Book #Review and ARC #Giveaway: The Sweet Spot by Laura Drake

This is a rich, emotional and  “sweet” read.

The Sweet Spot (Sweet on a Cowboy)

by Laura Drake

• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Forever (May 28, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1455521957
• ISBN-13: 978-1455521951

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Release date: May 28, 2013 | Series: Sweet on a Cowboy (Book 1)
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?

Review:
Charla Rae and JB had been together since they were starry-eyed 17 year-olds. Charla Rae was a ranch wife... she always took care of the home and had everything ready and waiting when JB came home. JB was a champion bull rider when they first married and later he managed the family business raising and training bulls for rodeo riding. JB was also a popular announcer for the “PBR” (Pro Bull Riding) rodeo circuit spending time away but always glad to come back to his family and home.

After years as a successful marriage team their world fell apart with the tragic death of their only child. Charla Rae went from shock to oblivion and Valium addiction. When JB couldn’t get through to her he fell for a young rodeo fan resulting in the couple’s separation and divorce.

Charla Rae has begun to get her life back although she still struggles each day not to seek the comfort of the pills. She knows she has to be more responsible, not only for herself, but because she must care for her father who is suffering from Alzheimer’s.  When JB has to let the ranch hand go, Charla Rae discovers that she has to, and can, manage some dirty and rough chores.

JB has worries about monies - he wants to help Charla Rae on the ranch and with her father’s care, but the money won’t stretch to cover two households.  The young woman he’d become infatuated with has moved on and JB realizes that he made a huge mistake leaving Charla Rae and her father who were the only family he had left.

JB wants to get back into Char’s life but how can he convince her to trust him again? Can she find a way to forgive him and forgive herself enough to brave her way back from oblivion to face an unexpected future without their boy?

I liked that this story dealt with a mature couple and very real-life issues. The author deals openly with the pain of grief, prescription pill addiction and the struggles of coping with an Alzheimer’s patient. The story is filled with underlying emotion, fears, difficulties of finding forgiveness and facing the future after tragic loss. The writing is very natural as well as strong, warm and sweet. If you enjoy truly rich and emotional characters you should try this book.

I do have to note that I had a negative reaction from the book is the cover which shows a man who does not look 40 to me. It also shows a pasture of horses rather than bulls or even cows. So, if that sort of thing annoys you, don’t look at the cover. I do recommend the trailer at the author's website. It has some nice cowboy shots and a lovely excerpt from the book!

I received this title from Forever, Hachette for an honest review.

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