Hello Again,

It has been a pretty busy week but I have still fit in a ton of reading. I believe it was last year maybe the year before, I picked up the book When Dimple Met Rishi on audio and absolutely loved every second of that story (my review is still up here and on Goodreads). But I saw There’s Something About Sweetie had an audiobook available on my Libby so I decided to borrow it, and not only did I love it but I ended up wanting to keep listening to it basically always!

SPOILERS AHEAD

Sweetie has a mostly really great life. She does well in high school, has great friends, and is a track star. The only thing is Sweetie’s family including her mother do not want Sweetie to date. But Sweetie has met Ashish. Ashish really likes Sweetie and after his recent breakup (which kind of tore him apart) Ashish is willing to do dating his parent’s way. His parents would like him to date Sweetie but they have very strict rules including telling Sweetie’s family after three very supervised dates. But will things go okay on those dates? Will Sweetie and Ashish continue to like one another?

I loved this book so much! I also loved getting to kind of see Dimple and Rishi again. I have already picked up the other two books in this series physically and on audio so I am hoping to get to them soon. I really enjoyed watching Ashish and Sweetie start to slowly become a couple and blossom into more confident versions of themselves. I can not wait to see what the future holds for them, (hopefully in glimpses of them in the other books). I think I also have one other series by this author currently on my shelves as well, so I will definitely be picking all these up soon!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

really enjoyed this. loved the representation and the love story. the dialogue felt age appropriate and not like adults pretending to be teens. the narrative arc felt earned and resonated deeply while also making me happy and smile.

This was soooo cute! I didn't think anything could rival When Dimple Met Rishi for me, but this came close. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it. Sweetie is such a wholesome, loveable character and I enjoyed rooting for her throughout the book.

Sandhya Menon has done it again!

She returns with her third novel, There's Something About Sweetie, a companion novel to When Dimple Met Rishi, and it is oozing with cheesy goodness. It is highly anticipated after Bustle's website released a sneak peek, including the first chapter, in October 2018.

There's Something About Sweetie brings light to a new character named Sweetie Nair, a young track star with the record of being the second fastest in the state of California. She's sassy, she's fun, and she's everything that her mom doesn't want her to be. She's fat and her mother seems to resent the extra weight she holds in her daughter, and she carries it like an albatross on the neck.

Ashish Patel, the son of major influences in the Indian community in northern California, was completely dumped unapologetically by his girlfriend, Celia, good friends with his older brother and his girlfriend, Rishi and Dimple. Stuck at crossroads that lead to dead ends, he asks his parents, Sunita and Kartik, to match him up with an Indian girl, because if Rishi can end up in a long-term relationship through arranged pairs, who's to say he couldn't find his match too?

This leads to some pulling of strings, lunch at a high-end restaurant, and five hundred dollars worth of sweets, and eventually, Sweetie and Ashish are together! Not quite. There's way more to this novel than love at first sight. You could even call it love at first run if you want to think it that way. The familial and relationship drama runs deep, but our two protagonists, of which the book is told in both of their perspectives, prevail for themselves and each other.

The book itself is written very simply and there is a seemingly little margin for flowery language. The plot is mostly moved through dialogue. With that being said, the word "said" was used far too often for my likings. I would have liked to see more description, even just a change in speaking verbs, but that is just personal preference.

There was also redundancy in Sweetie's character. She has a project called "The Sassy Sweetie Project," which helps her to look past her weight and let the inner Sweetie, the part of her that we know and love as readers, shine for the whole world to see. In the second half of the book, it was almost as if her project swallowed up any piece of personality that Sweetie had and spit it back out in the last chapters. I know the repetitiveness is to drill it into the reader's mind, but I wonder if it was almost too much. It definitely edged on the border of just enough and too much for me.

However, these cons were small feathers on the balances compared to the heavy pros.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the integration of Indian culture in this book. A heavy theme in Menon's books, it is imperative for Indian teenagers to see themselves in books that have been written for the majority or even other people of color for many years, without much to account for with Indian teenagers. Menon changes that with her books and that is just beautiful to see her represent her culture through her passion. The inclusion of the traditional Anarkali dress and the date going to the temple was absolutely perfect, and Ashish finding a new appreciation for his culture is everything I could have hoped for.

