Member Reviews
The Sweet Spot is billed as a women's fiction read that brings three women in Greenwich Village together when a baby arrives on their doorstep. Very Three Men and a Baby. Unfortunately, this synopsis isn't quite accurate--or, at least, it doesn't paint an accurate picture even if it is technically accurate. Not one of these women is left with a baby until well over halfway through the book. And the baby is not left on anyone's doorstep, but rather come into their care by a convoluted mess. While not the author's fault, a synopsis that says the book's focus is one thing, when it's really not, is very disorienting and frustrating for the reader. I kept waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the baby to show up, unsure why I should care about any of the characters, and just feeling sad at their many misfortunes, until I started skimming the book because I couldn't put up with full-on reading it. Perhaps those who enjoy women's fiction more than I, or go in knowing the focus of this story is not, as billed, a baby, but simply about several women whose lives intertwine in Greenwich Village.
Thanks to Atria for my eARC and my finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 stars - 7/10
Three women form an accidental sorority when a baby, belonging to non of them, fall on their collective doorstep. Lauren, the artist, Melinda, the father's ex, and Olivia, with her big dreams, rise to the occasion to forgive and forget and track the parents.
This woman's fiction was not for me. I had high expectations, but it was underwhelming, contained too many characters, was too long, and fell flat. The actual writing was good, but the plot needed more editing.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
One word to describe this book? Delightful. I had such a good time reading it. There was so much great humor and so many zany situations that the characters found themselves in that I couldn’t help but fall in love with this group of characters who end up like family. I enjoyed all the different POVs and how all the characters ended up intertwined with each other. It was so cleverly done. I really loved all the different characters, but I will say Melinda took a long time to grow on me. She had every reason to be devastated, but BOY, her hostility towards Lauren and Olivia was so brutal at the beginning. That would be my only complaint. But her character growth and journey was absolutely worth waiting for. Leo and Lauren’s children were such a joy to read. They were making me laugh so much. The Halloween scene with Leo, Waverly and Hank had me rolling. This was just such a sweet and fun read. I had an absolute blast. This would make an excellent play or limited series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced digital reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Another great book by Amy Poeppel. Her writing is dependable, an auto buy author for me.
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A relatable story about all the ways that our lives can be changed for better and for worse by the people we love. It's about connections between the people we come into contact with regularly and the story of four women who come together to take care of a baby that doesn't belong to any of them.
What worked for me:
- These characters... I could not get enough of them. Quirky and lovable and just so relatable. The main characters are great and the side characters are fantastic! Several of them start out being unlikable but they change and grow and it is great to watch.
- The setting, Greenwich Village, was easy to get into and easy to picture
- The plot is a slice of life sort of story but it has a different spin from any I've read before
What didn't work for me:
- It took me a while to fully sink in to this one. It has a bit of a slow start for me but once I got there I was in it and I'm so glad I hung in there because it was so worth it.
4.5⭐️s
As someone who enjoys reading and watching drama, this definitely was spot on. It was full of chaos and quirky characters and nonstop humor. Three women come together to deal with an abandoned baby and locate his parents. I enjoyed the Newyork setting and the way these women faced the catastrophe with humor. There were interesting back stories for all which explains their personalities. It was fun to read it without a doubt!
Quirky, fast and fun. With pure chaos, a bunch of unlikely people come together to be a big crazy family each with their own eccentricities.
Lauren and Leo are such a sweet couple. This story takes place in Greenwich Village and highlights all the types of people that they seem to collect. From old to very young, talented artists and brilliant scientists they are all loveable characters. I could picture being best friends with Lauren and Leo and Leo’s biology lessons were a pleasant bonus. I admired how they treated their children and all the characters around them, good and bad!
It’s about relationships and how they can start out one way and completely change with coincidental circumstances or sometimes mishaps. I typically find books with outrageous coincidences to be too unbelievable but with great writing skills Amy Poepell made it all make sense. She had me rooting for each and everyone.
Filled with poignant mother daughter, father daughter, in-laws, neighbors and husband wife relationships and maybe most importantly, friendships.
It’s early in the year but I find it hard to imagine that this won’t be my favorite book of 2023. It was pleasant from start to finish. My only complaint would be that it went too quickly. I didn’t want it to end.
5 stars for total enjoyment
Thank you for netgalley and Atria Books, Atria/Emily Bestler Books for this gifted copy
I have loved Amy Poeppel's books in the past, so I was so excited to delve into this one. I had to stop reading after one of the main characters (whose older husband cheats on her with a younger woman, resulting in a pregnancy) searches for if there's a link between older sperm and having a child with autism, as if having autism is a punishment. I'm not sure how that line got through an editor.
