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Lake Effect
It’s 1977 and an air of restlessness has settled on the residents of Cambridge Road in Rochester, New York. When Nina Larkin is given a copy of The Joy of Sex by her newly divorced friend, she can no longer dismiss the nearly non-existent intimacy of her marriage. Just as her oldest child, Clara, is falling in love for the first time, Nina finds herself longing for the a midlife awakening. An intoxicating fling with a neighbour brings Nina a freedom she never thought possible—but also risks the reputations of both families and unravels Clara’s world, just as she stands on the threshold of adulthood.
Years later, Clara, now a successful food stylist in New York City, has never been able to move past the long-ago scandal. Drawn back home by the pull of a family wedding and wrestling with her own demons, she makes a pivotal decision that turns her life upside down.
Written with Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s signature humor and insight, LAKE EFFECT is a wise and probing look at love and desire, mothers and daughters, loss and grief, and what we owe the people we love most.
Years later, Clara, now a successful food stylist in New York City, has never been able to move past the long-ago scandal. Drawn back home by the pull of a family wedding and wrestling with her own demons, she makes a pivotal decision that turns her life upside down.
Written with Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney’s signature humor and insight, LAKE EFFECT is a wise and probing look at love and desire, mothers and daughters, loss and grief, and what we owe the people we love most.
448 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2026
About the author
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
3 books2,281 followersCynthia D’Aprix Sweeney is the New York Times bestselling author of The Nest, which has been translated into more than 25 languages and optioned for film by Amazon Studios with Sweeney writing the adaptation. She has an MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,256 reviews
April 12, 2026
4 family drama ⭐️s
The Goodreads blurb gives too much away as is often the case in my opinion.
Lake Effect starts in 1977, when Nina Larkin’s midlife awakening leads to a passionate affair with her neighbor. The ripple effect of this decision deeply impacts both families, longtime friends and neighbors living on the same suburban street in Rochester, NY.
Spanning twenty years and told through multiple perspectives, we follow the aftermath of Nina’s choice. It’s a realistic, relatable family saga where nothing is ever entirely black and white. Despite the large cast, each character feels well developed and authentically flawed. Even for the characters I genuinely didn’t like, the author did a great job providing the context needed to understand their actions.
As always, Marin Ireland’s narration was phenomenal, delivering just the right amount of emotion without overdoing it.
This was my first by this author, and I’ll definitely be checking out her backlist.
Now available. My thanks to Harper Audio Adult via NetGalley for my ALC. 🎧
The Goodreads blurb gives too much away as is often the case in my opinion.
Lake Effect starts in 1977, when Nina Larkin’s midlife awakening leads to a passionate affair with her neighbor. The ripple effect of this decision deeply impacts both families, longtime friends and neighbors living on the same suburban street in Rochester, NY.
Spanning twenty years and told through multiple perspectives, we follow the aftermath of Nina’s choice. It’s a realistic, relatable family saga where nothing is ever entirely black and white. Despite the large cast, each character feels well developed and authentically flawed. Even for the characters I genuinely didn’t like, the author did a great job providing the context needed to understand their actions.
As always, Marin Ireland’s narration was phenomenal, delivering just the right amount of emotion without overdoing it.
This was my first by this author, and I’ll definitely be checking out her backlist.
Now available. My thanks to Harper Audio Adult via NetGalley for my ALC. 🎧
Read
February 16, 2026I'm happy to share this is our April 2026 Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club selection and author Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney will be joining us for a chat! This domestic novel unfolds in three parts: in 1977, two families who live across the street from each other in Rochester, New York dissemble and reassemble practically overnight. Neighbors Nina and Finn, unhappy in their respective marriages, divorce their spouses and remarry each other, leaving their teenage kids aghast and angry. Flash forward to 1994, when the now-grown children continue to struggle with the long-lasting aftershocks of that betrayal. And in 1998, the family comes together to confront a crisis and finally attempt to heal old wounds. I loved this for its perceptive family dynamics, realistic portrayal of what it looks like to turn your life upside down, and culinary details galore, including one chapter told entirely as a 1990s Food TV episode transcript. Recommended for fans of Anne Tyler and Sweeney's Good Company.
March 22, 2026
It’s 1977, an era of sexual awakenings, and two families, the Finnegans and the Larkins, are torn apart due to an affair and subsequent marriage.
I live on Lake Erie, an area where lake effect snow is an unpredictable weather phenomena that can dump a ton of snow in one area while leaving nearby areas untouched.
It’s the perfect metaphor for this story. The lake effect that occurs in this neighborhood as a result of choices Nina & Finn make, dumped an epic storm on their families and the repercussions last for decades.
If you are looking for sympathetic characters you won’t find them here. It isn’t so much what they did, as how they did it. The effects on the children in particular, were deep.
Yet, I found myself becoming frustrated with the characters, especially Clara. There’s a point in everyone’s life where you have to take ownership for your life and decisions, and move past parental blame.
Do I know people like this? Yes, of course. But I don’t want to read an entire book about them.
My other quibble is the book opens in the late 1970’s but it felt more like the 1950’s, or earlier. I’m old enough to clearly remember the era. Amphetamine prescriptions for weight loss were most prevalent from the 1940s to the late ‘60s, not the ‘70s. The sexual revolution occurred in the 1960s, yet the characters in this book were aghast and clutching their pearls at the book, The Joy of Sex. Divorce rates skyrocketed and it no longer held the stigma it once did.
All of this to say, I failed to engage with this novel on multiple levels and found it fair at best.
