The Sweet Spot: A Novel

Amy Poeppel is fantastic at creating likable characters and the craziest situations. The Sweet Spot is chaotic in a great way--an artist mother trying to fulfill a huge pottery order while dealing with three kids, a deep-thoughts-kind-of-husband, and a large untrained dog; a professorial father who is genuinely curious, supportive, and willing to try the craziest science experiments with his kid; the owner of the bar downstairs from this family; his daughter, who babysits for the kids after losing her job. And then we have the woman who is pregnant by a married man and that married man's ex-wife. When the woman has her baby, all hell breaks loose. Somehow Poeppel brings all of them and all of this together in a way that is crazy, funny, and touching. A fun lighthearted book.

This story has true heart. It took me a little while to get into all of the characters and the storyline, but it progressed so beautifully that it was a true joy to read.

Second book I’ve read this week in which the book jacket description did not do it justice. The Sweet Spot is such a lovely story about the complications of relationships and the work we put into them. Lauren and Leo and their three kids and dog have recently moved into Leo’s dad’s brownstone in Greenwich Village from their tiny apartment in Brooklyn. They’re harried and hassled and loud and loving. Lauren designs quirky ceramics and has been tapped by a high end store to sell her product. Leo is a college professor and honestly, the most lovable father/husband character I’ve ever read. Leo invites Lauren’s distant mother to help when a series of falls (actual falls) leave the couple struggling to deal with daily life. Evelyn, strait laced, prim, and proper, agreed to help. Lauren is sure it will be a mess. The brownstone is above a local bar, The Sweet Spot, which has been run by Dan, a friendly, no nonsense guy with a heart of gold. His daughter Olivia has recently scored her dream job working for a high end shop that sells Lauren’s work. Here’s where it gets complicated. Lauren is designing ceramics for Felicity, who is having an affair with an older man, Russell, and she might accidentally suggest that Felicity, who is pregnant, go for it. Enter Melinda, the jolted wife of Russell who unleashes so much hell that she manages to take down Olivia and Lauren, and by proxy, Dan and Russell — from strippers to doctored photographs to class pets, Melinda will stop at nothing to ruin their lives. There’s the baby, who ends up in the care of the three titular ladies on the book…and if this feels like a lot, just read it. It’s so lovely. It’s such a large, rich cast of characters, all of whom you’ll grow to care about, to invest in. I really loved it.

This is a sweet and silly story. Fun to read and easy to read as well. Perhaps dragged out a little bit but the characters are fun and the story is too. I wouldn't rank it as a favourite book but I'm glad I read it.

At first I thought I was going to hate this book. Starting the book off with Felicity was... a choice. But if "trust the process" was a book, this embodies it. This book truly shows character growth and I adored it. Grandma Evelyn was actually one of my absolute favorites in the end. Melinda's antics were hilarious. This needs to be turned into a movie ASAP. And Diane Keaton and Jane Fonda need to play in it.

This was a nice, light palate cleanser after all the heavy, depressing material I've been reading lately. Russell leaves his wife Melinda for younger Felicity, a Home Network-type celeb. Melinda decides to take revenge and the collateral damage is felt far and wide. Somehow this inauspicious start leads to new friendships, new love, new beginnings. Totally implausible but a fun little romp.

5 ⭐️ Review This book was the best surprise ever. I honestly believe it’s a top 10 for me. I cannot say enough about the original storyline, quirky characters, and lessons in friendship. There is so much to love about this novel, which centers around Lauren, her family, and their life in Greenwich Village. With a whole ensemble of characters that easily come to life, the storytelling is both funny and heartwarming. There is a fine line between love and hate, and a character you may dislike one moment, is one you’ll be routing for soon after. This is a beautiful story about women, children, husbands, and friends all working together and putting differences aside, when a baby is suddenly unloaded on them and life gets real…literally. This book is pure enjoyment.

Characters are fun and story line interesting. I enjoyed watching everyone grow and learn to accept each other, flaws and all.

Great story, really engaging read. Moments of rage, plenty of laughs, utter chaos all in one book.

well written & entertaining,

This was a great read. I loved the cast of characters! Would like to have dinner with the whole extended family. Highly recommend

Thank you.