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Sweet on a Cowboy #1
The Sweet Spot
A Love as Big as Texas . . .
Charla Rae Denny was the perfect wife with a perfect life, content to keep the home fires burning while her husband, JB, competed as a champion bull rider. Then their son died in a tragic accident-and everything fell apart. Divorced and saddled with a hill of bills and a failing ranch, Charla must now cowboy up to put her life back together.
James "JB" Denny doesn't stay where he isn't welcome. So when Charla shut him out of her grieving heart-and their home-a year ago, he took comfort where he could find it. Now after seeing beautiful Charla again, he wants it all back. She can't work the ranch alone, and deep in his heart he knows he can be the man she needs. But after so much history and heartbreak, can JB convince Charla to take a risk and give their love a second chance?
Charla Rae Denny was the perfect wife with a perfect life, content to keep the home fires burning while her husband, JB, competed as a champion bull rider. Then their son died in a tragic accident-and everything fell apart. Divorced and saddled with a hill of bills and a failing ranch, Charla must now cowboy up to put her life back together.
James "JB" Denny doesn't stay where he isn't welcome. So when Charla shut him out of her grieving heart-and their home-a year ago, he took comfort where he could find it. Now after seeing beautiful Charla again, he wants it all back. She can't work the ranch alone, and deep in his heart he knows he can be the man she needs. But after so much history and heartbreak, can JB convince Charla to take a risk and give their love a second chance?
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2013
29 people are currently reading
909 people want to read
About the author
Laura Drake
39 books276 followersLaura Drake is a city girl who never grew out of her tomboy ways or a serious cowboy crush. She writes Women’s Fiction, Romance and Thrillers.
Her pro bull riding series, Sweet on a Cowboy is published by Grand Central. The Sweet Spot, Nothing Sweeter, and Sweet on You. The Sweet Spot won the 2014 RITA award for Best First Book.
Her Widow's Grove small town series is published by Harlequin's Superromance line. Her Road Home, Reasons to Stay, Twice in a Blue Moon, and Against the Odds.
The Chestnut Creek Series was published with Grand Central - The Last True Cowboy, December 2018. Home at Chestnut Creek, July 2019, and Cowboy for Keeps, December 2019.
Laura has since branched out into Women's Fiction with Days Made of Glass, The Road to Me, Amazing Gracie and For Roger.
In 2025, Laura released her first domestic suspense/thriller, The Devil She Didn't Know.
Laura finally realized a long time dream of moving to Texas, and is currently working on her accent. She gave up a Corporate CFO gig to write full time. She's wife, grandmother and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours.
Her pro bull riding series, Sweet on a Cowboy is published by Grand Central. The Sweet Spot, Nothing Sweeter, and Sweet on You. The Sweet Spot won the 2014 RITA award for Best First Book.
Her Widow's Grove small town series is published by Harlequin's Superromance line. Her Road Home, Reasons to Stay, Twice in a Blue Moon, and Against the Odds.
The Chestnut Creek Series was published with Grand Central - The Last True Cowboy, December 2018. Home at Chestnut Creek, July 2019, and Cowboy for Keeps, December 2019.
Laura has since branched out into Women's Fiction with Days Made of Glass, The Road to Me, Amazing Gracie and For Roger.
In 2025, Laura released her first domestic suspense/thriller, The Devil She Didn't Know.
Laura finally realized a long time dream of moving to Texas, and is currently working on her accent. She gave up a Corporate CFO gig to write full time. She's wife, grandmother and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 25, 2020
This was a hot ass mess. JB only came back because the younger woman did want him. I couldn't stick with this book ( 65%). The MC 's had history, but passion was lacking. As a couple, they had more passion for bulls than each other.
July 29, 2016
I've been thinking how I am going to rate this book. I had put this one off because of review comments. I'm glad I finally read it. Grief is a very hard and strange emotion to deal with especially when dealing with the death of a child. The loss must be devastating to each parent and to a marriage.
The story, the feelings and the motivations of the characters are realistic. The couple cannot deal with their guilt and grief - they don't turn to each other - they each descend into grief, depression and despair. Both deal with it differently and alone. There were a few places that I understood both characters and their feelings and I actually cried. Anyone who has experienced a tragic loss would empathize. Others who have experienced loss would sympathize.
What made the book poignant for me is that the characters hit rock bottom and begin digging their way out of the holes they made. They both do quite a bit of introspection that allows for growth in both characters. Their work through the stages of grief forces them to acknowledge what they took for granted in their marriage before their child died. It is not like they were unhappy, they just didn't take a moment to appreciate what they had as a couple or a family - they simply took it for granted so that they did not turn to each other to support the other during the bad times.