The relationship between Sweetie and Amma totally changed as the book progressed and that was beautiful to see unfold. In the beginning, Amma, who is a thin and small lady, controls Sweetie's food intake as well as her exercise. By the end of the book, acceptance plays a large part in the overturn of their mother-daughter relationship and Amma accepts Sweetie for who she is and allows her to date Ashish.

In summary, it is a perfectly cheesy book that will attract people of all kinds, but especially those who have a soft spot for young adult fiction. I think There's Something About Sweetie fits perfectly on the shelf with When Dimple Met Rishi and From Twinkle With Love. People will be head over heels to get their hands on this book when it releases on May 14, 2019!

I rate the book 4 out of 5 parrots!

Large thank you to Sandhya Menon, Cassie Malmo, and Simon & Schuster for the digital advanced reader's copy so I could review this book!

Link to Bustle's article: https://www.bustle.com/p/theres-something-about-sweetie-by-sandhya-menon-is-a-love-story-that-fans-of-when-dimple-met-rishi-will-adore-12587637 (less)

AMAZING! A great story about body positivity, self acceptance, and first love! I absolutely loved this book!

This was a cute addition to the little group of books. I didnt enjoy this as much as the other 2 but it was still a solid book.

Menon has created some of the sweetest and most realistic characters to date in the YA romance genre. Beautifully flawed and the sorts of people you'd want to hang out with in real life, Sweetie is a marvelous addition to Menon's list of published books.
Sweetie, despite being athletic and an inarguably skilled track star, has dealt with criticism and backhanded comments about her weight for as long as she can remember. Her own mother leads the pack in this verbal war, causing Sweetie to distance herself as she grows older, feeling as if she will never be the daughter her mother wishes she had.
Ash has made the reluctant decision to allow his parents to match him up with girls they view as eligible Indian-American dating material. The regular hijinks and drama associated with this trope are visible but do not feel like they've been done purely for the sake of comic relief or as a plot device.
This book has some much-needed body-positivity and demonstration of self-acceptance. I loved both Sweetie and Ash and loved them even more together as a couple. Consider this one a must-read if you're a fan of YA contemporaries.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary advance copy. This had no impact on my review.

I expected—and wanted—to like this book so much more than I did, but it didn't spin my wheels. The writing felt predictable and simplistic. I just wanted more from it.

Like all of Sandhya Menon's books, this was an absolute delight. It was a sweet contemporary YA romance with a fat main character. I loved that this book was body positive and had a fat character who was also an athlete. Sweetie deals with body criticism from her mother and I loved seeing her get a hot boyfriend to show her mom how wrong she is! Fans of Dimple & Rishi will love seeing some familiar characters, but readers new to this series can also dive right in with this novel. This might be my favorite of Sandhya's books yet!

This was a super cute story. Very fast to get through. I haven't read the other books from this author, but I would like to get to it soon!

The writing was fun but the characters were my favorite part! I highly recommend this one.

I have been trying to come up with a way to review this book for a while now and I just can't find the words. It was so adorable and so heartfelt that I think I loved it even more than When Dimple Met Rishi and I loved that book a lot. Sweetie and Ashish have an undeniable chemistry and they just clicked so well with one another there was no other option but to fall in love with them. And Sweetie relationship with her mother was a perfect drama for this story. After not loving and not finishing From Twinkle, With Love, I needed this book by Menon to be amazing and it was!

