Okay, let's be real for a second. Everyone—and I mean everyone, including Reese Witherspoon—pitched this as the ultimate "summer beach read." I saw the cover, I saw "Cape Cod," and I thought: Perfect. A nice, breezy romance to listen to while I scrub crayon off the wall.
I was wrong. So wrong.
This isn't a beach read. It's a storm.
The "Old Money" Voice
First off, Nan McNamara (the narrator) has this voice that just screams "Old Money." You know the type? It's crisp, elegant, and sounds like she's never had to fish a Goldfish cracker out of a car seat. It worked perfectly for Elle, the main character—kept me grounded when the timeline started jumping around.
Laurel Lefkow gave me that same chilly, unsettling pull in The Little Friend, so apparently she specializes in making me ignore laundry.And it does jump. A lot. We're doing 24 hours in the present, then flashing back 50 years. Listening to this while navigating the school drop-off line required more brainpower than I usually have at 8 AM. I had to rewind a few times because I got lost between the "Now" and the "Then." (Though, to be fair, that might've been because Sophie was screaming for her iPad.)
Not Your Average Love Triangle
Here's the thing—and I need to warn you because the marketing kind of glossed over this—this book is dark.
I went in expecting a Notebook-style "who will she choose?" dilemma. Instead, I got hit with childhood trauma, secrets that made my stomach turn, and some seriously heavy family dysfunction. There are moments that are genuinely hard to listen to. I found myself pausing it in the garage just to take a breath before walking into the chaos of my house.
It's beautifully written—the descriptions of the pond and the house are gorgeous—but it's heavy. If you're looking for a happy escape where everything is tied up with a bow? Run away. This isn't it.
Weirdly, Pontoon also taught me not to trust water on a cover, because apparently lakes and ponds are where families go to unravel.Who This Is (and Isn't) For
Skip this if you need light and breezy right now, or if you're sensitive to depictions of childhood trauma. But if you want something that'll grab you by the throat and not let go—something to feel during those rare quiet moments—this one delivers.
Sitting in the Garage, Staring at Nothing
Did I finish it? Yes. In about three days. Because despite the heaviness, I had to know what happened. It's addictive. Messy, uncomfortable, and addictive.
The ending though... (I won't spoil it). But let's just say I sat in my car for a full ten minutes after the audio stopped, staring at the garage door, feeling a mix of "Wow" and "Are you kidding me?"
It's a solid listen, but make sure you're in the right headspace. This isn't for the "I just need to smile" days. This is for the "I need to feel something other than exhaustion" days.