The best part of the experience was it was a buddy read with Marialyce and, as always, we had a great time venting about it.
I really enjoyed the author’s book, GOOD COMPANY, and found THE NEST to just be ok. Perhaps this is just not the author for me.
Marin Ireland's excellent narration made it all a little more bearable. She's a favorite!
* I received a digital audiobook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I live on Lake Erie, an area where lake effect snow is an unpredictable weather phenomena that can dump a ton of snow in one area while leaving nearby areas untouched.
It’s the perfect metaphor for this story. The lake effect that occurs in this neighborhood as a result of choices Nina & Finn make, dumped an epic storm on their families and the repercussions last for decades.
If you are looking for sympathetic characters you won’t find them here. It isn’t so much what they did, as how they did it. The effects on the children in particular, were deep.
Yet, I found myself becoming frustrated with the characters, especially Clara. There’s a point in everyone’s life where you have to take ownership for your life and decisions, and move past parental blame.
Do I know people like this? Yes, of course. But I don’t want to read an entire book about them.
My other quibble is the book opens in the late 1970’s but it felt more like the 1950’s, or earlier. I’m old enough to clearly remember the era. Amphetamine prescriptions for weight loss were most prevalent from the 1940s to the late ‘60s, not the ‘70s. The sexual revolution occurred in the 1960s, yet the characters in this book were aghast and clutching their pearls at the book, The Joy of Sex. Divorce rates skyrocketed and it no longer held the stigma it once did.
All of this to say, I failed to engage with this novel on multiple levels and found it fair at best.
The best part of the experience was it was a buddy read with Marialyce and, as always, we had a great time venting about it.
I really enjoyed the author’s book, GOOD COMPANY, and found THE NEST to just be ok. Perhaps this is just not the author for me.
Marin Ireland's excellent narration made it all a little more bearable. She's a favorite!
* I received a digital audiobook via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
March 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 Fiction)
The synopsis that I read and the book I experienced are totally different in my humble opinion! This book is really a slice of life in the 1970s. You’re dropped into a suburb of Rochester, NY, in the winter of 1977, alternating POVs and stories about the families that make up this suburb, all culminating around one scandal that rocks the community and its repercussions.
There’s heavy subject matter that took me by surprise. It’s all handled well, and it’s an exceptionally good domestic fiction novel.
Love, grief, family drama, and family trauma are all wrapped up in this satisfying story.
Best paired with the tropical punch that Nina sips at the beach. The drink is described as coral colored liquid adorned with fat wedges of pineapple. Swipe for a recipe from AllRecipes that looks like it would fit the bill!
The synopsis that I read and the book I experienced are totally different in my humble opinion! This book is really a slice of life in the 1970s. You’re dropped into a suburb of Rochester, NY, in the winter of 1977, alternating POVs and stories about the families that make up this suburb, all culminating around one scandal that rocks the community and its repercussions.
There’s heavy subject matter that took me by surprise. It’s all handled well, and it’s an exceptionally good domestic fiction novel.
Love, grief, family drama, and family trauma are all wrapped up in this satisfying story.
Best paired with the tropical punch that Nina sips at the beach. The drink is described as coral colored liquid adorned with fat wedges of pineapple. Swipe for a recipe from AllRecipes that looks like it would fit the bill!
March 16, 2026
liked but didn’t love! a solid quick read but forgettable long term. this was good on audio (narrated by Marin Ireland) and a messy, neighborhood/family drama.
i think I preferred THE NEST a bit more but i’d still recommend this to readers! it was easy, grabbed me quickly and I liked the drama. it just didn’t hit emotionally with me and with so many characters, i felt half connected to them all to really LOVE the sorry.
i honestly am not sure how i feel about the ending… (the plot w the sisters). i never saw it coming and it just didn’t seem to fit to me?!
TLDR: easy, interesting drama and good on audio but not a MUST read in my opinion! there’s stronger neighborhood/family dramas out there.
i think I preferred THE NEST a bit more but i’d still recommend this to readers! it was easy, grabbed me quickly and I liked the drama. it just didn’t hit emotionally with me and with so many characters, i felt half connected to them all to really LOVE the sorry.
i honestly am not sure how i feel about the ending… (the plot w the sisters). i never saw it coming and it just didn’t seem to fit to me?!
TLDR: easy, interesting drama and good on audio but not a MUST read in my opinion! there’s stronger neighborhood/family dramas out there.
April 11, 2026
A true family drama, as two families torn apart and must now learn how to put the pieces back together.
It’s the 1970’s and we meet to two families as they navigate through their lives. It’s the typical but always daunting pressures of midlife crisis and teenage first loves. We follow these characters through their choices, consequences and challenges.
This book/audio kept me engaged throughout. I sympathized with a few of the characters and grew frustrated with others. The perfect balance for a book about…life.
I listened to the audio and of course Marin Ireland delivered a stellar performance.
✍️ Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
🎧 8 hours and 55 minutes
🎤 Marin Ireland
🗓️ Anticipated release date: 2026
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Historical fiction, contemporary, family drama
Thank you to libro.fm and Ecco Publishing
It’s the 1970’s and we meet to two families as they navigate through their lives. It’s the typical but always daunting pressures of midlife crisis and teenage first loves. We follow these characters through their choices, consequences and challenges.
This book/audio kept me engaged throughout. I sympathized with a few of the characters and grew frustrated with others. The perfect balance for a book about…life.
I listened to the audio and of course Marin Ireland delivered a stellar performance.
