What a beautiful friends to lovers story The Sweet Spot was. New to me author, Heather Heyford, had me totally engaged from beginning to end with this sweet and sassy story. Beautiful characters with big hearts and open arms … personalities that you can relate to and love beyond the stars had me turning page after page hoping that Hank and Jamie would finally find their way to each other.

As the story progresses and you see the struggles that both Hank and Jamie were going through with decisions that could affect everyone’s lives, you only hope that they make the right ones. With a little push from Jamie, Hank knows what he has to do. Unfortunately, a money grabbing witch, with her own agenda, decides to try to get him to change his mind and, in the process, drives Jamie away. Hank is heartbroken … Jamie tries to move on. In the end, after several misunderstandings, Hank finally finds his way to her and makes her his own.

I loved how Heather Heyford brought this story full circle. How she gave us a little bit of every emotion you could think of. From happiness to discontent; from respect to heartbreak … she brought it all out in her characters. She slayed me with Ellie, had me shaking my head at Delilah, cheering for Jamie and I was hopelessly in love with Hank. I never knew that Oregon had a wine country but, with her descriptions of the land, I was able to picture it like I’ve been there a thousand times. This author has a way with words that will pull you in, pull on your heart-strings and wish that the story never had an ending.

There were no hero or heroines in this story, just true, down-to-earth people who knew how to love, how to cherish what was in front of them. Hopes and dreams were at the center of The Sweet Spot and they were all realized as Summer turned into Autumn and then into Winter.

I loved this book! Super cute. Will recommend for sure! This book was exactly what I didn't know I was looking for!

I enjoyed this story about two people who are finding their place in the world.

With both characters being offered the chance at their original dreams, the story focuses on the struggle they both feel between what they thought they wanted and the place they have come to love.

While, I felt that I understood and connected to the motivations of the characters, the story was slow. I felt that in such a small town they would have seen more of each other and things could have moved more quickly and still held all emotions shown.

Overall, a sweet romance but slow story.

Hank and Jamie had a sweet friendship that slowly blossomed into something more, even though they both knew there would be an expiration date. It was great watching them grow over the course of a summer and finally decide if they should live their dreams or stay together.

I really hate to leave bad reviews but I can't find a single thing to like about this one. If I had not gotten it via NetGalley, with the promise to review it, I would not have finished it. For the amount of actionable content, this novel is much too long and drawn-out. The story starts out very slow and continues to be into the middle but the ending is rushed. The ending chapters are so strange. I don't want to give away any spoilers but the characters behave in such a nonsensical, bizarre way that I found it unbelievable.

The two romance characters themselves have little if any chemistry (very forced attraction) and the other characters are trope-ish and unoriginal. Romance gets a bad wrap for having less developed characters and being less plotted than other genres and unfortunately I think this book is an example of that. I will say though that this is my first read of a Heyford novel and others seemed to have enjoyed it. However, this one does not seem to have nearly the praise as some of her others so maybe skip this one for another of her books or a different, better romance novel in general.

Note: I received a free Kindle edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Kensington Books, and the author Heather Heyford for the opportunity to do so.

I received an arc from Netgalley. This as a nice and light romance with a HEA ending. I definitely would recommend this book. 3.5 stars

3 stars

The Sweet Spot by Heather Heyford was an OK read.
The writing was well done and while the storyline was entertaining I found it a started to drag a little towards the end.
Overall, I liked this book, just didn't love it as much as I was hoping for.

The Sweet Spot is the first book in the Willamette Valley Series by author Heather Heyford.

*Thank you for the advance copy.*

I really love and enjoyed The Sweet Spot. A heartwarming read that I could just not put down. I loved both the characters and their chemistry together. Cant wait to read more.

When an author has you emotionally attached to her characters from the onset of the story, that is unique gift. This is what I found in this first book in the Willamette Valley series...characters who were charming and endearing, touching my heart early on. The dialog cleverly drew you through the story, whetting your curiosity for what was occurring on the pages to come.

