I loved this book! I listened to the audiobook performed by Meryl Streep and think that every audiobook should be performed by Meryl Streep. I know she already has so many Oscars, but she deserves an Audie Award for this reading.

Ok, so not only is Meryl Streep a great audiobook performer, but Ann Patchett’s latest novel, “Tom Lake” was a superb story. It is the story of an actress who thrived as Emily in a local production of “Our Town” in New Hampshire, who then goes on to Hollywood to become a star, and then spent a summer at Tom Lake reprising the role with a group of aspiring actors and established actors during a memorable summer in her early 20s. A time when there aren’t any commitments holding you down and you are still thinking about what you might want to do with your life. The possibilities are endless.

The story is told by Lara as a grown woman, with most of her life decisions already made, married with three children, living on a cherry orchard in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Her own 20-something daughters have returned to their family home during COVID with some of the same questions and decisions to make, but want to hear the story again, of that one summer, when their mother had a summer fling with celebrity Peter Duke at Tom Lake.

Ann Patchett’s writing is exquisite. The tale she weaves and her delivery withholding key parts until just the right moment keep you in constant suspense until the big reveal. It is a wonderful read. It is a non-traditional romance with all of the elements that suck you in to a romance novel. I felt like I was reading a modern novel by Jane Austen, except much more “readable” (if that’s a word). It wasn’t difficult to understand or to stay engaged. While it isn’t a thriller, Patchett keeps you hanging on the edge of the seat as details are made known.

Another aspect I enjoyed was her character development, especially of her daughters pining for more information and the juicy details. As a father of three, two of which are girls, I appreciate their interesting need to understand and listen a story of their past, or their connection to my past. I want to move forward and see what’s coming next, but they want to understand what came before. They want to understand the “family lore.”

This was an excellent book, that I thoroughly enjoyed and heartily recommend. It might be my favorite book that came out this year so far. If you have a chance, go get a copy, especially if you have the ability to listen to the audiobook, you won’t be disappointed.

Get a copy of “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett on Amazon here.