✍️ Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney
🎧 8 hours and 55 minutes
🎤 Marin Ireland
🗓️ Anticipated release date: 2026
📈 4/5🌟🌟🌟🌟
👉 Historical fiction, contemporary, family drama
Thank you to libro.fm and Ecco Publishing
March 23, 2026
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney is a rarity: a novelist who has both a profound understanding of the hopes and fears that power the human heart AND spectacular comedic timing. I loved this novel: it was, in countless ways, the perfect novel for me. Two close families are dramatically changed in 1978 when the husband of one and the wife of the other realize how deeply and madly in love they are, leading to -- super shock in Rochester, NY in 1978 -- two divorces in one tony neighborhood. The four adults, their four children, are both complex and -- again, super shock, given how usually my jam is dread -- likable. I adored them all, and savored watching how these two divorces would change everything (including the high school production of "Godspell"). Also, wow, did D'Aprix Sweeeney stick the landing. I went from laughing at a daughter changing the size tags of a dress in a department store to accommodate her mother's self-delusion, to weeping at the ways even the most imperfect families can sometimes figure it all out. Just a banger of a book.
March 18, 2026
3.5, rounded down
Adultery, divorce, marriage, and a family angst-fest after that. After all, how could kids be hunky-dory when their parents split? If you’re looking for juicy descriptions of secret trysts, you won’t find it here. This is all about aftermath.
This book is about two families who live across the street from each other and are entwined. There are vivid and realistic characters and interesting family dynamics. No schmaltz, and no over-the-top antics.
Weird, there’s an interesting gay character whose relationships are really similar to a character in another book I read recently. So there’s a part of the story that is a little predictable and ho-hum—but only because I had just heard it before.
As I’m writing this, I realize I don’t have a lot to say about the book! I did like to pick it up and I was never bored. And I was curious about how it would end. I liked that we got to see the teens as adults, too, as the book starts in the 1970s and then skips to the 1990s. Always fun to see who the characters become as adults, and to see what they do with their emotional baggage.
One nit: there is a short chapter that’s a transcript of a food show, in play format! Besides being boring and odd, what the hell is it doing in this otherwise well-edited story? It doesn’t belong! The main character says something of note (one little sentence), but that could have been conveyed somewhere else in the story in a better way. Otherwise, the language is straightforward and the plot is clean and well-paced.
I wasn’t crazy about the actions of the main mom—she seemed selfish. I realized I was annoyed at her and felt zero sympathy for her. I did like the men okay and liked the four kids a lot.
There’s a typo when the wrong name is used, twice in one paragraph. It was confusing and made me do a double-take, and I had to hit Search to see if I had forgotten a character. I was reading an advance copy, and I hope hope hope the error was caught before publication.
I expected to like the book more. But it comes on the tails of a book where the language sings, and here we have no jazz and no metaphors, just plain old sentences that are fine but not special.
A decent family drama that held my interest, but I don’t think it will stick with me. Better than 3 stars for sure, so I’m giving it a 3.5. The book seems popular, so I think it’s just me being spoiled by my previous book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for the advance copy.
Adultery, divorce, marriage, and a family angst-fest after that. After all, how could kids be hunky-dory when their parents split? If you’re looking for juicy descriptions of secret trysts, you won’t find it here. This is all about aftermath.
This book is about two families who live across the street from each other and are entwined. There are vivid and realistic characters and interesting family dynamics. No schmaltz, and no over-the-top antics.
Weird, there’s an interesting gay character whose relationships are really similar to a character in another book I read recently. So there’s a part of the story that is a little predictable and ho-hum—but only because I had just heard it before.
As I’m writing this, I realize I don’t have a lot to say about the book! I did like to pick it up and I was never bored. And I was curious about how it would end. I liked that we got to see the teens as adults, too, as the book starts in the 1970s and then skips to the 1990s. Always fun to see who the characters become as adults, and to see what they do with their emotional baggage.
One nit: there is a short chapter that’s a transcript of a food show, in play format! Besides being boring and odd, what the hell is it doing in this otherwise well-edited story? It doesn’t belong! The main character says something of note (one little sentence), but that could have been conveyed somewhere else in the story in a better way. Otherwise, the language is straightforward and the plot is clean and well-paced.
I wasn’t crazy about the actions of the main mom—she seemed selfish. I realized I was annoyed at her and felt zero sympathy for her. I did like the men okay and liked the four kids a lot.
There’s a typo when the wrong name is used, twice in one paragraph. It was confusing and made me do a double-take, and I had to hit Search to see if I had forgotten a character. I was reading an advance copy, and I hope hope hope the error was caught before publication.
I expected to like the book more. But it comes on the tails of a book where the language sings, and here we have no jazz and no metaphors, just plain old sentences that are fine but not special.
A decent family drama that held my interest, but I don’t think it will stick with me. Better than 3 stars for sure, so I’m giving it a 3.5. The book seems popular, so I think it’s just me being spoiled by my previous book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Edelweiss for the advance copy.
March 21, 2026
I guess another name for this book would be Adults Behaving Badly.
So drawn out with years of non forgiveness and two families with what seemed not a bit of common sense or concern for one another.
The characters were so impacted by a divorce and remarriage.
This was a huge bust for me as I had such a time trying to reconcile how the characters were so childish in their lives. Should not a group of adults act like adults and not like teens sneaking away from their parental responsibilities to answer their own wants? 🤷♀️
I liked this author's Good Company, but for this story I really could not reconcile the characters behaviors. Even the children grown to adulthood acted "childish" as through the divorce and remarriage was a pit so deep, they just couldn't seem to move beyond it.
So this story was one that was not for me.
Jan and I had good frustrated fun with this one! 😐
So drawn out with years of non forgiveness and two families with what seemed not a bit of common sense or concern for one another.
The characters were so impacted by a divorce and remarriage.
This was a huge bust for me as I had such a time trying to reconcile how the characters were so childish in their lives. Should not a group of adults act like adults and not like teens sneaking away from their parental responsibilities to answer their own wants? 🤷♀️
I liked this author's Good Company, but for this story I really could not reconcile the characters behaviors. Even the children grown to adulthood acted "childish" as through the divorce and remarriage was a pit so deep, they just couldn't seem to move beyond it.
So this story was one that was not for me.
Jan and I had good frustrated fun with this one! 😐
September 17, 2025
This novel is a tour de force of complex family relationships. There is so much to unpackage when two married people choose to have an affair and subsequently leave their families for quick divorces and equally quick nuptials. The ramifications of their decisions unfold over the next two decades – all seen from the perspectives of the couple, their betrayed spouses, and their respective children.
The sensitivity and compassion displayed by the author in exploring the emotional spectrum displayed by the characters is remarkable and accurate. What makes the novel even more remarkable is the cultural milieu of the times – 1977 through 1998 in a traditional family neighborhood rooted in Catholicism. The consequences have both personal and social overtones.
I found the characters appealing and relatable – even in their darkest moments. The writing style is engaging and the pacing kept me reading long into the night. Overall, this is a well-crafted historical novel that delivers a rich and satisfying experience.
My appreciation to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The sensitivity and compassion displayed by the author in exploring the emotional spectrum displayed by the characters is remarkable and accurate. What makes the novel even more remarkable is the cultural milieu of the times – 1977 through 1998 in a traditional family neighborhood rooted in Catholicism. The consequences have both personal and social overtones.
I found the characters appealing and relatable – even in their darkest moments. The writing style is engaging and the pacing kept me reading long into the night. Overall, this is a well-crafted historical novel that delivers a rich and satisfying experience.
My appreciation to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a huge fan of Cynthia D-Aprix Sweeney's Good Company, I jumped at the chance to read an advance copy of Lake Effect which has been chosen as Barnes & Noble's Book Club pick this month.
Lake Effect is a dual timeline family drama that takes place in Rochester, NY in 1977-1978 and 1994-1995. It follows two families who are neighbors: Nina and Sam whose daughters are Clara and Bridie, and Finn and Honey whose children are Dune and Fern. Without giving spoilers, this family drama is a masterful look at adultery, divorce, marriage, coming of age, grief and loss, and much more. It beautifully explores the chaos and comfort of family life. Where Sweeney's writing really shines is in her ability to immerse the reader into the lives of the characters who each have a unique voice and personality. She explores taboo topics in a way that is comfortable and brings more understanding and empathy to the reader. I highly recommend this to lovers of literary fiction.
Marin Ireland is always phenomenal in her audibook performances and this novel is no exception. She has a unique way of tenderly bringing characters to life which has made her one of my favorite narrators to listen to.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Ecco, Harper Audio Adult, and Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney for the gifted advance reader's copy and advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 📚🎧
Lake Effect is a dual timeline family drama that takes place in Rochester, NY in 1977-1978 and 1994-1995. It follows two families who are neighbors: Nina and Sam whose daughters are Clara and Bridie, and Finn and Honey whose children are Dune and Fern. Without giving spoilers, this family drama is a masterful look at adultery, divorce, marriage, coming of age, grief and loss, and much more. It beautifully explores the chaos and comfort of family life. Where Sweeney's writing really shines is in her ability to immerse the reader into the lives of the characters who each have a unique voice and personality. She explores taboo topics in a way that is comfortable and brings more understanding and empathy to the reader. I highly recommend this to lovers of literary fiction.
Marin Ireland is always phenomenal in her audibook performances and this novel is no exception. She has a unique way of tenderly bringing characters to life which has made her one of my favorite narrators to listen to.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Ecco, Harper Audio Adult, and Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney for the gifted advance reader's copy and advance listening copy. All opinions are my own. 📚🎧
February 21, 2026
3.5. When you think of a novel about 70s family drama in privileged-people insular suburbs, what likely topics come to mind? In Family Feud-style scoring, “Survey Says: Divorce!”
Also: adultery, and the backdrop of the sexual revolution. Maybe some flirting with questioning traditional beliefs, roles, and behaviors, and maybe some nascent consciousness-raising efforts around gender, identity, and body image issues. But honestly, a lot of these 70s domestic fiction novels seem to mostly concern that bleak triad of sexual revolution, adultery, and/or divorce. In many ways, I felt this novel was sort of a genteel revamp of The Ice Storm that I unfortunately didn’t need.
Many admire this writer’s work, and I admit to her capability, but there is always something about each of her books that has put me a bit off. Often, it’s the emphasis on so-called rich and pretty people problems, as well as the unsympathetic and emotionally immature adult characters. In this one, I suppose I also had trouble buying into the premise that the parental conflict described would inevitably induce such widespread and lasting tectonic-level generational destabilization. I struggled to make and maintain this connection, and I reluctantly found myself becoming disengaged and bored.
I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s my own generational gap issue, certainly it’s a me problem given the superlative praise this book seems to be garnering, but this very capable and appreciated author’s works just miss the mark for me. I’ve enjoyed books about the 70s, and about generational family dysfunction, and even about divorce, but this wasn’t the one for me. 3.5 rounded up for the objective skill of the writing aside from my personal taste-based objections. Nearly everyone so far seems to have enjoyed this book more than I have, so you might too!