It is not a book about fault - it is about trying to live and make sense of the world again after an event that would drastically change anyone's life. I was glad to see that both characters came out on the other side and found their way back to each other with a better understanding and appreciation of themselves as individuals and them as a family. They remember why they love and loved each other.
I do not read fiction/romance with religious overtones. It was not heavily done and made sense based on who the characters are and the small town they live in. It fit in with the anger and acceptance cycle of grief. The references were brief, not preachy, and were not the central part of the story - just a light addition that made sense.
So, why am I debating on my rating. Because of the emotions that the story evoked, I would say 5 stars - definitely. I rarely cry about movies or books. However, I do not think I can read it again, so 4 stars. Would I recommend it - definitely yes. So - 4.5 stars.
The story, the feelings and the motivations of the characters are realistic. The couple cannot deal with their guilt and grief - they don't turn to each other - they each descend into grief, depression and despair. Both deal with it differently and alone. There were a few places that I understood both characters and their feelings and I actually cried. Anyone who has experienced a tragic loss would empathize. Others who have experienced loss would sympathize.
What made the book poignant for me is that the characters hit rock bottom and begin digging their way out of the holes they made. They both do quite a bit of introspection that allows for growth in both characters. Their work through the stages of grief forces them to acknowledge what they took for granted in their marriage before their child died. It is not like they were unhappy, they just didn't take a moment to appreciate what they had as a couple or a family - they simply took it for granted so that they did not turn to each other to support the other during the bad times.
It is not a book about fault - it is about trying to live and make sense of the world again after an event that would drastically change anyone's life. I was glad to see that both characters came out on the other side and found their way back to each other with a better understanding and appreciation of themselves as individuals and them as a family. They remember why they love and loved each other.
I do not read fiction/romance with religious overtones. It was not heavily done and made sense based on who the characters are and the small town they live in. It fit in with the anger and acceptance cycle of grief. The references were brief, not preachy, and were not the central part of the story - just a light addition that made sense.
So, why am I debating on my rating. Because of the emotions that the story evoked, I would say 5 stars - definitely. I rarely cry about movies or books. However, I do not think I can read it again, so 4 stars. Would I recommend it - definitely yes. So - 4.5 stars.
August 11, 2013
Recommended Read! Also posted at my blog, TBR Mountain Range.
Sometimes you fall into a story and are captured by the characters who melt your heart, hoping that they'll find their way from tragedy to a happy-ever-after. THE SWEET SPOT is a journey from the overwhelming sadness of loss, its ability to destroy a family, then bit by bit, their recovery through the healing power of love. Heart-wrenching, funny and thought-provoking, this novel is an awesome beach read.
After firing her ex-husband and throwing him off her father's ranch, Charla Rae Denny is in control of her life for the first time since the accident that changed everything. In their divorce, the judge split their bull bucking business in half so that Charla could sustain herself without alimony. Her ex-husband, Jimmy, who hooks up with someone half Charla's age is just another jolt that she can't deal with. As if the death of their son isn't enough to rock her world, then her addiction to Valium in order to cope with what life has become, while living with her father's progressing Alzheimer's symptoms, just hurdles her faster into a tailspin out of control. Whoever thought that bull semen would be the avenue to her family's way of living, let alone her responsibility as the once-upon-a-time, stay-at-home mom?
In addition to raising bucking bulls, JB (Jimmy) Denton is an arena announcer for professional bull riding events. That's where he met his ex-girlfriend, Jess, when he was at the lowest point of his life. She made life bearable and hopeful for a short time, but that connection sure made a mess of his relationship with his ex-wife. He realizes what he really wants is the life he had with Charla that he left behind after their son died and Charla pushed him away along with everything else. Hoping it's not too late to repair their damaged relationship, JB wonders if he can ever get Charla to forgive him.
Whether Jimmy left Charla, or Charla pushed him away isn't important when they need each other now, more than ever. Will they realize that past mistakes don't have to last forever?
Charla meets Bella, a transplanted New Yorker who has recently moved to town with her husband. Working at the feed store, Bella is as different as night is to day from Charla, which makes their friendship just as hilarious as it is perfect for the both of them. City slicker meets farm girl is just part of what makes them so different, just like comparing a silk negligee to flannel pajamas. Bella adds some fashion sense to Charla's expanding bank of knowledge while Charla teaches Bella how to mold her swag into being a true cowgirl, without either of them passing judgment on the other for their differences. Besties couldn't be better suited.
