Early in the pandemic when all we could do was hunker down in our familial pods and hope for the best, unexpected time with loved ones provided a space unlike others. This is where Ann Patchett's Tom Lake begins. The entire book unravels the story of a young love affair. Lara's romance with the famous actor Peter Duke is family lore but her three grown daughters have never heard the entire tale start to finish. When the girls come home in spring 2020 to northern Michigan, Lara shares (most of) the details as they pick cherries on the family farm. Tom Lake is Patchett at her finest. She has crafted a superb story of family and belonging that is extremely satisfying to read.