Fifteen-year-old Diana is spending her first summer away from home, working as a Mother’s Helper, on Cape Cod. The woman she’s working for knows her mother so permission from her parents was slightly easier to get if the situation was different. Diana enjoys the kids she’s minding, the friends she meets on the beach, and most importantly, her new crush, a boy named, Poe. She knows that’s not his real name, but the group of boys he’s with, all seniors from Emlen, a prep school in New Hampshire, all have silly nicknames. The girls in her new group of friends seem to know them all. Diana and Poe flirt harmlessly all summer and the day before their last, Poe tells her about a bonfire on the beach the next night, everyone’s last, that’s a tradition for everyone to say goodbye before they all leave for school. Diana is determined to go. When she gets there Poe casually puts his arm around her shoulder, Diana is secretly thrilled, maybe he really does like her. They sit in the sand with everyone else and he hands her a cup and says, “here you go, drink up.” Not much is said in the book after this, but Diana’s best night in her young life, turns into her worst.

I personally, had to read the Prologue several times to make sure I didn’t miss something. What happened that night isn’t clearly explained until later in the book. After my third reading, it becomes clear that Diana was forced into something she was not ready for, nor gave consent to. (This is not a spoiler.)
We then meet Daisy, whose real name is also Diana, she’s married to Hal, a lawyer, whose thirteen-years older than she. Their daughter, Beatrice is a student at Emlen, and is about to be disciplined or expelled by the school for protesting. Hal, who’s often a little distant with his family, doesn’t want to deal with the situation, and wants Daisy to take care of it.

Meanwhile, Daisy has been getting emails meant for another Diana, that clearly has a more glamorous life than she does. Eventually she contacts this Diana, who’s email is one letter off from hers, and they agree to meet for drinks. The first Diana knows Daisy is married to Hal, who she thinks might be the “Poe” that raped her on that beach so long ago, and she’s out for revenge.

There’s much more to this story that I will not reveal here, but it is definitely worth reading. Jennifer Weiner deals with an important and serious topic in this book that is obviously, not a simple beach read, nor a rom-com. This story deals with male privilege, or the privilege they think they have, without thought of consequences. Also, should rape victims confront their rapists, and seek revenge? I’m not a psychiatrist, but I’m thinking this is probably not a good solution. I have a lot more questions, as I’m sure this book is meant to stir up, so let the discussions begin. Book Clubs this is a definite choice for a fall meeting.

I had difficulty in writing this review not only because of the topic but also because of its presentation in the novel. Jennifer Weiner is an outstanding author, but I was a bit confused at times in this one, so I’m rating it four out of five stars. Please don’t let that deter you, it’s important to read.

Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books, and Jennifer Weiner

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

Based on the cover and description, I expected a bit of a fluffy, beach read, but that's not how I would describe this.

While I enjoyed the Dianas, I would've liked to see more development of their friendship. There were a few too many secondary characters that seemed to steal the show at times. It felt a bit like the author was writing this just to jump on the #MeToo bandwagon, instead of having a more serious discussion on the topic of date rape. (By the way, I wouldn't consider having this topic a component of a "beach read.") This made for a much more serious book than expected. I did enjoy the multiple POVs.

Not a bad book, just not what I expected based on the cover and description.

CW: Sexual Assault

I picked up 'Big Summer' last year, not quite knowing what to expect. It was on the popular table at my local bookstore and thought it seemed cute. Little did I know that it would have such an impact on me and be so amazing!

Flash forward to a few months ago when I received the opportunity to read and review an ARC for 'That Summer'... I was over the moon! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this incredible opportunity!

That Summer knocked my socks off! I LOVED all of the references in the book to 'Big Summer' and some of the similarities. Of course, That Summer is an incredible book on its own as well. I will admit that I struggled a little with getting into it because the switching timelines and characters seemed a bit fuzzy, but once I got used to it I was on the edge of my seat!

