Author: Jennifer Weiner
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
Book Description: The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the “nothing short of brilliant” (People) Mrs. Everything returns with an unforgettable novel about friendship and forgiveness 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 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.
On a perfect summer night, as generations of Cavanaughs descend on the family beach in Cape Cod, the cute guy materializes and a family feud erupts. With rumors swirling about everything from a failing business to infidelity, it’s clear why Drue wanted Daphne by her side. When Daphne wakes up the morning of the wedding to find that her crush has vanished and that something terrible has happened to her friend, it’s up to her to dig deep into Drue’s past, to unpeel the layers of illusion, and to find out the complicated truth about perfect Drue Cavanaugh.
A sparkling novel about the complexities of female friendship, 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.
Rating: 5 Stars
Review: Wow, I was absolutely blown away by this book. Not sure I should be surprised, because I pretty much love everything Jennifer Weiner writes. She appears to be back to her quintessential style of writing, fun but with an important message.
This is the story of Daphne, an up and coming influencer on instagram. Like all of Weiner characters she is full figured and has recently stopped trying to become something she is not and embracing her body. She lands a her first big contract with an upcoming designer and she has also been asked by her former best friend Drue to be her maid of honor in her up and coming wedding.
This is story is not always linear. Daphne, will share with you her sordid past with Drue, and their circle of friends. You will learn Daphne does not fit at all, money, looks and just about anything else. However, she cannot seem to turn anyway any affection that Drue provides, even if the ulterior motives are not quite sincere.
This book changes directions very quickly about a third of the way in. And as always not everything is as it appears in this story. This book is quite a roller-coaster ride of emotions, and Weiner does a wonderful job making you feel for Daphne, and this surrounding cast.
I honestly did not want this book to end, but it had an extremely satisfying ending. Have fun with this and savor what you can. This will be the perfect summer read for a lot of you.
Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Obsessed Bookaholic 