I loved this book! It was so full of real characters, and the author did an excellent job of making each one of them relatable on some level. I think this is the best book of Poeppel's yet. I appreciate the strong female personalities that are not overbearingly cliche, as one finds so often in today's market. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
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NetGalley ARC - pub date Jan 30th#
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The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel hit all the “right” spots in my heart. Here’s a few things I loved about this story:
1.Three women who were once enemies unite to help a little baby who is abandoned by both his parents, one being the ex-husband of the character, Melinda
2.It’s a love story inside a love story inside another love story. Lots o,f love and fractures abound and the story reflects that forgiveness is essential and that not everyone is made the same. We all have our strengths, and it works to the better good when people work together to solve a problem.
3.I liked the look at different childcare experiences through different generational eyes.
4.I liked that every character had to get past regrets and move on to a better and brighter future.
5.I love that they changed the babies name from Horatio to Hank.
This book has a lot of backstories, so it is a little tough to define in a short review. But I LOVED that New York city vibe and the characters who rally together for each other. It’s funny, witty, charming, and just a tiny bit sad in some parts. I also like the theme of FORGIVENESS throughout. Such a sweet, sweet story and I predict it will be a huge hit for Ms. Poeppel when related late January 2023. #baby #babyabandoned #selfishness #kindness #camaraderie #newlove #future #love #family #life #parenting #TheSweetSpot @netgalley @alicepoeppelman_h2rb @atriabooks #cutecover
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I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Thank you to Atria Books, NetGalley, and the author for the opportunity to read this book. Pub Date: Jan, 2023.
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I love this author and her latest does not disappoint. In fact, it may be my favorite of hers so far! The characters were funny and so detailed. The setting was perfect. I really wasn't sure where the book would go and I was pleasantly surprised at every turn. This book is warm, funny and perfectly imperfect. Definitely recommend!
The Sweet Spot comes out next week on January 31, 2023, and you can purchase HERE!
The mistake people make when life hits them with some unexpected, and often unprepared-for, catastrophe is they think they can just return to the way life was before. They try to rebuild exactly what they lost, but history proves how misguided that is. Disasters change everything, and we have to learn and grow from them, avoid the same kind of complacency that left us open to a blow to begin with.
Amy Poeppel’s books are meant to be savored because they are just so good. In THE SWEET SPOT, Poeppel showcases smart and unique characters who feel incredibly real and threads their stories together seamlessly. I love a book where I feel like I’ve just walked in on someone’s life but they haven’t yet noticed so I get to observe the unfolding of drama. This book is that, complete with excellent dialogue and relatable desires and emotions. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m forever a fan of Amy and her writing.
Amy Poeppel is fast becoming one of my favorite authors; she wrote Small Admissions, Limelight, and Musical Chairs, and I read and loved them all. Her new novel is The Sweet Spot, and it is destined to become one of the best books of 2023. My thanks go to Net Galley, Atria Books, and the author for the review copies.
One of the aspects of Poeppel’s writing that sets her apart is her ability to create female characters that are so dynamic, so well developed that I feel as if I know them. Here we have four that span a wide range of ages and income levels, yet somehow wind up forming an unlikely sorority. The first, Lauren Aston-Shaw is an artist, and she’s in the midst of moving into a brownstone in New York City’s famed Greenwich Village, along with her husband, children, and large dog, Bumper. The boxes are only partially unpacked when she receives a mostly-delightful surprise: a prominent businesswoman and influencer has decided to place a massive order of Lauren’s handmade porcelain for her boutiques. The house is already in a state of happy chaos, and it’s about to be more so.
During a conversation with Felicity—the retailer in question, who is pregnant—Lauren makes an offhand remark, which Felicity interprets as an engraved invitation to break up the decades-long marriage of the baby’s father, Russell. Miranda, the spurned wife, learns of Lauren’s role and decides, in a fit of grief and rage, to burn Lauren’s life to the ground. Miranda, then, is our second of the four women.
Olivia, our third main character is one of Felicity’s employees. She is in her twenties, low on the management chain, but she is ambitious, hardworking, and determined to climb; that is, until she becomes a casualty of Miranda’s rampage. Olivia is also the beloved daughter of Dan, who runs The Sweet Spot, a neighborhood bar located in the lower level of the brownstone currently occupied by the Shaw family. Dan is a lovable, level-headed sort, and through his eyes, we see the drama unfolding between Lauren, Miranda, and Felicity through a more objective lens.
The novel’s promotional blurb tells us that these are the women that the story is about, but I would add one more. Evelyn is Lauren’s mother; they have a complicated relationship. But under the strain of the sudden and unexpected increase in work, Lauren reaches out and begs her mother to come assist her with the children until she has things in hand. Evelyn can only stay for a weekend; she has so many social obligations back home. And yet, a weekend grows to a long weekend, and then to a week. Evelyn is far too interesting to be considered a side character; she is our fourth main character.
