Title: Big Summer
Author: Jennifer Weiner
Publisher: Atria Books
Source: Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
“Sexy and satisfying, Big Summer is the perfect quarantine read.†—USA TODAY
“The beach read to end all beach reads.†—Entertainment Weekly
“Big fun, and then some. It’s empowering and surprising—a reminder to put down the phone and enjoy each moment for what it is.†—The Washington Post
A deliciously funny, remarkably poignant, and simply unputdownable novel about the power of friendship, the lure of frenemies, and the importance of making peace with yourself through all life’s ups and down. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Good in Bed and Best Friends Forever, Big Summer is the perfect escape with one of the most lovable heroines to come to the page in years.
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 favor 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-honor 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.
A sparkling novel about the complexities of female relationships, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.
My reaction to this book would be head exploding emoji followed by screaming face emoji and ending with a smiling emoji.
I finished this on the heels of Mrs. Everything. Both novels feature female main characters doing the best they can, and trying to navigate relationships, but couldn’t be more different in style, tone, or plot.Â
The head exploding emoji is because I was blown away that this was written by the same person as Mrs. Everything. The screaming face emoji because the plot took a turn and it went from an empowerment book into a mystery complete with Scooby gang. The smiling emoji is how I felt about it at the end. Happy I read it and so glad that my life is nothing like most of the characters.
This was a perfect read while staying at home to flatten the curve during the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic. It brought back happy memories of Top Sail beach vacations I’ve taken in the past. It was dramatic but it wasn’t serious and heavy.Â
This was published on 5/5/2020 and already has over 80 people on the waiting list at my local library. I’m sure this will be a spring/summer hit.