Angry at the world, Charla has more than enough to contend with but she decides to run the family business on her own, even though she's terrified of horses, cows and everything it takes to manage a ranch on the outside. Her dad's medicine costs more than the business profits can handle, so she has no choice but to break her addiction to Valium and move on with living, hoping to make the business more prosperous than it is now.
THE SWEET SPOT plays with your emotions right away but some animal humor made me laugh by chapter four. Charla has her hands full with her dad going in and out of lucidity, but the cows, especially a wandering mother-to-be named Trixie are what will make her realize that she might just have the spunk needed to succeed at this ranching business without the help of her ex-husband.
Even though THE SWEET SPOT explores the stages of grief very realistically, often passing the characters' deep felt sorrow to the reader, it also concentrates on the humor surrounding this family and the love that they have deep inside for one another. Is living for what they have now and not for what they've lost in the past the answer?
The secondary characters, including the animals, add heart to this already endearing novel. I felt instantly connected, enjoying the humor and tearful by page 135. An emotional roller coaster, THE SWEET SPOT touches your soul with the joy of living, enfolding your emotions in the characters' love for life in the end. Author Laura Drake's storytelling skills are a gift to those of us who love to read an emotional story with an uplifting ending. If you want a novel that will call to you every time you step away, then THE SWEET SPOT is highly recommended. Nothing is sweeter than realizing that there's more to come in book two of the SWEET ON A COWBOY series—NOTHING SWEETER releases in December 2013.
Book and review courtesy of Romance Junkies.
Sometimes you fall into a story and are captured by the characters who melt your heart, hoping that they'll find their way from tragedy to a happy-ever-after. THE SWEET SPOT is a journey from the overwhelming sadness of loss, its ability to destroy a family, then bit by bit, their recovery through the healing power of love. Heart-wrenching, funny and thought-provoking, this novel is an awesome beach read.
After firing her ex-husband and throwing him off her father's ranch, Charla Rae Denny is in control of her life for the first time since the accident that changed everything. In their divorce, the judge split their bull bucking business in half so that Charla could sustain herself without alimony. Her ex-husband, Jimmy, who hooks up with someone half Charla's age is just another jolt that she can't deal with. As if the death of their son isn't enough to rock her world, then her addiction to Valium in order to cope with what life has become, while living with her father's progressing Alzheimer's symptoms, just hurdles her faster into a tailspin out of control. Whoever thought that bull semen would be the avenue to her family's way of living, let alone her responsibility as the once-upon-a-time, stay-at-home mom?
In addition to raising bucking bulls, JB (Jimmy) Denton is an arena announcer for professional bull riding events. That's where he met his ex-girlfriend, Jess, when he was at the lowest point of his life. She made life bearable and hopeful for a short time, but that connection sure made a mess of his relationship with his ex-wife. He realizes what he really wants is the life he had with Charla that he left behind after their son died and Charla pushed him away along with everything else. Hoping it's not too late to repair their damaged relationship, JB wonders if he can ever get Charla to forgive him.
Whether Jimmy left Charla, or Charla pushed him away isn't important when they need each other now, more than ever. Will they realize that past mistakes don't have to last forever?
Charla meets Bella, a transplanted New Yorker who has recently moved to town with her husband. Working at the feed store, Bella is as different as night is to day from Charla, which makes their friendship just as hilarious as it is perfect for the both of them. City slicker meets farm girl is just part of what makes them so different, just like comparing a silk negligee to flannel pajamas. Bella adds some fashion sense to Charla's expanding bank of knowledge while Charla teaches Bella how to mold her swag into being a true cowgirl, without either of them passing judgment on the other for their differences. Besties couldn't be better suited.
Angry at the world, Charla has more than enough to contend with but she decides to run the family business on her own, even though she's terrified of horses, cows and everything it takes to manage a ranch on the outside. Her dad's medicine costs more than the business profits can handle, so she has no choice but to break her addiction to Valium and move on with living, hoping to make the business more prosperous than it is now.
THE SWEET SPOT plays with your emotions right away but some animal humor made me laugh by chapter four. Charla has her hands full with her dad going in and out of lucidity, but the cows, especially a wandering mother-to-be named Trixie are what will make her realize that she might just have the spunk needed to succeed at this ranching business without the help of her ex-husband.
Even though THE SWEET SPOT explores the stages of grief very realistically, often passing the characters' deep felt sorrow to the reader, it also concentrates on the humor surrounding this family and the love that they have deep inside for one another. Is living for what they have now and not for what they've lost in the past the answer?