Despite her despair and fury, Miranda finds herself caring for Russell and Felicity’s baby; it is supposed to be for a couple of hours, but in the solipsistic way of the wealthy and entitled, both parents depart for the West Coast without making childcare arrangements, and Lauren and Olivia find themselves also assisting as hours turn to days, and then to weeks.
This story has everything I want in a novel, and when I got a go-to-bed-and-die flu virus, I curled up in bed and spent my waking time there reading it. I’ll tell you from experience that it’s good for what ails you. The plot is deftly managed, and that is no small feat given its complexity. The pacing never flags and no balls are dropped (except possibly Russell’s.) The dialogue sizzles. But the thing that turns a good novel to a great one is Poeppel’s insight into the human condition. Her level of perception is what makes the characters shine, and it’s also what makes the entire book drop-dead funny. Lastly, Amy Poeppel is one of a very few authors that can write a feel-good story that never insults the reader’s intelligence.
Admit it. You need this book! Happily, it will be available to the public January 31, 2023, and you can pre-order it now. Highly recommended.
I found this novel a delight to read! It is full of quirky characters with real emotions and we see all asides of them, the good, bad and ugly. Poeppel does a great job of giving us a glimpse into the lives of several women who meet in unusual circumstances, yet overcome big obstacles to help each other and the baby who somehow brings out the best in all of them. An original, clever, funny feel good book
The Sweet Spot was just absolutely the most delightful book. I found myself laughing out loud.. several times. My husband couldn’t believe how much I was laughing while reading. The writing was SO sharp and witty and the conversations and banter between the characters is unmatched. This was my first novel by Amy Poeppel and it will not be my last! I think I may have found a new favorite author.
What a fun little romp! Quirky and sweet which I’ve come to expect from Poeppel’s books. It did take me until about 50% to get full invested in this one and even after that a few of the characters drove me bonkers. It was enjoyable and light hearted but I think Musical Chairs is still my favorite by this author.
Three women are complete strangers at the start of this book. By the end of it, they’ve raised a baby together.
Lauren’s family is absolute chaos. Three kids running around a brownstone in Greenwich Village they’ve just moved into. Melinda, freshly divorced, has vowed to take revenge on everyone who played a role in the downfall of her 30-year marriage — including Lauren. Olivia, is a casualty of Melinda’s war, and takes up working as a nanny for the rambunctious children of the brownstone above the bar her dad manages, The Sweet Spot. One day, there’s a baby to take care of — and the baby’s parents need to be located and returned — both to their relationship and their child.
There’s absolutely nothing like this book. I keep trying to put a finger on what it reminded me of and I truly can’t! Maybe like a funny Disney channel sitcom but like older and smarter! Loved the characters, the writing is quirky and quick, and the full-cast audiobook is super.
TBH, I think this book will be very hit or miss for people — and for me, it was a huge hit. I was literally laughing out loud on the plane reading this one.
Read if… you want to be in just the best mood!
Thank you to Net Galley and Atria for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
In the heart of Greenwich Village, three women form an unexpected bond when a baby falls into their lap and they have to work together to care for them until He can be reunited with their parents. This delightful and heartwarming tale is the perfect combination of friendship, revenge, love, and everything in between.
I absolutely adored this! It's such a unique plot, one I haven't heard before and that was really refreshing. The cast of characters are quirky, fun, and mostly very lovable even the idiotic and insufferable ones. There are so many nuances to this book that make it stand out and make it unique. It was such an unexpected treat! This one is a must read for spring/summer, especially if you need a lighthearted, laugh-out-loud tale that still keeps you guessing. Such a breath of fresh air!
The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel was a light-hearted novel to read especially leading up to Valentine’s Day. I enjoyed the characters' quirkiness and unique personalities, along with the setting - a brownstone in Greenwich Village with a bar below. I also liked watching the women who start as enemies get to know each other as the story progresses. Some parts of the story didn’t feel believable, but that didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment. The book was a fun read, and I highly recommend it!
Thanks to Netgalley and Thoughts From a Page Podcast for the advanced copy!
Oh, how do I put this? 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗦𝗣𝗢𝗧 by Amy Poeppel is sweet. Very sweet. It is cute. Very cute. It’s a simple, yet complicated story with a lot of quirky characters. A lot of quirky characters. Their lives are all one big jumble. There are kids, parents, parents of parents, bosses, employees, neighbors, exes. One big jumble.
Listening to it was made slightly easier thanks to the wonderful full cast of narrators. Unfortunately, they all sounded like little kids, since I had to listen at a very fast speed in an effort to hold my interest and…..be done. So in the end, if you like sweet, cute books full of many quirky characters, this is the book for you. For me, it was just just too sweet. Just too cute. But, I’m done! 2.5 stars
Thanks to #AtriaBooks and #SimonAudio for ARCs of #TheSweetSpot.
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