Free Audiobook : Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett

Spring 2020, and a family’s cherry farm becomes a bubble against the world’s chaos in "Tom Lake" by Ann Patchett. Lara’s got her three daughters back home, hands deep in the harvest, when they start prodding her for the juicy stuff, the time she ran with a soon-to-be-famous actor named Peter Duke. What starts as a distraction from the pandemic turns into a slow unraveling of a summer that shaped her, and maybe them too, in ways they’re only now piecing together.

You’ll slip into Lara’s memories of Tom Lake, a theater spot where she fell hard and fast, chasing dreams and a guy who burned bright. Patchett paints it vivid but gentle, letting Meryl Streep’s voice carry you through the highs and lows like she’s telling it just for you. The daughters interrupt, question, laugh, and it’s that back-and-forth that makes it feel alive, like you’re eavesdropping on a real family sorting through their history.

This isn’t a race to some big reveal, it’s a stroll through love, youth, and the choices that stick with us. Patchett keeps it grounded, letting the orchard and the quiet moments do as much talking as the words. For anyone who craves a story that feels like a memory you didn’t know you had, this audiobook’s a gem that’ll stay with you long after the last cherry’s picked.