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Ecco for the ARC of this book, which is due out on March 3, 2026!
Also: adultery, and the backdrop of the sexual revolution. Maybe some flirting with questioning traditional beliefs, roles, and behaviors, and maybe some nascent consciousness-raising efforts around gender, identity, and body image issues. But honestly, a lot of these 70s domestic fiction novels seem to mostly concern that bleak triad of sexual revolution, adultery, and/or divorce. In many ways, I felt this novel was sort of a genteel revamp of The Ice Storm that I unfortunately didn’t need.
Many admire this writer’s work, and I admit to her capability, but there is always something about each of her books that has put me a bit off. Often, it’s the emphasis on so-called rich and pretty people problems, as well as the unsympathetic and emotionally immature adult characters. In this one, I suppose I also had trouble buying into the premise that the parental conflict described would inevitably induce such widespread and lasting tectonic-level generational destabilization. I struggled to make and maintain this connection, and I reluctantly found myself becoming disengaged and bored.
I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s my own generational gap issue, certainly it’s a me problem given the superlative praise this book seems to be garnering, but this very capable and appreciated author’s works just miss the mark for me. I’ve enjoyed books about the 70s, and about generational family dysfunction, and even about divorce, but this wasn’t the one for me. 3.5 rounded up for the objective skill of the writing aside from my personal taste-based objections. Nearly everyone so far seems to have enjoyed this book more than I have, so you might too!
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Ecco for the ARC of this book, which is due out on March 3, 2026!
March 13, 2026
I loved Lake Effect, a family drama that begins in the late 1970s, following characters from two neighboring families through the next 20 years as they grapple with a major choice that changes their dynamics with one another.
I was immediately invested in the story though it took me a little while to remember who was who. There were lots of different relationships among the characters. I liked the story but the ending, one I found unexpectedly touching, made me love it.
Lake Effect is the 3rd book I’ve read by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. I’ve enjoyed each one and this is my favorite of them.
Thank you to Ecco Books for providing a gifted copy!
I was immediately invested in the story though it took me a little while to remember who was who. There were lots of different relationships among the characters. I liked the story but the ending, one I found unexpectedly touching, made me love it.
Lake Effect is the 3rd book I’ve read by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. I’ve enjoyed each one and this is my favorite of them.
Thank you to Ecco Books for providing a gifted copy!
March 12, 2026
I know it's early in the year, but it's going to take a lot to dethrone this book as my favorite of 2026!
It begins with a handful of neighbors in upstate NY in the late 1970s and their relationships with one another. Within those relationships, an affair develops. The story takes place at a time when divorce was becoming more prevalent, women started talking about having sex for their own pleasure, and an air of discontentment was settling on those that had been living a life they thought was expected of them, but not necessarily one that they wanted.
The last quarter of the book takes place in the 1990s, when the children impacted by the affair and resulting divorces are adults, and the ramifications of the affair are still prevalent years later.
My enjoyment comes from the outstanding character development in this novel – I love them all in their own ways. They are just so real and flawed and fabulously human. Just when you’re sure you’ve got the villains pegged, one of the character’s back stories is told and changes everything. The POV transitions are so smooth, the writing is divine. A literary fiction family drama for the ages. I’m about to dig into this author’s backlist without a doubt.
It begins with a handful of neighbors in upstate NY in the late 1970s and their relationships with one another. Within those relationships, an affair develops. The story takes place at a time when divorce was becoming more prevalent, women started talking about having sex for their own pleasure, and an air of discontentment was settling on those that had been living a life they thought was expected of them, but not necessarily one that they wanted.
The last quarter of the book takes place in the 1990s, when the children impacted by the affair and resulting divorces are adults, and the ramifications of the affair are still prevalent years later.
My enjoyment comes from the outstanding character development in this novel – I love them all in their own ways. They are just so real and flawed and fabulously human. Just when you’re sure you’ve got the villains pegged, one of the character’s back stories is told and changes everything. The POV transitions are so smooth, the writing is divine. A literary fiction family drama for the ages. I’m about to dig into this author’s backlist without a doubt.
March 7, 2026
Set in Rochester, New York, this novel follows two neighboring couples in the mid-1970s whose marriages are strained by infidelity, dissatisfaction, and the compromises people make over time. It took me nearly fifty pages to fully settle into the story, but once I did, I really appreciated how vividly the author captures the mood and social atmosphere of the 1970s.
The novel later shifts to the couples’ children as young adults in the 1990s, exploring how growing up around troubled marriages shaped them. At times the story felt sad, but very relatable, reminding me how often adults marry for the wrong reasons and then try to make the best of things while raising families.
Some of the most interesting moments come through the character of Honey, whose obsession with dieting and appearance passes a negative body image on to her daughter. That mother-daughter dynamic felt real. Then there’s Nina, whose husband is clearly uninterested in their marriage. After being jokingly given a copy of The Joy of Sex, she eventually has an affair with her neighbor Finn, creating a scandal that ripples through the community and greatly affects the kids.
Despite the melancholy running through it, the novel is also deliciously juicy and often very funny. I ended up liking the later chapters best, when the story shifts to the children and shows how family patterns don’t always have to repeat themselves.
The novel later shifts to the couples’ children as young adults in the 1990s, exploring how growing up around troubled marriages shaped them. At times the story felt sad, but very relatable, reminding me how often adults marry for the wrong reasons and then try to make the best of things while raising families.
