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The Summer Place
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of That Summer comes another “fun, feisty” (The Washington Post) novel of family, secrets, and the ties that bind.When her twenty-two-year-old stepdaughter announces her engagement to her pandemic boyfriend, Sarah Danhauser is shocked. But the wheels are in motion. Headstrong Ruby has already set a date (just three months away!) and spoken to her beloved safta, Sarah’s mother Veronica, about having the wedding at the family’s beach house in Cape Cod. Sarah might be worried, but Veronica is thrilled to be bringing the family together one last time before putting the big house on the market. But the road to a wedding day usually comes with a few bumps. Ruby has always known exactly what she wants, but as the wedding date approaches, she finds herself grappling with the wounds left by the mother who walked out when she was a baby. Veronica ends up facing unexpected news, thanks to her meddling sister, and must revisit the choices she made long ago, when she was a bestselling novelist with a different life. Sarah’s twin brother, Sam, is recovering from a terrible loss, and confronting big questions about who he is—questions he hopes to resolve during his stay on the Cape. Sarah’s husband, Eli, who’s been inexplicably distant during the pandemic, confronts the consequences of a long ago lapse from his typical good-guy behavior. And Sarah, frustrated by her husband, concerned about her stepdaughter, and worn out by the challenges of the quarantine, faces the alluring reappearance of someone from her past and a life that could have been. When the wedding day arrives, lovers are revealed as their true selves, misunderstandings take on a life of their own, and secrets come to light. There are confrontations and revelations that will touch each member of the extended family, ensuring that nothing will ever be the same. From “the undisputed boss of the beach read” (The New York Times), The Summer Place is a testament to family in all its messy glory; a story about what we sacrifice and how we forgive. Enthralling, witty, big-hearted, and sharply observed, “this first-rate page-turner” (Publishers Weekly) is Jennifer Weiner’s love letter to the Outer Cape and the power of home, the way our lives are enriched by the people we call family, and the endless ways love can surprise us.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2022
About the author
Jennifer Weiner
64 books23.8k followersJennifer Weiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of eighteen books, including Good in Bed, In Her Shoes, and, most recently, That Summer. A graduate of Princeton University, she lives with her family in Philadelphia. Visit her online at JenniferWeiner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 6,100 reviews
April 25, 2022
DNF finally at 53%
I cannot finish this book. It was absolutely a waste of my time. Not only did I find the authors writing cliche and expected, it was flooded with typed characters which left them one dimensional and stereotyped. Weiner tries so hard to speak to the "young readers" and instead of being relatable, her writing makes her seem like she's trying too hard.
A few flaws in the story:
-The present day storyline made up about 5%. This was absolutely infuriating because the book is 400+ pages long and the amount of back story was ridonkulous. There were so many characters to keep track of and a spiderweb of deceit to manage. I'm pretty sure every character was selfish and unfaithful. Everyone was having an affair, children with other men while in a faithful relationship or marriage. Like, come on. When there is THAT much infidelity, it tells me the writing is uninventive and lazy.
-Pandemic overload. The first 20% of the book was a recap of the pandemic. For the love, we get it! Mentioning and moving on would have (maybe?) helped the story. One of the frustrating moments in the book was when the engaged daughter (present storyline) was dating her now fiancé, he was a food delivery boy during the pandemic. Her mom did not want him coming over because of the contact he was having with people "who might be sick." Give me a break. You're entitlement is showing, Sarah. Gabe was doing his best and trying to make money. He was doing his best, and your lack of grace and understanding made me want to puke. That was just one of the many things that was just too fresh when it came to the pandemic writing in this book.
-The men in this book. She writes her men as very flawed characters who are monsters who can't control anything. Every white man is a villain and written as very cliche. Made me laugh out loud a few times when she was explaining how (I think Leo?) was so attentive when Sarah was on her period that he would make sure she had everything she needed on her first day of mensuration and was so clued in on her flow. GAG. I like my man to be sympathetic, but please leave my "flow" management to myself.
-This is not a summer book and the characters are all so unlikable that there really wasn't any point in moving forward with The Summer Place. This book seems to be the nail in the coffin for reading any more Jennifer Weiner's books.
Ok. I think that covers it. Phew, that vent session felt good.
I cannot finish this book. It was absolutely a waste of my time. Not only did I find the authors writing cliche and expected, it was flooded with typed characters which left them one dimensional and stereotyped. Weiner tries so hard to speak to the "young readers" and instead of being relatable, her writing makes her seem like she's trying too hard.
A few flaws in the story:
-The present day storyline made up about 5%. This was absolutely infuriating because the book is 400+ pages long and the amount of back story was ridonkulous. There were so many characters to keep track of and a spiderweb of deceit to manage. I'm pretty sure every character was selfish and unfaithful. Everyone was having an affair, children with other men while in a faithful relationship or marriage. Like, come on. When there is THAT much infidelity, it tells me the writing is uninventive and lazy.
-Pandemic overload. The first 20% of the book was a recap of the pandemic. For the love, we get it! Mentioning and moving on would have (maybe?) helped the story. One of the frustrating moments in the book was when the engaged daughter (present storyline) was dating her now fiancé, he was a food delivery boy during the pandemic. Her mom did not want him coming over because of the contact he was having with people "who might be sick." Give me a break. You're entitlement is showing, Sarah. Gabe was doing his best and trying to make money. He was doing his best, and your lack of grace and understanding made me want to puke. That was just one of the many things that was just too fresh when it came to the pandemic writing in this book.
-The men in this book. She writes her men as very flawed characters who are monsters who can't control anything. Every white man is a villain and written as very cliche. Made me laugh out loud a few times when she was explaining how (I think Leo?) was so attentive when Sarah was on her period that he would make sure she had everything she needed on her first day of mensuration and was so clued in on her flow. GAG. I like my man to be sympathetic, but please leave my "flow" management to myself.
-This is not a summer book and the characters are all so unlikable that there really wasn't any point in moving forward with The Summer Place. This book seems to be the nail in the coffin for reading any more Jennifer Weiner's books.
Ok. I think that covers it. Phew, that vent session felt good.
January 31, 2023
Oh my goodness! Jennifer Weiner knows how to create characters: correction: she knows how to give life to them! Because those multi characters she’s created for this book are absolutely breathing, talking, sulking, screaming, laughing real people! Those embellished, extra detailed, perfectly developed back stories, characteristic attributes give you enough clue what a talented author she is!
This book could be a little long because of impeccably developed, long perspectives of the characters. But this time I honestly didn’t care! I loved each of the flawed characters, their strengths, their weaknesses, their secrets, their resentments, their struggle against being trapped in their own house with their families, getting through Covid-19 months without choking each other!
Sarah; at the age of 40, hurt by her husband’s Eli’s estrangement during pandemic days even though his shortcomings started bugging because of sharing same space in quarantine for a long time, having suspicious her husband is cheating her after 14 years of happy marriage.
22 years old art student Ruby, stepdaughter of Sarah, declares her decision to get marry with her pandemic boyfriend Gabe in three months. That stubborn girl knows her ways to get what she wants, still resents her birth mother’s abandonment when she was just a little baby. Does she have second thoughts about her abrupt decision? Of course she has not she is way too much headstrong to say she made a mistake!
Eli, devoted husband, dentist who truly reminded me of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Abe Weissman ( if this book could be adapted into series, my candidate to play him is definitely Tony Shalhoub) also made a big mistake 23 years ago and now he thinks his mistake will catch him unguarded to ruin everything he’s worked for years by destroying his family.
Ronnie; grandmother at the age 80, widowed, spending days at their beach house in Cape Cod, feeling so exciting for her grand daughter’s wedding to bring the entire family one more time. Once upon a time she was an author whose books were adapted into series at 80’s. Why did she stop? What kind of secrets she’s buried!
Poor Sam, Sarah’s twin brother, who lost his wife, taking care of his stepson Connor also has a big plan that he didn’t share with his family.
Sam was one of my favorite characters, who stays in the middle, always putting others first, changing his lifestyle to harmonize with the people he’s dating. And he was always the one who got dumped! I gave him virtual hugs during my read!
And let’s not forget Rosa, groom’s mother, who dreamt of becoming famous in NY when she was young and gave up her theater career to be mother of Gabe, raised him by herself, becoming a nurse to give him enough opportunity to chase his dreams.
When she hears more about Gabe’s fiancée she realizes her big secret about her past will ruin everything about her son’s future.
The author made me brilliant job to gather those characters at the Cape Cod house which is also the main character of the book, keeping the secrets of its inhabitants and guests for years!
The conclusion was also well wrapped up!
I think this is so far the best work of the author. I feel in love with characterization skills and wished this book never ends!
I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 dysfunctional, scandalous, secretive family stars!
Special thanks to dear Ariele Fredman, Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my truly honest opinions.
This book could be a little long because of impeccably developed, long perspectives of the characters. But this time I honestly didn’t care! I loved each of the flawed characters, their strengths, their weaknesses, their secrets, their resentments, their struggle against being trapped in their own house with their families, getting through Covid-19 months without choking each other!
Sarah; at the age of 40, hurt by her husband’s Eli’s estrangement during pandemic days even though his shortcomings started bugging because of sharing same space in quarantine for a long time, having suspicious her husband is cheating her after 14 years of happy marriage.
22 years old art student Ruby, stepdaughter of Sarah, declares her decision to get marry with her pandemic boyfriend Gabe in three months. That stubborn girl knows her ways to get what she wants, still resents her birth mother’s abandonment when she was just a little baby. Does she have second thoughts about her abrupt decision? Of course she has not she is way too much headstrong to say she made a mistake!
Eli, devoted husband, dentist who truly reminded me of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Abe Weissman ( if this book could be adapted into series, my candidate to play him is definitely Tony Shalhoub) also made a big mistake 23 years ago and now he thinks his mistake will catch him unguarded to ruin everything he’s worked for years by destroying his family.
Ronnie; grandmother at the age 80, widowed, spending days at their beach house in Cape Cod, feeling so exciting for her grand daughter’s wedding to bring the entire family one more time. Once upon a time she was an author whose books were adapted into series at 80’s. Why did she stop? What kind of secrets she’s buried!
Poor Sam, Sarah’s twin brother, who lost his wife, taking care of his stepson Connor also has a big plan that he didn’t share with his family.
Sam was one of my favorite characters, who stays in the middle, always putting others first, changing his lifestyle to harmonize with the people he’s dating. And he was always the one who got dumped! I gave him virtual hugs during my read!
