I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was great!

I loved this book so much. As a mom. As someone who has spent summers on the Cape. The specific descriptions of emotions/feelings and the relationship with Rocky and her husband were so relatable. I've already recommended this to many friends!

Rocky, our main character, is going through a difficult time. Between menopause, aging parents and grown children, she has her hands fulled.
I could relate to this character a lot. Sometimes, I laughted, then cried at her telling of the family's one week annual vacation at the Cape. I am not sure that this is a book for everyone, but I loved it! Be forwarned, some of the storyline could be upsetting to some readers.

I enjoyed the naturally-flowing banter between the family members and could appreciate their reactions to the issues that arise throughout the week of vacation. There were certain hot topics that were dealt with that may turn some off (e.g., abortion), but I, personally, saw my views reflected back at me. This is a book for readers who enjoy quiet stories and witty banter.

"i mince down the spiral staircase...all of my joints clacking like the witch in a marionette performance of Hansel & Gretel."

i loved #sandwich. it's like a warm hug, and i so enjoyed the time i spent with this family, one week at the cape. i found rocky to be a tad obnoxious, sometimes, and unappreciative, but also, i could identify with her, sometimes. well done.

p.s. thanks to #netgalley for the ARC.

New to me author and I love her writing style. She has a way of writing conversationally and so true to real life. As a perimenopausal woman, I can relate to the struggles that she described with her body and with her place in life as an empty nester and toggling between memories of when her children were younger but also cherishing the adults they've become.
A criticism that I have that I have found among many writers is giving main characters similarly sounding names. We have a Willa and a Maya.... at times I kept forgetting who was the daughter and who was the son's girlfriend.
The husband's personality was a little flat as if he was just there to bounce the snarky wit off of by the main character. I believe she wrote him that way but I think I would have loved to see their interactions have a little more spunk. I live in a beach town so reading about "beach life" felt accurately portrayed. There are some really bittersweet moments and I loved how many of the references earlier in the story come full circle in the end. Quick read that felt honest and at times raw. Really enjoyed it!

I just finished Sandwich by Catherine Newman, and I simply could not put it down! The novel centers around Rocky, a woman who finds herself in a new phase of life, as she and her husband adjust to being empty nesters while simultaneously worrying about her aging parents. As the entire family embarks on their yearly summer trip to Cape Cod, Rocky feels nostalgic for years gone by and apprehensive about what the future holds. I found the story to be a perfect balance of laughter and tears, and I devoured it! The entire cast of characters is both relatable and realistic, and I could read a whole series about them! I believe Sandwich would be a perfect pick for book clubs, and I cannot wait to discuss it with my friends. This 5-star novel is a book I will be reading again in the future!

“Sandwich” by Catherine Newman is wonderful story about the journey of life. It takes place in Cape Cod where the family has rented a cottage for one week every summer. The story centers around “Rocky” a mom who is at the “sandwich” stage of her life. She is dealing with her grown children, aging parents, marriage, menopause and the secrets she has kept along the way. We move through the mishaps of her journey as a wife & mother, her current anxiety around her aging body, and the secrets of her past she finally discloses. Ultimately, we also experience the total joy and love of family that comes through every beautifully written word. The story is heartwarming, honest and told with bits of humor that had me laughing out loud. A must read for anyone who loves their family and is struggling through the next stage of their life.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Rocky is in a weird stage of life. Her children are grown. Her parents are aging. Her body is changing. Feels as if it’s not her own.

To bring herself back to center, she plans a trip to Cape Cod in the house her and her family have been spending every summer at for vacation. But it forces her to come to grips with some of her biggest secrets and regrets.

Oh my goodness. This book was so incredibly HILARIOUS and heartbreaking all at the same time. Being in the thick of motherhood myself, it taught me to savor every little moment. Because kids aren’t kids for long. So incredibly well written, raw and beautiful. I absolutely devoured this book!!!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the opportunity to read Sandwich by Catherine Newman. A week at the beach for three generations of family. There is love, tears, laughter, secrets and confessions. I loved it all.

Loved Catherine Newman's last book and am trying to get into more contemporary literary fiction this year, so super excited for this read! Thank you GCP for the advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review &/or promotion!

Catherine Newman's previous novel We All Want Impossible Things was an average three-star book for me, but Sandwich was easily five stars. It's the story of Rachel (nicknamed Rocky), her easy-going husband Nick, and their grown children Willa and Jamie (and Jamie's girlfriend Maya) vacationing for a week at the same beach house on Cape Cod that they've rented for 20 years. Newman's writing about the mishaps of vacation (clogged toilet, strep throat, and a hospital visit) is very realistic but also quite funny. Throughout the week, Rocky reminisces about the early days of motherhood and these are also honest, poignant, and funny. Rocky is currently menopausal and prone to hot flashes, so we're treated to more humor and realism combined perfectly. The whole book was the perfect combination of realism, some not-very-good things, poignancy, humor, a few secrets, and lots of love, respect, and communication among family members. I'm fairly sure that Sandwich will be one of my top books this year.