Some of the most interesting moments come through the character of Honey, whose obsession with dieting and appearance passes a negative body image on to her daughter. That mother-daughter dynamic felt real. Then there’s Nina, whose husband is clearly uninterested in their marriage. After being jokingly given a copy of The Joy of Sex, she eventually has an affair with her neighbor Finn, creating a scandal that ripples through the community and greatly affects the kids.
Despite the melancholy running through it, the novel is also deliciously juicy and often very funny. I ended up liking the later chapters best, when the story shifts to the children and shows how family patterns don’t always have to repeat themselves.
January 1, 2026
I love family dramas told with nuance- and Lake Effect delivered. The book was also filled with references to Rochester NY. So much of the book rang true and pays homage to the unique culture of our city. The time period of 1977 was perfect and I enjoyed trying to decide if Finnigan’s was a Wegman’s- and how many of the characters were inspired by real Rochesterians. The impact of Nina and Finn’s decision start a new life together reverberated through their children’s lives. Nina was unaware her daughter, Clara, had fallen in love with Finn’s son, Dune. The decision Nina and Finn made to divorce their spouses and marry each other reverberated through their families for years to come. Sweeney also captured the changing social mores around divorce, sex, and the impact of the Catholic Church in Rochester using "The Joy of Sex" as a catalyst. I loved this book - thank you to the publisher for an advance reader copy! I also listened to part of the book via NetGalley and narrator Marion Ireland does a terrific job.
April 19, 2026
Snazzy title and cover though the book itself didn’t deliver as much as I wanted. There’s plenty of drama, including a mother experiencing a midlife sexual awakening, a husband experimenting with his long-masked queerness, and children navigating layers of social and familial alienation. Unfortunately, the prose just felt so dry to me. There were some interesting themes about mothers and daughters and women’s sexual empowerment, though the writing itself was too stale for me to get invested in the characters and their lives. Onto the next read!
February 26, 2026
I have many mixed feelings about this book. It was joyful, touching, sad, thoughtful, and sometimes frustrating. It is well written and introspective with an expansive ensemble of characters. A very good introduction for me to this author, although there were some aspects that left me wanting a little more.
This is truly a character-driven family drama that covers a myriad of topics, events, crises and emotions over the span of some years from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Two families are at the heart of this journey - families that are inextricably tied together from start to finish for so many different reasons. They experience and attempt to manage through infidelity, divorce, remarriage, closeted homosexuality at the onset of AIDS, alcoholism, and more. And they experience it all together.
The different intersections are written as different parts of the book and the play out uniquely. I have to say that Nina, the matriarch of one family, was the character that stood out the most to me. In the 1970s, partly inspired by the book The Joy of Sex but mostly by her own marital unhappiness, she makes a brave decision to leave her husband to marry another man and find happiness. This singular moment has a ripple effect on the two families for decades to come. I thought Nina and Finn’s stories before and after their marriage were well done and the characters nicely developed. I really liked both of them throughout the book.
As the story proceeds in time, the other members of the family are further developed. The later segments felt more rushed to me and had more gaps in the character and story development. As a result, I didn’t feel as emotionally connected to them and they seemed flatter to me. There were sections that seemed key - like a previously existing connection between Bridie and Dune; Dune’s struggles with alcoholism; Clara in general - that were quickly glossed over. This was my primary frustration with the book that left me feeling like there was more I needed to know.
The ending was unexpectedly sad but well done and gave the closure I needed and wanted, albeit at the very last. Overall this is a touching and well written book that I enjoyed, with strong characters and lots of family drama - favorites of mine. I will look to read more by this author!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy and share my thoughts.
This is truly a character-driven family drama that covers a myriad of topics, events, crises and emotions over the span of some years from the 1970s to the late 1990s. Two families are at the heart of this journey - families that are inextricably tied together from start to finish for so many different reasons. They experience and attempt to manage through infidelity, divorce, remarriage, closeted homosexuality at the onset of AIDS, alcoholism, and more. And they experience it all together.
The different intersections are written as different parts of the book and the play out uniquely. I have to say that Nina, the matriarch of one family, was the character that stood out the most to me. In the 1970s, partly inspired by the book The Joy of Sex but mostly by her own marital unhappiness, she makes a brave decision to leave her husband to marry another man and find happiness. This singular moment has a ripple effect on the two families for decades to come. I thought Nina and Finn’s stories before and after their marriage were well done and the characters nicely developed. I really liked both of them throughout the book.
As the story proceeds in time, the other members of the family are further developed. The later segments felt more rushed to me and had more gaps in the character and story development. As a result, I didn’t feel as emotionally connected to them and they seemed flatter to me. There were sections that seemed key - like a previously existing connection between Bridie and Dune; Dune’s struggles with alcoholism; Clara in general - that were quickly glossed over. This was my primary frustration with the book that left me feeling like there was more I needed to know.
The ending was unexpectedly sad but well done and gave the closure I needed and wanted, albeit at the very last. Overall this is a touching and well written book that I enjoyed, with strong characters and lots of family drama - favorites of mine. I will look to read more by this author!
Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy and share my thoughts.
March 27, 2026
This author does an excellent job of portraying family relationships from the late 1970’s to the 1990’s. The novel traces the lives of two “traditional” families – parents and two children in each family. Then the wife of one family and the husband of the other family get together and everyone’s perfect (??!!) little world falls apart. The emotional conflict experienced by the adults and the confusion of the teenage children is very accurately shown. The long and rippling effects of choices made by parents on the lives children are also very clear. The characters are well drawn, and each character (parents and children) relate part of the story from their perspective. As a result, the reader feels the specific emotional impact of the storyline on each of the characters.
