The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Everything returns with a novel about friendship and forgiveness set during a disastrous wedding on picturesque Cape Cod.
... delivers. Weiner takes a breezy romp through online influencer culture, leveling an 'I see you' gaze at the Instagram fake-it-till-you-make-it crowd. It’s deliciously fun: frothy entertainment with surprising depth ... he plot careens into slightly over-the-top whodunit territory, with a splash of steamy romance ... Weiner’s appraisal of Instagram culture, and our fixation with likes and followers, will resonate ... Of course, Weiner isn’t the first to be inspired by our collective fixation with social media. But she stands out as implicitly getting it ... 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, rather than what it could look like on Instagram.
... a hugely entertaining mashup of a beach read / murder mystery / rich-people’s-lives-porn / romance. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it’s sprawling and fun, so read and enjoy and just don’t try to think about it too much ... There are plenty of surprises, including the identity of the murderer. (You will never figure it out. There are no clues.) Big Summer is the very essence of the big summer novel. Forget about the world for a while, and have some fun.
... while it isn’t a flawless reading experience, there’s quite a bit to love in these pages ... a delightful story about friendship, social media, and the ways in which our past actions are never really forgotten, and in Daphne, Jennifer Weiner has created a heroine most women will be able to relate to. She’s intelligent and resourceful, but she also has some intense vulnerabilities that get in the way of both her personal and professional success ... This book would have been absolutely perfect if not for the appearance of a murder mystery. As someone who reads a ton of thrillers, I’m usually the first one to applaud the introduction of a bit of mystery, but here, it struck a bit of an awkward note ... If you’re a fan of Weiner’s writing, you’ll definitely want to pick up Big Summer. It’s full of the romance, wit, and summer magic we’ve come to expect from this author. The mystery portion didn’t completely work for me, but your mileage may vary.