And let’s not forget Rosa, groom’s mother, who dreamt of becoming famous in NY when she was young and gave up her theater career to be mother of Gabe, raised him by herself, becoming a nurse to give him enough opportunity to chase his dreams.
When she hears more about Gabe’s fiancée she realizes her big secret about her past will ruin everything about her son’s future.
The author made me brilliant job to gather those characters at the Cape Cod house which is also the main character of the book, keeping the secrets of its inhabitants and guests for years!
The conclusion was also well wrapped up!
I think this is so far the best work of the author. I feel in love with characterization skills and wished this book never ends!
I’m rounding up 4.5 stars to 5 dysfunctional, scandalous, secretive family stars!
Special thanks to dear Ariele Fredman, Atria Books and NetGalley for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my truly honest opinions.
April 17, 2022
To be blunt this book was simply not a good fit for me.🤦🏻♀️
Ruby is about to marry her quarantine boyfriend. Thrown together through the Covid outbreak they came out the other side wanting a life together. But they’re quite young (early 20’s.) Are they really ready for this next stage in life?
Are their families happy for them? Well? On the surface…perhaps. But deep down each family member is dreading the day for their own reasons.
This family gave new meaning to the word dysfunctional!
All the characters were unlikable, shallow and selfish...except for the children. The adults (and I use that term loosely) all needed to take a step back and think of someone other than themselves.
This was my first book by this author, and likely my last. I can see we just weren’t meant to be.🤷🏻♀️
Other readers really enjoyed this book so please take a look at all the positive reviews before making a decision. I am very much alone on my outlier-island (once again!) Lol!😎🏝️
A buddy read with Susanne.
Thank you to Atria books via Netgalley and Goodreads Giveaway for a physical copy.
Ruby is about to marry her quarantine boyfriend. Thrown together through the Covid outbreak they came out the other side wanting a life together. But they’re quite young (early 20’s.) Are they really ready for this next stage in life?
Are their families happy for them? Well? On the surface…perhaps. But deep down each family member is dreading the day for their own reasons.
This family gave new meaning to the word dysfunctional!
All the characters were unlikable, shallow and selfish...except for the children. The adults (and I use that term loosely) all needed to take a step back and think of someone other than themselves.
This was my first book by this author, and likely my last. I can see we just weren’t meant to be.🤷🏻♀️
Other readers really enjoyed this book so please take a look at all the positive reviews before making a decision. I am very much alone on my outlier-island (once again!) Lol!😎🏝️
A buddy read with Susanne.
Thank you to Atria books via Netgalley and Goodreads Giveaway for a physical copy.
April 26, 2022
I guess you have to be a far-left virtue signaller to like this book?
Honestly, I would prefer to forget the last two years ever happened, not to read a book about how hard it was for a privileged family with a massive house to have to work from home together for a year. That added with countless mentions of "doing the right thing" (masking, social distancing, lockdowns, vaccines, vaccine passports, contributions to BLM, the "Buy Nothing" movement") made this just feel like one big propaganda handbook. I couldn't stand how all of these things were normalized.
With respect to the story itself, too many characters who don't have any actual problems whine and complain about lack of privacy and the sound of flip flops on a hardwood floor. A selfish bunch of characters who manufactured their own issues. A family of serial cheaters and secret keepers, who’s secrets in some cases weren’t even real. For me, there were absolutely no redeeming qualities in this story, and I can’t believe I struggled through this to the bitter end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Honestly, I would prefer to forget the last two years ever happened, not to read a book about how hard it was for a privileged family with a massive house to have to work from home together for a year. That added with countless mentions of "doing the right thing" (masking, social distancing, lockdowns, vaccines, vaccine passports, contributions to BLM, the "Buy Nothing" movement") made this just feel like one big propaganda handbook. I couldn't stand how all of these things were normalized.
With respect to the story itself, too many characters who don't have any actual problems whine and complain about lack of privacy and the sound of flip flops on a hardwood floor. A selfish bunch of characters who manufactured their own issues. A family of serial cheaters and secret keepers, who’s secrets in some cases weren’t even real. For me, there were absolutely no redeeming qualities in this story, and I can’t believe I struggled through this to the bitter end.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 20, 2022
I typically love Jennifer Weiner books and look forward to them. There are some that I have absolutely loved, and this one although enjoyable, missed the mark somewhat.
1. There are a lot of characters with their individual storylines.
2. Once I got to know more about the characters, I went from liking them to being disappointed by them to feeling meh about them.
3. It really is a small world after all - at least it is in this book.
4. Too many coincidences.
Ruby is getting married to her COVID lock down boyfriend. The wedding is set to take place on Cape Cod. The family members are going to gather as are the parents of the bride and groom. Celebrations will be held. Should be a great time. But with these characters, well....
There is a lot going on in this book. We get introduced to a lot of characters in this book and the events in their lives. They all have secrets and when they all gather, things become messy.
Communicate. Communicate. COMMUNICATE. I kept thinking while reading this book. For characters to have been in each other’s lives for so long, it annoyed me that a simple conversation could not be had. Relationships are messy in this book because the characters don't talk, instead guard their secrets as others are left to come to their own conclusions. Misunderstandings and hurt feelings ensue.
Weiner usually dazzles me but this one, while enjoyable, failed to wow me. There were parts I really enjoyed and parts where I shook my head.
Many readers enjoyed this more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
1. There are a lot of characters with their individual storylines.
2. Once I got to know more about the characters, I went from liking them to being disappointed by them to feeling meh about them.
3. It really is a small world after all - at least it is in this book.
4. Too many coincidences.
Ruby is getting married to her COVID lock down boyfriend. The wedding is set to take place on Cape Cod. The family members are going to gather as are the parents of the bride and groom. Celebrations will be held. Should be a great time. But with these characters, well....
There is a lot going on in this book. We get introduced to a lot of characters in this book and the events in their lives. They all have secrets and when they all gather, things become messy.
Communicate. Communicate. COMMUNICATE. I kept thinking while reading this book. For characters to have been in each other’s lives for so long, it annoyed me that a simple conversation could not be had. Relationships are messy in this book because the characters don't talk, instead guard their secrets as others are left to come to their own conclusions. Misunderstandings and hurt feelings ensue.
Weiner usually dazzles me but this one, while enjoyable, failed to wow me. There were parts I really enjoyed and parts where I shook my head.
Many readers enjoyed this more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com
May 22, 2022
This was such a great read. I have only read a few of Jennifer Weiner's books so far but really enjoyed them. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of them.
I had both the audio and ebook for this and I really liked being able to switch between the two. Flew through it in no time.
An excellent domestic family drama that held my interest from start to finish!
Shelved as 'dnf'
May 15, 2022This is a Family Drama/Women's Fiction. I was really excited about this book, but it really let me down. I just could not get into this book. There were way to many characters with way to much going on. I think that if this book focuses on one or two characters than a boat load I would have enjoyed it. The storyline/plot felt too jumpy because there was way too much going on. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
May 12, 2022
It’s not summer without a new book from Jennifer Weiner!
About the book: “From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of That Summer comes another heartfelt and unputdownable novel of family, secrets, and the ties that bind.”
Ruby, Sarah’s stepdaughter, is getting married, with a date set just three months away. The location is chosen, Sarah’s mother’s beach house on Cape Cod. Sarah thinks this is too much of a rush, but her mom is excited to have a final party at the beach house before it’s sold.
Underneath the wedding preparation, this family has a lot going on. Each character is hiding something, and there’s quite a motley cast. It’s set during a contemporary time, so the pandemic is part of the backdrop, making it feel even more relevant.
Everything culminates with the wedding day, and secrets are set to be exposed. This one has a large cast of characters, and I really grew to care about them all. The Summer Place is filled with Weiner’s signature wit, heart, and depth. I really loved it.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
About the book: “From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of That Summer comes another heartfelt and unputdownable novel of family, secrets, and the ties that bind.”
Ruby, Sarah’s stepdaughter, is getting married, with a date set just three months away. The location is chosen, Sarah’s mother’s beach house on Cape Cod. Sarah thinks this is too much of a rush, but her mom is excited to have a final party at the beach house before it’s sold.
Underneath the wedding preparation, this family has a lot going on. Each character is hiding something, and there’s quite a motley cast. It’s set during a contemporary time, so the pandemic is part of the backdrop, making it feel even more relevant.
Everything culminates with the wedding day, and secrets are set to be exposed. This one has a large cast of characters, and I really grew to care about them all. The Summer Place is filled with Weiner’s signature wit, heart, and depth. I really loved it.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 31, 2022
Not just a beach book…
A smoothie for my scratchy throat, a little aloe for this anxious skin! This was an easy read that also was smart. It’s about an upper-middle-class family that is stuck together during COVID. A wedding is being planned on Cape Cod. There are many secrets, much anguish, and good characters. (All I know is, now I really want a smoothie.)
I have to complain, though, about this author being pigeonholed as writing just beach books. I know the writer wants to go big and write blockbusters, but this book is better than a beach book full of sand, glanced at in-between peeks at the kiddos in the tide pools. But what can you do when The New York Times calls Weiner “the undisputed boss of the beach read”? Well, she’ll get millions of readers, but the literary-fiction gang will no doubt avoid her like the plague, and that’s a shame.
Joy Jar
-Vivid characters in a slightly dysfunctional family that has complicated relationships; always a yum-yum situation. You get to see inside their heads.
-A plot that moves right along.
-Many juicy secrets, with some suspense surrounding the reveals.
-Language that’s lively and sophisticated, even though it’s basically utilitarian.
-No fillers.
-No sentimentality (this can often ruin a good family saga for me).
-Partially set on Cape Cod; I used to live there so it was fun to go back.
-Unputdownable.
Complaint Board
-No, no no, not FOUR coincidences! Really, that’s going a little overboard. How to buy that bologna? But the coincidences are so much fun and so integral to the tasty secrets, I didn’t care. (The book has got to be good if I’m defending this complaint so desperately!) But these never-would-have-happened plot parts are what kept me from giving the book 5 stars. The overabundance of coincidences will probably annoy others a lot more.
-Cut this baby down, will ya? Come on—it’s 432 pages! However, I can’t say there’s any fluff to cut (so shut up already, Debbie).
-There’s a little WASP-bashing by the family, which was Jewish. They called the WASPS “pond people” and it sounded derogatory. In fact, whenever the WASPS were brought up, it was in a negative way. I hate it when any group is put down.
