Big Summer

Jennifer Weiner

Big Summer

Jennifer Weiner
44 pages1-hour read
Fiction
Novel
Adult
Published in 2020

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Daphne is a part-time nanny and social media influencer living in New York City, where she runs a popular blog promoting plus-size fashion and body positivity. Despite projecting a highly confident persona online, she privately struggles with deep-seated low self-esteem instilled during her youth. She is fiercely loyal, deeply empathetic, and working hard to build genuine self-respect after years of feeling inadequate next to wealthier, thinner peers.

Key Relationships

Complicated childhood friend of Drue

Best friend of Darshi

Romantic interest of Nick

Employee of Leela

Granddaughter of Nana

Nanny of Ian Snitzer

Drue is the beautiful, glamorous heiress to a long-standing Manhattan fortune. Accustomed to using her wealth and family name to get what she wants, she projects a picture-perfect image as an engaged social media influencer preparing for a highly publicized Cape Cod wedding. Beneath her charismatic and sometimes manipulative exterior, she suffers from intense loneliness and a deeply fractured home life.

Key Relationships

Childhood friend of Daphne

Fiancée of Stuart Lowe

Daughter of Robert Cavanaugh

Daughter of Lily Cavanaugh

Distrusted by Darshi

Friend of Lake

Nick is a handsome yoga teacher from Boston who works with at-risk elementary school students. Presenting himself as Drue's childhood friend from a local sailing camp, he carries an unassuming and humble demeanor that stands in sharp contrast to the wealthy wedding guests. He quickly forms a genuine bond with Daphne during the extravagant weekend.

Key Relationships

Romantic interest of Daphne

Childhood acquaintance of Drue

Supporting Characters

Darshi is a fiercely intelligent woman finishing her doctorate at Columbia University. She lives with her best friend Daphne and provides a grounded, rational counter-balance to Daphne's insecurities. She harbors her own private struggles, keeping her sexuality hidden from her conservative family, but remains uncompromising in her loyalty to her chosen friends.

Key Relationships

Best friend of Daphne

Distrustful former schoolmate of Drue

Leela is a sophisticated, trendy freelance fashion designer launching a new plus-size clothing line called Leef Fashion. Recognizing Daphne's growing online influence, Leela seeks to hire her as a brand representative. She is highly driven and sharply focused on securing high-profile exposure for her burgeoning fashion business.

Key Relationships

Employer of Daphne

Robert is Drue's wealthy father and the patriarch of a well-known Manhattan family. Despite maintaining an image of old-money perfection, he is locally known for a history of summer affairs in Cape Cod. He manages a tense, strained dynamic with his family members as his marriage crumbles and financial pressures mount behind closed doors.

Key Relationships

Father of Drue

Estranged husband of Lily Cavanaugh

Employer of Emma Vincent

Stuart is a handsome former contestant on the popular reality dating show *All the Single Ladies*. He is engaged to Drue, preparing for a lavish, highly publicized wedding in Cape Cod that promises to elevate both of their social media brands and public visibility.

Key Relationships

Fiancé of Drue

Former partner of Corina Bailey

Brother of Arden Lowe

Lily is Drue's mother, a woman deeply entrenched in Manhattan's high society. She is facing a bitter, impending divorce from her husband Robert, viewing her daughter's highly publicized wedding as a crucial opportunity to maintain her social standing and financial leverage.

Key Relationships

Mother of Drue

Estranged wife of Robert Cavanaugh

Detective McMichaels is a pragmatic and observant law enforcement officer handling affairs in the Truro jurisdiction. He carefully evaluates the complex social dynamics, financial arrangements, and hidden motives surrounding the high-profile wedding party.

Key Relationships

Investigator questioning Daphne

Aditya is an older, mild-mannered data scientist residing in New Haven, Connecticut. He does not fit the typical physical or financial profile of the wealthy socialites attending Drue's wedding, yet he maintains a quiet, persistent connection to the bride-to-be.

Key Relationships

Connected to Drue

Brief acquaintance of Daphne

Emma is a young local woman hired to provide professional catering services for the lavish parties. She works on the edges of the wealthy gathering, carrying out her duties while closely observing the extravagant lifestyle of the Cavanaugh family.

Key Relationships

Hired caterer for Robert Cavanaugh

Daughter of Mrs. Vincent

Nana is Daphne's grandmother, who frequently stayed with her during her childhood summers while her parents worked. Obsessed with weight and dieting, she forced highly restrictive eating habits onto a young Daphne, instilling deep-seated body image issues that echo heavily into Daphne's adulthood.

Key Relationships

Grandmother of Daphne

Corina is the woman Stuart Lowe originally proposed to on national television during his stint on *All the Single Ladies*. Her presence at the pre-wedding events serves as calculated material for gossip magazines, generating intense social media buzz for the upcoming nuptials.

Key Relationships

Former partner of Stuart Lowe

Wedding guest of Drue

Lake is a young, cruel man associated with Drue's wealthy friend group. His participation in a humiliating prank targeting Daphne's weight becomes the direct catalyst for her viral social media moment and her permanent break from Drue's toxic inner circle.

Key Relationships

Antagonist of Daphne

Friend of Drue

Arden is Stuart's sister, observing the complex social dynamics of her brother's high-profile, heavily sponsored wedding to Drue Cavanaugh. She provides outside perspective on Stuart and Drue's highly publicized relationship history.

Key Relationships

Sister of Stuart Lowe

Mrs. Vincent is a local resident of the Cape Cod area whose daughter works within the catering staff for the wealthy summer vacationers. She holds a long history with the seasonal residents of the town.

Key Relationships

Mother of Emma Vincent

Ian is a young boy whom Daphne nannies during the afternoons. He faces persistent bullying from other children at school, which leads Daphne to share a particularly close, protective bond with him as she attempts to build his confidence.

Key Relationships

Ward of Daphne