Read: August 6-29, 2023
Seasonal Vibe: Summer
Time: 2020 and 1980’s
Location: Cherry orchard in Michigan and New Hampshire
Genres: Literary, Dual Timeline, Contemporary, Historical
346 pages | 🎧 Amazing audiobook

Tom Lake is a gorgeous summertime literary fiction. I loved the themes of theatre and family. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020, a mother tells her three daughters about her past as an actress while they pick cherries in their family orchard. Most of the stories are about a summer production of Our Town in the 1980’s, at a theatre company called Tom Lake. And there is a lake!

Waterstones Special Edition book of Tom Lake by Ann Patchett with a painter style floral cover and blue to green sprayed edges

I’m the oldest of three girls, and I loved the relationship of the three daughters to each other and their parents. I studied theatre, and I loved the descriptions of the theatre. Auditions, rehearsals, the show must go on! I also related strongly to Lara’s relationship with her grandmother. I’ve definitely volunteered for things because my grandma told me to, and I grew up sewing with my grandma, and also my childhood best friend’s grandmother would sew with us. 

The audiobook is narrated exquisitely by Meryl Streep. I also felt like the writing was so good, I would like to read it for myself. I kept listening to the audio because it was so good, but I loved the book so much, I ordered a special edition hardcover from Waterstones.

StoryGraph GoodReads Hoopla

Spoiler Section

Spoilers The best friend's grandmother who sewed with us died of breast cancer when we were 13 years old. Oh, how I cried when this happened to Lara's grandmother.