An NPR Favorite Book of 2019 “Adorable, joyous.” –BuzzFeed “I’m head-over-heels for this charming, funny, romantic, life-affirming book.” –Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat The irresistible companion novel to the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi’s brother, Ashish, and a confident, … When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi’s brother, Ashish, and a confident, self-proclaimed fat athlete named Sweetie as they both discover what love means to them.
Ashish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up.
The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl–under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he’ll be taking his date on “fun” excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work?
Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she’s also fat. To Sweetie’s traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death.
Sweetie loves her parents, but she’s so tired of being told she’s lacking because she’s fat. She decides it’s time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she’ll show the world (and herself) what she’s really made of.
Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there’s an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?
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A thoroughly delightful romance featuring a spirited, confident, and lovable heroine and an unexpectedly dashing romantic hero. Add to your must-read shelves!
There’s something about the way Sandhya Menon writes love stories. I’m head-over-heels for this charming, funny, romantic, life-affirming book.
I think I enjoyed this one even more than When Dimple Met Rishi, also from Menon. A fabulous, body-positive plus-size heroine and a sincere but insecure hero make for a cheerful, fun high school romance. (The cover is 100% on point.)
A sweet, light romance with a positive message, perfect for teens.
OH THIS IS SUCH A CUTE BOOK. The romance is sweet and makes you just want to be back as a teen experiencing first love. Swoon. But it’s not just about romance, it also intertwines Indian culture, and tackles body image and self-acceptance.
I loved the strong, yet sweet character of Sweetie, and Ashish was such a gentleman. What a great pairing!
Reading the prior book in the series, When Dimple Met Rishi, is not a prerequisite for enjoying this sequel.
Recommended for lovers of YA romance.
There’s Something About Sweetie is my favorite Sandhya Menon book. The characters have made an impact on me. They are real, genuine, and funny. Besides Sweetie’s parents, but that’s the entire point of the story. Anyway, Sweetie is a story for anyone that love love or has ever dealt with people judging you about your weight. It’s a real and emotional story that will have you wanting more for Ashish and Sweetie in the end. Sandhya Menon is an amazing author and I can’t wait to read whatever she comes out with next.
Since I loved the first book set in this world so much, I had to read the second. And now I find out there are some novellas as well, which I am definitely going to look into.
In this story, I really appreciated the author’s use of weight and body image as a struggle or an issue for young people to be facing. I could not stand Sweetie’s mom for most of the book, I was very triggered by almost everything she did and said. I will say though, that she seemed to redeem herself at the end. In addition to the body image issues, there were also the issues of dating and the cultural differences that Sweetie and Ashish have that other students their age don’t necessarily face.
Speaking of Ashish, I found his parents to be amazing. I think all teenagers hope for parents like that. I also found their dating ideas and especially the reasons why they chose them to be endearing. Obviously, if you’ve read When Dimple Met Rishi, you’ve sort of met these parents, but you get to really see them in this story.
While the body image issues that Sweetie is dealing with are paramount to the story, so are the breaking up and moving on issues that Ashish is facing. Learning to be confident under both circumstances plays heavily into this book, and I think it is a very positive story for teens to read when dealing with these things.
I loved the story so much, but I’m also really enjoying learning about this culture and expanding my knowledge in this area. I think that fans of the first book, fans of Indian culture and stories, as well as fans of adorable YA contemporary romances are going to love this book.
I read this one immediately after When Dimple Met Rishi and loved that I could continue on the story with some of the same characters!
Things I love:
– The book is written in dual POV! I love getting both the girl’s and guy’s POV.
– Sweetie is a bas@$$ take-no-prisoners gal and I love it. Sneaking out of her house to meet a guy and challenging him to a footrace? Boss move.
– Body positivity and plus-size. Sweetie is totally at home in her body and isn’t going to change for anyone, even her outright cruel mother.
– Insight into modern “arranged dating” culture in America among Indian-American teens.
Things I didn’t love:
– Just by comparison sake, I liked Dimple and Rishi’s story better. Maybe because they were a bit older (summer before college) and the progression of the relationship seemed more natural?