The secondary characters, including the animals, add heart to this already endearing novel. I felt instantly connected, enjoying the humor and tearful by page 135. An emotional roller coaster, THE SWEET SPOT touches your soul with the joy of living, enfolding your emotions in the characters' love for life in the end. Author Laura Drake's storytelling skills are a gift to those of us who love to read an emotional story with an uplifting ending. If you want a novel that will call to you every time you step away, then THE SWEET SPOT is highly recommended. Nothing is sweeter than realizing that there's more to come in book two of the SWEET ON A COWBOY series—NOTHING SWEETER releases in December 2013.
Book and review courtesy of Romance Junkies.
December 11, 2014
My Review:
I have to admit, I bought this book several months ago and went into reading it without re-reading the cover copy so I had no idea what the story was about. As a result, I was astounded at how close this book hit to home. It's about JB and Charla who got divorced a year ago after 22 years of marriage in the aftermath of grief from their 7 year old son's accidental death. They have a ranch in the Fredericksburg, TX area.
(And this is an aside, but it explains how much this book hit me emotionally. I live 2 hours from Fredericksburg so that's an area I know very well since we visit there regularly. I've been married to my hubby for 22 years and we have an 7 yo daughter. It's so easy to put myself into these characters' place just because I'm right there and as such, I spent a lot of this book crying. I can't imagine how hard this situation would be. Honestly, I don't want to imagine it. Any of it.)
So, you know, this entire story starts with the death of a child and the emotional impact that it has on this couple. You know going into it that it's going to be emotional and it definitely was. I spent many scenes crying right along with Charla or JB. Obviously they are both devastated and instead of turning to each other in their grief, they let it cause a huge divide between them...one that ended with them divorced. Now they are trying to pick up the pieces of life a year later.
It's not an easy book, but it is one filled with hope. Hope that things do get better. I can't imagine anything worse than losing your entire family which is basically what happened to both of them. They are having to rebuild a base for the rest of their lives, but without one another. Something that was unfathomable to them before their child's death. Because they always had a good marriage, but grief is such a complex emotion and everyone reacts differently in their handling of it. The way that both of them handled it felt true, even if it was very difficult to read and experience through their story. But in going through that pain with them, it made their ability to overcome it that much sweeter.
The book does have a happy, well-earned and deserved ending. Both characters learn and grow so much although I personally enjoyed Charla's character arc more. Like her, I had a really hard time with the way JB reacted with his grief so it was more difficult to empathize with him. But it's an incredible story of hope and healing in the face of the worst trauma. I'm happy that I read it and immediately got online to order the other two books in the series because Laura Drake has a great writing voice.
I have to admit, I bought this book several months ago and went into reading it without re-reading the cover copy so I had no idea what the story was about. As a result, I was astounded at how close this book hit to home. It's about JB and Charla who got divorced a year ago after 22 years of marriage in the aftermath of grief from their 7 year old son's accidental death. They have a ranch in the Fredericksburg, TX area.
(And this is an aside, but it explains how much this book hit me emotionally. I live 2 hours from Fredericksburg so that's an area I know very well since we visit there regularly. I've been married to my hubby for 22 years and we have an 7 yo daughter. It's so easy to put myself into these characters' place just because I'm right there and as such, I spent a lot of this book crying. I can't imagine how hard this situation would be. Honestly, I don't want to imagine it. Any of it.)
So, you know, this entire story starts with the death of a child and the emotional impact that it has on this couple. You know going into it that it's going to be emotional and it definitely was. I spent many scenes crying right along with Charla or JB. Obviously they are both devastated and instead of turning to each other in their grief, they let it cause a huge divide between them...one that ended with them divorced. Now they are trying to pick up the pieces of life a year later.
It's not an easy book, but it is one filled with hope. Hope that things do get better. I can't imagine anything worse than losing your entire family which is basically what happened to both of them. They are having to rebuild a base for the rest of their lives, but without one another. Something that was unfathomable to them before their child's death. Because they always had a good marriage, but grief is such a complex emotion and everyone reacts differently in their handling of it. The way that both of them handled it felt true, even if it was very difficult to read and experience through their story. But in going through that pain with them, it made their ability to overcome it that much sweeter.
The book does have a happy, well-earned and deserved ending. Both characters learn and grow so much although I personally enjoyed Charla's character arc more. Like her, I had a really hard time with the way JB reacted with his grief so it was more difficult to empathize with him. But it's an incredible story of hope and healing in the face of the worst trauma. I'm happy that I read it and immediately got online to order the other two books in the series because Laura Drake has a great writing voice.
