Amy Poeppel's books are always a treat to read and it's definitely still the case with The Sweet Spot. She always does a wonderful job with creating the places where her novels take place. I feel like I've been to the brownstone on Waverly Place in Greenwich Village (or would want to visit) and The Sweet Spot bar!
There are lots of quirky characters: parents, grandparents, children (young and grown), bosses, exes and more. And there are a fair number of plot lines, but it's easy to keep everything/everyone straight and they all come together in a nicely wrapped package.
The Sweet Spot is a warm and fuzzy read (with lots of laughs) and just a few moments where you need to suspend belief.
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read The Sweet Spot in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Sweet Spot. There is a wild, almost manic energy around the brownstone, and it just leaps off the page. Some moments you feel bad for Elaine, who had a quiet life in the Boston area. Other times you find yourself empathizing with Leo, not understanding what is happening around him but how he rolls with it all.

I’m not sure how I would feel in Melinda’s situation. After 30 years of marriage, finding out that your husband is having an affair and got her pregnant would shock anyone’s system. I think a certain amount of revenge would motivate one’s actions. I’m not sure they would be to the same extent as Melinda’s.

As for Russell, he needs to grow up! He is an older “gentleman” who was swayed by the attention of a beautiful young lady. As for that beautiful young lady, she is not one I found myself caring for one bit!

The Sweet Spot is a story about revenge and redemption, finding where you belong, and creating your own family.

I'm ashamed to say this is my first book by Amy Poeppel (even more ashamed to admit I've had Musical Chairs sitting unread on my tablet for two years now but promise to fix that ASAP)! What an absolute delight this was to read!

Amy's writing is outstanding. I felt like I knew my way around Greenwich by the end of this book, and I longed to be within the walls of that old brownstone or in a cozy corner of the Sweet Spot drinking a Manhattan and surrounded by this eccentric cast of characters that I had come to love.

Her characters are so well rounded and multi layered. At times, even the characters you root for the strongest leave you shaking your head and upset at them, which to me just made me love them even more. They just feel like REAL people.

The plot itself was brilliantly done as was the set up for the storytelling where you get a sense of the main characters and their lives before they all start to come together in various ways. I loved how all of these characters from seemingly different areas (and eras) of life came to find themselves within the same circle and bond with each other (even if the beginning of their meetings with each other maybe weren't so great...😝). It was heartwarming. It was charming. I laughed with them and cried with them. I couldn't put this book down because I just wanted to make sure sure that they all ended up in a good place by the end. Absolutely wonderful read, and I can't wait to read more by Amy!

*Thank you to Net Galley, Atria, and Amy Poeppel for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
*The Sweet Spot will be released January 31, 2023.

Cute, fun, fast read. A little more drawn-out than it needed to be, also a bit far-fetched, but the humor in it is refreshing and fun . LOVE the character Melinda.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 stars

This was a feel-good, madcap read which was a tad overlong but still entertaining. The author said it started off as a story about an angry woman which is true.

Melinda's husband of 30 years has left her for a younger lifestyle guru and is now a semi-elderly father. Melinda's fury consumes her and she does some truly comedically awful stuff to him and to others until she finally gets a grip further through the book.

The other main bunch of characters, related in some offbeat ways to Melinda and her circle, is sculptor Lauren and her wonderful but scientifically preoccupied husband Leo and their brood of three precocious children, plus Leo's father Philip. Add on to that their neighbor Dan who runs a historic but somewhat sleazy bar in the basement of their brownstone. And of course, Dan's daughter Olivia is connected to Felicia, the Other Woman. Oh, and yes -- Lauren's pursed lip and judgmental mother Evelyn also comes for a short visit and ends up moving in.

There is a lot of humor in this book, many misunderstandings, but at core also Lauren and Leo have a strong and loving family and take most crises in their stride. They are tolerant to an almost appalling degree. Throw in a baby who really needs a family to love him, and you have a recipe for some hilarity and some gentler smiles. Everything gets tied up in an enormous Happily Ever After. Unrealistic? Probably, but very satisfying.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The sweet spot is such a cute book. Maybe a bit far fetched but aren't all romance books a little far fetched. I love that they all live in a brownstone. It's an impossible task for most people and to be living with your best friends. The baby being dropped on the steps had me surprised. I loved the aspect of friendship and how girls can support and help each other.

I really enjoyed this eclectic ensemble centering around residents of Greenwich Village! The Sweet Spot had a really cute theme of found family and it-takes-a-village parenting.

I especially loved Lauren and Leo's precocious children, and wish we got to see more of them. Every scene with the kids had me cracking up! Many of the characters had impressive arcs, but my favorite was Evelyn, the prickly grandmother.

The story and characters were refreshingly unique, and I can't wait to read more by this author.