– Whenever I read a story where the focus so much on the main character’s weight, I struggle a bit because it makes me dwell on my own struggles with my weight, and that’s not something I always want to think about. But I know some people like finding comradery in books, so this is a personal preference.
– Sweetie’s basically verbally abusive mother. Also maybe outright abusive, considering she makes her run laps around the yard before she can have an apple as a snack. This could be triggering for some people and made me very sad. The whole premise of the book is that Sweetie’s mom is contacted by the main guy’s family to set them up on a date but Sweetie’s mom says no because she’s too “fat” and the guy is conventionally attractive. That’s just cruel. And that’s not even counting what Sweetie’s mom says to her face. I understand it’s a plot point, but it’s a lot to handle. Props to Sweetie for prevailing.
4 stars – 6/10
It’s so good
Sandhya Menon has been an instant favourite since she released her debut When Dimple Met Rishi so it was a no brainer that I would pick the second book that was set in the same setting.
There’s Something About Sweetie is relatable on many levels. The constant body shaming, the rules and regulations, the arrange marriage scheme that is still very prevalent today, make for your everyday Indian family.
There is “Desi-ness” to this series that is authentic and you get to experience the Indian immigrant families and how they are all about staying true to your old family roots and traditions. It’s a part of their everyday lives and you as outsider gets to experience it second-hand.
If you pick any book that is set in this universe then get ready for some major Bollywood movie references, active parents and their involvement in their kids’ life but most importantly their arcs and the character growth of both the leads.
The Desi rep is hard in Menon’s stories. She highlights the relationship between the first and second generation of the family and the want for the second-generation immigrant kids to be modern while still loving the traditional roots.
4 Stars!
A cute and easy to read novel with wonderful characters and funny moments.
Okay, confession: I had a hard time that Ashish got dumped in the beginning of this novel. It’s probably because I was so immersed in the original world of Dimple and Rishi. However, I *love* Sweetie. She’s confident and so adorable.
The romantic relationship, complete with contract, seemed super cute. And I liked getting to know the characters, with their insecurities and bright spots. I love how they interacted together, too.
My only issue came with some unrealistic tidbits in the story. I thought that it would have been really hard for the kids (and parents) to keep the whole dating thing a secret for such a long time. (And would Ashish’s parents actually do that?) I also had an issue with Sweetie’s mom. Yes, I get that there are aunties or mothers who criticize, but I thought her mother was really extreme (almost unlikable). Also, this second book tied everything at the end too neatly in a giant glittery bow: the basketball, party, etc.
However, I still really enjoyed it. It’s such a fun read, and I can’t help but root for the stars at the heart of this novel.
Menon writes the sweetest and most adorably charming stories. I’m always left feeling like a puddle of joy.
This book spoke to me on so many levels.
Yes YA contemporaries are often cute and fluffy (and this has the perfect amount of fluff). But they also have messages that are so important for not only teens, but adult YA readers, too.
As a fat girl, I wish I could see more empowering fat female characters. Seeing Sweetie being so comfortable in her own skin was inspiring to say the least.
Several of her scenes really hit close to home. Like Sweetie, I have dealt with a parent who is very against me being the size that I am. There were times where I felt that Menon could have actually shadowed me and was writing about my own first hand experiences and conversations. I’d never felt more seen in my life. I’m so grateful that this story was told the way it was.
Menon’s note to fat girls in the acknowledgments made me openly sob. So I want to take a moment to say thank you Sandhya. I will cherish those few sentences and carry them with me for the rest of my life.
And for my last point, something a little lighter. Ashish’s character development was stunning. I actually started off not particularly caring for him, but I can see now that was the cunning plan all along. He grew up a lot throughout the course of a month, and I loved it.
Him turning into a gooey chocolate chip cookie over Sweetie was way too cute.
Thank you to NetGalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There’s Something About Sweetie is the perfect YA romance. This adorable story features a strong heroine and a great body-positive message for all readers. If you are looking for a swoon-worthy read with great depth and incredible writing, this is definitely the book for you!
Adorable romance with a wonderful body-positive message AND realistic friction with a mom who thinks she is doing the right thing, despite it obviously hurting her kid.
