Big Summer: A Novel
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
“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 downs. 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.
“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 downs. 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.
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Community Reviews
You're going to want this in your beach bag this summer!
The first half of the book is what I would call a typical Jennifer Weiner book...in the very best way. I slipped into her story as gently and easily as I had her first, Good in Bed. I loved that familiar feeling and was excited to be back in her world.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
Then... Wham! ...the book went from her normal tale of troubled relationships into a murder mystery! Toxic friendships, hot love scenes, AND a mystery? This is right in my thriller wheelhouse. I had been enjoying the story from the get-go, but now I couldn't put it down. (Is it okay to say that I was a *little* happy that my youngest was sick and just wanted to snuggle on the couch all day, letting me fly through the book?)
I am always quick to recommend a Jennifer Weiner book, but this one will be forcefully pushed into people's hands.
A HUGE Thank You to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me this digital copy to review.
The first half of the book is what I would call a typical Jennifer Weiner book...in the very best way. I slipped into her story as gently and easily as I had her first, Good in Bed. I loved that familiar feeling and was excited to be back in her world.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
Then... Wham! ...the book went from her normal tale of troubled relationships into a murder mystery! Toxic friendships, hot love scenes, AND a mystery? This is right in my thriller wheelhouse. I had been enjoying the story from the get-go, but now I couldn't put it down. (Is it okay to say that I was a *little* happy that my youngest was sick and just wanted to snuggle on the couch all day, letting me fly through the book?)
I am always quick to recommend a Jennifer Weiner book, but this one will be forcefully pushed into people's hands.
A HUGE Thank You to NetGalley and Atria Books for giving me this digital copy to review.
I liked it up until part two. The it just went downhill. I actually skimmed the last five or so chapters.
Spoiler alert!! It is here so if you donât want to know, stop reading!! You have been fairly warned. You can still stop if you don't want to know the spoiler.... okay, read at your own risk....
Here are the key players:
*Daphne - Protagonist and now a great IG influencer and blogger for âfat girls loving and accepting themselvesâ after Drue fat shamed her and it went viral. Drue asked Daphne to be in Drue's wedding party as the bridesmaids. Daphne literally just got hired by Leela, to wear her clothes and get photographed in them for Daphneâs IG. Heck, why not? Go to that gorgeous destination and get paid to go and get another paycheck for wearing Leela's clothes. #luckyDaphne #moneymoneymoney
*Drue - self absorbed bride who literally has to pay people to show up to her wedding. Sheâs having most of her wedding sponsored as both she and her fiance Stuart both amassed a great following on IG. Why after all these years does the Queen of Mean have to pay people to come? Whatâs in it for her? Is she being genuine or genuinely plotting another fat shaming event for Daphne? Can a scorpion change into a nice opilione?
*Stuart - The groom-to-be. Drue left him not once, but twice. Will the third time be a charm or will he finally have the last laugh? Wait, Drue invited his ex-fiance to the wedding too? Didnât you break it off with that âThe Singleâ similar to The Bachelor just to be with Drue? Oh the stories the wall could tell.
*Korrina - The ex-fiance of Stuartâs. She gets jilted and the entire reality TV world knows it. How is she still so bubbly with that adorable baby-voice? Or is this just an act?
*Nick - He seems too good to be true as he fully accepts Daphne for how she is (plus sized) and does the horizontal dance with Daphne after a nice dip in the hot tub. But is he real or just possibly a paparazzi? Why is he so full of questions but so evasive about himself? What do you mean you have no social media? Like none?! #Shocked #ForReal?
*Darshi - Daphneâs high school friend, current roommate, and former friend of Drue. She never forgave Drue and will always have Daphâs back. Question is, does she have a knife to stab her with?
*Leela - Arenât you the perfect designer for plus sized women. How does a skinny lady like yourself know exactly how it feels to be fat? Whatâs up your sleeve?
Now that you know the main cast, I can say itâs a fun read. At first when you read the prologue, you are wondering who that mother is. As the story slowly opens up like a flower in the morning, you realize who it is and your heart just melts.
Our protagonist, Daphne who rose to fame because when she was younger, she wanted to go to a bar and just have fun with her friends. She meets a guy and later finds he was set up to be the wing man but the wing man doesnât find Daph appealing, at all. She overhears the entire conversation and is angry that he is judging her. He acts like a douch and expects her to be happy heâs even paying attention to her. To make things worse, it was all set up by Drue thinking Daphne should be grateful. "We all just felt sorry for you! You should be grateful!" says Drue and Daphne is leaving the bar after a huge humiliating moment. To top it all off, she sees someone filming it on their phone. Daphneâs rejection of the douch goes viral and her IG has now skyrocketed. Instead of sitting there with a tub of ice cream, she begins to embraces her curves and has sponsors and tries to maintain a healthy living both physically and spiritually. There are literally many who pay her to wear their clothes even. Enter Leela, fashion designer who is slim and gives off a beautiful hip and zen vibe who totally embraces not just a line of women's clothing for slim but for plus sizes as well. She knows how to construct the outfit to lay so that all the clothes compliment the plus size ladies out there. Perfect because Drue after all these years waltzes back into Daphneâs life to ask her to be Drueâs bridesmaid. It turns out she is in fact paying most of her guests just to come to her wedding. Drue and Daphne used to be good friends but after all that has transpired between them, Daphne truly is doubtful but winds up saying âyesâ to Drue out of wanting to believe Drue has changed for the better.
They go through the wedding where they both have fun together and Daphne starts to really enjoy herself. She winds up getting some great shots of her new outfits from Leela and has to also post the pictures of whatever Drue puts into the scene and requests all quests to put the respective hashtags of the companies, hotel, location, drinks, etc. 50% of the book finally comes the big murder. The bride to be is found floating in the hot tub. Poor Daphne is the one to find her as she was actually looking for Nick, one of the guests who loves to talk all about Daphne and Drueâs relationship, as he suddenly is missing after a passionate night of the horizontal dance. Hmmm, I knew something was just off about him. Then you have Ryan McMichaels who is the detective who doesnât seem very sharp and just wants to pin the murder on the most convenient person: the one who found the body! Now we have a murderer afoot! It's a real 'Who Done It?" mystery. Daphne becomes the prime suspect so it is up to her and her Scooby Doo gang to solve the mystery. Provided that they stop questioning each other.
The ending truly ties up all the loose ends and for me, it was a satisfying ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Here are the key players:
*Daphne - Protagonist and now a great IG influencer and blogger for âfat girls loving and accepting themselvesâ after Drue fat shamed her and it went viral. Drue asked Daphne to be in Drue's wedding party as the bridesmaids. Daphne literally just got hired by Leela, to wear her clothes and get photographed in them for Daphneâs IG. Heck, why not? Go to that gorgeous destination and get paid to go and get another paycheck for wearing Leela's clothes. #luckyDaphne #moneymoneymoney
*Drue - self absorbed bride who literally has to pay people to show up to her wedding. Sheâs having most of her wedding sponsored as both she and her fiance Stuart both amassed a great following on IG. Why after all these years does the Queen of Mean have to pay people to come? Whatâs in it for her? Is she being genuine or genuinely plotting another fat shaming event for Daphne? Can a scorpion change into a nice opilione?
*Stuart - The groom-to-be. Drue left him not once, but twice. Will the third time be a charm or will he finally have the last laugh? Wait, Drue invited his ex-fiance to the wedding too? Didnât you break it off with that âThe Singleâ similar to The Bachelor just to be with Drue? Oh the stories the wall could tell.
*Korrina - The ex-fiance of Stuartâs. She gets jilted and the entire reality TV world knows it. How is she still so bubbly with that adorable baby-voice? Or is this just an act?
*Nick - He seems too good to be true as he fully accepts Daphne for how she is (plus sized) and does the horizontal dance with Daphne after a nice dip in the hot tub. But is he real or just possibly a paparazzi? Why is he so full of questions but so evasive about himself? What do you mean you have no social media? Like none?! #Shocked #ForReal?
*Darshi - Daphneâs high school friend, current roommate, and former friend of Drue. She never forgave Drue and will always have Daphâs back. Question is, does she have a knife to stab her with?
*Leela - Arenât you the perfect designer for plus sized women. How does a skinny lady like yourself know exactly how it feels to be fat? Whatâs up your sleeve?
Now that you know the main cast, I can say itâs a fun read. At first when you read the prologue, you are wondering who that mother is. As the story slowly opens up like a flower in the morning, you realize who it is and your heart just melts.
Our protagonist, Daphne who rose to fame because when she was younger, she wanted to go to a bar and just have fun with her friends. She meets a guy and later finds he was set up to be the wing man but the wing man doesnât find Daph appealing, at all. She overhears the entire conversation and is angry that he is judging her. He acts like a douch and expects her to be happy heâs even paying attention to her. To make things worse, it was all set up by Drue thinking Daphne should be grateful. "We all just felt sorry for you! You should be grateful!" says Drue and Daphne is leaving the bar after a huge humiliating moment. To top it all off, she sees someone filming it on their phone. Daphneâs rejection of the douch goes viral and her IG has now skyrocketed. Instead of sitting there with a tub of ice cream, she begins to embraces her curves and has sponsors and tries to maintain a healthy living both physically and spiritually. There are literally many who pay her to wear their clothes even. Enter Leela, fashion designer who is slim and gives off a beautiful hip and zen vibe who totally embraces not just a line of women's clothing for slim but for plus sizes as well. She knows how to construct the outfit to lay so that all the clothes compliment the plus size ladies out there. Perfect because Drue after all these years waltzes back into Daphneâs life to ask her to be Drueâs bridesmaid. It turns out she is in fact paying most of her guests just to come to her wedding. Drue and Daphne used to be good friends but after all that has transpired between them, Daphne truly is doubtful but winds up saying âyesâ to Drue out of wanting to believe Drue has changed for the better.
They go through the wedding where they both have fun together and Daphne starts to really enjoy herself. She winds up getting some great shots of her new outfits from Leela and has to also post the pictures of whatever Drue puts into the scene and requests all quests to put the respective hashtags of the companies, hotel, location, drinks, etc. 50% of the book finally comes the big murder. The bride to be is found floating in the hot tub. Poor Daphne is the one to find her as she was actually looking for Nick, one of the guests who loves to talk all about Daphne and Drueâs relationship, as he suddenly is missing after a passionate night of the horizontal dance. Hmmm, I knew something was just off about him. Then you have Ryan McMichaels who is the detective who doesnât seem very sharp and just wants to pin the murder on the most convenient person: the one who found the body! Now we have a murderer afoot! It's a real 'Who Done It?" mystery. Daphne becomes the prime suspect so it is up to her and her Scooby Doo gang to solve the mystery. Provided that they stop questioning each other.
The ending truly ties up all the loose ends and for me, it was a satisfying ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Wow! What a read!
There are so many elements that make this such a great read. We have the contemporary elements of everyday life, that any millennial is currently living. The author incorporates social media and all the filters it entails to portray yourself in a certain light.
You have self esteem and self image. The main character is plus sized and an instagram influencer. The constant struggles that I am slightly aware of as I follow many plus sized influencers struggle with, are brightly portrayed in this as well.
The second guessing and having to prove yourself even more when you are the plus sized friend is also extremely accurate. (I can def attest to that.)
There is also a huge element in this story that the shortest quickest way I could describe it is, It's "all grown up-Mean girls" type of vibe. Those complicated friendships that is "frenemies" being ogled and "liked" by the popular girl. But that popular girl isn't someone trustworthy.
Recovering from the betrayal from the popular friends can be a lot for people, when you have been embarrassed by those mean girls, it makes a big mark on the soul, as much as we "bounce back," that scar persists. I love that Weiner found a way to weave that into the heart of the story. It explains why so many of the characters act the way they act.
Then you have the BIG HUGE ELEMENT of a big 'ol plot twist that happens right in the center of the novel. And wow, that plot twist gives you the biggest whiplash of all time!
But I say that in a good way. That twist in the story really is unexpected but as things unfold, it is very welcomed! Wow. I am still tantalized by it all as I type this.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, anyone. It has all the elements that we all are craving these days. I kinda want Netflix to notice this and make this into a movie. It's so damn good. This book easily gets 5 stars from me and all the recommendations as well! The ultimate summer read!
Thank you to Atria for sending me this book, I won it as a giveaway in which I never have such luck. This review is in exchange for such luck!
There are so many elements that make this such a great read. We have the contemporary elements of everyday life, that any millennial is currently living. The author incorporates social media and all the filters it entails to portray yourself in a certain light.
You have self esteem and self image. The main character is plus sized and an instagram influencer. The constant struggles that I am slightly aware of as I follow many plus sized influencers struggle with, are brightly portrayed in this as well.
The second guessing and having to prove yourself even more when you are the plus sized friend is also extremely accurate. (I can def attest to that.)
There is also a huge element in this story that the shortest quickest way I could describe it is, It's "all grown up-Mean girls" type of vibe. Those complicated friendships that is "frenemies" being ogled and "liked" by the popular girl. But that popular girl isn't someone trustworthy.
Recovering from the betrayal from the popular friends can be a lot for people, when you have been embarrassed by those mean girls, it makes a big mark on the soul, as much as we "bounce back," that scar persists. I love that Weiner found a way to weave that into the heart of the story. It explains why so many of the characters act the way they act.
Then you have the BIG HUGE ELEMENT of a big 'ol plot twist that happens right in the center of the novel. And wow, that plot twist gives you the biggest whiplash of all time!
But I say that in a good way. That twist in the story really is unexpected but as things unfold, it is very welcomed! Wow. I am still tantalized by it all as I type this.
I highly recommend this book to everyone, anyone. It has all the elements that we all are craving these days. I kinda want Netflix to notice this and make this into a movie. It's so damn good. This book easily gets 5 stars from me and all the recommendations as well! The ultimate summer read!
Thank you to Atria for sending me this book, I won it as a giveaway in which I never have such luck. This review is in exchange for such luck!
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