A really cute diverse love story with a great message. Sweetie Nair is a fat, high school track star who is a fierce feminist. She’s also a dutiful daughter and super into her Indian culture. Sweetie spends most of her time dealing with her mother’s issues with how she should lose weight, but her confidence shines through the years of fat-shaming.

Ashish Patel is dealing with heartbreak. After being dumped by his on-and-off college girlfriend Celia, he’s got no mojo left. He’s worried he’ll never gain back his confidence with basketball, girls, or, well, anything. On the advice of a friend, Ashish dares his parents to arrange a girlfriend for him – after all, it worked for his brother Rishi and his girlfriend Dimple, right? But Sweetie’s mom says no because she feels that Sweetie’s fatness isn’t up to Ashish’s handsome, thin level (even though the Patels don’t care).

Sweetie decides to take matters into her own hands and invites Ashish out. The catch? In order to date, the Patels insist that they have to dictate the terms of the first four dates that Ashish and Sweetie have together. And some of the dates include, like, a temple visit! Ashish is horrified, but Sweetie goes along with it. And what starts as a sort of arrangement becomes a secret relationship where they both learn and grow together.

Sandhya Menon is one of the only authors out there who can make me believe in an insta-love story, and this one is no different. I did think this one was maybe a bit too fast for my liking – the attraction is immediate, sure, but so is the crazy amount of interest on both of their parts. But Sweetie and Ashish are SO cute together, and their wonder and awe at their first love is so intoxicating that it’s hard not to root for them. The body positive message and the way this book portrays filial piety is also super great. Ashish and Sweetie also both have awesome, realistic squads of friends, and that was really fun to read, too.

THE FINAL WORD:
There’s Something About Sweetie is the ultimate in feel-good, fluffy books (it might have been a touch TOO fluffy for me). A perfect summer beach read, and a good read for younger teens and people who don’t mind insta-love.

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!

There's Something About Sweetie is bursting full of cuteness, fuzzy good feelings and amazing relationships whether it be friendships or romances. Ahish Patel and Sweetie Nair are too cute for words when they are together. With alternating POVs between Ahish and Sweetie, There's Something About Sweetie explores the thoughts of each teenager and what they think about their cultural expectations, social norms and what is true to their hearts.

Sweetie is confident young lady despite people putting her down about her weight, even by her own family. She proves to others that she can be an athlete and a great singer despite people calling her fat. Sweetie believes in herself and she radiates in self-love. Ahish is recovering from a broken heart and is also having trouble with the pressure of his family telling him he must date and marry an Indian girl per expectations and approval of his family. Because Rishi, his brother, ended up finding Dimple, Ahish believes he can find love too and allows his parents to set him up with a girl of their choice even though he was originally hesitating about the idea.

Something About Sweetie is body-positive. Sandhya Menon defies stereotypes and focuses on self-acceptance and acceptance of each other based on personality and not social norms and physical appearances. Abiding by cultural traditions and expectations are often hard for many young people. Sweetie and Ahish make their own story even though society builds this wall of pressure telling them what they should or shouldn't do. However, they are very cordial about incorporating their Indian culture with their American lifestyle, finding a good balance between the two. I highly suggest reading this rom-com if you love Menon's When Dimple Met Rishi. After all this is the perfect companion novel to the prior.

This was adorable, and I loved the body-positivity throughout. Such a fun read, and the characters were so fun and so relatable.

I simply adored this series and this third book from Sandhya was amazing. So much fun revisiting this world and it’s characters. I hated seeing it end

WHAT DID I THINK OF THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE BY SANDHYA MENON?
At this point in my life I am basically obsessed with the books by Sandhya Menon. There’s Something About Sweetie is the third book I’ve read by Menon and oh my goodness. THEY KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER. It almost isn’t fair, because other contemporary YA books will be compared and these books are a hard act to follow. Can I just say that I love that teens of color are getting fun contemporary books that hopefully can act as mirrors for them? I know YA still has such a long way to go, but compared to the early 2000s when all there was out there was Born Confused, what a time to be alive and a reader.

So, if you haven’t read When Dimple Met Rishi, you will be at a tiny bit of a disadvantage going into this book. You see, There’s Something About Sweetie stars Rishi’s brother Ashish as the love interest and there’s a brief appearance of both Rishi and Dimple. FYI I love seeing what cherished characters are up to in future books. This book is about Sweetie who is a track star who happens to be fat. Sweetie is okay with it, but her mother is not. