Name: Sandwich
ISBN: 9781529916829

Catherine Newman

"Oh, honey," I say. "I'm sorry. Don't worry about me! I'm totally good. I'm so, so happy to be here with you." This is how it is to love somebody. You tell them the truth. You lie a little. And sometimes you don't say anything at all..." From the bestselling author of WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS (Richard & Judy Book Club 2023) 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... ____________ Praise for Catherine Newman’s WE ALL WANT IMPOSSIBLE THINGS: ‘Nora-Ephron-style wit ... one of my favourite books ever’ MARIAN KEYES ‘One of the best novels on friendship I've ever read’ AJ PEARCE ‘Newman writes loss and laughter in equally brilliant amounts.’ BONNIE GARMUS ‘An absolute masterpiece in characterisation...utterly beautiful’ JOANNA CANNON ‘Quite simply glorious’ SARAH TURNER ‘An unbelievably brilliant and funny book about friendship, family, food, sex, and death.’ KATHERINE HEINY ‘This is a proper laugh-out-loud tale of friendship that will utterly win your heart’ STYLIST 'A beautiful, uplifting testament to female friendship that will make you laugh and cry.’ WOMAN ‘Remarkable ....whip-smart, funny, beautifully observed.’ OBSERVER

From the much-loved author of We All Want Impossible Things

Sandwich

Sandwich is why I keep reading a book I initially distrust or dislike. If I’d reviewed the first few chapters, I would’ve given it two stars. Not because it was bad. It’s well written from the first page. The beginning is so everyday, so mundane, it felt like someone in a support group for people with lost limbs who’d only nicked the tip of one finger off. 

Sandwich builds, though, like a good sandwich, come to think of it. It gets the bread and meat out of the way first and they're good but not "wow" good. But then it works at you with some, "oh damn, that's good mustard," followed by the impossibly best arugula you've ever had. I’m giving it some leeway too because I listened to the audiobook. I usually don’t like the unavoidable bias of audiobook narration, but I was on the road, the only time I allow audiobooks in my life. 

I’m looking forward to reading this again in its own voice. That’s an aside, but it’s how my brain works. Further aside: 

 is not sad in the end for me. It isn’t about a life never lived. It’s the exact opposite, despite a movie that wants to make it a Hopkins pity party. 

A lot of big stuff happens on the back nine of Sandwich, but Catherine Newman pulls off believability every single time. If I made a list of all the new facts introduced, you’d be like, “Come on. That’s too much to put in.” It wasn’t. Isn’t. It’s perfect.

By the midpoint I was bumped up to three stars, and well before the strong, subtle finish, another half star. The last half star is because I managed to overcome the audiobook narrator and hear the prose the way I would’ve read it. I think I might love this book when I read it again for myself. I’ll come back and edit or update my rating/review accordingly.

. If you like audiobooks it's probably really good. Most of the time I don't even like when authors (other than Barbara Kingsolver or David Sedaris) read their own stuff.

Matthew Wright

Sandwich is why I keep reading a book I initially distrust or dislike. If I’d reviewed the first few chapters, I would’ve given it two stars. Not because it was bad. It’s well written from the first page. The beginning is so everyday, so mundane, it felt like someone in a support group for people with lost limbs who’d only nicked the tip of one finger off. 

Why is this guy here?

Sandwich builds, though, like a good sandwich, come to think of it. It gets the bread and meat out of the way first and they're good but not "wow" good. But then it works at you with some, "oh damn, that's good mustard," followed by the impossibly best arugula you've ever had. I’m giving it some leeway too because I listened to the audiobook. I usually don’t like the unavoidable bias of audiobook narration, but I was on the road, the only time I allow audiobooks in my life. 

I’m looking forward to reading this again in its own voice. That’s an aside, but it’s how my brain works. Further aside: The Remains of the Day is not sad in the end for me. It isn’t about a life never lived. It’s the exact opposite, despite a movie that wants to make it a Hopkins pity party. Anyway, back to our Sandwich.

A lot of big stuff happens on the back nine of Sandwich, but Catherine Newman pulls off believability every single time. If I made a list of all the new facts introduced, you’d be like, “Come on. That’s too much to put in.” It wasn’t. Isn’t. It’s perfect.

By the midpoint I was bumped up to three stars, and well before the strong, subtle finish, another half star. The last half star is because I managed to overcome the audiobook narrator and hear the prose the way I would’ve read it. I think I might love this book when I read it again for myself. I’ll come back and edit or update my rating/review accordingly.

last little note: the audiobook is fine. If you like audiobooks it's probably really good. Most of the time I don't even like when authors (other than Barbara Kingsolver or David Sedaris) read their own stuff.

If you're a parent, but especially a mother, hold on to your hat. And your heart. There's no guilt like mom guilt, except maybe Jewish guilt, and this book has both. But it also has humor, and realness, and grief, and joy that is so powerful it's practically overwhelming. 

My only subtraction of half a star is because the dialogue can move so fast at times you can lose track of who said what. But the overall story of a mother, who is also a daughter, and a wife, and a woman in this world is worth it. 

Hannah

If you're a parent, but especially a mother, hold on to your hat. And your heart. There's no guilt like mom guilt, except maybe Jewish guilt, and this book has both. But it also has humor, and realness, and grief, and joy that is so powerful it's practically overwhelming. 

My only subtraction of half a star is because the dialogue can move so fast at times you can lose track of who said what. But the overall story of a mother, who is also a daughter, and a wife, and a woman in this world is worth it. 

Sandwich From the much-loved author of We All Want Impossible Things