I so enjoyed this first book and an looking forward as to how the series progresses.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

deep in the willamette valley, near the base of mount hood, is oregon's wine country. the sweet spot is a small, family-owned, biodynamically run winery that also boasts a thriving bed & breakfast-style business. hank friesatt's family has lived here for one hundred and fifty years, but running a winery was never hank's dream. when his parents were killed in a plan crash when he was about to graduate college and go on to flight school, he had to put his piloting dreams aside to ensure the family business continued to run.

when philadelphia-based music teacher, jaime martel shows up, the operations at the sweet spot make her feel at home. she grew up on a working farm in lancaster county and there is so much happening at the sweet spot that is familiar but different. soon she is involved with the winery as a summer staff member instead of hotel guest. and as she and hank work together they forge a deepening bond.

this bond is threatened by hank's college friend delilah, who keeps putting hank into touch with an real estate mogul looking to buy the sweet spot and its surrounding land. hank won't sell, but the temptation to restart his left behind dreams is there. and jaime is so convinced that he will do it, that she leaves the winery without stopping to ask hank what is really going on.

this interlude is a little on the frustrating side, because their separation is based entirely on mistaken assumptions. once they get those sorted out, however, things look good for jaime and hank, and for the sweet spot.

**the sweet spot will publish on february 27, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington books (lyrical press) in exchange for my honest review.

2.5☆
What I liked:
Part of a series: Willamette Valley
Standalone
HEA

I had a hard time staying interested in this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from NetGalley.

I was really looking forward to this one but I must admit I didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed this author's other books. The story started off slow then picked up unfortunately by the end it was dragging again. Not everything about the book is bad though. I did like these characters even if they did frustrate me at times. The writing is good although I think the story would have been better if it were a bit simpler. It's a nice sweet romance set in the beautiful landscape of the Williamette Valley in Oregon. The author did a great job of describing the area and bringing to life in my mind.

The Sweet Spot by Heather Heyford
A Willamette Valley Romance #1

What would it be like to be the carrier of a family name for the eighth generation and to have with that name come the expectation that you will continue in the family line? What if your dream has always been a bit different…at least for a span of your lifetime? And, what if you were given the opportunity to chuck the family expectations, make a LOT of money and follow your dreams? That is what Hank Friestatt is contemplating as he works the family land known as The Sweet Spot. With the demands of a vineyard, winery and destination vacation site to juggle he is feeling overwhelmed even though his grandmother Ellie, who has been on the job forever, is there to guide him.

When Jamie Martel arrives at The Sweet Spot she is ready for a bit of downtime after a year of teaching music in inner city Philadelphia. She has recently received a promotion that is making her happy but also has her questioning what she really wants in the future. The Sweet Spot reminds her of her childhood and the dreams she once held. She is a giving person so when she realizes that Hank and Emily are shorthanded she immediately steps in to assist. And, when she is offered the opportunity to spend time working in Oregon for the summer she weighs the option of time in the country or going back to hectic city life. Staying will provide her with the chance to revisit her roots and also help her decide what she really wants in the future.

Hank and Jamie are attracted to one another but with only the summer to spend together the smart thing to do is not get involved – sometimes easier said than done. When Delilah, a woman Hank knew in college, shows up with people for Hank to meet, places for him to go and a proposition that is tempting – Hank finds himself on the fence about more than one thing. Only when one is about to or seems to have or has truly lost something valuable are they truly able to appreciate it.

There are ups and downs in this story with life decisions to be made that are not easy for either Jamie or Hank. There is “another woman” for them to contend with. There are backstabbers but also good friends that provide support. There are opportunities for them both to grow. And, there is finally an epiphany that allows the two to have the HEA they so richly deserve. There are also intriguing hints of who might star in the next book of the series…I am intrigued by Roy and feel he is a special person that deserves a special woman. It will be interesting to see where this series goes in the future.