June 3, 2013
Sad, sad. I have mixed feelings about this book. I'm a sucker for a story that pulls at the heartstrings (and this one did, big time!), but for me THE SWEET SPOT was too much too soon. Readers don't get a chance to connect with the characters before all their troubles are thown at them.
Charla and Jimmy's twenty-year marriage couldn't survive the accidental death of their only child. Guilt and anger drove a wedge between them. Jimmy sought comfort in a woman half his age, and Charla turned to pills to numb the pain. With Jimmy off the ranch, Charla is struggling to keep the operation running and pay the bills. And, on top of all that, her elderly father has Alzheimer's disease, so she must find a way to care for him and run the ranch at the same time.
This book is billed as a contemporary romance, so you're probably asking, "Where's the romance?" Well, it's there, it's just not the focus of the story, IMO. THE SWEET SPOT was about Charla coming to terms with the death of her son and finding a way to forgive herself for all that happened. Only then is she able to open her heart to Jimmy and see how deeply the tragedy affected him too.
Usually I love an emotional tearjerker, but THE SWEET SPOT didn't completely click with me. However, I was thrilled that this book's hero and heroine were in their early 40s - how rare and refreshing! I *almost* dare to call this book inspirational (religious) romance-ish, because there was mention of God and church throughout. It was noticable, but it didn't take over the story.
A highlight of the book was the friendship that formed between Charla and new-girl-in-town Bella. Bella was a hoot. She was a recent transplant from New York City who took dressing like a sexy Texas girl a bit too far. Thank goodness for Bella - she was the perfect friend for Charla and great comic relief.
A lovely feature of this book was that every chapter began with an inspiring quote relating to the story, and this one was my favorite:
SOURCE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Charla and Jimmy's twenty-year marriage couldn't survive the accidental death of their only child. Guilt and anger drove a wedge between them. Jimmy sought comfort in a woman half his age, and Charla turned to pills to numb the pain. With Jimmy off the ranch, Charla is struggling to keep the operation running and pay the bills. And, on top of all that, her elderly father has Alzheimer's disease, so she must find a way to care for him and run the ranch at the same time.
This book is billed as a contemporary romance, so you're probably asking, "Where's the romance?" Well, it's there, it's just not the focus of the story, IMO. THE SWEET SPOT was about Charla coming to terms with the death of her son and finding a way to forgive herself for all that happened. Only then is she able to open her heart to Jimmy and see how deeply the tragedy affected him too.
Usually I love an emotional tearjerker, but THE SWEET SPOT didn't completely click with me. However, I was thrilled that this book's hero and heroine were in their early 40s - how rare and refreshing! I *almost* dare to call this book inspirational (religious) romance-ish, because there was mention of God and church throughout. It was noticable, but it didn't take over the story.
A highlight of the book was the friendship that formed between Charla and new-girl-in-town Bella. Bella was a hoot. She was a recent transplant from New York City who took dressing like a sexy Texas girl a bit too far. Thank goodness for Bella - she was the perfect friend for Charla and great comic relief.
A lovely feature of this book was that every chapter began with an inspiring quote relating to the story, and this one was my favorite:
"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." - Louis B. Smede
SOURCE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2013
I'll not go into details nor provide spoilers. I got up in the middle of the night unable to sleep. My plan was to read a couple of chapters and go back to bed. Four hours later(!), I'd read the entire book. This isn't your usual romance or women's fiction. It's a delightful blend of both. The hero and heroine are not in their twenties, just starting out in life. They are 40y/o couple who had a wonderful life together and saw that life shattered. No one is to blame for what happened, and yet they both blame themselves.
Such a good story. Truly touching. A wonderful debut.
I recommend this book.
Such a good story. Truly touching. A wonderful debut.
I recommend this book.
May 25, 2020
I liked where the story ended up, but JB was such a cliche. Would he have realized his mistakes if Jess hadn’t dumped him? Or would he have continued being a 40 year old man living vicariously through his 20 something girlfriend?
February 17, 2018
What a wonderful book! Second-chance romances are my favorite love stories, and this one was so well-written. Brimming with emotion, this book tugged at my heartstrings, feeling the characters’ regret, grief, and love. The characters were charming and aggravating and loving and hurt and forgiving. Loved it!
November 24, 2024
I really enjoyed this entire series, and this is the one I read first.
WOW Laura Drake can make me feel all the feelings--including the gut-wrenching ones--with her writing.
Just beautiful. Highly recommend.
WOW Laura Drake can make me feel all the feelings--including the gut-wrenching ones--with her writing.
Just beautiful. Highly recommend.
July 11, 2013
I wanted so badly to like this book and I just couldn't. There's not one thing I can put my finger on, just a bunch of little things. I guess I'm also confused about this being a romance. I felt it was more of a woman's fiction. The story was more about Carla Rae growing as a person then anything else. Those who like women's fiction will like. But for us that like more romance in their story, read this with open eyes.
October 26, 2014
Didn't really work for me. I felt like it was too fluffy for the main theme (recovering from the loss of a child) and I really didn't like the so-called hero. Not because he cheated, but because he was just pushy and annoying. So... not for me.
November 28, 2022
This book takes us to the rodeo but mostly to a ranch where Charla and Jimmy, high school sweethearts, fall apart after losing their son. The tragedy finds Char addicted to Valium and Jimmy after trying everything to pull his wife thru the grief leaves her. But they have a business of raising bulls and training them for the rodeo circuit. Char runs Jimmy off the land as it is her father's after he holds up with a young rodeo buckle bunny. She must learn how to care for the bulls and cattle from sun up to sun down. But the calves have to be trained for the circuit and Jimmy returns. He is alone now. He still loves his wife. Can they ever get thru the grief together and become one again?
November 20, 2024
So, this book was a real page-turner. Not. The plot was so so. Two people who supposedly loved each other couldn't communicate their feelings? Shocking, I know. And let's not forget the classic trope of the grieving husband who finds solace in the arms of a much younger woman. Real original. I mean, who hasn't been there, right? All in all, a riveting tale of heartbreak, infidelity, and the profound impact of child loss. Supposed to be angsty, right? It wasn't. It was boring.
July 16, 2013
Laura Drake has woven a beautiful a tale of love, loss, and remembering what is truly important, all with the wonderfully quirky back drop of Professional Bull Riding. I'm not always a fan of ex-lovers that find each other again because all to often they fall in love again mainly based on physical attraction. I always wonder why they don't remember there were reasons they broke up before. But that was not how it was here.
Charla and JB both have issues to work through alone before they can even begin to put their marriage back together. Drake did a beautiful job of allowing the characters to develop and when they finally come together it is not just because of physical attraction and not just that they have always loved each other. Charla and JB have essentially become different people and they have to get to know themselves before they can know each other again, much less fall in love again. It is a beautiful and sweet journey, and I'm so glad Laura Drake let me go along on it!
Charla and JB both have issues to work through alone before they can even begin to put their marriage back together. Drake did a beautiful job of allowing the characters to develop and when they finally come together it is not just because of physical attraction and not just that they have always loved each other. Charla and JB have essentially become different people and they have to get to know themselves before they can know each other again, much less fall in love again. It is a beautiful and sweet journey, and I'm so glad Laura Drake let me go along on it!
December 15, 2013
I double checked the spine of the book and yes, it did say romance, but this is more of a woman's fiction story. I know that it's a terrible thing to lose a child, but Char was just a turn off to me. She pushed her friends and family away, and what parent doesn't feel guilt, and I know that is realistic, but then she blames J B her husband and childhood sweetheart for everything, even though he tries to help her. In some ways she grew stronger, got herself of the pills she wallowed in. She also improved the ranch business and was a real hard working woman. I don't think she let JB finish a sentence until the last pages of the book. She just came off as selfish and shrewish. Couples are supposed to be there for each other, but she didn't push him away, she shoved.Having enough, he had another relationship while they were separated.I wonder why? Still he was there for her. It's hard to like a story if one of the main characters pushes the reader away.
July 27, 2018
Wow, what a premise: a love story between two people who divorced in the aftermath of a terrible tragedy. They're both 40, which was wonderful; they've got some hard miles on them. Can they start again? This is the second book I've read by Laura Drake, who I recently discovered. I began with book 3 and then bought book 1, and reading them out of order did not in the least diminish their stories. I absolutely love this writer. She really tugs on the heartstrings, I like her humor, and she's tuned in to the most powerful human themes. I'm going to buy book 2 in the Sweet on a Cowboy series next. What an enjoyable way to spend the evening--but keep the Kleenex nearby. (My husband, who at 71 has become a fan of the late-1800's-era western-themed romance genre, was eyeballing the "Sweet on You" paperback. "Do you think I would like this?" He actually never likes anything I read, but this could be the ticket. I'll report back.)
January 29, 2014
I've never been to Texas, I haven't been on a horse past the pony ride at the local fair, and I've certainly never been lowered into a chute onto the back of a bucking bull. But Laura Drake put me right there, in the sweet spot, with my hand on the rope and all the excitement and fear in my heart!
