Book Review: Sandwich by Catherine Newman @CatheriNewman @DoubledayUK @alisonbarrow #Sandwich #CatherineNewman

Book Synopsis:

One week in Cape Cod. The perfect family holiday. What could possibly go wrong…?

For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their rustic beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, its quirky furniture and mismatched pots and pans greeted like old friends.

Now, sandwiched between her children who are adult enough to be fun but still young enough to need her, and her parents who are alive and healthy, Rocky wants to preserve this golden moment forever. This one precious week when everything is in balance; everything is in flux.

But every family has its secrets and hers is no exception.

With her body in open revolt and surprises invading her peaceful haven, the perfectly balanced seesaw of Rocky’s life is tipping towards change…

Out 6th June 2024

My Review:

Oh I did love this book. It was such a warm hearted read and so beautifully written that I know it will stay with me for a long time.

The family was such a wonderful creation that I enjoyed getting to know throughout the book. I liked the fly on the wall glimpse into the family’s holiday which meant I felt like one of their family included in their banter and holiday traditions alongside them. This is a family who obviously love each other and it was so lovely to see this relationship close up. I’m dreading my kids growing up and this book made me feel much more relaxed about it as the author describes how the relationship with grown up children can change and that it can still be fun but it a different way.

This book isn’t particularly fast paced but that’s part of it’s charm as it gives the reader more time to hang out with the fabulous characters. The author has cleverly created the slow, almost hypnotic feeling you can get on holiday which I thought was very clever. There were some moments that made me laugh and some very emotional moments which made me cry as the family deal with a few surprising revelations. I really didn’t want the book to end and felt almost bereft when their holiday ended as I’d have happily hung out with the characters far longer.

Huge thanks to Alison Barrow from Doubleday for sending me a copy of this book. One of my books of the year!

About The Author:

Catherine Newman is the author of the kids’ how-to books How to Be a Person and What Can I Say?, the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, and the grown-up novels We All Want Impossible Things (Harper 2022) and Sandwich (Harper 2024). She edits the non-profit kids’ cooking magazine ChopChop and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family.