What made this novel really work for me were the wonderful descriptions of culture at the time. The reader can fully experience so many things: high school life in the late ‘70’s, the stigma of divorce, the power of the Catholic church, the dominance and fall of Xerox, gay liberation and the AIDS epidemic. (I remember all these things quite well!) Because the reader experienced the story from the perspectives of multiple characters (i.e. different ages and sexes), the cultural aspects of the story felt even more complete and tangible.
I was fully involved in this novel, and I look forward to this author’s next work.
What made this novel really work for me were the wonderful descriptions of culture at the time. The reader can fully experience so many things: high school life in the late ‘70’s, the stigma of divorce, the power of the Catholic church, the dominance and fall of Xerox, gay liberation and the AIDS epidemic. (I remember all these things quite well!) Because the reader experienced the story from the perspectives of multiple characters (i.e. different ages and sexes), the cultural aspects of the story felt even more complete and tangible.
I was fully involved in this novel, and I look forward to this author’s next work.
April 7, 2026
An engaging and insightful family drama spread over several decades starting in the restless 70s and set in Rochester, NY, where, as anyone who lives on one of the Great Lakes knows, weather can be very unpredictable and change completely in minutes (an apt metaphor for the current of events in the book). Rochester was a boomtown in the 70s, home to major American tech and imaging corporations (think Kodak and Xerox), offering a comfortable suburban lifestyle to many. But those were also the early years of the looming wave of divorce and social unrest. Two families who live across one suburban street from each other are torn apart in that wave of unrest, triggered by the gifting of a copy of The Joy of Sex to one unsatisfied housewife, who realizes she wants more than the bleak lack of love and intimacy in her marriage and casts her gaze upon the very attractive married man across the way.
March 7, 2026
What would you do if your mom ran away with your boyfriend's dad?
I talk a lot about cheating on TikTok- some would say it is my brand- and this book still shocked me. A stolen moment, a lifetime of regret, a quickie divorce in the DR, and all of the sudden the book plunges us into the antithesis of American Cheating: everyone knows exactly how this couple got together, it's 1977, and no one is letting them live it down.
The real benefit of the novel is its kaleidoscopic narration style, taking us inside the heads of every single character involved: we watch the car crash happen in slow motion, and the timeskip occurs much later than you'd expect. We get a day by day play by play of the disaster, of the couple returning to the detritus of their lives and how their spouses, friends, and children are all affected.
Fun, messy, smart, tender. The back 20% felt a little condensed- this felt like it should have been a tad longer? But landed the plane beautifully. Gorgeous ending.
I talk a lot about cheating on TikTok- some would say it is my brand- and this book still shocked me. A stolen moment, a lifetime of regret, a quickie divorce in the DR, and all of the sudden the book plunges us into the antithesis of American Cheating: everyone knows exactly how this couple got together, it's 1977, and no one is letting them live it down.
The real benefit of the novel is its kaleidoscopic narration style, taking us inside the heads of every single character involved: we watch the car crash happen in slow motion, and the timeskip occurs much later than you'd expect. We get a day by day play by play of the disaster, of the couple returning to the detritus of their lives and how their spouses, friends, and children are all affected.
Fun, messy, smart, tender. The back 20% felt a little condensed- this felt like it should have been a tad longer? But landed the plane beautifully. Gorgeous ending.
March 5, 2026
What a fantastic heartfelt family story. I loved the narrator. I've listened to a few other books she's narrated and she's excellent. Two families who are changed by one lovestruck decision. Two married neighbors end up getting divorced and marrying each other. Starting in the late 70’s in Rochester NY and continuing for the next two decades as these families deal with the consequences of their decisions. I really enjoyed these characters and the way the author made you care about them. They were relatable, flawed, and felt real. I found the whole thing to be very engaging and well written. If you like family sagas, you'll most likely enjoy this one. I definitely did!
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
September 14, 2025
I’m not at all surprised by how much I enjoyed this book! I’m a big fan of family dramas that span generations, and this one grabbed me from the very beginning.
What sets this book apart is the intricate exploration of the adults’ marriages, which are unlike any other I’ve read. Additionally, witnessing the story unfold through the lives of their children—both during their formative years and later in their adulthood—provided an enriching reading experience.
This book certainly gives me vibes of Mary Beth Keene’s writing style, so if you’re a fan of her novels, you won’t want to miss out on this one when it releases in March 2026!
What sets this book apart is the intricate exploration of the adults’ marriages, which are unlike any other I’ve read. Additionally, witnessing the story unfold through the lives of their children—both during their formative years and later in their adulthood—provided an enriching reading experience.
This book certainly gives me vibes of Mary Beth Keene’s writing style, so if you’re a fan of her novels, you won’t want to miss out on this one when it releases in March 2026!
March 8, 2026
3.5
The beginning felt slightly flat/ drawn out. Once past the initial conflict, the character development really took off. The second half was much more engaging and kept me hooked until the end.
The beginning felt slightly flat/ drawn out. Once past the initial conflict, the character development really took off. The second half was much more engaging and kept me hooked until the end.
March 9, 2026
A decades long family drama, which is something I’m always drawn to. If you’re looking for a decent family novel that you could finish in a day, this is the perfect one for you. There are times where I wanted more, but the story wraps up nicely.
Did Not Finish
March 12, 2026NO: A book I borrowed from the library to try before I buy (tired buying hundreds books and hating half)
I do not rate these “tested”
books. This is really for me. I will not be buying, reading borrowing this book.
I read first ch or more -first 10-100 pages skim around at times. I read many of my GR friend’s reviews. This is what I did and didn’t like:
Ok cover
I read several reviews. This plot isn’t for me.
