep a boundary between the personal and the public?

At first I didn't relate to Daphne's relationship to Drue on a personal level. Then...I remembered...

When I was fourteen a girl from Eighth Grade took me up as a friend. She lived in the posh neighborhood in an amazing house her father designed. My dad was an auto mechanic and we lived in a modest, working class house. My friend encouraged me to lose weight and loosen up, have fun. (I was a serious kid who read the classics and played the classics etc.) Then, a year later, she pushed me away by being mean. I invited her to some parties over the years, but we were never again close. Years later she called my mother and admitted she treated me rotten.

Big Summer is branded as a 'beach read,' a term I don't quite understand since I don't do beaches. (Sunshine give me hives.) So, maybe a sit in the shade on the patio read? But in true Weiner style, it incorporates deeper themes of self-image, class, and social media issues.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Very enjoyable book. Finished in one day. Great plot twist I wasn't expecting. The perfect frenemies story.

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner is everything you want in a beach read and more.

The friendship between Drue and Daphne is complex and oftentimes, one-sided. Drue is that type of it woman who can convince people to do anything, which means she uses people all the time. She’ll extend a bit of kindness but then a flurry of offensive behavior. But because she’s pretty and rich, she can get away with it. But she goes too far one night and Daphne ends the friendship.

Until it’s time for Drue to get married. And surprise, she’s ran off most of the people in her life. She has to beg Daphne to be in her wedding but despite all the warning signs, Daphne goes right back into Drue’s orbit.

Some friendships do have a power imbalance where one takes far more than they give. But it’s hard to break free from those type of friendships when you focus on all the good times but conveniently forget all the bad ones. I thought the representation of this kind of friendship felt true and authentic.

Overall, I enjoyed Big Summer and read it one sitting. It truly takes a closer look at one’s journey to figuring out what really matters in life.

After having read other Jennifer Weiner books, and being disappointed by Mrs. Everything, I was glad to see the familiar writing style back in action! There is, of course, a love story, but that arc does not develop as much as I had thought it would - and in a good way! The plot starts out one way and takes a total twist at exactly halfway through, changing the tone of the entire book. Again, not in a bad way, just a bit unexpected. The characters were well-developed, and it was refreshing to read about a character that was a plus-size influencer. While it wasn't my favorite Jennifer Weiner book to date, I would highly recommend for someone looking for a light summer read, to be enjoyed with lots of sunshine and relaxation.

I found it a little difficult to stay engaged with the first half of the book and didn’t care much about the characters until the end of the book. It was definitely not my favorite from Jennifer Weiner.