Each book of Sandhya Menon's keeps on getting better. She is now one of my go-to authors for excellent YA contemporary fiction. This book is best read after When Dimple Met Rishi, which is also excellent, but it can also be read as a standalone. I will do the best I can to express my love and appreciation for this life affirming book.
Sweetie Nair is a beautiful, smart track star. The only problem is that she is "fat." People frequently make fun of her in a snarky way, and her mother constantly pressures her to lose weight. When Ashish Patel, a handsome young athlete who wants to date again after a difficult breakup with his ex girlfriend Celia, is matched with Sweetie by his parents, she can't believe it. Though her mother forbids her to date Ashish because of her weight, Sweetie and Ashish decide to date anyway, with the Patels' approval. Can Sweetie convince herself and her mother that she is worthy of love even though she is overweight?
This book touched me in such a deep way. I was, and still am, one of the"fat girls." I was made fun of, rejected, and made to feel small and worthless by people who either didn't care how they made me feel or did it on purpose to be cruel. But that is only because I let them. Each person has worth and value, no matter how they look on the outside, and I love how Sweetie's story supports this truth. If only there were more guys like Ashish, who saw Sweetie's beauty shine from the inside outwards. I love how Sweetie took control of the way she felt and did things to affirm her beauty instead of succumbing to her own negative self-talk as well as others.' The writing was descriptive and realistic, as well as funny and emotional. I don't personally agree with some of the views and lifestyles of the characters, and I didn't like the profanity, but other than that I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Everyone who has ever felt like this or knows someone who struggles with this area should read this book. I am eagerly anticipating the author's next book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, and I also purchased the hardcover from Amazon. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I love love love the diversity in this book. It isn't your typical romance and I love that even more. It is so colorful, diverse, heartwarming, and honest. I love the main character Sweetie. She is one of the best characters I've read in a long time and she is so well developed. She can do so many things; sing, run, stand strong, is intelligent, witty, a people person, and a great observer. I love that she can accept who she is for who she is.
Ashish, our hero, feels a bit overlooked to start out this book. Yet, when he meets Sweetie his world is turned upside down. Ashish is a sweet kid who is being set up by his mother. Who else would his mother set him up with besides Sweetie? However, Sweetie's mom isn't quick to jump on board with this matchmaking; thinking her daughter isn't good enough. Ugh! Mothers. That isn't going to stop Sweetie though. She goes behind her mom's back and meets up with him anyways.
This is where the culture diversity of parents blessings come into play with lessons on Indian culture. Which are fascinating to me. Everything that unfolds is just perfect. I can't wait to see what comes in next!

I am SOOOOO regretful it took me forever to get back to this because every single time I read one of Sandhya's books, I am filled with happiness and fall in love with the idea of falling in love all over again. I love how unabashedly INDIAN her characters are. I love how strong Sweetie is, regardless of the negativity the world seems to want to fill her head with (although she has the smallest amout of self-doubt). I love how much Ashish falls in love with Sweetie at first sight. I love how positive this book is. I love that this book is When Dimple Met Rishi #2. I love the romance. I love the friendships. I love the side characters.

TLDR? Just read this book and be happy

I absolutely loved this book and the characters in this book. I couldn't stop reading and had to know how things worked out. I love that both characters are trying to meet their parents' expectations, but also trying to find their own way. Ashish is so sweet and Sweetie was such a strong character who believed the best about herself! I can't wait to recommend this book to my students!

I'm so in love with this series. It's the perfect summer read. I had to feature Sandhya in my feature on The Young Folks about Summer Reads: https://www.theyoungfolks.com/books/135343/what-makes-a-perfect-summer-read/

Sweetie is out to prove her mom wrong: she is happy, she is strong, she is worthy of love and romance, and fat is just /one/ adjective that describes her. Ashish, recently-ish dumped, is out to get his swag and mojo back; that's why he actually agrees to let his parents set him up with an Indian girl. When their initial dating plan doesn't come to fruition, Sweetie and Ashish are forced to date according to Ashish's parents' rules: parental-approved dates at the temple, Hindu festival, and with *eccentric* family members. Ashish rolls his eyes and protests, but the dates go a lot better than he anticipated.... Sweetie's plan to prove to herself, the world, and --most importantly-- her mom that she is more than he weight seems to be going according to plan, but Amma is super stubborn. Will she ever be able to accept Sweetie for who she is: awesome singer, track star, loving daughter, and fat...

I knew going into Sweetie that Sandhya Menon is a wonderful writer of the Indian-American culture + rom-com. But she really has outdone herself with Sweetie! I can't believe I'm about to say this, but it might even be BETTER than When Dimple Met Rishi! Menon continues to masterfully keep the rom-com fresh and refuses to fall for the over-worn high school romance tropes.

Diverse reads:
1) Sweetie and Ashish are second-generation Indian immigrants.
2) Ashish's friends Oliver and Elijah are in a m/m relationship.

I absolutely adore Sandhya Menon's debut novel, When Dimple Met Rishi, but I have been curious to see what the author did which Rishi's brother, Ashish's story. I am happy to report that I love his story even more. There's Something About Sweetie is a contemporary romance that is full of heart while also tackling fat shaming, identity, privilege, and self confidence.