-I didn’t like the biological mother. She had a bit part but she bugged me. I got on my moral high horse because I couldn’t stand her behavior toward her kid.
Bottom line: I consider this a masterpiece, with or without beachiness—beach title, beach cover, beach blurbs. Weiner (pronounced Winer, I’m happy to report) writes effortlessly and sure knows how to spin a tale. She wrote this book during the pandemic, whipped it up quickly it seems. It boggles my mind, because the book doesn’t seem hurried or incomplete. I’ve read a few of her books but now I want to read more. She’s mighty prolific. And I hope she keeps churning them out fast, like she has done here.
Grab this if you want an absorbing, well-told story that will distract you from the world for a little while.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
A smoothie for my scratchy throat, a little aloe for this anxious skin! This was an easy read that also was smart. It’s about an upper-middle-class family that is stuck together during COVID. A wedding is being planned on Cape Cod. There are many secrets, much anguish, and good characters. (All I know is, now I really want a smoothie.)
I have to complain, though, about this author being pigeonholed as writing just beach books. I know the writer wants to go big and write blockbusters, but this book is better than a beach book full of sand, glanced at in-between peeks at the kiddos in the tide pools. But what can you do when The New York Times calls Weiner “the undisputed boss of the beach read”? Well, she’ll get millions of readers, but the literary-fiction gang will no doubt avoid her like the plague, and that’s a shame.
Joy Jar
-Vivid characters in a slightly dysfunctional family that has complicated relationships; always a yum-yum situation. You get to see inside their heads.
-A plot that moves right along.
-Many juicy secrets, with some suspense surrounding the reveals.
-Language that’s lively and sophisticated, even though it’s basically utilitarian.
-No fillers.
-No sentimentality (this can often ruin a good family saga for me).
-Partially set on Cape Cod; I used to live there so it was fun to go back.
-Unputdownable.
Complaint Board
-No, no no, not FOUR coincidences! Really, that’s going a little overboard. How to buy that bologna? But the coincidences are so much fun and so integral to the tasty secrets, I didn’t care. (The book has got to be good if I’m defending this complaint so desperately!) But these never-would-have-happened plot parts are what kept me from giving the book 5 stars. The overabundance of coincidences will probably annoy others a lot more.
-Cut this baby down, will ya? Come on—it’s 432 pages! However, I can’t say there’s any fluff to cut (so shut up already, Debbie).
-There’s a little WASP-bashing by the family, which was Jewish. They called the WASPS “pond people” and it sounded derogatory. In fact, whenever the WASPS were brought up, it was in a negative way. I hate it when any group is put down.
-I didn’t like the biological mother. She had a bit part but she bugged me. I got on my moral high horse because I couldn’t stand her behavior toward her kid.
Bottom line: I consider this a masterpiece, with or without beachiness—beach title, beach cover, beach blurbs. Weiner (pronounced Winer, I’m happy to report) writes effortlessly and sure knows how to spin a tale. She wrote this book during the pandemic, whipped it up quickly it seems. It boggles my mind, because the book doesn’t seem hurried or incomplete. I’ve read a few of her books but now I want to read more. She’s mighty prolific. And I hope she keeps churning them out fast, like she has done here.
Grab this if you want an absorbing, well-told story that will distract you from the world for a little while.
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.
April 21, 2023
When Sarah Weinberg-Danhauser's twenty two year old stepdaughter Ruby announces her engagement to her pandemic boyfriend Gabe Andrews and she’s shocked. Ruby can’t see any reason why they should wait, she wants to get married in three month’s time and at Sarah’s mother's beach house at Cape Cod.
As the wedding day approaches, everyone in the extended family are grappling with personal issues and they plan to address them after the big day.
Ruby tends to rush head first into everything, she hates waiting and her mother Annette left her father Eli when she was a baby and maybe this has something to do with it? Eli Danhauser is a periodontist, he lectured and mentored dental students from home during the pandemic. Eli has always been a good guy, he made a mistake years ago and now he’s worried the consequences will tear his family apart.
Veronica Levy-Weinberg is Sarah's mother, she published two best sellers in the late 1970’s and stopped writing. She's just received some unexpected news, she’s going to tell her children about it and after Ruby's wedding. Samuel Levy-Weinberg is Sarah’s twin brother, he’s a widower and has a stepson Connor. Sam has had these niggling doubts in the back of his mind for a while, he thinks he’s figured out who he is and how will how will his family react? Sarah works as a music school administrator, she's frustrated by her husband’s lack of attention and Eli's mind is elsewhere and when she bumps in to her first love and she’s tempted to catch up for coffee and more!
On the day of the wedding every relationship is teetering on the brink of collapse, the bride and groom are both having second thoughts and haven't told each other!
I received a copy of The Summer Place by from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. A story full of secrets, misunderstanding, mixed up identities, and combined with the connection and love the whole dysfunctional family has to Cape Cod and each other. Another funny, entertaining, and heartfelt narrative written with personal insight and lots of feeling from Jennifer Weiner and five stars from me.
As the wedding day approaches, everyone in the extended family are grappling with personal issues and they plan to address them after the big day.
Ruby tends to rush head first into everything, she hates waiting and her mother Annette left her father Eli when she was a baby and maybe this has something to do with it? Eli Danhauser is a periodontist, he lectured and mentored dental students from home during the pandemic. Eli has always been a good guy, he made a mistake years ago and now he’s worried the consequences will tear his family apart.
Veronica Levy-Weinberg is Sarah's mother, she published two best sellers in the late 1970’s and stopped writing. She's just received some unexpected news, she’s going to tell her children about it and after Ruby's wedding. Samuel Levy-Weinberg is Sarah’s twin brother, he’s a widower and has a stepson Connor. Sam has had these niggling doubts in the back of his mind for a while, he thinks he’s figured out who he is and how will how will his family react? Sarah works as a music school administrator, she's frustrated by her husband’s lack of attention and Eli's mind is elsewhere and when she bumps in to her first love and she’s tempted to catch up for coffee and more!
On the day of the wedding every relationship is teetering on the brink of collapse, the bride and groom are both having second thoughts and haven't told each other!
I received a copy of The Summer Place by from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review. A story full of secrets, misunderstanding, mixed up identities, and combined with the connection and love the whole dysfunctional family has to Cape Cod and each other. Another funny, entertaining, and heartfelt narrative written with personal insight and lots of feeling from Jennifer Weiner and five stars from me.
June 27, 2022
Published May 10th 2022
Yawellnofine. I DNF this. Please bear with me. OOPS! You're sooooo not going to see this!
Weiner is a good writer. According to some: a good woke writer. She is in fact, excellent. A wonderful wordsmith. And although I was annoyed, okay, bored, I did enjoy the author's seamless, narration a lot.
The characters would all go through (paraphrasing THE HOUSE as character!): sorrow, happiness, tragedy, joy, plenty of the mundane, the cheerful low hum generated by families at the beach in summertime. Their backstories and secrets would accompany them. After a year-long Covid lock-down, this summer promised to be oh so very very different.
As I said, or didn't I?, I was a tad bored. And since Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream was mentioned, I thought I could invite him back in, but this time on my terms. It was either that, or phone a random number, saying: "I've hit the body, now what?"
That wouldn't do, right? So, Shakespeare it would be. That was after I considered the possibility, that if it was possible for the ceiling fan to carry my weight, I could swing on it. I needed excitement so badly, while reading this family drama. Shakespeare to the rescue!
Here are a few of my gripes (and as promised, a few favorite Bart terms). You can skip it, and I will skip the rest of my soreness with this book.
This was Fifty Shades of Grey─and then some─all in one family. In one novel . Melodramatic, strongly political infused, and a soap opera par excellence. In fact, there is not a single social issue not mentioned or used in this book.
Oy Vey! I so wished potty-mouthed Joan Rivers was invited. She would at least have made us role around in laughter while bombarding us with the deceit, betrayal, lies, secrets, and indiscriminate hanky panky of just about all the characters in the this book. There were plenty, plenty, plenty of 'em all with their own backstories and many repetitions of the backstories through the eyes of yet another character.
The focus point is the wedding of Ruby Danhauser, and Gabe Alvarez Andrews, in Cape Cod, with the story divided into three parts.
Characters:
On the bride's side:
Eli Dannhauser(father), Eli's brother, Ari,
Ruby's mother, Annette;
Sarah Danhauser (Eli's second wife, Ruby's stepmother);
Ruby's two half-brothers, Dexter and Miles;
Sarah's twin brother Samuel Levy-Weinberger, his wife, Julie Barringer, Her son, Connor, Saul Barringer, Julie's father;
Veronica(Ronnie) Levy-Weinberg, Sarah and Sam's mother;
Lee Weinberger(Ronnie's husband, father of Sarah and Sam)
On the groom's side:
Rosa Alvarez Andrews(Gabe's mother);
Amanda - Rosa's sister;
And numerous peripheral characters to die for. The thing is, there was not enough shades of grey to fill these characters in as well. Shakespeare in despair: You gorbellied common-kissing, flirt-gill !
We know for a fact that beloved Joan Rivers was out. And Shakespeare was in. Only white male mentioned, so by the way. But I thought his role should be elaborated (this time on my terms). It's my review. I told you I was bored.
I experienced this story as an effort to revitalize the ancient writings of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Judtih Krantz and Jacqueline Susann. In fact, the latter two authors were part of the frame of reference of Ronnie(Veronica). The only difference between the 1980s fornication festivals and now, is the absence of strong, successful, attractive, white males. Yep, in this political trope they were so defintively personna non grata. Unwanted. Despised. Rejected. Cancelled. The men in this novel were subservient, enslaved, holier-than-tho, gifts from the woke god. Shakespeare: Such tottering toad-spotted whey-face(s)!
Eli was painted as: He worked hard at school and treated his elders with deference, his peers with kindness, and his parents with respect. While his brother, Ari, was crashing cars, flunking out of college, and getting arrested, Eli drove carefully, studied hard, and graduated with honors.
Yours truly: how utterly noble is that!? I wanted to cry, it was just so beautiful.
The women were all on their own missions, with Sarah being the front-runner. So Eli, her gentle, considerate, wonderful husband, went through an emotional roller coaster and could not spend all his waking hours making Sarah happy. She felt offended, and instead of being his soft place to fall (That is such an ancient concept, you can call up the dead with it), she immediately started an affair. How dare he?! It's all Covid's fault.
