The Summer Place

A definite do not miss novel of crazy twists and turns that will make you wonder what’s next to come. It is a cannot put down novel jammed pack with past and future events impacting every character.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jennifer Warner is one of my favorite writers. I am never disappointed, and usually end up reading her books in one sitting. The Summer Place was no exception. Her ability to bring characters to life is certainly my showcased in her latest novel. There are secrets galore, misunderstandings that grow and grow that will have the reader shouting at the characters on page to pay attention! I loved it.

Jennifer Weiner is the reining queen of the summer beach read and a go to of mine for quality women's fiction; this my my seventh book by her and I have loved every one. I am so happy to report that she does not disappoint with The Summer Place. This is simply a story about family, one family in particular and all their secrets. I love being dragged into the drama of a family, that isn't mine, even if it is fiction. Each chapter is from a single family member point of view and there are a lot of members in this family...plus some of the extended family! It might sound confusing but Ms. Weiner is able to make her characters individual personalities stand out and the writing is vivid and detailed enough that I could keep them all separate, even the younger ones. I felt invested in this story and the people in it. I wanted good things to happen to them, I wanted them to be happy and fulfilled with their work and their love lives. I cheered them on, even though there were some who weren't perfect (who is?) but they were perfect for each other. This book has secrets, lies, romance and is even funny at times. There are many modern issues in its themes and I loved how the author delt with them honestly and sensitively.

The setting of The Cape was so perfect, I have always wanted to visit there. I have been up and down the Eastern Seaboard many times and have never made it to Cape Cod. Reading this book during a January extreme cold alert was a perfect time to put me there. I felt like I was with the family on the beach searching for crabs, swimming in the ocean and eating seafood meals. This book was a perfect place to lose myself for a few hours, I loved every minute of it and I see it being the hit of the summer of 2022. The author herself notes that she wanted the story to have a feeling somewhere between a Noël Coward farce and A Midsummer Night’s Dream , where the pairings are driven by otherworldly interference, well she has certainly succeeded in my humble opinion.

Author Jennifer Weiner provides a COVID-produced tale set in the summer after the first quarantine, with a large, extended family gathering at a beach house for a wedding. THE SUMMER PLACE is almost a Shakespearean comedy replete with mixed-up identities, covert loves, missing parents and lovers, and secrets galore, all of which are meant to be addressed after the wedding. The cast of characters are multi-generational and spread across the country, most completely unaware of their part in the unfolding drama. It’s a delightful mix of comedy, confusion and misery with the author’s considerable wit and eye for detail. This one is a charmer. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.