Ratings35
Average rating3.2
'Big Summer is the perfect beach read' PopSugar 'Beautifully written, twisty and compelling . . . I raced through it' Daily Mail The No. 1 New York Times bestselling author returns with an unforgettable novel about friendship set during a disastrous wedding on picturesque Cape Cod. Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favour to ask. Daphne hasn't spoken one word to Drue in all this time - she doesn't even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media - so when Drue asks if she will be her maid of honour at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless. Drue was always the one who had everything - except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne's no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She's built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend's siren song. ______________ Discover why readers are IN LOVE with Jennifer Weiner: 'Nothing short of brilliant' People 'Friendship, weddings, and rich people being weird? Obviously I am in' Literary Hub 'If you love Jennifer Weiner, you'll love this one' Kirkus Reviews, starred review 'Big Summer is a big, fun summer read' Booklist 'Deliciously entertaining' Woman's Own
Reviews with the most likes.
“Big Summer” was an easy read with a likable protagonist in Daphne. Basically it's about love, friendship and forgiveness but also about realizing one's own self-worth. A few twists along the way to make it interesting.
If they had half stars, I would have given it a 3.5. Like many others, I was non-plussed by the total genre shift if the middle. However, unlike many others, I actually enjoyed the whodunnit more than the overcoming the fat-shaming mean girl narrative.
While there wasn't anything wrong with the Daphne character, there wasn't really anything profound about her journey, either. Or maybe it's because I recently read One to Watch & that book explored the theme so much deeper & more true.
This is the first of Jennifer Weiner's books that I've read, and I liked it. It's a story of a young woman who struggles with her weight and how it impacts her self image and her relationships contrasted to another young woman who appears to have it all. It's a story that needs telling about the power and falsehoods of social media and the world in which young people live in 2020. Themes include body image, family, friendships, forgiveness, acceptance, and appearances. This would be a good book club pick. It's a quick read and there are a lot of topics that could make for a good discussion.