So, in my underwhelmed, dumbed-down state of my own despair, I was trying my bestest to get excited. I really wanted this to be a perfect summer read. But for crying out loud, what in the world was new in this novel? NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really: it could have been a fairly good story but IMHO was ruined by the endless, repetitively pointless sex scenes.
I just stopped reading after about half way through and touched on the last 70 pages at the end, which summarized the outcomes anyway.
Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves. Ask failing Netflix. Nope, this novel was written to become yet another boring miniseries on that service. Enough characters, enough social issues, enough political undercurrents.
Sorry, I really tried. But nope. Overwritten, overboard, over... well...everything.
My sincerest apologies. It was clearly meant for another audience. It's a bestseller. Don't mind me. Shakespeare: (You) tardy-gaited, sheep-biting, clotpole Yep, that's me.
Yawellnofine. I DNF this. Please bear with me. OOPS! You're sooooo not going to see this!
Weiner is a good writer. According to some: a good woke writer. She is in fact, excellent. A wonderful wordsmith. And although I was annoyed, okay, bored, I did enjoy the author's seamless, narration a lot.
The characters would all go through (paraphrasing THE HOUSE as character!): sorrow, happiness, tragedy, joy, plenty of the mundane, the cheerful low hum generated by families at the beach in summertime. Their backstories and secrets would accompany them. After a year-long Covid lock-down, this summer promised to be oh so very very different.
As I said, or didn't I?, I was a tad bored. And since Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream was mentioned, I thought I could invite him back in, but this time on my terms. It was either that, or phone a random number, saying: "I've hit the body, now what?"
That wouldn't do, right? So, Shakespeare it would be. That was after I considered the possibility, that if it was possible for the ceiling fan to carry my weight, I could swing on it. I needed excitement so badly, while reading this family drama. Shakespeare to the rescue!
Here are a few of my gripes (and as promised, a few favorite Bart terms). You can skip it, and I will skip the rest of my soreness with this book.
This was Fifty Shades of Grey─and then some─all in one family. In one novel . Melodramatic, strongly political infused, and a soap opera par excellence. In fact, there is not a single social issue not mentioned or used in this book.
Oy Vey! I so wished potty-mouthed Joan Rivers was invited. She would at least have made us role around in laughter while bombarding us with the deceit, betrayal, lies, secrets, and indiscriminate hanky panky of just about all the characters in the this book. There were plenty, plenty, plenty of 'em all with their own backstories and many repetitions of the backstories through the eyes of yet another character.
The focus point is the wedding of Ruby Danhauser, and Gabe Alvarez Andrews, in Cape Cod, with the story divided into three parts.
Characters:
On the bride's side:
Eli Dannhauser(father), Eli's brother, Ari,
Ruby's mother, Annette;
Sarah Danhauser (Eli's second wife, Ruby's stepmother);
Ruby's two half-brothers, Dexter and Miles;
Sarah's twin brother Samuel Levy-Weinberger, his wife, Julie Barringer, Her son, Connor, Saul Barringer, Julie's father;
Veronica(Ronnie) Levy-Weinberg, Sarah and Sam's mother;
Lee Weinberger(Ronnie's husband, father of Sarah and Sam)
On the groom's side:
Rosa Alvarez Andrews(Gabe's mother);
Amanda - Rosa's sister;
And numerous peripheral characters to die for. The thing is, there was not enough shades of grey to fill these characters in as well. Shakespeare in despair: You gorbellied common-kissing, flirt-gill !
We know for a fact that beloved Joan Rivers was out. And Shakespeare was in. Only white male mentioned, so by the way. But I thought his role should be elaborated (this time on my terms). It's my review. I told you I was bored.
I experienced this story as an effort to revitalize the ancient writings of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Judtih Krantz and Jacqueline Susann. In fact, the latter two authors were part of the frame of reference of Ronnie(Veronica). The only difference between the 1980s fornication festivals and now, is the absence of strong, successful, attractive, white males. Yep, in this political trope they were so defintively personna non grata. Unwanted. Despised. Rejected. Cancelled. The men in this novel were subservient, enslaved, holier-than-tho, gifts from the woke god. Shakespeare: Such tottering toad-spotted whey-face(s)!
Eli was painted as: He worked hard at school and treated his elders with deference, his peers with kindness, and his parents with respect. While his brother, Ari, was crashing cars, flunking out of college, and getting arrested, Eli drove carefully, studied hard, and graduated with honors.
Yours truly: how utterly noble is that!? I wanted to cry, it was just so beautiful.
The women were all on their own missions, with Sarah being the front-runner. So Eli, her gentle, considerate, wonderful husband, went through an emotional roller coaster and could not spend all his waking hours making Sarah happy. She felt offended, and instead of being his soft place to fall (That is such an ancient concept, you can call up the dead with it), she immediately started an affair. How dare he?! It's all Covid's fault.
So, in my underwhelmed, dumbed-down state of my own despair, I was trying my bestest to get excited. I really wanted this to be a perfect summer read. But for crying out loud, what in the world was new in this novel? NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really: it could have been a fairly good story but IMHO was ruined by the endless, repetitively pointless sex scenes.
I just stopped reading after about half way through and touched on the last 70 pages at the end, which summarized the outcomes anyway.
Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves. Ask failing Netflix. Nope, this novel was written to become yet another boring miniseries on that service. Enough characters, enough social issues, enough political undercurrents.
Sorry, I really tried. But nope. Overwritten, overboard, over... well...everything.
My sincerest apologies. It was clearly meant for another audience. It's a bestseller. Don't mind me. Shakespeare: (You) tardy-gaited, sheep-biting, clotpole Yep, that's me.
May 25, 2022
Well THAT was unexpected! Leave it to Jennifer Weiner to keep me on my toes!
Life, Love, Relationships, Family Dysfunction and Scandal (and lots of it).
When Covid hits, Ruby rushes into an engagement with her boyfriend Gabe. The fact that her stepmother Sarah disapproves, somehow makes it more attractive.
Twins Sam and Sarah have always been close, but middle age has forced them apart. Meanwhile, Sarah is unhappy in her marriage to Eli and Sam suffers from general discontentment.
Grandmother Ronnie, was once a celebrated author. Something happened a while back that stopped her from publishing. Only she knows why.
Secrets are at the heart of this novel by Jennifer Weiner. The question I asked while reading this was why each family member felt they had to keep them, and why, if they loved each other so much, they felt it so necessary? There is dysfunction and there is scandal, but there is also love.
A drama filled novel that truly made my eyes pop at times! Though this wasn’t my favorite of Jennifer Weiner’s novels, I will say that it sure kept me fully engaged.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Ariele Friedman at Atria Books for the arc via NetGalley.
A buddy read with Kaceey!
Review posted to Goodreads and Twitter.
Life, Love, Relationships, Family Dysfunction and Scandal (and lots of it).
When Covid hits, Ruby rushes into an engagement with her boyfriend Gabe. The fact that her stepmother Sarah disapproves, somehow makes it more attractive.
Twins Sam and Sarah have always been close, but middle age has forced them apart. Meanwhile, Sarah is unhappy in her marriage to Eli and Sam suffers from general discontentment.
Grandmother Ronnie, was once a celebrated author. Something happened a while back that stopped her from publishing. Only she knows why.
Secrets are at the heart of this novel by Jennifer Weiner. The question I asked while reading this was why each family member felt they had to keep them, and why, if they loved each other so much, they felt it so necessary? There is dysfunction and there is scandal, but there is also love.
A drama filled novel that truly made my eyes pop at times! Though this wasn’t my favorite of Jennifer Weiner’s novels, I will say that it sure kept me fully engaged.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Ariele Friedman at Atria Books for the arc via NetGalley.
A buddy read with Kaceey!
Review posted to Goodreads and Twitter.
August 21, 2024
I teeter between concluding that this book sought to reinforce that either good people can make bad decisions or, that every person in this story was a bad person disguised by the guilt that kept them in line throughout long periods.
This book is written in three parts, each of which is separated by the advancement of time; the plot moves forward toward the culminating event which is the anticipated wedding between Ruby & Gabe.
On the bride’s side, we have Eli (father), Annette (mother), Sarah (step-mother), two half-brothers whose names I cannot recall, Veronica/Ronnie (grandmother), Lee (grandfather), Ari (paternal uncle), Sam (maternal uncle), Connor (cousin).
On the groom’s side, we have Rosa (mother), & Amanda (aunt). As well, there is also an array of tertiary characters such as Connor’s paternal grandfather, father & mother, some past love interests of Sam & Owen, some past love interests of Ronnie’s, etc. There were a lot of people in this story.
I highlight the number of characters who made appearances in this book not because I found the number obnoxious but rather, for opposing reasons. I enjoyed the number of people who came through the pages & brought to the story some form of authenticity.
Weiner truly did her utmost to ensure that every character that we knew by name was more than the physical description they were given. These were people who, though for some, we saw only through the eyes of another & in very small doses, were granted enough substance for us to believe that they were living a full life. This is something I want to praise because it was the main reason I kept reading for as long as I did.
This book is centred around a handful of people & Weiner writes a chapter for each of them. They have their first-person point of view expressed from a personal standpoint & by so doing we can fully grasp their feelings & reactions genuinely. I will admit that this method of approaching character dialogue did render the chapters very, very, long. As someone who seeks to finish a chapter before putting down a book, this was a bit of a negative aspect as there were so many pages per chapter that the reading segments dragged on. This leads me to my next point.
The redundancy in events was excruciating. Due to there being an obscene number of active characters in this story, I will keep my critique centred around a few specific people. Eli, for example, continues to ramble about the possibility of Gabe being his biological child in every chapter he narrates. This is a man in his 50s yet we have to read about him questioning the biological connection between him & this other person for the entire story.
I highlight his age here because having had, what we can assume as being, a great deal of life experience, one would think that Eli would simply do the math & deduce that Gabe was not his child. Given the fact that we know Gabe grew up with an impoverished single parent who relied very heavily on the support of her family to raise her child, it’s not far-fetched to assume that Gabe would have told Ruby had he been a premature baby.
This aspect would have increased the difficulties that he & his mother encountered while she was trying to provide basic needs for her child. As this was never brought up, & because Gabe is a solid four months younger than Ruby—why do we have to continuously read about a situation which is pointless to dwell on
Also, if Eli was worried that Ruby was having incestuous relations with a person who could be her biological brother, would it not be more important to tell her rather than focus on the ego wound that would ensue from saying that Eli slept with someone else during his relationship with Annette?
