Amy Poeppel's warmhearted fourth novel, The Sweet Spot, explores what happens when four women in New York City's Greenwich Village end up taking care of a baby who belongs to none of them. With wry humor and a knack for hilarious situations, Poeppel (Musical Chairs) creates a world--and a cast of characters--that proves both wacky and heartwarming.
Ceramic artist Lauren Shaw and her rambunctious family--three children, an absentminded scientist husband and a badly behaved dog--are living in a relative's brownstone above a bar on Waverly Place. Desperate for backup, Lauren calls on her buttoned-up Bostonian mother, Evelyn, to help out with childcare. They hit a snag in Melinda, the recently divorced receptionist at the children's school, who holds a grudge against Lauren for reasons Lauren can't even begin to guess. Twentysomething Olivia gets caught in the crossfire of Melinda's ire, and loses her job, which is how she ends up babysitting Lauren's kids. When Melinda's ex-husband, now involved with Olivia's former employer, leaves his new baby in their care, all four women band together to juggle infant duty, dog walks and the intricacies of the new community they're building.
Poeppel observes her characters like a chatty friend, showcasing their quirks but turning a loving eye to their flaws. The men in their lives--husbands and fathers--play supportive roles, but the narrative belongs to the women. Smart, compassionate and ingenious, with a wicked sense of humor, Poeppel's latest novel hits the sweet spot from start to finish. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams