SANDWICH

Recommended by the Financial Times and popular with book clubs, this is an easy summer read that explores the family holiday as seen through the eyes of Rocky who is ‘sandwiched’ between her memories of herself as a mother, her now elder teen children and her ageing parents. Set in Cape Cod, this is a breezy summer paperback - packed with funny one-liners and befittingly menopausal in parts - a taste of real life!

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

This is Rocky’s story: it’s midsummer and Rachel, referred to by her family as Rocky or rather mama or mom is returning to the humble quirky summer rental with her husband Nick and her now grown up children, Jamie and Wilma. This is the family’s happy place - filled with delicious memories, sunny beach days, hanging out at their favourite crab shack, enjoying the patter of the day and the nostalgia of shared holiday moments, mishaps and experiences. The reader is invited to spend a week with Rocky. However, it’s 20 years on and Rocky’s life is tipping towards change - not just physical!

Plenty of insights and observations that will appeal to book clubbers - especially for empty nesters and women of a certain age.