Sandwich by Catherine Newman is like reading a middle-aged woman’s diary. Had I read this ten years ago, I wouldn’t have identified. Now pushing fifty, I empathized with a lot.

Rocky is with her husband, daughter, son and his girlfriend at their cottage in the Cape for their annual summer vacation. The story takes place during the week of the trip.

It is full of the nostalgia and routines that make a family trip special. During the week, she discovers that her son’s girlfriend is pregnant. She also contemplates her own pregnancies, including two that ended in miscarriage.

Her parents visit for their usual two nights as well, which alerts the family to her mom’s health worries after she passes out at the beach.

Family dynamics are an important part of the story, but even more is the intense love and constant concern for one’s children during all ages and stages and one’s parents. All told, this is a story exploring a menopausal woman with a lot on her mind.