Life is a seesaw, and I am standing dead center, still and balanced: living kids on one side, living parents on the other. Nicky here with me at the fulcrum. Don't move a muscle, I think. But I will, of course. You have to.

Freelance writer and recent empty-nester Rocky is a hot mess, both literally and figuratively. Jamie, her 24-year-old son, is gainfully employed in another city, while 20-year-old daughter Willa is pursuing a degree in biology. Many things have changed over the years, but one thing has remained: the tradition of a family trip in the same undersized rental house. Sure, they're now joined by Jamie's girlfriend Maya, and Willa keeps disappearing to spend time with the cute girl from the surf shop, and Rocky can't stop blurting out her inappropriate thoughts and questions or having hot flashes or picking fights with her husband Nick...but who cares?

The reader spends time in Rocky's chaotic, hormonal inner life over the course of a week spent in a too-small rental home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Everything's changing—her body, her marriage, the life trajectories of the kids—and through it all burns a confusing, white-hot rage that she struggles to keep under control. Sandwich is Catherine Newman's second novel, although she's written some non-fiction books as well as some illustrated books for children.

Reading this book was a visceral experience, and I mean that in the best possible way. I feel like I shrugged inside Rocky's body like an ill-fitting coat. While I am twenty years younger than Rocky, I'm no stranger to hormonal woes, so I had no problem imagining what she was feeling. I appreciated the scatterbrainedness of it all, the hyperfocusing on detailed memories that so perfectly encapsulated the amusing exhaustion that is parenting young kids woven together with clumsy attempts at learning how to navigate relationships with adult children, aging parents, and a spouse she's relearning now that they finally have more than five minutes to themselves.

If you aren't much for slice-of-life or introspective style novels, especially one with a deeply flawed narrator, this may not be the read for you. Lower-rated reviews refer to Rocky's infuriating actions and thoughts, and they're not wrong. She makes many missteps and even grave errors, both on the current year's trip and in the past, and to be honest I'm not sure she learns from them. I'm fine with that, because I'm a melancholy anxious depressive who doesn't mind loose ends in a book like this, but if you won't be, this may a title to release back into the wild for another wanderer to find.

I loved the setting of this novel, as I live in MA. I could relate to many of the issues and experiences of the protagonist, Rocky. The yearly, week at the Cape is an event near to many MA residents' summers. So much is packed into a week on the Cape. Rocky's story shares some universal experiences as well as some that are unique to her and her household. There's something about the sea air that uncovers secrets and begs for peace and recovery. While at times slow, overall, the pacing of this novel was good, and the storyline kept me engaged. Thanks to Harper and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

This was a short and sweet little slice of life novel about a woman coming to terms with the physical and emotional horrors of menopause, her children growing into adults, her parents’ declining health, and the decisions she made in her past.

I found this mostly enjoyable though often repetitive and a bit over the top with the woke lingo and therapy speak. Like idk, the kids felt pretty realistic to me in that way, but it almost felt the like the mother was constantly assuring the reader that she is, in fact, down with the liberal young folk lol. Which like, I get the impulse to do that, but it just took away from my ability to really stay engaged with the actual story.

Rocky and her family have always escaped to Cape Cod for a summer vacation. This year, Rocky is sandwiched between her half-grown children and her aging parents, and she’s also contending with her own changing body and hormonal changes, largely thanks to menopause. When Rocky revisits summers long-gone bye, she finds the sorrow and the tenderness of her own past while confronting her future.

This is the kind of book that readers will want to crawl inside of and live in. It's impossible not to love these characters and their quirks so much and want to be part of their family. Newman’s dialogue is unmatched, and her ability to create characters that feel fully human and flawed and beautiful is staggering. The exploration of motherhood and middle age, and the scenes of Rocky and her children are incredibly beautiful and moving, but also grounded in a specific authenticity that can't be faked. The balance of humor and heart is absolutely perfect here: Rocky’s observations about her changing body and the people around her are pitch-perfect. Readers who like family stories will eat this one up, and won't want it to end. A standout and a gem of a novel.

This book was one of those odd scenarios for me where I can appreciate the style and the subject matter, but something just didn't really "click" for me. I think it was partially the narrative voice, partially an inability to connect to the characters on my part, and partially the inconsistent timeline of the "flashback" part of the structure. There's some interesting themes and raw honesty around aging as a woman and a mother, but ultimately it just wasn't for me!

This was so delightful and kept you interested! Definitely a wonderful book! The chapters kept you engaged and wanting to read more.

I don’t think I was the target audience for this.

There were too many virtue-signaly moments where it felt like the narrator was just trying to prove how woke she was, which translated into proving how woke the author was.

The plot was meh. I can see the nostalgic aspect of this one for mid-to-late life white women who identify as empty nesters.

Other than that I don’t have much to say. I rolled my eyes too much at the forced moments of wokeness.

Thanks to @harperbooks and @netgalley for both the gifted and digital review copies.

Catherine Newman’s Sandwich is a delightful blend of humor, heart, and deeply relatable moments. Rocky, the protagonist, finds herself firmly in the “sandwich” phase of life: juggling young adult children, aging parents needing her care, and her own dreams feeling increasingly out of reach. Set over one week at her family’s Cape Cod rental, the story explores the bittersweet chaos of revisiting places steeped in memory. Newman masterfully weaves flashbacks to earlier summers, painting vivid scenes of joy, heartbreak, and family traditions that evolve over time.

Newman’s writing shines in its ability to balance laugh-out-loud moments with deeply emotional insights. From a hilariously relatable septic tank disaster to poignant reflections on family dynamics and aging, her sharp observations feel universal. Rocky’s voice is authentic and raw, making her struggles and triumphs all the more resonant. The blend of humor and tenderness keeps the story engaging while exploring the complexities of caring for multiple generations and finding space for yourself amid the chaos.

