March 23, 2020
Weiner’s story of female friendships (after Mrs. Everything) mixes a splash of romance, a dash of humor, and a pinch of mystery to create a deliciously bloody poolside cocktail. Daphne Berg, a young woman struggling with her weight and self-esteem, has become “#fiercefatgirl,” a powerful plus-size media influencer with thousands of followers. Her world is turned upside down when an old high school frenemy comes looking for a favor. Drue Cavanaugh, a high-society darling, was everything Daphne wasn’t in high school: rich, gorgeous, and a mean girl to rival all mean girls. Back then, Daphne did anything she could to simply exist on the fringes of Drue’s world. Now, Drue is planning her splashy Cape Cod wedding to a reality TV star, and she wants Daphne to be her maid of honor amid her family’s infighting and doubts about the groom. Trouble has been brewing under the surface, and Daphne finds herself at Drue’s beck and call—at a grotesquely ill-fated celebration that reveals the dark side of Dru’s seemingly perfect life. Weiner’s surprising tale is hard to put down.

Starred review from April 1, 2020
A plus-size Instagram influencer stumbles into a murder mystery when called to serve as a bridesmaid for her fabulous former best friend. Weiner's 14th novel, and her second with a murder plot, is also a short course in social media lingo and best practices. At its center is Daphne Berg, a classic Weiner heroine--a young New Yorker who supports herself by working 20 hours a week as a nanny, by selling crafts in her Etsy store, and through sponsorships of Instagram posts for both her (yoga mats, makeup, plus-size fashion) and her pooch (organic dog treats). Her career began accidentally in her sophomore year of college, when her No. 1 frenemy, an exquisitely lovely heiress named Drue Lathrop Cavanaugh, lured her into a humiliating setup in a bar, the last of a long series of mean tricks that began in high school. When her date called her a "fat bitch" and Daphne responded with fury--"I am fat. But that doesn't mean you get to treat me like garbage"--and video of the incident went viral, she chose to embrace the moment. She has since become a beloved internet avatar of body acceptance #sorrynotsorry #justasIam. Drue has been out of her life for seven years when she bursts back in to beg Daphne to be her bridesmaid at a spectacular, made-for-social media Cape Cod wedding. Against her better instincts, Daphne agrees, and before long she is handmaiden at #drueandstu2020, a beachfront extravaganza Weiner really outdoes herself in describing. Things are going a lot better than Daphne ever could have dreamed--hot sex scene alert!--when the plot takes a turn for the Agatha Christie. But no matter what mayhem transpires, you can always count on Weiner for delicious food. "I squeezed lemon onto my first oyster, added a dollop of cocktail sauce, tipped it into my mouth and gulped it down, humming in pleasure at its sweet, briny taste." "My mother hugged me hard, and my father mixed up a pitcher of Sidecars and served us his cioppino, with toasted wedges of garlicky toasted baguette." "Get the malasadas, if they're fresh." Turns out they are, and so is this novel. If you love Jennifer Weiner, you'll love this one. And if you're a newbie, start here.

COPYRIGHT(2020) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

April 1, 2020
Daphne Berg is a plus-size influencer working with an up-and-coming fashion designer, which gives her plenty of fabulous, flattering clothes to wear to the social wedding of the summer. Though she and Drue Cavanaugh lost touch, they were inseperable in high school?at least when it was convenient for Drue?so Daphne is shocked when Drue reappears in her life, asking her to be her maid of honor. As the festivities on Cape Cod ramp up, Daphne recalls their complicated friendship. Already feeling like an outsider for her size and her status as a scholarship student, Daphne was so flattered by Drue's attention that even when Drue weaponized her vulnerability, she couldn't quite shake the connection. At the wedding, she meets a handsome stranger who rocks her world (several times!), but in the morning, everything changes. The plot is bonkers, but Weiner's (Mrs. Everything, 2019) fans will still find her signatures here: the believably complicated relationship between Daphne and Drue, Daphne's caring and slightly daffy parents, and Daphne's body image struggles. There's an exploration of the insidiousness of influencer culture, but, mostly, Big Summer is a big, fun summer read. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Weiner made her mark chronicling the relationships of young women, and her return to that arena will garner lots of attention.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from May 1, 2020

Weiner's latest (after Mrs. Everything) introduces relatable Daphne Berg, a young, plus-size Instagram influencer making her way in her postcollege years in New York City. When Drue Cavanaugh, an old and estranged friend from high school, comes back into her life, Daphne must grapple with their checkered past. Drue was everything that Daphne wanted to be in high school: thin, blonde, and popular with a cruel streak. After their last friendship-ending fight, Daphne posted a righteous video about self-acceptance that launched her on the trajectory to online influencer. Drue lacks friends to be in her wedding. She begs her former best friend to be maid of honor at the big event on Cape Cod, and the thought of promoting her own new clothing partnership to the many influential guests convinces Daphne. The women bury the hatchet, but a big twist comes into play. VERDICT Weiner is deft at plumbing the depths of female friendship and developing characters readers will care about. This highly recommended book will appeal not only to the author's fans but also to a new audience looking for a fresh take on women's fiction. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/19.]--Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.