Sandwich: A Novel

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Sandwich is joy in book form. I laughed continuously, except for the parts that made me cry. Catherine Newman does a miraculous job reminding us of all the wonder there is to be found in life."—Ann Patchett, New York Times bestselling author of Tom Lake

“If you like my novels, you will love love love this . . . . I stand in awe, it’s just perfect.”—Elin Hilderbrand, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Swan Song

“A total delight.”—Kate Christensen

From the beloved author of We All Want Impossible Things and Wreck, a moving, hilarious story of a family summer vacation full of secrets, lunch, and learning to let go.

For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their humble beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, great meals, and messes of all kinds: emotional, marital, and—thanks to the cottage’s ancient plumbing—septic too.

This year’s vacation, with Rocky firmly in the sandwich generation—caught between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents—promises to be just as delightful as summers past—except, perhaps, for Rocky’s hormonal bouts of rage and melancholy. (Hello, menopause!) Her body is changing—her life is, too. And then a chain of events sends Rocky into the past, reliving both the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers.

It's one precious week in this moving work of family life fiction: everything is in balance; everything is in flux. And when Rocky comes face to face with her family’s history and future, she is forced to accept that she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves.

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Published Jun 18, 2024

240 pages

Average rating: 5.84

548 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI

Readers say "Sandwich" offers a sharp, funny, and relatable look at menopause and family life, with many appreciating its humor and honest dialogue. T...

JustAnAlibi
Jan 29, 2026
9/10 stars
A lovely, wholesome, read. Funny and heartbreaking.
novelthoughtswithamy
Jul 23, 2025
8/10 stars
Although this book dealt with some heavy topics, It had me cracking up in between. The main character was carrying a lot on her own emotionally, some of which was self-inflicted, but I took it as her not really knowing what she wanted so she didn't know what kind of support to ask for. Without saying too much, I think the book helped normalize a specific type of loss and the range of grief and accompanying emotions that may arise. I love that It showed another side of being married for a long time, where the couple has grown a part a little bit, but they don't throw in the towel. They just ride the waves and figure It out. I also like that It showed all stages of relationships-a young couple in their early 20s, the young man's parents who are approaching 50, and his grandparents. Loved It.
Gabriela-in-Amherst
Nov 11, 2024
7/10 stars
A bit slow and dull, but enough humor and reflection on life's challenges to make it worth reading.
Latifah24
Jul 16, 2024
1/10 star
"Sandwich" was selected as our summer light read for the book club, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The book is insubstantial and, quite frankly, not very entertaining. While I was hoping for a delightful and engaging story, what I got was more like a bland sandwich with no real flavour. The characters lacked depth, the plot was thin and there was little to keep me hooked. It felt like biting into a sandwich with too much bread and not enough filling. If you're looking for a light read that still packs some punch, you might want to skip this one. It's a one-star from me, and I’ll be looking for something more satisfying next time.
TBRdiary_
Apr 11, 2026
7/10 stars
I adored Catherine Newman’s writing, with comedy sprinkled into some very serious topics. The humor is the reason I’m giving the book a 7. Truthfully, I didn’t think this story had a solid plot. Rocky goes through menopause and is reminiscent of her motherhood. I couldn’t understand her deep rooted hatred for her husband, where she spoke of how perfect he was but despised him nonetheless. There was no resolution to their love story which was aggravating It was a nice story about a very loving family, but don’t expect to get much else out of it. Except that Rocky is a bit of a narcissist.

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