"The Sweet Spot" is a love story full of raw and honest emotion, as Charla Rae remembers she and Jimmy had a life, they had "enough," before the loss of their son Benji, and then realizes it's okay to reclaim some of that life.
Hats off to Laura for such a wonderful treatment of love and loss. She isn't afraid to drag her characters (and us) through the dirt, and remind us that life can be as messy as delivering a baby calf in the rain, but just as rewarding.
"The Sweet Spot" is a love story full of raw and honest emotion, as Charla Rae remembers she and Jimmy had a life, they had "enough," before the loss of their son Benji, and then realizes it's okay to reclaim some of that life.
Hats off to Laura for such a wonderful treatment of love and loss. She isn't afraid to drag her characters (and us) through the dirt, and remind us that life can be as messy as delivering a baby calf in the rain, but just as rewarding.
June 2, 2013
Wow!! What an absolutely wonderful story. It had heart and humor. At first I wasn't sure I would be able to forgive JB but I did. I shed tears more than once at the powerful emotions the characters wrung out of me. Even though I haven't experienced the same things as Charla I was able to identify with her character and feel as though I had.
I've never lived in Texas or on a ranch but the author's words brought it all vividly to life so that I could see, hear and feel the ranch.
Looking forward to lots more from this author!
I've never lived in Texas or on a ranch but the author's words brought it all vividly to life so that I could see, hear and feel the ranch.
Looking forward to lots more from this author!
August 26, 2013
This pages of this book are filled with so many emotions that pull at your heart. You feel the love and loss the tears a couple apart. But then you feel the love and determination of them with the help of their family and friends for them to make their way out of the dark back into the light to find that love that was always there to bring them back to The Sweet Spot...
December 12, 2018
The bones of the story is good but I didn't really connect with it.
They suffer the loss of a child and the wife shuts him out. They split up, he has a relationship with a much younger woman, he lives with her.
Later he wants to get back with his ex wife.
I didn't like both characters talking to themselves, I hate that.
They suffer the loss of a child and the wife shuts him out. They split up, he has a relationship with a much younger woman, he lives with her.
Later he wants to get back with his ex wife.
I didn't like both characters talking to themselves, I hate that.
June 19, 2013
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June 15, 2013
Very emotional and unforgettable story. Outstanding.
March 15, 2019
Charla Rae Denny’s dream life was torn to shreds with her son’s death and then her husband's Infidelity. Now, she is dealing with a failing ranch and an ex who is trying to convince to give her a second chance.
What I Loved:
Captures the feel of ranch life in small Texas town
Hints of humor that made me laugh out loud.
Handles rekindled the romance in a way that makes it believable.
An unexpected friendship that strengthens the story and adds humor
What I Liked:
Packs an emotional punch. (AKA -It made me cry.)
Getting the viewpoint of both Charla and her ex makes the story well rounded
The horse named Pork Chop was another humorous touch.
The character is forced to deal with her own issues and the role she played the marriage
What I Didn’t Love
I’m not a fan of cheating spouses getting back together. It bothered me at first but as the story evolved the author made it work.
The bull riding aspect isn’t something that interests me but it didn’t cause me to become uninterested in the story.
Who Should Read This Book:
Romance lovers who enjoy rekindled love stories
Fans of rodeos, bull riding, and all things Texas
If you love emotional books with realistically flawed characters
Who should skip it:
If you hate reading romance
If reading about bull semen is too much for you.
Overall this is an excellent debut novel. I haven’t dived into romance novels in years but I am glad I gave this one a shot.
What I Loved:
Captures the feel of ranch life in small Texas town
Hints of humor that made me laugh out loud.
Handles rekindled the romance in a way that makes it believable.
An unexpected friendship that strengthens the story and adds humor
What I Liked:
Packs an emotional punch. (AKA -It made me cry.)
Getting the viewpoint of both Charla and her ex makes the story well rounded
The horse named Pork Chop was another humorous touch.
The character is forced to deal with her own issues and the role she played the marriage
What I Didn’t Love
I’m not a fan of cheating spouses getting back together. It bothered me at first but as the story evolved the author made it work.
The bull riding aspect isn’t something that interests me but it didn’t cause me to become uninterested in the story.
Who Should Read This Book:
Romance lovers who enjoy rekindled love stories
Fans of rodeos, bull riding, and all things Texas
If you love emotional books with realistically flawed characters
Who should skip it:
If you hate reading romance
If reading about bull semen is too much for you.