I admit that I wanted to like Sarah’s character from the very start. She seemed to be well-rounded & held a hopeful view of life. How very unfortunate for me when very early in the book her true colours began to shine through to an extent that left me confused.
First of all, Sarah has been married to Eli for 15 years & he uncharacteristically is going through a difficult time emotionally. How do we know this? Because Sarah repeatedly tells the reader that Eli is not as attentive to her & her needs as he was throughout the bulk of their relationship.
Are you telling me that the basis to which you calculate the well-being of your life partner is by their ability to be there, uncompromisingly, for you & not,… say, their general overall behaviour towards themselves, their hobbies, their employment, etc? Why is his not being able to emotionally hold the bag for you the reason you’re going to ask him to sleep in another room? Is Sarah so incompetent as a person that she cannot be patient & kind towards the man that she describes as being the ideal partner?
I suppose one might regard this situation as a breadcrumb amongst the loaf. One might say that Sarah is using this marker as an outward example so that the reader might better understand why she’s so frustrated & why she subsequently jumps at the occasion to have sex with a person she knew when she was 18.
I think that’s a load of bull. You do not just abandon the person you claim to love because they’re having a rough time, for the first & only time in over 15 years. Let me highlight that this emotional time was taking place during a pandemic so, one might be in the right to assume that many people were going through difficult times. The fact that Sarah cannot comprehend that Eli is an emotionally complex person, such as herself, & might be struggling to express his emotions, is frustrating, to say the least.
I lost full interest in Sarah’s character when she threw her marriage out the window when Eli did not come out & tell her what was bothering him the first time she asked. We never see her attempt legitimate conversations with him. We read about her wanting to have sex with her husband but never sitting with him while he’s outwardly displaying sentiments of distress.
For whatever array of flaws Eli does have, he is a family man & wants to be in the family he has. He deliberately denounces having an affair & yet Sarah cannot comprehend that someone she loves might be sad so, she goes out & decides to do whatever she wants, to serve her self-interest, rather than put forth any level of effort to be present in life of someone she’s invested 15+ years with.
I want to give Sarah the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Owen. As someone who has never been in love, I will admit that I cannot possibly speak of her total & all-encompassing infatuation with a person she knew well over 15 years ago, for a couple of months. Yet, I find myself confused about the entire ordeal. How little must you have to go on to spend your entire adult life thinking about someone you knew for all of 5 minutes, eons ago? Again, maybe I’m just not getting it so perhaps many other readers will come to this point in the story & state that it was wonderfully well done & that love never leaves the heart.
I appreciated the way Weiner approached the topic of children; adopted, biological & surrogate. I appreciated reading a story in which the main focus, throughout all the mass hysteria, was to ensure that every child had a fighting chance to be the person they were & not be bogged down by the issues that the adults were encountering.
This is a very important piece of the plot & a very valuable part of the story. Though I admit that Connor’s storyline was dramatic & incredibly sad, the fact of the matter remains; we saw a person (Sam) sit with himself & seek to provide this child (Connor) with a healthy life in every way possible.
It’s important that these dramatic storylines not neglect the fact that children carry the burden of adult problems more frequently than one might like to admit. Seeing adult people try & settle their issues while granting their children the freedom of ignorance, the sentiment of safety & the environment to be a kid, was wonderful & I applaud Weiner for reinforcing that point.
When all is said & done this is a highly dramatic plot. If you do not want to read about a handful of people being unfaithful to their partners, exploring their sexuality, having children, experiencing death, working through familial relationships, talking about personal issues, etc; I would advise you to steer clear. This is a story that packs a heavy punch.
A lot is going on & people don’t always (or nearly ever) act in logical ways. Everything is overblown, people don’t seek to express themselves & things get lost in the sauce, which I admit is one thing I truly dislike about stories (point finale). However, Weiner is a good author. Every character had a distinct voice, the scenes were set & the imagery was detailed & all-encompassing. It was evident that this author put effort into ensuring that, however, flawed her characters were, they were real people in this story & we got a true glimpse into their lived realities.
Sure, many of the things that happened in this book were ridiculous. Sarah decided on a limb to have an affair with someone she hadn’t seen for 15+ years because her husband was closed-off; Sam had sexual relations with Gabe on the night when Ruby left him a break-up note, & Rosa ignored Eli because she couldn’t be an adult; Eli lying to Annette so he could have a biological child; Annette blaming Eli for birthing a child that she knew she wouldn’t be able to emotionally care for—the list goes on. But, I guess if you can look past some of the more extraordinarily wild things that happen, you might enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, & Jennifer Weiner for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book is written in three parts, each of which is separated by the advancement of time; the plot moves forward toward the culminating event which is the anticipated wedding between Ruby & Gabe.
On the bride’s side, we have Eli (father), Annette (mother), Sarah (step-mother), two half-brothers whose names I cannot recall, Veronica/Ronnie (grandmother), Lee (grandfather), Ari (paternal uncle), Sam (maternal uncle), Connor (cousin).
On the groom’s side, we have Rosa (mother), & Amanda (aunt). As well, there is also an array of tertiary characters such as Connor’s paternal grandfather, father & mother, some past love interests of Sam & Owen, some past love interests of Ronnie’s, etc. There were a lot of people in this story.
I highlight the number of characters who made appearances in this book not because I found the number obnoxious but rather, for opposing reasons. I enjoyed the number of people who came through the pages & brought to the story some form of authenticity.
Weiner truly did her utmost to ensure that every character that we knew by name was more than the physical description they were given. These were people who, though for some, we saw only through the eyes of another & in very small doses, were granted enough substance for us to believe that they were living a full life. This is something I want to praise because it was the main reason I kept reading for as long as I did.
This book is centred around a handful of people & Weiner writes a chapter for each of them. They have their first-person point of view expressed from a personal standpoint & by so doing we can fully grasp their feelings & reactions genuinely. I will admit that this method of approaching character dialogue did render the chapters very, very, long. As someone who seeks to finish a chapter before putting down a book, this was a bit of a negative aspect as there were so many pages per chapter that the reading segments dragged on. This leads me to my next point.
The redundancy in events was excruciating. Due to there being an obscene number of active characters in this story, I will keep my critique centred around a few specific people. Eli, for example, continues to ramble about the possibility of Gabe being his biological child in every chapter he narrates. This is a man in his 50s yet we have to read about him questioning the biological connection between him & this other person for the entire story.
I highlight his age here because having had, what we can assume as being, a great deal of life experience, one would think that Eli would simply do the math & deduce that Gabe was not his child. Given the fact that we know Gabe grew up with an impoverished single parent who relied very heavily on the support of her family to raise her child, it’s not far-fetched to assume that Gabe would have told Ruby had he been a premature baby.
This aspect would have increased the difficulties that he & his mother encountered while she was trying to provide basic needs for her child. As this was never brought up, & because Gabe is a solid four months younger than Ruby—why do we have to continuously read about a situation which is pointless to dwell on
Also, if Eli was worried that Ruby was having incestuous relations with a person who could be her biological brother, would it not be more important to tell her rather than focus on the ego wound that would ensue from saying that Eli slept with someone else during his relationship with Annette?
I admit that I wanted to like Sarah’s character from the very start. She seemed to be well-rounded & held a hopeful view of life. How very unfortunate for me when very early in the book her true colours began to shine through to an extent that left me confused.
First of all, Sarah has been married to Eli for 15 years & he uncharacteristically is going through a difficult time emotionally. How do we know this? Because Sarah repeatedly tells the reader that Eli is not as attentive to her & her needs as he was throughout the bulk of their relationship.
Are you telling me that the basis to which you calculate the well-being of your life partner is by their ability to be there, uncompromisingly, for you & not,… say, their general overall behaviour towards themselves, their hobbies, their employment, etc? Why is his not being able to emotionally hold the bag for you the reason you’re going to ask him to sleep in another room? Is Sarah so incompetent as a person that she cannot be patient & kind towards the man that she describes as being the ideal partner?
I suppose one might regard this situation as a breadcrumb amongst the loaf. One might say that Sarah is using this marker as an outward example so that the reader might better understand why she’s so frustrated & why she subsequently jumps at the occasion to have sex with a person she knew when she was 18.
I think that’s a load of bull. You do not just abandon the person you claim to love because they’re having a rough time, for the first & only time in over 15 years. Let me highlight that this emotional time was taking place during a pandemic so, one might be in the right to assume that many people were going through difficult times. The fact that Sarah cannot comprehend that Eli is an emotionally complex person, such as herself, & might be struggling to express his emotions, is frustrating, to say the least.
I lost full interest in Sarah’s character when she threw her marriage out the window when Eli did not come out & tell her what was bothering him the first time she asked. We never see her attempt legitimate conversations with him. We read about her wanting to have sex with her husband but never sitting with him while he’s outwardly displaying sentiments of distress.
For whatever array of flaws Eli does have, he is a family man & wants to be in the family he has. He deliberately denounces having an affair & yet Sarah cannot comprehend that someone she loves might be sad so, she goes out & decides to do whatever she wants, to serve her self-interest, rather than put forth any level of effort to be present in life of someone she’s invested 15+ years with.
I want to give Sarah the benefit of the doubt when it comes to Owen. As someone who has never been in love, I will admit that I cannot possibly speak of her total & all-encompassing infatuation with a person she knew well over 15 years ago, for a couple of months. Yet, I find myself confused about the entire ordeal. How little must you have to go on to spend your entire adult life thinking about someone you knew for all of 5 minutes, eons ago? Again, maybe I’m just not getting it so perhaps many other readers will come to this point in the story & state that it was wonderfully well done & that love never leaves the heart.
I appreciated the way Weiner approached the topic of children; adopted, biological & surrogate. I appreciated reading a story in which the main focus, throughout all the mass hysteria, was to ensure that every child had a fighting chance to be the person they were & not be bogged down by the issues that the adults were encountering.
This is a very important piece of the plot & a very valuable part of the story. Though I admit that Connor’s storyline was dramatic & incredibly sad, the fact of the matter remains; we saw a person (Sam) sit with himself & seek to provide this child (Connor) with a healthy life in every way possible.
It’s important that these dramatic storylines not neglect the fact that children carry the burden of adult problems more frequently than one might like to admit. Seeing adult people try & settle their issues while granting their children the freedom of ignorance, the sentiment of safety & the environment to be a kid, was wonderful & I applaud Weiner for reinforcing that point.
When all is said & done this is a highly dramatic plot. If you do not want to read about a handful of people being unfaithful to their partners, exploring their sexuality, having children, experiencing death, working through familial relationships, talking about personal issues, etc; I would advise you to steer clear. This is a story that packs a heavy punch.
