The Sweet Spot

Edie Sweet's disposition is identical to her last name. She is sweet and lovable, the type of woman who never meets a stranger. She's sweet in spite of losing her husband, Gil, to the Vietnam War. But maybe she's a little too sweet and lovable, because she doesn't make the best choices when it comes to men. This is clearly evident in her affair with Gil's brother, Walker: a married man. The town of Conwell is too small and interconnected for extramarital affairs. Edie's and Walker's is an affair of astronomic proportions; the kind that can cause grief for generations to come. Will Edie survive it? What role will a scarred stranger play in her survival?I loved the way Joan built Edie. She was sweet but flawed. Aren't we all? And Walker? I pitied the boy because he had it bad. In love with his brother's woman but stuck in an unhappy marriage where he can't express that love openly. Joan also paints for us the struggle Walker has with his parents. They clearly loved Gil more. Why do parents do that? Why pick favorites? Don't they know that favoritism can have detrimental effects for years and years. That the affected child can grow into an adult and still deal with it? Take it out on their children. Even on their spouse?I loved the dynamic between the Sweets, St. Claires, Crockers, etc. How the Sweets were looked down on in Conwell because patriarch, Benny, worked the town dump. You see this kind of thing in small towns, small communities, and unfortunately in churches. I can't stand it, though. No one should be ostracized because of their lineage. No child should be picked on at school because someone feels that their family is beneath others. I could get on a soapbox about this issue but I don't want to belabor the time or space for this review.I enjoyed this novel and would love to see what's next for Edie. Hopefully Joan Livingston will follow up on the good folks of Conwell in a subsequent novel. I'm sure it would be just as sweet a read as THE SWEET SPOT.

I liked the story line very much and it had such potential for me giving it 5 stars. But having much sympathy for the main character, Edie, was very difficult for me. She sounds like the town's "Good Time Girl", wink wink. So very friendly to every single male she meets, laughing, giggling and flirting with them all. Then she decides to have an affair with her deceased husband's brother assuming who would find out? In such a close-knit little town? When he kills himself over her I do blame her a lot. She kept him coming back to her again and again. She feels compelled (apparently) when a drunk insists she sits down with him and his drunken friends for a drink....really??!! Surprise surprise, she nearly gets raped. I've been in similar situations and never acted the way this woman did. Just flipped through last few chapters, knowing how it all was going to end. IDisappointing.

This is one of those books that follows a formula. Is not a romance because instead of kisses, we have punches. Poor girl and rich boy fall in love. His family is not very happy but if the son is happy, they will do the best to love her. Her name is Edie and his name is Gil. Edie is pregnant with a baby girl, but Gil has to go to Vietnam. He died and never met her daughter. For 6 years everything is fine. Until Gil's brother Walker decided that Edie should be his. And everything goes from worse to worst. There is a lot of drinking, more than casual sex, a lot of physical abuse and bullying. Walker was married but still was claiming Edie has his. But, he physically abused Edie, black and blues, bruised ribs and broken lips.But, I will stop here. But Edie eventually had her happy ending.

You know how small towns are. They aren’t the best places to keep secrets, and Edie St. Claire, a young widow, finds out when an affair she is having with her married brother-in-law ends in the worst way possible. But what’s a girl to do? Life goes on, and Edie isn’t a quitter. She soldiers on, with the help of a cast of characters led by feisty red-haired Aunt Leona and a mysterious stranger that has just come to town…In “The Sweet Spot” descriptions are so vivid that readers breathe in the beer and burger smells of the Do-Si-Do Bar and the sour and dusty stench of the town’s dump. Strong storytelling and a very enjoyable read.

As a former reporter who covered the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts, author Joan Livingston knows the area and the people who live there well. She not only captures the landscape of rural New England and rhythms of the seasons, but also the often conflicted hearts and minds of the people who live there. The fictional town of Conwell epitomizes small-town politics, factions, family loyalties, rumors, and grudges, and the fallout when someone crosses the line of accepted norms. When an affair explodes into a full-blown scandal and then tragedy, there's hell to pay, especially for Edie St. Claire. Ms. Livingston weaves an intriguing, well-written tale. She portrays her characters so realistically you can picture them clearly as well as hear their voices.If you liked Peace, Love, and You Know What and Professor Groovy and Other Stories, you'll love The Sweet Spot.

This is a complicated story with so many twists and turns, feelings, and motivations. In the end, there is resolution and perhaps a happy ending. I want the story to continue for a long time. It is a series that is well worth reading g and experiencing.

When I first started reading this book I wasn't sure I would like it. It seemed like it was going to be kind of hokey, but I quickly changed my mind. It was sad but heartwarming also. Definitely enjoyable.

Edie has 99 problems and men are most of them. Well written, fast reading and made me want to go kick my jerk neighbor. Learn how to behave, idiots!