Oh, how I tore through this one!
As a parent of teenagers, there is something oddly relaxing about reading teenagers making teenage decisions.
Sweetie is a gorgeous character, who is navigating herself and her family’s expectations.
Ashish is being forced to figure out what he really wants, and who he really is.
This is a wonderful book with plenty of emotion and great teenage drama and friendship. It’s my favourite by Menon to date.
OHMYHEART!!! I am so undeniably smitten with this book and Sweetie and Ashish! I still have this dorky smile on my face just thinking about them and their story.
When Dimple Met Rishi is one of my favorite YA contemporary books. I adore Dimple and Rishi and was absolutely charmed by their story. Going into this book, I just knew I would feel the same and there would be plenty of swoons and some of the best FEELS. And, I was not wrong… not even a little bit. If I’m being honest, I actually like There’s Something About Sweetie a little bit more than WDMR. Not by much, but there really is something so dazzling about Sweetie and I can’t wait for your to meet her.
Sweetie is an awesome heroine. She has my heart and I absolutely adored her. She’s confident, driven, funny, kind, and caring. She’s an amazing daughter, talented and smart, a good friend, and just a beautiful person inside and out. She does have insecurities, but Sweetie doesn’t feel sorry for herself or want others to pity her. She’s proud and loves who she is. She shows everyone that she is happy with herself and no one else can make her feel otherwise. Getting to know Sweetie and seeing her grow into her own was truly inspiring.
I don’t quite remember how I felt about Ashish in When Dimple Met Rishi, but I definitely fell hard for him in this book. He may seem overly confident and so full of himself and it is partly true, but Ashish also has a tender and vulnerable side to him that not too many people get to see… at least not until Sweetie. He is charming, swoony, surprising and downright lovable. He respects his parents, he cares about his friends, and he loves with all his heart. He grew so much throughout the story and I think he is just so sweet and I loved that Sweetie brings out the best in him.
The romance is fun and I loved the chemistry between Ashish and Sweetie. Obviously, I think they are adorable and perfect for each other. I can’t give it all away, but they have the cutest first meeting that made my heart race, super adorable dates that made me laugh and swoon, and the sweetest kisses (and there are PLENTY of those) that gave me never-ending butterflies. I shipped them with all my heart and enjoyed seeing them fall for each other.
There are so many things I loved about this book. The writing is absolutely gorgeous and affecting, the plot is perfectly engaging, and the characters are irresistible and charming. I loved every moment I spent with Ashish and Sweetie. Their interactions made my heart melt and I could not get enough. I also really liked that they both have friends who are caring and incredibly supportive. Ashish’s parents are super awesome and I enjoyed their quirks and seeing how much they love their son was heartwarming. Sweetie’s mother did not make it easy for me to like her, but in the end I could see that she really just wants what’s best for her daughter. I thought Sweetie’s relationship with her father was endearing and I wanted to see more of them bonding. I also really enjoyed the humor, the diversity, and getting a taste of Indian culture. This book is simply wonderful and I hope you get to read it and fall in love with Sweetie and Ashish just as much as I did.
SWOONS to the max and all the FEELS, this delightful and uplifting story made my heart sing. Sandhya Menon is truly an amazing writer – incredibly gifted in creating meaningful stories that are not so easily forgotten. She writes with so much heart and her stories feel like a lovely warm embrace. There’s Something About Sweetie is adorable, sweet, funny and romantic. Obviously! But, it’s also an EMPOWERING story about ACCEPTANCE and SELF-WORTH. Because regardless of our color, size, shape, religion, and whatever other category we fall in, we are all BEAUTIFUL and we are ENOUGH.
There’s Something About Sweetie is without a doubt one of my favorite reads this year. I obviously and wholeheartedly recommend it to EVERYONE.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher, Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing via Netgalley (BIGGEST HUGS AND THANKS BTW) in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts, feelings, and swoons are my own.
There’s something irresistible about Sandhya Menon’s novels — the romances are sweet and winning, the humor is cheerful and sly, and the families are warm and complicated.