A lot is going on & people don’t always (or nearly ever) act in logical ways. Everything is overblown, people don’t seek to express themselves & things get lost in the sauce, which I admit is one thing I truly dislike about stories (point finale). However, Weiner is a good author. Every character had a distinct voice, the scenes were set & the imagery was detailed & all-encompassing. It was evident that this author put effort into ensuring that, however, flawed her characters were, they were real people in this story & we got a true glimpse into their lived realities.
Sure, many of the things that happened in this book were ridiculous. Sarah decided on a limb to have an affair with someone she hadn’t seen for 15+ years because her husband was closed-off; Sam had sexual relations with Gabe on the night when Ruby left him a break-up note, & Rosa ignored Eli because she couldn’t be an adult; Eli lying to Annette so he could have a biological child; Annette blaming Eli for birthing a child that she knew she wouldn’t be able to emotionally care for—the list goes on. But, I guess if you can look past some of the more extraordinarily wild things that happen, you might enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, & Jennifer Weiner for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Contemporary
It is difficult to give a short synopsis for this book because a lot is going on there. The official synopsis makes you feel that Sarah is the main character and that the others are supportive characters. This is not true. This is a story where all the characters get the same importance. Each one of them plays a crucial part in the lives of the other. Sarah Danhauser in her 40s is a stepmother, a wife, and a daughter. She plays all these roles differently and as the story keeps progressing the different layers of her characters become more visible to the readers. This is true about all the other characters as well. The catalyst of this story is the wedding of Ruby (Sarah’s stepdaughter) and her friend Gabe.
Everything revolves around this wedding initially. All the involved characters have something to do with this new union. But as we progress in the story the author brilliantly unfolds all about the past and present secrets of these characters. All this goes on during the pandemic and months of isolation. Ruby’s decision to marry this boyfriend (Gabe) she knew for a few months during the pandemic seems to be a hasty decision that makes her have second thoughts. Does she even know Gabe well enough to tie the knot? Gabe himself has a secret that someone from the family gets to know!
Sarah’s husband Eli is a well-known dentist who is extremely nervous about this wedding due to a connection to a mistake he has done many years back! Will that secret come out? If it does, it might destroy his family!
Sam, Sarah’s twin brother has lost his wife. After years of marriage, the man struggles with his sexuality. He never thought that he would be attracted to men! He is not accustomed to the gay partying lifestyle. What will he do?
The book has many characters so you need to have some focus but believe me it is totally worth it. I feel the story could’ve been a little shorter than what it is but still, that does not take away from it as it is filled with drama. If you enjoy reading about family drama then this should be a must-read. The story is told from several characters’ POVs and fortunately, the narration is in a third-party style which makes it a lot easier to follow. The book is a mixture between a plot-driven story as well as a character-driven tale. However, I feel the characters’ influence on the story is much bigger. What I appreciate the author doing is including so many issues that are relevant to many families in this book be it, love, infidelity, trust, sexuality, grief, and friendship. There is a lot to read about here. A few years ago I have read Mrs. Everything by the same author and liked it a lot. I’m loving this book even more than that one. I think Jennifer Weiner has a winner here.
Many thanks to the publisher Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
Genre: Contemporary
It is difficult to give a short synopsis for this book because a lot is going on there. The official synopsis makes you feel that Sarah is the main character and that the others are supportive characters. This is not true. This is a story where all the characters get the same importance. Each one of them plays a crucial part in the lives of the other. Sarah Danhauser in her 40s is a stepmother, a wife, and a daughter. She plays all these roles differently and as the story keeps progressing the different layers of her characters become more visible to the readers. This is true about all the other characters as well. The catalyst of this story is the wedding of Ruby (Sarah’s stepdaughter) and her friend Gabe.
Everything revolves around this wedding initially. All the involved characters have something to do with this new union. But as we progress in the story the author brilliantly unfolds all about the past and present secrets of these characters. All this goes on during the pandemic and months of isolation. Ruby’s decision to marry this boyfriend (Gabe) she knew for a few months during the pandemic seems to be a hasty decision that makes her have second thoughts. Does she even know Gabe well enough to tie the knot? Gabe himself has a secret that someone from the family gets to know!
Sarah’s husband Eli is a well-known dentist who is extremely nervous about this wedding due to a connection to a mistake he has done many years back! Will that secret come out? If it does, it might destroy his family!
Sam, Sarah’s twin brother has lost his wife. After years of marriage, the man struggles with his sexuality. He never thought that he would be attracted to men! He is not accustomed to the gay partying lifestyle. What will he do?
The book has many characters so you need to have some focus but believe me it is totally worth it. I feel the story could’ve been a little shorter than what it is but still, that does not take away from it as it is filled with drama. If you enjoy reading about family drama then this should be a must-read. The story is told from several characters’ POVs and fortunately, the narration is in a third-party style which makes it a lot easier to follow. The book is a mixture between a plot-driven story as well as a character-driven tale. However, I feel the characters’ influence on the story is much bigger. What I appreciate the author doing is including so many issues that are relevant to many families in this book be it, love, infidelity, trust, sexuality, grief, and friendship. There is a lot to read about here. A few years ago I have read Mrs. Everything by the same author and liked it a lot. I’m loving this book even more than that one. I think Jennifer Weiner has a winner here.
Many thanks to the publisher Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
March 13, 2022
Family drama, secrets and so many affairs are the central plot points of the latest novel from Jennifer Weiner. I can say that this wasn't for me and I'm giving The Summer Place 2 stars.
The main character, Sarah, is now in the midst of wedding planning for her stepdaughter during the Covid pandemic. Sarah has been Ruby's stepmother since she was a child. Ruby's relationship with her pandemic boyfriend, Gabe, has moved very quickly because of Covid. They now say they want to get married on Cape Cod in only a few months at the home owned by Sarah's mother, Ronnie. As wedding planning commences so much family drama and secrets are revealed. Sarah's husband, Eli, has been distant from her. Sarah's old boyfriend reappears in her life, Ronnie revisits her past indiscretions and Sarah's twin brother, Sam, explores his sexuality after a tragic loss. There is so much more going on in this book and I don't want to give anymore away.
Honestly, this book was exhausting for me to read. Every character was given at least one chapter from their point of view and because of this the same events were being told from different points of view. I was bored by this and the book felt way too long. A lot of the background and details could've been cut without affecting the overall story in my opinion. I did enjoy that there was a full cast of characters but think that they didn't all need to be given their own chapters from their point of view and some could've been left out all together. I also felt a lot of the drama was just too much. The coincidences in this book were beyond unbelievable and I was rolling my eyes at certain points because of how unrealistic some coincidences were. This wasn't necessarily a bad book but it wasn't for me and I would say this is a pass.
Thank you for Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The main character, Sarah, is now in the midst of wedding planning for her stepdaughter during the Covid pandemic. Sarah has been Ruby's stepmother since she was a child. Ruby's relationship with her pandemic boyfriend, Gabe, has moved very quickly because of Covid. They now say they want to get married on Cape Cod in only a few months at the home owned by Sarah's mother, Ronnie. As wedding planning commences so much family drama and secrets are revealed. Sarah's husband, Eli, has been distant from her. Sarah's old boyfriend reappears in her life, Ronnie revisits her past indiscretions and Sarah's twin brother, Sam, explores his sexuality after a tragic loss. There is so much more going on in this book and I don't want to give anymore away.
Honestly, this book was exhausting for me to read. Every character was given at least one chapter from their point of view and because of this the same events were being told from different points of view. I was bored by this and the book felt way too long. A lot of the background and details could've been cut without affecting the overall story in my opinion. I did enjoy that there was a full cast of characters but think that they didn't all need to be given their own chapters from their point of view and some could've been left out all together. I also felt a lot of the drama was just too much. The coincidences in this book were beyond unbelievable and I was rolling my eyes at certain points because of how unrealistic some coincidences were. This wasn't necessarily a bad book but it wasn't for me and I would say this is a pass.
Thank you for Netgalley and Atria Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 15, 2023
Look, I don’t usually give books one star - something has to really make me mad in order for me to do that. This book has so many scenes that made me mad and overall, I felt like the writing (both plot and characters) was so weak compared to other Jennifer Weiner books I’ve read. I absolutely loved Mrs. Everything, so I am not writing off this author, but this book just felt halfhearted, cheap, and not well fleshed out.
The book centers around the rich and privileged family of Sarah Levy-Weinberg Danhauser. Sarah married a divorced man who had a daughter named Ruby, then had two sons with him. Sarah’s mother was a successful novelist when she was younger, and made enough money to pay for Sarah’s family’s house in NYC, Ruby’s college tuition, and a faaaancy house on Nantucket that Ruby grew up going to every summer. Now, Ruby has just graduated from NYU and gotten serious with a boy during the two years of Covid. The book starts off with Ruby announcing that they’re getting married. It then rotates chapters between Sarah, Ruby, Sarah’s husband slash Ruby’s dad, Sarah’s mom, and Sarah’s twin brother.
Here are the things I didn’t like, in no particular order:
1. THE PRIVILEGE. i’ll be honest, I am starting to get fed up of stories about rich white families whose generational wealth leads them to have no real problems in the world, and allows them to act in ridiculous ways that would have insane consequences for anyone without a fraction of the money that the family has. Granted, I just finished reading another book in which the main character is unhinged and protected from every consequence of her bad actions because of her family’s generational wealth, so I might be a little less forgiving. But this is reaffirming the fact that I need to spend more of my time on stories about people who do not fit into this mold and come from more diverse and interesting backgrounds. I don’t want to hear any more stories about wealthy grandparents who have secured housing for their future generations through their own nepotism and connections. Also, the way that the mother of Ruby‘s future husband - a poor woman of color - is treated in the story is simply horrible. She gets an extremely stereotypical and un-nuanced view of someone struggling to come up in New York.
2. The infidelity. I don’t think this is a book where the characters are meant to be unlikable - I really believe the author wants you to root for the success and happiness of the family she puts in front of you. But the characterization is simply lazy, and the characters do a lot of things that make them unlikeable - namely: I’ve never read a book with so much infidelity. Another reviewer said something I agree with here - if the plot relies on that much cheating to survive, the writing is weak.
3. The lack of show, don’t tell. Every new characters chapter is basically a rote transcript of their life story. Again, it feels lazy to just have the character go on this long, long, long monologue about their past, their mistakes, their experiences, and have everything be tied up to the present day in a bow. There are much better ways to do this without just having each new perspective be a short biography of the character.
