Tom Lake: A Novel

Tom Lake — a #1 New York Times Bestseller and Reese’s Book Club Pick — is a tender and insightful novel by Ann Patchett, exploring love, family, and memory with her signature grace.

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to their family orchard in Northern Michigan. As they pick cherries, Lara shares the story of her youthful romance with Peter Duke, a now-famous actor she once performed with at Tom Lake. Through her recollections, her daughters begin to see their mother—and themselves—in a new light.

Both nostalgic and hopeful, Tom Lake reflects on youthful passion, enduring love, and the quiet beauty of ordinary happiness, even as the world shifts around us. With lyrical prose and emotional depth, Patchett reminds readers why she remains one of America’s most beloved storytellers.