Overall this is an excellent debut novel. I haven’t dived into romance novels in years but I am glad I gave this one a shot.
September 16, 2017
This was awesome. Not my usual type of read, but more of a 'real' type of feel with relatable characters going and growing through some of the toughest things life can throw at anyone. Both MCs make choices that, in hindsight, made their situation even worse. This story is about how they make their way through and back to each other.
We didn't get a HEA where there was a surprise pregnancy with triplets or any other fairytale ending, but we did get a believable ending with both MCs in a place where they can build a new future together.
This story left me feeling surprisingly good, especially considering how terrible several of the elements they had to deal with were.
We didn't get a HEA where there was a surprise pregnancy with triplets or any other fairytale ending, but we did get a believable ending with both MCs in a place where they can build a new future together.
This story left me feeling surprisingly good, especially considering how terrible several of the elements they had to deal with were.
March 18, 2023
I spent two or three chapters thinking about the review I wanted to write. I had it all planned out and then came the twist. I was so surprised it almost changed my whole opinion. Oh, the story was still really good and the focused main character was still really strong. For her to be able to manage her life, her ranch all while dealing with her father is beyond amazing. The twist, though, made me change my opinion of the other main character and remind me not to form opinions until all the facts are in.
This was an amazing story from start to finish and ended the way I hope all lives end....HEA.
Thank you, Laura, for another wonderful story.
This was an amazing story from start to finish and ended the way I hope all lives end....HEA.
Thank you, Laura, for another wonderful story.
June 13, 2024
This is the first book by Laura Drake that found its way to me and boy, am I glad it did! This author sure understands grief and loneliness and knows how to write about it, too. The characters have depth and flesh and substance. I found myself deeply touched by their struggles with each other and themselves. The book touches painful topics like the loss of a child, an aging parent with Alzheimers and the breakdown of a marriage because of grief that was not shared. The protagonists of this book had to live though some really dark times to get to their well-deserved HEA. A very well written, engaging and gripping read. Highly recommended.
October 1, 2018
What Laura Drake does with a cowboy story is so delicious it should be illegal. I started this series by reading the third one first and liked it so much, I bought the previous two. Though a series, each stands on its' own merits.
I understand why this book won a RITA. This writer tackles the tough subject of grief and second chances with such a 'real' touch that you find yourself rooting for the characters as if they are friends. And she made me cry in the process.
Looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
I understand why this book won a RITA. This writer tackles the tough subject of grief and second chances with such a 'real' touch that you find yourself rooting for the characters as if they are friends. And she made me cry in the process.
Looking forward to reading the second book in this series.
May 24, 2020
Laura Drake hit it out of the park! What a powerful read. The couple experiences tragedy after tragedy and finally emerge together as a unit. The loss of a child and the resulting depression, addiction, withdrawal, anger, and father's illness resulted in the failure of the marriage. Errors were made on both parts and each had to face their own demons in order to heal.
At first I thought the emotional story would become dull and tedious, silly me. Once it drew me in, I had to know if they survived as a couple. They did, but what a journey.
At first I thought the emotional story would become dull and tedious, silly me. Once it drew me in, I had to know if they survived as a couple. They did, but what a journey.
June 8, 2021
Loved it! Two thumbs UP! The Sweet Spot was my first Western romance. Lots of characters who rank high on the likability and "root-ability" charts. Second-chances...fish-out-of-water...cowboys riding bulls...this book has it all.
The Sweet Spot is a heartwarming, tender and hopeful story that's easy to read and hard to put down.
Laura Drake is a masterful storyteller. Can't wait to read more of her work!
The Sweet Spot is a heartwarming, tender and hopeful story that's easy to read and hard to put down.
Laura Drake is a masterful storyteller. Can't wait to read more of her work!
April 26, 2022
Nota personal: no lo leas de nuevo, te aburrió.
Los personajes principales pierden a un hijo de 7 años, ella se distancia de él por la pérdida de su hijo y el remedio para él después de menos de uno años de la muerte de su hijo es divorciarse y juntarse con una mujer mucho más joven. Ambos tienen problemas financieros, que en un punto parece hasta que por eso se vuelven a reunir 🤦🏻♀️
Los personajes principales pierden a un hijo de 7 años, ella se distancia de él por la pérdida de su hijo y el remedio para él después de menos de uno años de la muerte de su hijo es divorciarse y juntarse con una mujer mucho más joven. Ambos tienen problemas financieros, que en un punto parece hasta que por eso se vuelven a reunir 🤦🏻♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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