I do not rate these “tested”
books. This is really for me. I will not be buying, reading borrowing this book.
I read first ch or more -first 10-100 pages skim around at times. I read many of my GR friend’s reviews. This is what I did and didn’t like:
Ok cover
I read several reviews. This plot isn’t for me.
March 10, 2026
Loved all the IYKYK references to western new york and the writing. I couldn't put it down.
March 9, 2026
Rambling. No meaningful focus. Too much telling and not showing (especially in the last third). Flat characters. Half-baked storylines. Forced (and frankly) weird reconciliations.
Shitty people doing shitty things to each other with no resolution.
Seriously, Dune and Bridie?? Dune using the Butch line indiscriminately? No real conversation with Clara? In the end, I was left thinking ‘what was the point?’
Shitty people doing shitty things to each other with no resolution.
Seriously, Dune and Bridie?? Dune using the Butch line indiscriminately? No real conversation with Clara? In the end, I was left thinking ‘what was the point?’
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️ 3.5/5.
Happy publication day to this well written and relatable family drama by the author of THE NEST. The novel takes place in the 1970s and centers around two families who live across the street from each other. When neighbors Nina and Finn realize that they are in love and decide to divorce their spouses via a quick trip to the Dominican Republic, the scandal rocks both families. Sweeney examines the long-lasting aftereffects of their affair through the POV of all of the family members.
This is a very readable novel and I think it will be popular with a wide swath of readers!
Happy publication day to this well written and relatable family drama by the author of THE NEST. The novel takes place in the 1970s and centers around two families who live across the street from each other. When neighbors Nina and Finn realize that they are in love and decide to divorce their spouses via a quick trip to the Dominican Republic, the scandal rocks both families. Sweeney examines the long-lasting aftereffects of their affair through the POV of all of the family members.
This is a very readable novel and I think it will be popular with a wide swath of readers!
March 21, 2026
The Larkin and Finnegan families - next-door neighbors - are quietly simmering long before things boil over. Both households have teenage children, and Nina Larkin, in particular, wakes up one day with a startling sense of emptiness, a feeling that her life lacks purpose. Lacks passion. That realization becomes the spark that sets everything in motion. Before long, what begins as a personal reckoning turns into something much larger, and scandal ripples through their town.
The title Lake Effect is especially fitting. Set in Rochester, New York, the phrase refers to sudden, often chaotic weather shifts. This is exactly what is mirrored as this story unfolds. A decision made by Nina and their neighbor Finn Finnegan creates a storm neither family is prepared for. Interestingly, it all begins with something as simple as a tantalizing book gifted to Nina, which nudges her toward acting on desires she may have long kept buried.
As Nina and Finn’s lives begin to change, the fallout - the “lake effect” - spreads quickly, destabilizing both families. The structure they’ve built their lives on starts to crack. From there, the story widens, particularly focusing on Nina’s family and, in dual-timeline fashion, on how Nina’s choices deeply affect her eldest daughter, Clara.
While Nina ultimately finds the sense of fulfillment she had been missing, the same cannot be said for those around her. Clara’s journey is especially compelling. We see her both as a teenager grappling with the immediate aftermath and as an adult who has worked hard to process and accept what happened. Now living in New York City and finding success as a food stylist, Clara has built a life far removed from her past. Returning home is the last thing she wants. However, there is now a wedding on the horizon, and now Clara is forced to confront old wounds she thought she’d left behind.
The audiobook narration by Marin Ireland adds an extra layer of depth to the story. She captures the emotional intensity beautifully, bringing out not only Nina’s internal struggles but also the lasting impact on her daughters - especially Clara - whose story carries much of the emotional weight.
Lake Effect is a thoughtful and emotionally charged exploration of choices, their consequences, and the profound impact of a single moment of change. Ultimately, this story lingers in my mind, leaving a lasting impression with its compelling ending.
Many thanks to Ecco and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
The title Lake Effect is especially fitting. Set in Rochester, New York, the phrase refers to sudden, often chaotic weather shifts. This is exactly what is mirrored as this story unfolds. A decision made by Nina and their neighbor Finn Finnegan creates a storm neither family is prepared for. Interestingly, it all begins with something as simple as a tantalizing book gifted to Nina, which nudges her toward acting on desires she may have long kept buried.
As Nina and Finn’s lives begin to change, the fallout - the “lake effect” - spreads quickly, destabilizing both families. The structure they’ve built their lives on starts to crack. From there, the story widens, particularly focusing on Nina’s family and, in dual-timeline fashion, on how Nina’s choices deeply affect her eldest daughter, Clara.
While Nina ultimately finds the sense of fulfillment she had been missing, the same cannot be said for those around her. Clara’s journey is especially compelling. We see her both as a teenager grappling with the immediate aftermath and as an adult who has worked hard to process and accept what happened. Now living in New York City and finding success as a food stylist, Clara has built a life far removed from her past. Returning home is the last thing she wants. However, there is now a wedding on the horizon, and now Clara is forced to confront old wounds she thought she’d left behind.
The audiobook narration by Marin Ireland adds an extra layer of depth to the story. She captures the emotional intensity beautifully, bringing out not only Nina’s internal struggles but also the lasting impact on her daughters - especially Clara - whose story carries much of the emotional weight.
Lake Effect is a thoughtful and emotionally charged exploration of choices, their consequences, and the profound impact of a single moment of change. Ultimately, this story lingers in my mind, leaving a lasting impression with its compelling ending.
Many thanks to Ecco and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
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