"And this may be the only reason we were put on this earth. To say to each other, I know how you feel. To say, Same. To say, I understand how hard it is to be a parent, a kid. To say, Your shell stank and you're sad. I've been there."
(This quote will make complete sense if you do yourself a favor and read the book.)

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on June 18, 2024.

Sandwich by Catherine Newman is a poignant story of family, self-discovery, and the power of secrets. The story centers around Rocky, a woman on a summer vacation to Cape Cod with her entire family – adult children, aging parents, and her husband. What starts as a nostalgic trip down memory lane quickly takes a turn as Rocky struggles with all of the emotions that come along with the life of a woman in her fifties.

All of the characters are drawn beautifully and are completely relatable. Each member of the family is searching to their find their way, with Rocky in the middle trying to help everyone else navigate their journeys. In the midst of all of this she herself is trying to find out who she is at this juncture of her life. The narration is beautiful and expertly describes moments with laugh-out-loud humor coupled with heartbreaking reality.

At the heart of all, this is a story of family. How life is messy and it is in the messy that we find out who we really are and how we are connected. Part of that family mess can also be secrets, and we learn that only when we trust those around us can we truly open ourselves up to their love.

Ultimately, Sandwich is a heartwarming and hopeful story. It's a celebration of life's journey, reminding us that even when life gets messy there is beauty to be found. It's a must-read for anyone who has ever felt lost, anyone who cherishes family, and anyone struggling to find themselves again as the world around them is changing.

This was another great book by this author. It was well written it was so meaningful and I really enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.!

Catherine Newman’s voice speaks to my soul. Her writing is so unique and pithy and profound without ever feeling precious. This book is about nothing and everything. It is about the extraordinary in the ordinary, the complexities of family, and the passage of time. This book won’t be for everyone, but if you love words and a nice serving of sardonic observation, you won’t want to miss this one, she’s delicious. It comes out on 6/18/24, but is an available for pre-order now! Thanks to @netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rocky gets the family together for one last summer week in Cape Cod in the cottage they have rented since forever. This includes her steady husband, her mouthy high school senior daughter, her older son and his girlfriend. Her hormones are acting up and she alternates between tender feelings for her kids (who are no longer children,) and inexplicable rage at her husband for not showing his emotions. But she has enough feelings for two, especially since in the past, she had tried and failed to have more children. When they are joined by Rocky's parents for their requisite two night visit, things get more complicated as the cottage has less room. Decisions are made, illnesses are revealed, and secrets unfold as their week ticks by and Rocky learns a few lessons on how to cope.
The title "Sandwich" has many meanings-of course it is a beach town in Cape Cod, but also the family is sandwiched together in their cottage, Rocky is a member of the sandwich generation, taking care of her parents and children, and she actually delights in making sandwiches for the family. Newman certainly gets the Cape Cod flavor right, throwing in such references as the Cape Cod Rail Trail and beach roses which can be foraged. But it is not merely a formulaic summer beach read, it is primarily a hard lesson in letting go.

I love this book so much, ‘Sandwich’ made me laugh out loud on so many occasions! I have visited Cape Cod for vacation and the whole ambiance is captured perfectly by Catherine Newman as we follow Nick, Rocky and their grown up family for a week on the Cape.
Funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming, a perfect summer read.

4.5 stars rounded down. A total and complete delight. I was enthralled with this book right away. Maybe because I’m a similar age sandwiched between adult kids + aging parents. Maybe because it all felt so real. Either way, I enjoyed the simultaneously heartwarming and sorrowful feelings this book shared. That’s life, isn’t it? Joy and sorrow in the same moments?

The other part of this book I very much enjoyed is that it was broken down into days. This helped keep the timing in my mind and show the range that a single day can have. Definitely a highlight of the book, for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper for the book. All opinions are my own.

I thought going in that this might be a "light" book. In some ways it was, but there is also some heavy material covered here. I related to many of the issues explored (being of a similar age as the narrator), but my feelings about this narrator where conflicted. Sometimes I really got her and felt like I was reading about myself, and others, I just found her a bit mean (especially toward her golden retriever of a husband). Although, on the other hand, I think that is part of what was intended---exploring all sides of emotion, riding the menopause wave (which I don't think hit me as hard as it seems to her), and the realization that life and love are complex. Overall, I did enjoy this book, especially the bittersweetness of grown children and the fact that being a parent never stops, no matter how old they are or how well-adjusted they are. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

Catherine Newman is an automatic must-read for me so when I saw her newest novel I couldn't wait to read it! Sandwich has all the hallmarks of Newman's previous novel, including messy, fully human characters and astute observations about life and time, especially as it relates to families. I find myself wanting to write down all these trusisms, even as they are a punch to the gut. Highly recommend!