This month’s pick of the month from Andrea Peskind-Katz from GREAT THOUGHTS, GREAT READERS is:
THE SWEET SPOT by Amy Poeppel
Every month, Andrea chooses a book either written by an individual aged 50Plus or written for this awesome community!
Review by Anissa Telle
The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel instantly drew me in to the lives of Lauren, Melinda, and Olivia. These women intrigued me and I enjoyed spending time in their worlds. At first I was a bit bewildered by the events taking place and how they relate to the overarching story. As you get to know the main characters, you find everyone is not what they seemed at first glance. The secrets they share keep you guessing and turning pages to discover the unique plot twists.
Lauren is a remarkable ceramics artist and a mother. Melinda was just left by her husband, and is justifiably, though possibly misguidedly, angry. Olivia is a young woman making her way in the world. On the surface they are nothing alike. A baby – not even their baby – brings them together.
The eponymous Sweet Spot is a neighborhood bar. The people who live nearby and frequent it fill the pages with overflowing humor. The characterization and charm of every single character make this book really compelling. The Sweet Spot is a look through a window into someone else’s family life. Comical, messy, sometimes frustrating, and ultimately rewarding. Amy Poeppel created another masterpiece with characters that stays with you long after the book ends.
I was provided a free advance reader copy from Atria Publishing in exchange for my honest review. The opinions shared in this review are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Poeppel grew up in Dallas, Texas. She graduated from Wellesley College and worked as an actress in the Boston area, appearing in a corporate industrial for Polaroid, a commercial for Brooks Pharmacy, and a truly terrible episode of America’s Most Wanted, along with other TV spots and several plays. While in Boston, she also got her M.A. in Teaching from Simmons College.
She is married to David Poeppel, a neuroscientist at NYU and Director of the Ernst Strüngmann Institute in Frankfurt. For the past thirty years, they have lived in many cities, including San Francisco, Berlin, and New York, and had three sons along the way. Amy taught high school English in the Washington, DC suburbs, and after moving to New York, she worked as an assistant director of admissions at an independent school where she had the fulfilling experience of meeting and getting to know hundreds of applicant families.
Amy is the author of The Sweet Spot, Musical Chairs, Limelight, and Small Admissions. Amy’s writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Rumpus, LitHub, Working Mother, Points In Case, and The Belladonna. Learn more about Amy Poeppel HERE.
Andrea Peskind Katz runs Great Thoughts, Great Readers, a Book Salon presented via her private FB group where approximately 5000 prolific readers and authors interact. She also founded Greatthoughts.com, a lifestyle website blog focusing on Great Books and Great Travel. To quote Robert Frost, she created her “second act” career to “unite my avocation and my vocation”. After 20 years in high pressure sales, Andrea retired to spend time doing what she loves best: hanging with her family, reading good books.
The Sweet Spot by Amy Poeppel
9.99
