Sandwich

Sandwich was a book I happened upon when I was perusing one of my public libraries' digital content. I knew nothing about this book and only briefly read the blurb. But I was pleased to find myself completely and utterly besotted with this digital audiobook that centres around changing familial relationships and aging.

This is a funny and relatable story about a multigenerational family who meet for their annual trip to Cape Cod for some family time. Readers dive into this complicated family and learn about their foibles, their bond and the grief, secrets and trauma they carry with them. 

This story is emotional at times, funny in others and will give readers much food for thought. It ran me through the emotional gamut - chuckling to myself, tearing up and relating to several topics - particularly to my changing relationship with my now adult children, with my aging parents and my personal foray into the wild world of perimenopause. I also appreciated the inclusive cast and the focus on women's rights and experiences. 

This book seems to be 'a bit' polarizing on GoodReads, but I loved it and highly recommend the audio which was skillfully narrated by Nan McNamara. Poignant and funny with important themes, I love how this book focuses on the good, the complicated and the humorous parts of family life.

My Rating: 5 stars

Author: Catherine Newman

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Type and Source: eAudiobook from public library

Narrator: Nan McNamara

Run Time: 5 hours, 43 minutes

Publisher: HarperAudio

First Published: June 18, 2024

Read: January 7 - 9, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: From the beloved author of We All Want Impossible Things, a moving, hilarious story of a family summer vacation full of secrets, lunch, and learning to let go.

For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their humble beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, great meals, and messes of all kinds: emotional, marital, and—thanks to the cottage’s ancient plumbing—septic too.

This year’s vacation, with Rocky sandwiched between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents, promises to be just as delightful as summers past—except, perhaps, for Rocky’s hormonal bouts of rage and melancholy. (Hello, menopause!) Her body is changing—her life is, too. And then a chain of events sends Rocky into the past, reliving both the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers.

It's one precious week: everything is in balance; everything is in flux. And when Rocky comes face to face with her family’s history and future, she is forced to accept that she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves.