This was a cute small town single mom meets baseball legend back in town and between the funny and sassy and or dirty banter, steamy moments, their connection was just so good.

Amazing storyline and characters! I was instantly engrossed in this book and couldn't put it down! Cole and Palmer were two well-developed characters who I instantly knew would hit it off with each other. I would definitely read this book again!

I love Adriana Locke, small town and single mom romances and this was a cute read.

I loved how Cole was with the son, Ethan and I loved him and Palmer togther. I loved the kid in this book and I liked both Palmer and Cole together. I didn’t love the conflict towards the end and how it was handled, but the ending was sweet.

What an emotional, angsty and raw story. Brought me to many tears.
When sassy single mom Palmer first meets the retired baseball player Cole, you could feel the spark fly. But being burned so many times, Palmer wants nothing to do with him. Is he only staying for a limited time in town. But Cole is persistent and it seems everywhere she sees him. When a coincidence makes Cole the trainer of her son’s baseball team they are destined to spend a lot more time together. And after many encounters and get to knows Cole gets his chance. And everything is and feels right for Palmer and him. Or so it seems. When a bad circumstance happens, we find out about Cole’s hesitation to commit. About his secret. And with the best interest in mind he breaks Palmer’s heart. But his own too. With everything that is going on, is there a chance of happiness? Or are they meant to shatter? There is so much emotional stuff in the last chapters that breaks your heart and repairs it later. And makes you think and learn about the obstacles in life and how to handle them at best.

This book is phenomenal. I read it over a year ago and I still think about it all the time. Single mom Palmer Clark doesn't have things easy but she'll do anything for her son. The last thing she needs in her life is the charming retired baseball player who just moved to her small town. But Cole is determined to win her and her son over, even when he's scared that he might not be the guy they really need in their lives. I love this book endlessly and I definitely need to do a reread soon!

"You never know where life may take you. You just have to have patience and trust that it will all work out. You have to believe that the challenges, hardships, all the moments that will absolutely bend you in half are just making you stronger, more resilient, and absolutely more badass for life on the other side."
Adriana utterly knocked this one out of the park! Palmer, Cole, Ethan, I loved them all so much! Watching them fall in love, find themselves as they navigated the building relationship between them and the beginning of their forever was such an absolute JOY! Nobody writes romance like Adriana Locke. Her gift is just unparalleled, and it's a privilege to read these stories and characters that spring from her brilliant brain. Five stars! See y'all on another page!

The Sweet Spot is a sweet, small town romance, full of love, great characters, and a story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. Palmer and Cole had a great connection, and I just loved their banter. Palmer's son Ethan was a real highlight for me too, and his relationship with Cole completely melted my heart. This is another hit from an extremely talented author!

I really liked this book and finished it in a single day during travels. The book got better as I read - Palmer and Cole's relationship, Coles sweet and supportive parents, Palmer best friend, then wise young Ethan. I rarely cry with books but this has me tearing up at an airport (also lots of laughs and smiles). Would recommend this to people who like an easy but drama filled rom com.

**Posted on 11/29/22**

Sweet and irresistibly charming, The Sweet Spot focuses on Palmer, a single mom looking for long-term love, and Cole, the newly retired baseball player that’s just breezed into town. They meet on a whim when Cole’s buddy bets him to ask Palmer for her number. Though attracted to both his looks and personality, Palmer is hesitant to engage in anything with Cole because of her past experiences. But there’s more to Cole than she thinks, and he’s got quite a story of his own. Will these two be able to move past themselves to really give it a go, or will they end before they ever really begin?

I adore Palmer and Cole so much. She’s sassy and bright and so very relatable even just in her hopes and desires. And Cole…well, I’ll just say that I think it would be impossible to not fall in love with his character. He’s so much more complex than I thought he would be going into this book, and it all adds to the greater story. Plus, the way he is with Palmer’s son? I mean just try not to swoon. I dare you.

I do wish the big reveal toward the end of the book got a little more attention, but the overall story was wonderfully told. The flirting had me smiling, and I loved watching them fall for each other. Smalltown romances are always some of my favorite stories, and this book does it perfectly. I enjoyed the drama peppered in, too. It’s well done and adds to the storyline in a way that makes you want to keep reading.

This is a romance that will keep you interested from the start and make you feel all the things. This is another must read from one of my favorite authors, and I recommend it for anyone looking for love story that will tug at your heartstrings.

The Sweet Spot has a great premise with some well loved tropes but I found the execution just missed the mark for me. It was engaging enough but I wasn't very invested in the characters. I wanted to shake Palmer at times and I found Cole's situation unnecessarily mysterious. The setting was good and I liked the baseball coaching element and small town vibes.

***4 Stars***

This was a fun read. I loved Palmer from the start. She’s got a lot on her shoulders, and would love to have a little less, but she puts one foot in front of the other and does her best to make her life and her son’s life the best it can be. Cole was pushy, there was a charm and honesty behind it that definitely makes it a little easier to say that he was determined instead. Their journey was a lot of fun to witness as they attempted to set boundaries and just be friends, but failed miserably at every turn. There is a big bump in the road that wasn’t unexpected and to an extent understandable, but still had me wanting to reach through my kindle in Gibbs smack the person. But in the end, I love that they both got the HEA and the life they deserved.

And as for Ethan, I freaking loved that kid and hope that he may one day get his one HEA because he totally deserves it.

This book was so cute but also had sine serious moments. I'm a huge baseball fan, so The Sweet Spot was right up my alley.

Palmer and Cole were adorable together, and Cole's relationship with Ethan was super heartwarming.

This book just sort of felt like a warm hug. With very little stress and almost no angst.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

TW/CW: Mentions of: an abusive parent, alcoholism, cancer, absent parent, multiple sclerosis,

THE GOOD 😀

This. This book made me smile big guys. Cole, Palmer and Ethan were such great characters and I adored reading about their growing relationship and trust in one another.
Palmer, single mom and all round badass, is working herself into the ground trying to be there for everyone else. When Cole, baseball extraordinaire and next level hot bloke, approaches her at the bar where she’s meeting her friend and asks for her number, she immediately shuts him down. Not to say that she was rude, the banter between them was off the charts, however she’d been burned before and refused to let it happen again. Somehow Cole just keeps turning up where she is though, funny that.
I loved the dynamic between Cole, Palmer and her son Ethan. He immediately gained their trust and showed Palmer that she could rely on him. I was really rooting for Palmer and her happy ending, she’d been through so much in her life, I just wanted her to finally have something that was her own. And Cole was definitely it. Then the twist came. Well, not so much a twist, more like an emotional rollercoaster that I wasn’t completely ready for. That’s good writing right there when an author can surprise you like that.
The family dynamic, not just between Cole, Palmer and Ethan but with Cole and his family, and Palmer and her found family in Val, was extraordinary and the one thing (out of many) that I adored about this story. Despite the obstacles thrown in Cole and Palmer’s path, they knew they could get through them with these people by their side.
This was my first book that I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last. The Sweet Spot was an emotional and engaging read that I just couldn’t get enough of.

From beginning to end, I loved this story. I fell in love with Palmer & Ethan. That sweet boy that saw much more than his mother knew grabbed my heart from the beginning. Cole was perfect for them. His parents were so welcoming to her & Ethan. The town was a whole character of its own. I hate to say goodbye to them!

DNF. I tried multiple times to finish this one but it wasn’t for me. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I absolutely loved this book! I am a sucker for small town romance.

I always love when one (or both) of the main characters are determined to not “catch feelings” or be serious, but they end up developing feelings throughout the book and you can see their connection growing.

Cole and Palmer had great chemistry from the start. I love that Cole didn’t shy away because Palmer had a son. Their interactions together were so cute!

This was available as read and listen on KU so I borrowed it and listened to the audio version. I’m so glad I did because Teddy Hamilton and Stella Hunter put on an amazing performance for this audiobook. The emotion in their voice had me in my feels and even made me cry at certain points in the book.

I love Adriana Locke.
I love small town romances.
I love single mum romances.
I liked this book, but no as much as her others. I wanted more slow burn I think. And the chemistry didn't jump off the page.

3.5 stars 🌟

The Sweet Spot by Adriana Locke is a small-town, single mother, sports romance that can be read as a standalone. This is a light-hearted, feel-good read with low angst and charm.
In this story we meet Palmer and Cole. Palmer is a single mother of a 12 year old boy who she absolutely adores. Everything she does is for her son Ethan and she constantly puts his needs above her own.
Cole is a retired pro baseball player, back home in his small town to visit his parents. An opportunity to coach the town's team sees Cole sticking around longer. The chemistry and connection between these two is magic but are they both on the same page? Palmer has been hurt plenty in the past while Cole has never entertained the idea of a relationship.
Overall, a good read. I absolutely loved the relationship between Palmer's son Ethan and Cole. After not having much of a father figure growing up, I admired the bond that those two had.
If you love small town romances, then give this story a read.

This is definitely one of those super sweet stories that suck you in and keep you reading. Palmer is a single mom and Cole is a baseball player in town visiting his parents while he decides what he wants to do next with his life. They meet when he is coaching her son's team. But then some other drama happens and they both have to decide whether they want to truly be together.

I really enjoyed this one. It is really sweet and cute and I enjoyed the interactions between Cole and Palmer's son, Ethan. He is genuinely a nice guy, even though he was in professional baseball. He steps up when he doesn't have to, and he definitely shows how much he cares about people. Palmer struggles with being a single mom, not because she can't do it. But because her ex always leaves her son hanging and her picking up the slack. My only issue with this whole story was the drama and the "breakup" it led to, instead of still having a conversation about what was going on. I get it to a point, but I just felt like as adults it could have been handled differently. But, that's just my take on it. Everything else I really liked and enjoyed.

Addy hit this out of the park and made it in the "Sweet Spot". Cole has a secret and I needed to know what it was! You will too, trust me. Loved Palmer and her cute little boy. Such a beautiful story. A must read!