Ashish Patel is the rich and handsome basketball star of Richmond Academy. Bummed after being dumped by his college girlfriend and his self confidence taken a big beating, he challenges his parents out of a moment of weakness to make good on their constant threat to find him a suitable Indian American girl to date. Their choice is Sweetie Nair, Piedmont High’s track star. When Ashish’s mother proposes the match, Sweetie’s mother adamantly insists that their children are not compatible. The Patels are extremely affluent, but the main reason Mrs. Nair refuses is because Sweetie is fat and is trying to protect her daughter from social humiliation.

Sweetie embraces her body and does not feel ashamed about it. Her weight is always the focus of her mother's concerns whether it is Sweetie's diet or her lack of drive just to "lose some weight". Overhearing her mother's refusal to Mrs. Patel hurts Sweetie deeply and sparks her to start the "Sassy Sweetie Project" in which she will overturn all her insecurities into strengths. The Sassy Sweetie Project is my favorite part of this story. It upends the makeover trope which often seen in teen movies of the geeky girl being hot under her frumpy clothes. This project is personal for Sweetie and it shapes her character arc really well and strongly. She becomes assertive and takes matters into her own hands to live her best life even if it means agreeing to the Patels’ four-date contract without telling her parents.

Ashish and Sweetie accept the arrangement, each feeling they have something to prove to themselves. For Ashish the relationship is his way to bounce back to the person he use to be and for Sweetie is an empowering move to prove to herself that she is desirable and deserves love. Both characters have vulnerabilities and wonder if this arranged match will work, and not knowing what will happen when Sweetie’s parents find out. Ashish and Sweetie share narrative duties, and both are flanked by supportive friends and caring parents—even if their approaches to love is flawed and can be painful at times. It is a pleasure to watch Ashish and Sweetie fall for each other in the quiet moments and allowing them the space and pace to make decisions, succeed or fail, learn, and blossom. I know some reviewers have see Sweetie as someone who is magically perfect, but I disagree. She waivers in her self confidence which felt real and her perseverance to fight is really admirable. Kudos to the author on creating a fat character who is not ashamed of her body nor focused on physical descriptions.

New favorite. Hands down. Thumbs up. I love it too much for words. I literally cried with Sweetie. I want this as a movie. I want this & so many more like it for the next gens so they don't have to wait til 30 to experience this feeling.

>Feel so absolutely seen and loved with Sweetie and this narrative. 
>I wasn’t a fan of Ashish before but he won me over.
>Girl gang
>Fundraising
>Rock band friends
>Examines lots of common fatphobia displays & how others make us think so much about being fat in this world.
>Understandable mistakes and misunderstandings that get cleared up
>Love the character progression with Ashish & his friends & homeschooled cousin. Is this cousin next in line for a sequel?
>Gives closure with Celia
>Mother & daughter heart to heart
>Father learning to stand up for daughter
>Ashish parent’s are amazing.
>I want more of Sweetie & more plus sized heroines from Menon!

Despite all of Sandhya Menon’s books sounding very appealing to me, I’ve realized her writing just isn’t for me. If I was in high school I feel like I would have loved her books. They are all cheesy and full of teenage melodrama. However, now that I’m older I can’t help but roll my eyes at it all.

When starting this novel, I thought I would have a different reaction. I liked the characters and they didn’t seem as cookie cutter as the characters in previous books. Nevertheless, that was soon debunked the farther I read. It isn’t that the characters are bad, they are just very wishy-washy. One sentence they say something with intent and then a paragraph later their mind is completely flipped on the spot. Throughout the whole novel that never changed either. They were having internal struggles over the most mundane topics and no one was made better in the end for them.

Additionally, Menon’s writing very much tells you what is happening and doesn’t show it. It’s a lot of reading about what they do, but not experiencing it. And when you do experience a scene she throws in comments that you might here in a middle schooler’s mind (ie: “duh”). It takes you out of the story and makes me feel like I am reading something read for a much younger audience. And even then, even though her novels attempt to tackle subjects like diversity, weight, etc - I’m not sure I’d even hand this book to younger people in my life if only because I don’t believe they would gain anything from it aside from a way to judge people and feel self centered / entitled.

Overall, this obviously was not the book for me. Because I didn’t enjoy it I took forever to finish it. Even so, about half way through I decided I was over the book and just sped my way to the end to complete it and solidify my opinions.