Sandwich is a love letter to imperfect families and the ties that bind us, no matter how messy life gets. While it’s a quick read, its themes of love, loss, and resilience linger long after the final page and I highly recommend it.

Easily one of my favorite books that I read in 2024. This is a lovely little book about a family on vacation following the mother as she both cares for her college aged kids, navigates marriage as you age, and cares for her parents who come to visit. She's literally the sandwich generation. This book had me laughing out loud, and ended with me sobbing on the couch. It's not a sad book but I just loved the characters so much that when one major life event occurs, I was done for. I also was not expecting the honest and heart wrenching takes on motherhood and what it means to make the choice to be a mother or to have that choice taken from you. The author reckons with what a mother owes to others at the expense of oneself, and for me it was so spot on and beautifully done.

Loved this character driven book. It made me think and feel deeply. I was so moved by the characters.

*Note--I posted about Sandwich and Same As It Ever Was together--

Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo and Sandwich by Catherine Newman share similarities, and I read them back-to-back.

Both novels have female protagonists in their 50s who are transitioning to the next phase as their young adult children begin to establish their lives outside of the family home.
Both novels reflect on traumatic experiences of the past and the challenges of motherhood, including raising babies and parenting teenagers, and both novels thoughtfully portray long marriages and their depths.

Sandwich is much shorter at 240 pages, while Same As It Ever Was is 512 pages. Sandwich focuses on a week-long annual family vacation to Cape Cod and past reflections. Same As It Ever Was includes a greater scope of the main character’s life in the Chicago area and heavily emphasis the protagonist’s relationship with her mother.

Both of these authors beautifully capture the rawness of being a mother, daughter, wife, and woman.

I could relate to the family dynamics and family situations in this story of a family reuniting in Sandwich, a town on Cape Cod. I can relate to the term "sandwich" as a menopausal women caught between her children and her parents. Lots of thought provoking dialogue and feelings in this well written book.

Newman masterfully captures the raw complexities of family life at every stage. The writing is stunning—vividly descriptive, with a natural rhythm that seamlessly mirrors the ebb and flow of the story. Reading it feels like sitting at the feet of a gifted storyteller, completely immersed in their world.

While the narrative centers on a single day at the beach, it is, at its heart, the story of Rocky and her family. The language, though occasionally intense, and the graphic—yet skillfully written—descriptions may push some boundaries, but they are undeniably effective. Newman’s ability to authentically depict the stages of motherhood and womanhood is unmatched.

One of Newman’s greatest strengths lies in her ability to normalize what many might view as unconventional. The family engages in candid conversations, tackling topics like mental health, sexuality, and identity with honesty and nuance. These layers remind us that life is rarely simple—a lesbian woman might accidentally get pregnant, and the parts of ourselves we reveal to others are only fragments of our whole.

Although the “big secret” didn’t feel particularly earth-shattering to me, the narrative wisely reminds us, through Willa and Rocky, that it’s not our place to judge the weight of someone else’s secret.

This book left me longing for a summer in a musty old house on the Cape, surrounded by my loved ones and a familiar old cat. Newman transported me to that world, and I can’t wait to return.

I wanted to love Sandwich more than I did. While it's very well written, I just didn't connect with the characters.

I'm not sure if I loved or disliked this book! I'm in my mid-forties and identified with many parts of this book. I loved the author's writing style of free-flowing thought from the menopausal main character. The main character's inner thoughts and worries are ones that I think every mother identifies. This was a quick read that I really enjoyed! Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the ARC.

Catherine Newman is a national treasure. I recommend Sandwich and We All Want Impossible Things nearly every day in store for their ability to see, know, and walk along the reader. Impossibly funny, heartfelt, and a voice all her own.

Books about menopause brain are so important.
Family dynamics will give book groups a lot to discus
S
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Let’s start with the fact that the book is called Sandwich, which is a town on Cape Cod, and is clearly a nod to the character’s place sandwiched between generations… but there is no way the book actually takes place in Sandwich?? Although the town and beaches and ponds are not named, everything indicates this book takes place on the Outer Cape, far from Sandwich. It was so remarkably distracting I couldn’t focus on anything else. Then, the main character is a jerk. I did not care about her at all. The kids are too precious. The family secrets are not remarkable. And did I mention it can’t possibly take place in Sandwich?? If it doesn’t take place in Sandwich and isn’t supposed to take place in Sandwich why is it named after a Cape Town?? Is it just about the generations thing and that she makes lots of Sandwiches?? But there is still a town named that and you just cannot do that. It’s like she intentionally wanted to make Cape people go bananas. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC.

*Sandwich* is a heartfelt slice-of-life novel centered on Rocky and her family during their annual Cape Cod vacation. As her children transition into adulthood, her parents age, and her husband remains a constant, the story explores themes of family, love, and motherhood.

While the book is short and accessible, delving into deep topics with ease, it also uses flashbacks to reveal more about Rocky’s past. The characters felt genuine, though I found Rocky’s angst at this life stage a bit much for my taste.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Books for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am not quite yet the target age for this one, although I am told I am perimenopausal. According to this book, I have a lot to look forward to (sarcasm LOL). This book is multigenerational and covers an extended family's annual family cape cod trip. I really identified with Rocky in many ways. I have an adult child who is making her way in her first year in college. I related the feelings of separation and the bittersweet moments described. I really loved the wit and the humor that this author brought into this book. I cannot remember the last time I read something so full of heart. I definitely couldn't put it down. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.