Tom Lake was a cozy read in all of its simplicity. When it came to the writing, storytelling, characters, and even conflict, nothing felt too deep or lasting -- but in a way, this made the reading experience very comforting. Its lightheartedness was a new perspective from the books I usually read -- which was refreshing -- but my greatest critique was that I couldn't help but dislike Lara (the main character) to a certain extent. Her point-of-view didn't feel too likable as she narrated and reflected with an air of overconfidence and cockiness. Her gratefulness for her family and her farm felt a little too American-cliche and there were too many parts of the story that centered around how much she appreciated her little life during the pandemic. This part of the storytelling was too modern / realistic to me...I rolled my eyes a little bit imagining the scene of a woman just enjoying a global pandemic on the farm with her picture perfect family. It was disappointing too to see how Lara interacts with the infamous Peter Duke, her famous ex-boyfriend, but I felt like the relationship was very shallow and forgettable. I can see how this book excels with the context of its genre, but as a book on its own, it felt like a beach read you could buy at the grocery store.