Big Summer

Daphne Berg works as a plus-size Instagram influencer in New York City, promoting body positivity and self-acceptance to her followers. When her former best friend Drue Cavanaugh unexpectedly reaches out after years of silence to ask Daphne to be her maid of honor, Daphne reluctantly agrees despite their complicated past. The lavish Cape Cod wedding weekend brings together wealthy guests, family drama, and unresolved tensions from Daphne and Drue's friendship. As the festivities begin, unexpected events force Daphne to confront both her relationship with Drue and her own insecurities. What starts as a story about friendship and social media transforms into an investigation of truth, privilege, and appearance versus reality. The novel explores how relationships from our past continue to shape our present, and questions what it means to truly know someone in the age of carefully curated online personas.

Readers found Big Summer to be two different books - starting as contemporary fiction about body positivity and social media influence, then shifting into an unexpected murder mystery partway through. Readers appreciated: - Authentic portrayal of social media influencer culture - Strong themes of self-acceptance and friendship - Engaging Cape Cod setting details - Audio narration by Danielle Macdonald Common criticisms: - Jarring genre shift midway through - Predictable mystery elements - Underdeveloped secondary characters - Too many product placement references Review scores: - Goodreads: 3.7/5 from 55,000+ ratings - Amazon: 4.1/5 from 3,900+ ratings - LibraryThing: 3.7/5 from 300+ ratings "The first half was fantastic but then it turned into a completely different book," noted one Goodreads reviewer. Multiple Amazon reviews mentioned feeling "blindsided" by the mystery subplot, while others called it a "perfect beach read" despite its flaws.

The Last Summer at the Cape by Jenny Hester A novel following lifelong friends gathering at a beach house reunion where buried secrets emerge during a wedding weekend.

The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous Two parallel narratives unfold at a manor house decades apart, revealing a web of deception and betrayal among wealthy families.

The Guest List by Lucy Foley A destination wedding on a remote island turns deadly when past relationships and hidden motives collide.

The Summer of Lost Letters by Hannah Reynolds A young woman uncovers her grandmother's hidden past through old love letters found in a Nantucket beach house.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent An impulsive identity swap at a luxury resort leads to complications with romance, wine expertise, and social media influence.

🌟 Jennifer Weiner wrote Big Summer during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, incorporating social media themes that became even more relevant during lockdown 📱 The book explores the complex relationship between social media influencers and authenticity, drawing from real-world examples of Instagram culture and sponsored content 💑 The story's murder mystery element was inspired by Weiner's love of true crime podcasts and her desire to blend contemporary women's fiction with suspense 🏖️ Cape Cod, where much of the novel is set, holds personal significance for Weiner, who spent summers there and used her intimate knowledge of the area to create vivid settings 👗 The plus-size fashion and body positivity themes in the book reflect Weiner's own advocacy for size inclusivity in media and literature, which she frequently discusses in her columns and social media