Customer Reviews

The Sweetest Thing

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Barbara Freethy has acquired a new fan. This story was touching but not saccharine, fast-moving but fleshed-out, sensual without being too graphic, and mystical but not far-fetched. While the ending was a bit rushed, the loose ends all coming together conveniently, it was still a great introduction to a talented author, and worthy of any reader's "keeper" shelf.

Wonderful love story. I absolutely wanted to visit Faith's bakery. The secondary characters were all interesting and their stories compelling. I loved the trip to Arizona. What wonderful depth this book had with all the family relationships. Great read. I recommend it, especially to people who want a bit more than just one simple love story.

Barbara Freethy has done it again. I loved The Sweetest Thing. The mystical elements were blended into the storyline perfectly, adding a little bit of mystery and suspense. As always, Barbara has weaved together the lives of numerous people--who you can't help but love and root for--into one beautifully written story. The love story between Alex and Faith was great, and Jessie, the little-girl-lost, was absolutely precious. Can't wait until Barbara's next book. In fact, I just might go back and read one of her others!

Alex Carrigan has made a success of his life. He's slowly building an athletic shoe empire to rival the likes of Nike when fate deals him several blows. First his eccentric grandfather Julian drops into his orderly life, then a further bombshell - the woman he divorced at 18 because she claimed he was not the father of her child has died and left the potty mouthed pre-teen Jessie in his custody.

Pastry chef and orphan Faith Christopher has spent her lifetime wanting to be loved. Abandoned at a church as an infant, she finally found love with Gary Porter, but he died before they could marry. His family has adopted her and hopes that she'll accept second son Ben's proposal. The two are merely friends and have never had romantic feelings, yet Ben is insistent that they marry, and his family is putting pressure on her to make it happen. Then Julian walks into her bakery and sets her life on a different course with his tales of a family curse which he's asked her to help him reverse. Just when she thinks that a marriage of convenience with a friend would be acceptable, she meets his brooding grandson, and a reluctant attraction develops between them.

As Faith sets out to help Julian find his lost love and to reverse the past, she and Alex find themselves spending more time together, and she spending less time with the Porters, who are still convinced she'll be their daughter in law soon. She feels a kindred connection to Jessie, who is convinced that if she is a good girl, Alex will keep her. Jessie and Julian play matchmaker to the hesitant duo.

Freethy goes to such lengths to keep Ben's "secret" under wraps. But a single man living in San Francisco, working in an art gallery, desperate to marry a woman he does not love to please his parents... I guessed that secret after the first page. This is one of her older stories, but pales in comparison to her better early novels such as "One True Love" and "Just the Way You Are."

Barbara Freethy writes wonderfully emotional contemporaries, but in her latest, the quality is uneven.

As usual, Faith is a wonderful heroine, and is so warm and likeable I couldn't help but to be fond of her.

However, this book suffers from a lack of focus due to so many different things going on at once. The grandfather never leave an impression to me - I'm still not sure if he's a dotty schizophrenic, a pathological liar, or just plain eccentric. The mystical aspect distracts rather than enhances the romance.

And the hero is never fully fleshed out. He see-saws from cold distant control freak to a man showing little, but not much, human emotions. I never get to know him well except that he is, well, emotionally cold. I don't know why a bubbly cheerful woman like Faith could think she was in love with him so soon in the book.

And my greatest peeve is the ending, which seems ver rushed. Wham, bang, and "I love you Faith" and that's it? I never really appreciate Faith and her man's relationship, I prefer hers and Ben's, but the latter was left hanging. The hero's relationship with his daughter was resolved in one paragraph after all the angst and broodings of over 200 pages. There's not even a HEA epilogue, which makes me wonder if there's a "divorce-because-he's-a-workaholic" reunion sequel in the works.

Others may love this book, but I'm off to reread "Daniel's Gift". The sweetest thing about this book is its title, which I found inexplicably charming.

I thought this book was terrific. It was my first Barbara Freethy, but it won't be my last. I enjoyed the characters so much. Thought Alex and Faith were a great couple. And I loved the extra little bit of magic. I can't wait to read her other books.

Wow, what a wonderful love story! I have enjoyed all of Barbara Freethy's books but THE SWEETEST THING is one of her best! The story is so well done I felt I was right there. And I loved the way she has more than one plot going at a time. Faith was the kind of woman I like to read about, independent and self-sufficient, yet open to love. Alex is a great hero. He made me laugh with his frustration dealing with his grandfather and his unexpected teenage daughter. But it was the way the plots all mesh and end happily that left me with the sweetest feeling. I can't wait for the next book!

After reading this amazing story, I learned a new definition of a good novel. A must read! A++++++

This is one of the best books I have read. Well-written and with a wonderful plot. I will definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were so likeable, so real and appealing. I felt like I knew them and I missed them when the story ended. Great job. I am looking forward to Ms. Freethy's next book.