Overall, this was not the book for me. I might try another Jennifer Weiner in the future, but I’m getting a liiiittle bit tired of these sorts of stories. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley.
The book centers around the rich and privileged family of Sarah Levy-Weinberg Danhauser. Sarah married a divorced man who had a daughter named Ruby, then had two sons with him. Sarah’s mother was a successful novelist when she was younger, and made enough money to pay for Sarah’s family’s house in NYC, Ruby’s college tuition, and a faaaancy house on Nantucket that Ruby grew up going to every summer. Now, Ruby has just graduated from NYU and gotten serious with a boy during the two years of Covid. The book starts off with Ruby announcing that they’re getting married. It then rotates chapters between Sarah, Ruby, Sarah’s husband slash Ruby’s dad, Sarah’s mom, and Sarah’s twin brother.
Here are the things I didn’t like, in no particular order:
1. THE PRIVILEGE. i’ll be honest, I am starting to get fed up of stories about rich white families whose generational wealth leads them to have no real problems in the world, and allows them to act in ridiculous ways that would have insane consequences for anyone without a fraction of the money that the family has. Granted, I just finished reading another book in which the main character is unhinged and protected from every consequence of her bad actions because of her family’s generational wealth, so I might be a little less forgiving. But this is reaffirming the fact that I need to spend more of my time on stories about people who do not fit into this mold and come from more diverse and interesting backgrounds. I don’t want to hear any more stories about wealthy grandparents who have secured housing for their future generations through their own nepotism and connections. Also, the way that the mother of Ruby‘s future husband - a poor woman of color - is treated in the story is simply horrible. She gets an extremely stereotypical and un-nuanced view of someone struggling to come up in New York.
2. The infidelity. I don’t think this is a book where the characters are meant to be unlikable - I really believe the author wants you to root for the success and happiness of the family she puts in front of you. But the characterization is simply lazy, and the characters do a lot of things that make them unlikeable - namely: I’ve never read a book with so much infidelity. Another reviewer said something I agree with here - if the plot relies on that much cheating to survive, the writing is weak.
3. The lack of show, don’t tell. Every new characters chapter is basically a rote transcript of their life story. Again, it feels lazy to just have the character go on this long, long, long monologue about their past, their mistakes, their experiences, and have everything be tied up to the present day in a bow. There are much better ways to do this without just having each new perspective be a short biography of the character.
Overall, this was not the book for me. I might try another Jennifer Weiner in the future, but I’m getting a liiiittle bit tired of these sorts of stories. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley.
March 24, 2024
I’m not usually into soap operas or family secrets. I like to just tell it like it is, and face conflict head on, as difficult as it may be. But I get it sometimes. It isn’t always easy, and in this story, especially with pandemic post-lockdown as a backdrop, it certainly sets the stage for a “return to normal” that is anything but.
There was so much family drama – characters’ internal dialogues with complicated storylines – including infidelity, questions of identity – past choices that threatened existing relationships – examining life choices – options and pasts interfering with the present. And then the ultimate question to answer, what truly is the right thing to do?
Weiner made her characters question and evaluate their lives and wrestle with decisions and navigate emotions that were sometimes impossible to understand. And as readers we could feel those feelings, even if at times, we were exhausted by all the drama. Again, for me, I wasn’t always a fan of soap operas.
Still, it was a quick, if at times deep read. While the book does not address the pandemic directly, there is the feeling of change in environment, and a reminder of when we spent time cramped in our homes with our loved ones while remaining separated from others. I am sure those memories are still fresh for a lot of us. And that may be a trigger for some.
But still for some, especially those fans of this author, there is always, the Cape Cod setting which will be a pleasure. The sea. Cool water. Summer. Who can’t get enough of that scene?
3.5 stars rounded down.
There was so much family drama – characters’ internal dialogues with complicated storylines – including infidelity, questions of identity – past choices that threatened existing relationships – examining life choices – options and pasts interfering with the present. And then the ultimate question to answer, what truly is the right thing to do?
Weiner made her characters question and evaluate their lives and wrestle with decisions and navigate emotions that were sometimes impossible to understand. And as readers we could feel those feelings, even if at times, we were exhausted by all the drama. Again, for me, I wasn’t always a fan of soap operas.
Still, it was a quick, if at times deep read. While the book does not address the pandemic directly, there is the feeling of change in environment, and a reminder of when we spent time cramped in our homes with our loved ones while remaining separated from others. I am sure those memories are still fresh for a lot of us. And that may be a trigger for some.
But still for some, especially those fans of this author, there is always, the Cape Cod setting which will be a pleasure. The sea. Cool water. Summer. Who can’t get enough of that scene?
3.5 stars rounded down.
March 10, 2023
The perfect 3.5.
This was a step above what I was expecting, with good writing, sharp observations and interesting characters. Unfortunately, there are a fair number of truly whopping coincidences and a glib and lighthearted wrapping up of storylines that strained credulity. This is tough for my left-brained, overly analytical mind to overlook.
Nevertheless, I did mostly enjoy it. Almost a 4, a fun summery read.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for a copy of this novel via their Book Club Favorites giveaway on Instagram. ❤️
This was a step above what I was expecting, with good writing, sharp observations and interesting characters. Unfortunately, there are a fair number of truly whopping coincidences and a glib and lighthearted wrapping up of storylines that strained credulity. This is tough for my left-brained, overly analytical mind to overlook.
Nevertheless, I did mostly enjoy it. Almost a 4, a fun summery read.
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for a copy of this novel via their Book Club Favorites giveaway on Instagram. ❤️
June 7, 2022
3 Stars for The Summer Place (audiobook) by Jennifer Weiner read by Sutton Foster.
These stories are getting to implausible for me. There are just too many coincidences. Every character doesn’t have to make horrible decisions that may tear apart the family.
These stories are getting to implausible for me. There are just too many coincidences. Every character doesn’t have to make horrible decisions that may tear apart the family.
May 3, 2022
Overall, I enjoyed The Summer Place. I’ve been reading Jennifer Weiner’s novels for many years now and know that her stories will be both insightful and honest. The Summer Place is no different. I found this to be a moving portrait about families and the secrets they keep.
I do however think that it’s important to mention that I went into this novel thinking that it would be a beach read like her previous books. And while yes some of the book DOES take place on Cape Cod during the summer most of the book doesn’t. I was kind of disappointed if I’m being honest. I wanted to see more of the house that brings this family together. I wanted more flashbacks of the family because I felt so invested when reading their backstories. And I wanted to feel like I was reading a book about summer because that is what the title implies. Unfortunately, a lot of the book takes place in NYC, so the setting turned out to be more of a bummer.
Did that mean I didn’t love it? No. I liked quite a few things about this book, but I did wish it were more ABOUT the summer place (as the title describes) than all the characters who have been there. This is a story about a family, each of whom lives their own lives but become bogged down by the secrets they keep. I’d say it reads like a family drama rather than a chicklit/women’s fiction novel because of these things.
So, would I recommend it? Even though it wasn’t the beach read I expected I would still recommend it. The writing is amazing, and the characters are so interesting that it’s hard to look away from their lives.
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Family Dramas
• Women’s Fiction Novels
• Novels by Jennifer Weiner
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I do however think that it’s important to mention that I went into this novel thinking that it would be a beach read like her previous books. And while yes some of the book DOES take place on Cape Cod during the summer most of the book doesn’t. I was kind of disappointed if I’m being honest. I wanted to see more of the house that brings this family together. I wanted more flashbacks of the family because I felt so invested when reading their backstories. And I wanted to feel like I was reading a book about summer because that is what the title implies. Unfortunately, a lot of the book takes place in NYC, so the setting turned out to be more of a bummer.
Did that mean I didn’t love it? No. I liked quite a few things about this book, but I did wish it were more ABOUT the summer place (as the title describes) than all the characters who have been there. This is a story about a family, each of whom lives their own lives but become bogged down by the secrets they keep. I’d say it reads like a family drama rather than a chicklit/women’s fiction novel because of these things.
So, would I recommend it? Even though it wasn’t the beach read I expected I would still recommend it. The writing is amazing, and the characters are so interesting that it’s hard to look away from their lives.
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙:
• Family Dramas
• Women’s Fiction Novels
• Novels by Jennifer Weiner
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
June 4, 2022
- Is The Summer Place a masterpiece. Absolutely not. I didn't expect it to be one nor was looking for such a novel.
- Were there lots of characters and backstories in this novel? YES and YES. Too many, too much? Perhaps.
- Were there lots of secrets? Hell, yes. Too many? Arguably.
- Were the characters realistic? I guess...
- Were they all a bit too understanding and open-minded, what certain people would call "woke"? You bet!
- Did I enjoy listening to the novel? Yes! I don't recall rolling my eyes once.
- Is the novel's title very generic? YEP.
- Is the cover boring and looking like a template? YEP. If a best selling author can't get a decent cover I don't know who can. It's possible that Weiner liked it, after all, there's no accounting for taste...
Is The Sumer Place a summer novel? I guess. I'm such a rebel, I read it in autumn/winter and I still enjoyed it.
- Were there lots of characters and backstories in this novel? YES and YES. Too many, too much? Perhaps.
- Were there lots of secrets? Hell, yes. Too many? Arguably.
- Were the characters realistic? I guess...
- Were they all a bit too understanding and open-minded, what certain people would call "woke"? You bet!
- Did I enjoy listening to the novel? Yes! I don't recall rolling my eyes once.
- Is the novel's title very generic? YEP.
- Is the cover boring and looking like a template? YEP. If a best selling author can't get a decent cover I don't know who can. It's possible that Weiner liked it, after all, there's no accounting for taste...
Is The Sumer Place a summer novel? I guess. I'm such a rebel, I read it in autumn/winter and I still enjoyed it.
July 30, 2022
I'll be honest... I purchased this book due to the cover art. This book has absolutely nothing to do with the cover art. I did end up loving the story and enjoyed how all of the character's stories intertwined with one another. The twists left me jaw dropped and surprised. This author has a magical way with words. I just wish the cover correlated better with this story. Loved how it played out and how the ending went so giving 4 stars to this one!
May 20, 2022
Covid, face masks, & getting vaccinated all during the first chapter in a friction book… You lost me.