This reminded me a lot of Liane Moriarty's writing - actually, halfway through, I stopped to check and see if Amy Poeppel was a pseudonym, because I kept being reminded of several different books and realizing they were all by Liane Moriarty. So, fans of LM should definitely check this one out. Like her books, it is both serious and whimsical, with characters who seem like caricatures at first but are artfully revealed to be complex, complicated humans. The third-person narration does a great job of getting into each character's head and describing events through their lenses. The humor comes from how seriously each character takes themselves, in a way that reminds me of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.
I do think the synopsis I see everywhere for this book isn't very accurate - the cast of characters involved in looking after the baby comprises far more than just the three described, and the baby itself isn't thrust upon them until at least the halfway point, if not later. The baby doesn't even really feel like the most major plot point, which I was a bit disappointed about because I wanted the baby hijinks promised to me in the synopsis, but luckily there was enough going on that once I set aside my expectations, it was still really enjoyable.
As an aside, I remember reading Small Admissions, also by Amy Poeppel, several years ago and while it wasn't bad, I definitely think her writing has improved a lot since then. It's much more distinctive and memorable.

What a fun, sweet novel with just the right amount of substance.

This story follows the lives of three different families as they deal with some of the circumstances that life can throw at you. There is so much happening in this novel that it’s hard to review without spoilers (and don’t read the publisher’s summary, it includes things that don’t occur until almost halfway through the book).

I will say that this is a multi-generational, found family novel where you might have to suspend your disbelief over some of the actions but overall it is heartwarming. It did take me a little bit to get into the book because the beginning has a some characters going through some things and acting a bit outlandishly but I liked how the author brought it all together later on. I absolutely adored the sense of place and I enjoyed living vicariously through these characters in a brownstone in Greenwich village. I would recommend this if you are in the mood for a fun, light read.

Thanks to @thoughtsfromapage for the advanced reader copy and for setting up a lovely chat with the author. It’s always so fun to get to know the author and how she made some of her writing decisions. This is out January 31!

This book was such a fun read, but it’s going to be hard to give a brief description of it without spoilers (which the publisher seems to have addressed by putting spoilers for about half the book into their blurb 😂.) In sum, it’s a book about a bunch of interconnected characters in NYC. It’s told primarily from the perspectives of three different women: Lauren, who is trying to juggle motherhood and a move to a new neighborhood and new school with resuming her art career; Melinda, who is consumed with rage after her husband of thirty years leaves her; and Olivia, who suffers a career crisis. All their paths end up crossing, as do various of their family members and people who they are/were in relationships with, and as the book goes on there are occasional chapters from these other characters as well.

Basically, it’s a quirky character novel, with family drama, a little bit of mom com, a little bit of rom com, and a great setting in Greenwich Village, with a light and breezy tone, and some zany moments that made it almost farcical. And it was just so charming and funny, I adored reading it! I loved the characters and wouldn’t mind a sequel because I want to know what happens to them next. Trying to think what I would compare it to - maybe for people who like Emma Straub and Jane L Rosen. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for a fun light read.

THE SWEET SPOT is a quirky little story centered around a basement bar in Greenwich Village and a rich cast of characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways.

Initially I had a hard time getting invested in the book and wasn’t sure where the story was heading until after the halfway mark. I couldn’t pinpoint what wasn’t working for me, but when I switched to the audiobook the full cast narration helped me feel more immersed in the story. Audiobooks continue to save the day for me time and time again!

The characters are on the zany side and the plot is a bit over the top at times, but the story ended up coming together well. Readers who gravitate towards stories set in New York, basement bars, and the beloved found family trope will enjoy THE SWEET SPOT.

My appreciation for the story deepened with a fun author chat hosted by Cindy for the @thoughtsfromapage Patreon members. I enjoyed hearing from Amy and how this story came to be!

RATING: 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4 stars)
PUB DATE: January 31, 2023

Thank you atria books and thoughts from a page early readers program for an electronic ARC and author chat event in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Simon Audio for the ALC.

Review will be shared to www.instagram.com/kellyhook.readsbooks in advance of publication date

The Sweet Spot was a funny laugh out loud story that had major family drama, some romance and even mean girl behavior.

This book had a great cast of characters who lives intersected with one another throughout the story…In the heart of Greenwich Village, three women form an accidental sorority when a baby—belonging to exactly none of them—lands on their collective doorstep.

When one of the women’s ex follows his lover across the country, leaving their squalling baby behind, the three women rise to the occasion in order to forgive, to forget, to Ferberize, and to track down the wayward parents. But can their little village find a way toward the happily ever afters they all desire? Welcome to The Sweet Spot.

I enjoyed this lighthearted story that made me smile, laugh, frown and even cry hoping for the perfect ending. The author did a great job of keeping me engaged and cheering for all the characters.

I received an electronic advanced reader copy from @thoughtsfromapage Patreon community. Thank you to Cindy Burnett, @atriabooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to preview this charming story!

This book was just so much fun!! Author Amy Poeppel has created such an amazing cast of characters; I fell in love with each and every one of them.

The story was charming, funny and engaging. I especially enjoyed reading about Lauren and her family. I would love to read more of their adventures- please write a sequel!!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this fun book!