I think people hear the titles of Jennifer's books and associate them with light summer reads, but they are so much more than that! This book tackled some tough topics, and I will always admire Jennifer's ability to discuss them with such grace and strength.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I love going into these books and never really knowing what to expect. I find Jennifer has a way of writing that the story is fun to read and the twists and turns are always a bit unpredictable. Such a great read, I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Daisy Shoemaker is struggling with insomnia, her teenage daughter's latest rebellion, and her husband's distance. When she accidentally begins to receive emails meant for another woman, she feels envious of the glamorous lie of cocktail parties and corporate events that this woman, Diana seems to lead.

Diana suggest an in-person meeting to apologize for the mix-up and Daisy is immediately charmed by this confident, self-assured woman and her easy, friendly manner. They begin to spend more and more time together, sharing intimacies and becoming friends.

But Diana is not in Daisy's life by an accidental email exchange. Daisy is inexorably tied to the events of "that summer," a summer that profoundly altered Diana's life forever. Diana is on a collision course, determined to seek justice and maybe even righteous revenge for all that has happened.

That Summer is not a fluffy beach read, but rather something so much more. Weiner masterfully weaves story that is both entertaining and heartbreaking while advancing necessary issues-things that we need to talk about and continue talking about-to the forefront. In the advent of the #MeToo movement, this story is a triumph for women-celebrating the need for women to reclaim their voices.

This novel is a compulsive page turner and one that I will be thinking about for some time.

Two women named Diana (although one goes by Daisy) met in the most unusual way: Daisy had been receiving emails meant for Diana and this eventually leads to an in-real-life meeting. A friendship formed and in Diana, Daisy admired all the things she might have been but was not – single, successful, career-focused, confident. Instead, Daisy quit college to marry a man thirteen years her senior, a man who offered stability and comfort (of the financial type, anyway). Now Daisy lived with a mild but persistent dissatisfaction with her life, questioned the state of her marriage, and dealt with her teenage daughter’s expulsion from boarding school. But Daisy and Diana’s meeting was no coincidence and the more time the two women spent together, and the closer Diana was drawn into Daisy’s life, it’s obvious there was more to her story.

The cover of the book belies the story inside because this is not a light and fluffy beach read, or a simple story of female friendship. Heavily influenced by the #MeToo movement, That Summer examines the aftermath of sexual assault and chronicles one woman’s journey for… truth? Revenge? Justice? There were times when I didn’t fully understand Diana’s end-game, even though her motivation was clear. And there were times when I wanted to shake Daisy and force her to use her voice and stand up for herself. While the ending wasn’t fully satisfying for me (I wanted “real justice”, whatever that is), maybe the way Weiner portrayed it is a more likely scenario.

I was easily pulled into Daisy and Diana’s lives, and even that of Beatrice, Daisy’s teenage daughter who unapologetically marched to the beat of her own drum. Once again, I loved Weiner’s storytelling and her focus on the issues women face. I appreciated the varied responses to the #MeToo movement shown throughout the story – by different genders, generations, and social classes. While That Summer is not the beach read the cover implies, it is thought-provoking, emotional, and a truly worthwhile read.

This book was not what I expected. I enjoyed Big Summer as a light hearted summer read and expected the same from That Summer. Frankly, this book blew me away. Two women meet because their emails are so similar that one keeps getting the other’s stuff and eventually they reach out and become friends... or so we are led to believe until the book twists and it turns out that the coincidence was not real. The real story of rape, betrayal, lies and how it changes everyone involved was exquisitely done. Hats of to Jennifer Weiner for turning a great beach book into a great beach book with depth

I honestly would read anything that Jennifer Weiner writes. I fell in love with her when she wrote Good in Bed, and I've been a fan ever since. When I saw that she was coming out with a new book, I was thrilled to receive an arc.

This is a book about female friendships, growth as an individual (and adult), and also self-discovery. It's deep and it has moments that really hit me hard with feelings. This is a much deeper and darker book than I was expecting and quite possibly not the beach read that people will think it is.

This is a great story and I loved reading it. Again, she never disappoints and I think this might be her best one yet!