April 20, 2022
An Engaging But Messy Family Drama
SUMMARY
Veronica Levy Bought a summer home on Cape Cod Bay forty years ago with the hope of large family gatherings for many years to come. But with her son, Sam, now in California and her daughter Sarah rarely spending any time at the cape, she decided to sell the old place. But the house has some thought about that idea. After all, the house knows things good and bad about this family over the years, and she is not quite ready for them to let her go.
When Veronica’s granddaughter Ruby announces her engagement Veronica agrees to host the wedding at the beach house. She feels the wedding celebration would be the perfect endpoint before putting the house on the market to sell.
When the wedding day arrives, secrets come to life, new relationships are formed, misunderstandings abound, and revelations that will touch every family member are discovered.
REVIEW
THE SUMMER PLACE is an engaging but messy family drama of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. It’s a story of children and parents and husbands and wives. The story introduces a diverse array of colorful characters and issues. From child abandonment and sexuality to infidelity and illness; all bases are covered in this expansive novel.
Author Jennifer Weiner juggles multiple plot threads in this skillfully written but complicated read told from seven different perspectives. This is no light beach read; it’s full of substance and suspense.
Weiner is an American writer, television producer, and journalist. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her most recent novels include Big Summer (2020) and That Summer (2021). Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Atria Book
Published May 10, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
Veronica Levy Bought a summer home on Cape Cod Bay forty years ago with the hope of large family gatherings for many years to come. But with her son, Sam, now in California and her daughter Sarah rarely spending any time at the cape, she decided to sell the old place. But the house has some thought about that idea. After all, the house knows things good and bad about this family over the years, and she is not quite ready for them to let her go.
When Veronica’s granddaughter Ruby announces her engagement Veronica agrees to host the wedding at the beach house. She feels the wedding celebration would be the perfect endpoint before putting the house on the market to sell.
When the wedding day arrives, secrets come to life, new relationships are formed, misunderstandings abound, and revelations that will touch every family member are discovered.
REVIEW
THE SUMMER PLACE is an engaging but messy family drama of love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. It’s a story of children and parents and husbands and wives. The story introduces a diverse array of colorful characters and issues. From child abandonment and sexuality to infidelity and illness; all bases are covered in this expansive novel.
Author Jennifer Weiner juggles multiple plot threads in this skillfully written but complicated read told from seven different perspectives. This is no light beach read; it’s full of substance and suspense.
Weiner is an American writer, television producer, and journalist. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her most recent novels include Big Summer (2020) and That Summer (2021). Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Atria Book
Published May 10, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
June 27, 2022
This book was the most woke garbage I’ve ever read. I’m not sure I’ve ever read anything worse in all honesty. It’s like the author went through a list of buzzwords and wrote a story based on what she found. Covid, LGBT tags for everyone, race, immigration, and so many lying and cheating and awful family members. Only finished to give it an honest review. Don’t waste your time.
May 19, 2022
I finished the book late last night (or way too early this morning, depending on your perspective) but I wanted to mull over the details before reviewing because, boy howdy, do I HAVE THOUGHTS!
First off, let’s just acknowledge that this book (like many - if not most - of the author’s back list) is a multi-train wreck from which you cannot look away. The characters are all horrendous people with little to no redeeming qualities, the storylines both predictable and overly melodramatic, the twists and turns so statistically improbable that your suspension of disbelief has to work overtime, and the writing, while adequate, is neither lyrical nor brilliant. But can you stop flipping the pages? Alas, no. So there’s that.
The entire time I was reading it, I was constantly reminded of my complete and total irritation at two of the 2020 big “beach reads,” namely: Elin Hildebrand’s annual offering of the ridiculous 28 Summers, and Lori Nelson Spielman’s abominable The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany. Ugh.
Let’s just chat about the characters, shall we?
Deep breath.
I know it sounds like I hated the book, but I promise that I didn’t - I just hated all the characters and every single thing they did. LOL But it held my interest and I was compelled to read it, so . . . yeah, it was a train wreck. And that epilogue? GTFOH
Credit to the author for sharing her motivations in the acknowledgements; it added to the reading experience.
Three plus stars.
PopSugar Reading Challenge 2022: Read a Book Whose Title Begins with the Last Letter of Your Previous Read.
First off, let’s just acknowledge that this book (like many - if not most - of the author’s back list) is a multi-train wreck from which you cannot look away. The characters are all horrendous people with little to no redeeming qualities, the storylines both predictable and overly melodramatic, the twists and turns so statistically improbable that your suspension of disbelief has to work overtime, and the writing, while adequate, is neither lyrical nor brilliant. But can you stop flipping the pages? Alas, no. So there’s that.
The entire time I was reading it, I was constantly reminded of my complete and total irritation at two of the 2020 big “beach reads,” namely: Elin Hildebrand’s annual offering of the ridiculous 28 Summers, and Lori Nelson Spielman’s abominable The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany. Ugh.
Let’s just chat about the characters, shall we?
Deep breath.
I know it sounds like I hated the book, but I promise that I didn’t - I just hated all the characters and every single thing they did. LOL But it held my interest and I was compelled to read it, so . . . yeah, it was a train wreck. And that epilogue? GTFOH
Credit to the author for sharing her motivations in the acknowledgements; it added to the reading experience.
Three plus stars.
PopSugar Reading Challenge 2022: Read a Book Whose Title Begins with the Last Letter of Your Previous Read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2022
Helloooooo family drama! The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner is a long book, but it is packed with a ton of family drama, and I think it would make the perfect beach read. I saw some readers saying the characters are very unlikeable, and while they had their moments, overall, I did enjoy the different characters and how real and flawed they were. There was a LOT of bad behavior going on, more than I can even imagine for one group of people, but I am always a fan of reading drama as long as it's not mine! The story is told from a variety of viewpoints, and this does at times make it a little hard to keep up. It took me awhile to be able to keep everyone straight, although I probably would have benefited from making some notes as well. I really enjoyed how things come full circle from beginning to end, and I loved that the house itself was even a character. And of course, having a cute dog was just icing on the cake.
I think for me, The Summer Place was best as an audiobook, and the narrator Sutton Foster did a lovely job. I had an advanced listening copy which did act up a couple of times during the story, but I didn't feel like I missed anything which probably goes to show this book was maybe a touch too long for me. There are some things that didn't feel completely necessary and could have been more concise, which is really the only thing that brought down my rating just a bit. Also, full disclosure, Weiner does bring up Covid as well. However, it didn't overpower the story in my mind, and I felt fine reading all those parts. The sound of Foster's voice was very soothing, and she brought the characters to life in a beautiful way. I could have listened to her all day, and honestly, I kind of did! I was actually crying at my keyboard at one point (I was working), but the overall vibe was fairly lighthearted even with the heavier topics. I recommend The Summer Place to fans of family drama and Mary Kay Andrews
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
I think for me, The Summer Place was best as an audiobook, and the narrator Sutton Foster did a lovely job. I had an advanced listening copy which did act up a couple of times during the story, but I didn't feel like I missed anything which probably goes to show this book was maybe a touch too long for me. There are some things that didn't feel completely necessary and could have been more concise, which is really the only thing that brought down my rating just a bit. Also, full disclosure, Weiner does bring up Covid as well. However, it didn't overpower the story in my mind, and I felt fine reading all those parts. The sound of Foster's voice was very soothing, and she brought the characters to life in a beautiful way. I could have listened to her all day, and honestly, I kind of did! I was actually crying at my keyboard at one point (I was working), but the overall vibe was fairly lighthearted even with the heavier topics. I recommend The Summer Place to fans of family drama and Mary Kay Andrews
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
May 12, 2022
3.5 stars. Hang on tight for a bumpy ride. It’s all about family dynamics/dysfunction and I’m here for it. This is a wildly imaginative, original story that doesn’t romance over this family’s three generations of flaws. It begins when a 3rd gen. 22 year-old announces her engagement to her six-weeks-new pandemic boyfriend. It then follows along as the various family members backstories are told up to the current time as they sort out private issues and past decisions. This felt like a soap-operish take on the good, the bad, and the ugly. Secrets, indiscretions, sexuality, and just plain old bad decision making are par for the course here. There were heavy topics that Jennifer Weiner was able to write with finesse giving them a somewhat lighter feel (which I appreciated). These aren’t the most likable characters, but oh boy.. what an interesting and entertaining group.
*I received an arc from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
*I received an arc from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2022
While I enjoyed Jennifer Weiner's previous two summer themed novels, The Summer Place is my favorite of the three. I loved all the different character narratives and found myself laughing out loud and gasping quite a few times. The story has a wide emotional impact and so many memorable moments. It's definitely just for an adult audience, but I really enjoyed the steam factor.
There were some times where I was able to guess what would happen, but I also loved the little clues that led me to figure things out. And I didn't see these things coming until everything just added up. There was a Modern Family feel to this story. I also loved the Judaism elements throughout. It was interesting seeing the same situation from two different lenses, as well.
I could have done without the house having a personality of its own. That just seemed too bizarre. Also, the age gap between Ronnie and her kids felt too wide (she was 80, while they were 38) for how the timeline was playing out. Did Veronica wait until her forties to have kids? I hope this was something that was clarified or corrected in the final publication. I also wish Ruby had received more than two chapters to tell her side of the story. One aspect that was mentioned in the beginning got dropped and only somewhat mentioned toward the end. However, nothing was actually done with it. Even with all these concerns, I still give five stars to this engaging and heartfelt novel!
The Summer Place is perfect for your beach bag this summer, or to curl up with on a comfy chair!
Movie casting suggestions:
Sarah: Romola Garai
Eli: Jon Favreau
Ronnie: Dyan Cannon
Sam: Max Rhyser
Ruby: Dylan Gelula
Gabe: Joey Pollari
Ari: Sasha Mitchell
Owen: Dylan Bruce
Annette: Amanda Peet
Rosa: Marisol Nichols (adult), Rachel Zegler (young adult)
Originally reviewed at Chick Lit Central, along with a giveaway.
July 29, 2022
Possibly the most infuriatingly stupid book I’ve ever read. When one of the big plot points in an ostensibly fluffy beach read is that a seemingly sensible and responsible person is paralyzed with indecisiveness over whether to say something when doing so could prevent his daughter from POTENTIALLY MARRYING HER HALF BROTHER, you’ve passed into “hell no” territory. The coincidences are ridiculous and the characters even more so. And don’t even get me started on the sentient house.
I’ve always enjoyed Jennifer Wiener’s books but this was a disaster on every level.
I’ve always enjoyed Jennifer Wiener’s books but this was a disaster on every level.
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