When I see a title like The Summer Place and a cover like this one, I usually think "sappy romance at the beach". And that's not necessarily a bad thing, but that isn't what this book is.
Sarah is one of the main characters. She has a stepdaughter who has just announced she's getting married. So the wedding and the planning are a big part of the story. Sarah's husband, Eli, is acting very weird. They've pretty much had a perfect marriage and have two little boys as well as the stepdaughter. But Eli has shut down. Sarah's mom is hosting the wedding at her beach house, and she's got several secrets. Eli's brother has had somewhat of a tragic past, and he has secrets. The fiance's mom has secrets. Sarah has secrets, and she's so distraught about the state of her marriage, that she creates even more secrets to keep. And the house is a character, which is sort of cute, but not really necessary.
I'm not sure if I've covered it all, but there are a lot of secrets in The Summer Place. And it's really good when most of them are revealed. I think this is the third book in a row that I've read that features each chapter narrated by a different character. I didn't plan it this way, and they were good books, but I'm hoping for a different format for the next one!
If you are a Weiner fan, you'll want to pick up The Summer Place. Or if you want a summer read that's not just about people hooking up on the beach, this is it.
I like it when a book surprises us and is something it is not. This one sounds good.
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