A young girl's life is irrevocably changed on a beach one summer night. Years later, a woman named Diana, who goes by the name of Daisy, starts accidentally getting e-mails meant for another woman named Diana with a very similar e-mail address. The two women meet and strike up a friendship but there is more to the other Diana than meets the eye, and it all has to do with what happened that summer. This book is different than Jennifer Weiner's other books which often deal with the subject of weight and feature plus-size heroines. In this book, the subject of weight isn't mentioned at all. However, this is still a very timely book that deals with another very important issue the Me Too Movement. At the center of the book are two very well drawn likable heroines. The story is interesting and unpredictable and moves along at a good pace. Although the main conclusion of the story is satisfactory, the coda at the end is not. Although you can imply what the author meant to show by including it, it makes the end of the book feel kind of abrupt and leaves you to draw your own conclusions. It might be better and make the ending stronger and more satisfactory for the reader if her intentions for including the code were more implicitly stated.

I loved Big Summer last year and That Summer was just as good, if not better, with some nice nods to big summer.

This book takes on an intense subject- rape and the #MeToo movement, but does it very well. It was quite a page turner and I didn’t want to put it down!

Please read this book- it should be required reading for everyone!

First of all, can we talk about this cover?? 😍 Amazing!

I went into this book completely blind and hoping to love it as much as Big Summer. I did enjoy it, though not as much. I found this dragging in the middle for me and I wanted to know what was going on, and why it was taking forever to get there. The ending felt a little unresolved, but overall a solid ⭐⭐⭐.5 stars.

I have a lot of thoughts and mixed feelings on this book. I’ll start with the positives- the last 40% kept my interest and had me invested in all three of the characters POVs and how they were going to grow and recover from the tragic event that tied them all together. Beatrice, the daughter of one of the two Diana’s, was my favorite character. She was so unapologetically herself when it came to what she wore, what she said and did, and what she believed in. She seemed much older than 14/15. I also liked the character development of Daisy as she slowly got stronger throughout the book and came into her own. I’m also from outside of Philly so appreciated all of the local references. My favorite scenes were the descriptions of Daisy’s cooking.

Now for what didn’t work for me. For one, I feel this book with the title, the cover, the release date is being marketed as a summer beach read. It’s a very heavy subject matter that requires lots of trigger warnings: rape, assault, suicide. The beginning half or more was extremely slow moving with almost no plot to speak of. The story also jumped all over the place, it felt like she was trying to give all the background info for each character as fast as possible. It was confusing and not a smooth read. There was also a lot of information given that felt pointless and just like unnecessary filler, she could have cut some of the length off. So overall, this was a bit of a disappointment for me.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Jennifer Weiner and it is every bit as entertaining as what I’ve previously read. I’m predicting this will be a popular poolside read for the summer.

The story begins with a woman named Diana who mistakenly begins getting emails that are meant for another Diana. When they discover the mistake, they find they have a bit in common and decide to meet in real life. Sounds pretty innocent, but is it?

As they become more acquainted, readers will learn about each woman’s background and soon find that they have one very important thing in common. The book touches on some difficult subjects but does so in a careful manner.

I enjoyed each woman’s story and point of view and loved how the women embraced their differences. I highly recommend this one for a good summer read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give an honest review.

I feel like I didn't enjoy this book as much as other people did - the back and forth and trying to figure out how each Diana was connected to the other was a lot of work. This was a very different book from JW than others I have read before and really enjoyed.

I definitely thought this would be a light read, and it's not. But it is a thought provoking and really good read. Has topics about rape and how it effects the victim, witnesses, and family.

I have been wary of Jennifer Weiner books of late, as lately they have been hit or miss for me.

This was a surprising hit for me.

The theme and storyline are quite timely. It deals with a sensitive and potentially triggering subject, so be warned before reading.

My only real issue with this book is the not-so-subtle mentions of Daisy's weight. All of which had no bearing on the storyline at all. It's almost as if the author felt the need to continually mention that Daisy isn't your typical perfect woman. It's a theme the author includes in most of her books, but in this case I just felt the casual mentions (shopping for a little black dress that ended up being navy because of her size), just were not necessary in the telling of this story.