The chaotic happiness of the characters in The Sweet Spot took me pleasantly by surprise. Lauren and Leo's quirky family of 3 kids and a dog live in a Greenwich Village brownstone brimming with 70's decor above a bar, owned by Dan, by the book's name. Both parents juggle parenting duties, private school commitments and interesting jobs in the fast pace life of Manhattan and had me looking back at my own young family life with nostalgia and humor. Then enters Felicity, a beautiful young and self-centered shop owner who commissions Lauren's eclectic work for her store; Russell, the aging corporate attorney with whom she's having an affair and ultimately, a baby; Melinda, Russell's ex-wife of thirty years and the new receptionist at the private school where Lauren/Leo's children are in attendance and who is creatively vengeful; and Olivia, Dan's daughter and a purchaser at Felicity's store who gets caught in the crosshairs of Melinda's revenge. I have to commend Amy Poeppel for putting together a oftentimes hilarious plot that was still plausible and interesting and kept me reading because I had to know what was going to happen. I highly recommend the book!

Agani, Amy Poeppel doesn't disappoint. Warm, funny, sensitive and a delightful story about a group of women , along with their people" coming together. It was a great read to start the new year off right.

I received this book from #NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

The Sweet Spot is a charming, witty and engaging book that surprised me in all the right ways!! I truly do not think the plot synopsis does the book justice.Taking place in the heart of Greenwich Village, it follows a family whose circle quickly expands when a newborn baby is brought to their doorstep and happens to be the child of a client. I love how Amy Poeppel methodically introduced each of the many characters and skillfully weaved together elements of humor, romance and drama (friendship, workplace, and family). The audiobook was excellent and had a full cast of 8 narrators. Since each character had its own voice, it was easy to see the story come to life and get swept into this NYC brownstone full of laughter, quirky characters, and warm-hearted relationships.

Read if you like:
-NYC setting
-Found family theme
-Unlikely friendships
-Multiple storylines weaved together
-Ethan Joella’s writing with Love Actually humor

Pub date 1/31!

The Sweet Spot is a charming book filled with a cast of quirky characters. The book begins with the chaos of a visit from Felicity, a reality tv designer, as she pays a visit to the Greenwich Village brownstone of the Aston-Shaw family. When Felicity commissions a large order from artist Lauren, the mother of 3 and her husband Leo set to find a way to manage their busy family and the added work load. What follows in the pages are multiple stories from a cast of vastly different characters, including 3 generations of family that inhabit the family brownstone Leo grew up in, at some point during this book! I enjoyed this interesting family, and I felt invested in their success! After reading this book I can see why author Amy Poeppel is frequently described as a hilarious author. This book had me laughing at so many parts, from the naked painting hanging in the family home, that may or may not be the children's grandfather, to the series of events that happen in rapid succession and reveal to grandmother Evelyn just how much her presence is needed! I look forward to reading more from this author. Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I just loved this heartwarming tale about the importance of community and family. Each character is unique and complex, flawed yet endearing in their own way. I especially liked how the author portrayed the range of emotions in motherhood, how children are both endlessly delightful and utterly exhausting. The sweet found family established by the varied characters made my heart happy!

A sweet, funny and quirky story of so many overlaps that would likely never happen, but a fun book to read.

Lauren and her husband Leo and their 3 kids and huge furry dog move into his mother's old house in Greenwich Village where Lauren makes designer ceramics. The super hot, chic boutique owner Felicity wants to sell Lauren's ceramics which is great for both of them but when will she have time to get all this big order done with 3 kids and a new home? Leo calls Lauren's mother to come live with them and Lauren is very worried.

Then we meet Melinda whose husband of 30 years leaves her for a much younger woman and she is very angry. Acting out kind of angry!!

So many crazy things happen in this book which are pretty unbelievable but if you put reality aside and just enjoy this quirky fun story, it is a nice change of pace! The beauty of the characters is showing how to really love, forgive and be there to help one another. This is what really touched me.

*Publish date 1/31/23. Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Bestler Books/Atria/Simon & Schuster, and Thoughts from a Page for the advanced e-copy

I really enjoyed this novel. It’s very funny and touching.

Lauren and her family get to live a brownstone in Greenwich Village while a family member is away. Lauren’s art is really taking off since a style guru has started promoting her work, so things would seem to be going well, except she inadvertently made an enemy of a woman she’s never met, and this woman is making her already complicated life much more complicated.

Melinda’s husband of thirty years left her for a younger woman, and, even worse, is having a baby with her. Melinda’s mission is to destroy Felicity and her business and everyone she believes led to her life going off the rails.

Olivia’s career was on the rise until an unhinged woman verbally attacks her and Olivia loses her cool—unfortunately as a TikTok enthusiast is taping the exchange—only posting the part where Olivia seems to be saying the customer isn’t good enough to shop here.

All of the characters are well drawn. I loved the comic relief provided by Lauren’s three children. There’s a lot of humor throughout, but the way the kids get stuff adorably wrong is hilarious.

Recommend. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy of this book, which RELEASES JANUARY 31.