Did I like this book? Yes
Do I want to read the next book in the series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books-Lyrical Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

I will try to write a review without any spoilers.

I really liked the first two-thirds of this book. It was an interesting story, and I enjoyed getting to know the main characters (especially Jamie, since I am a music teacher), as well as the secondary ones. However, I will say that I hate when a decision is made under false information. For example, a couple has a fight because there was a misunderstanding that could easily been avoided if the two main characters had talked to each other. Something similar happens in this story. One person made a decision that I absolutely disagreed with, because of an assumption that was made, and it ruined the last third of the book for me. There was also a fairly sexy scene that seemed a little sudden, even though I suppose one could say that it was a long time coming. It just seemed a little out of place. I would have preferred more of a buildup.

That being said, it was a well-written book and I really enjoy this author's style. This is the fourth of this author's books that I've read, and I would read another.

The Sweet Spot is a Oregon vineyard and guest house owned and run by the Friestatt family for several generations. Hank Friestatt had been all set to go pilot school, when his parents died in a plane crash and he needed to come home to help his grandmother run the place. He has put in the blood, sweat and tears, while his grandmother tries to teach him everything he will need to know, once she is gone. Jamie Martel grew up on a Pennsylvania dairy farm, which her father eventually sold, and she misses terribly. On the cusp of being the youngest person to be hired as a department head at the school she teaches, she comes to the Sweet spot for her last vacation before she starts the difficult and time sucking job.

The story started slow, and the characters, while developed, did not seem to have much chemistry for each other and the relationship seemed forced. The scenery, however, was richly developed and the readers learns a lot about how grapes are grown for wine, how vineyards work and the difficult life that any kind of farming is. Hank is a very unhappy person, as he feels the responsibility heavy on his shoulders, while Jamie is so perky because she loves the life on a farm, but doesn't have the responsibilities. But apparently opposites attract. Can they get it together, realize what is really important in life and go for it or will they let misdirections keep them apart?

To make up for the slowness of the begining of the book, the end is very rushed, almost just a summary. All in all it is a sweet story, with a villainess, beautiful scenery, animals and a HEA.

I loved this author’s Oregon Wine Country books and was looking forward to this new series.
I am sorry to say that I felt it didn’t measure up to her usual stories.
The story centers around Jamie Martel, and Hank Friestatt VIII. Jamie is a music teacher from Philadelphia taking a vacation to visit the winery of one of her favorite wines. Hank inherited the vineyard after his parents’ death. He dreams of the big city while Jamie dreams of the country.
I found the story very slow and the characters took a very long time to engage me .
For me , it was sweet but just ok.
I was gifted this copy by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

The Sweet Spot started out a little slow, but the further I read the more I found myself enjoying the story.

Jamie flies across the country to stay at the Sweet Spot vineyard during her summer break from teaching. While there she really comes into her own and works part-time for Hank and his grandmother who run the place.

The setting was described wonderfully and I could picture the inn, farmland, and nearby town perfectly. There was enough information on the wine making process that you won't feel lost reading this book either.

I really liked Jamie and Hank together and their shared interests. If you are looking for a sweet small town story, I think you'll like the Sweet Spot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet little romance. Hank and Jamie are adorable. I love the fight between them. There were a few times I wanted to smack Hank but I got over it in the end. The way Jamie just fit in at the Sweet Spot was something special. I love how she doesn't realize she is looking for a change until the signs are all there. The Sweet Spot is a wonderful romance that should be read. As a first read of Heather Heyford I do plan on going on for more. She has a very lovely way of bringing a sweet romance to life.

I don't think I've ever had this happen before. I loved this book and was ready to give it a 5 star rating until I started reading the end chapters. Chapter 29 through 34 ruined it for me. A lot of blah, repeat and more blah. If I were to know ahead of time I would have skimmed those chapters barely and probably still like the book. But wow, they really brought the whole book down for me.