That being said, it didn't take away from the story. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

I have been reading and loving Jennifer Weiner’s books for so many years and in my opinion, this is one of her best. The story is incredibly good with relevant and timely subject matter. Why are boys and girls treated differently? And this is changing for the better, but why are girls expected to just be okay with being treated as lesser by misogynistic men? I loved that the women in this book found their voices, maybe to an extreme, but I still loved it.

Don’t let this picture fool you, it’s so much more than a beach read. It’s suspenseful, gripping and heartfelt, it’s character driven and emotional. And if my husband would have just let me sit for longer than ten minutes at a time on vacation, I could have read this in one sitting. I fell in love with both of the women at the heart of this story.

Trigger warnings: rape and abuse

What I really love about this book is that it talks about moving on, forgiving, loving yourself and friendship. The story bounces between past and present to help us understand the characters and their challenges and emotions. This is a very emotional and enthralling read.

I love Jennifer Weiner and have read all of her books. When I saw this I didn’t even look at what it was about before knowing I needed to read it!

I will warn you that this book is not your typical beach read or light and fun book. This book revolves around the rape of a minor and the #metoo movement. This is a heavy subject matter. This book does a good job of reflecting some of what goes on in a survivors mind after the trauma of rape.

That being said I felt like it was well written and enjoyed the book flipping between the two main characters, Diana and Daisy (also a Diana). They end up chatting online after Daisy gets several emails meant for Diana and they decide to meet. I thought that they were well thought out and good characters. I especially enjoyed the character of Beatrice (can she please get her own book of her from the end of this book on?) who is the daughter of one of Daisy.

I don’t want to go to much into the plot because I’m worried I will give it away. I did enjoy this book even with the subject matter. I think it is well written and that you should give it a read.

People will be fooled by the cover and the title, but this is not the typical "beach read". Unless that beach has a dangerous riptide.

Many reviews are calling this a revenge drama, but I would classify it more as a family drama. Yes, one woman is raped as a minor, but she isn't looking for revenge so much as to just be heard and acknowledged. We hear little of her biological family, but learn of her chosen family an how they help her find a life for herself.

The other family drama revolves around the damage done to a relationship when someone hides their past.

I've been a fan of Jennifer Weiner since her first book, and I have to be honest that I didn't connect with the characters in this title as well as I have with others. I miss the quirky, spunky, can-do lead character, but liked both Dianas in this novel. I just wanted more from everyone. Especially Michael. And the staff of the Abbey (bet they have some stories to tell). Wold love to see a future book all about Beatrix.

Reader Advisory: This book is about rape of a minor. Subject is addressed throughout the book.

3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a powerful, timely examination of male privilege, rape culture and trauma. Please read with care and the full knowledge this is not a light beach read. That summer is a dual timeline story exploring the repercussions one horrible summer night on a Cape Cod beach in the 90s has on both the victim and the perpetrators. When Diana and Daisy connect over a shared email address neither realizes how their meeting will change both their lives for the better. The book starts a little bumpy jumping around between Diana, Daisy and Daisy’s daughter Beatrice, who has just gotten expelled from the preppy New England boarding school her Dad went to because she called a classmate out for being a rapist. I enjoyed Beatrice’s character so much! She had strong convictions and the courage to stand up for what’s right. She bravely embraces her own (admittedly weird) passions for vintage fashion and felting clothes for dead mice. I sympathized with Daisy a lot too who was much younger than her rich, privileged husband and seemed to happily become the woman he wanted and molded her into being (albeit still pursuing her passion for cooking to a degree on the side). After losing her best friend to cancer Daisy really hopes her new friendship with Diana will help her feel less alone. And then there’s Diana. We slowly learn her back story as the novel unfolds and my heart just aches for the trauma she went through and her struggle trying to overcome it while also trying to figure out how to hold the perpetrators accountable and what (if any) justice can be had for the crimes they did to her. I LOVED her romance with Michael! He is the perfect, sweet caring man to help restore her faith in men. Overall a very thought-provoking and moving novel exploring the many facets of the #metoo movement. Highly recommended! Thanks to NetGalley for my advance listening copy. Sutton Foster narrates the audiobook and is amazing!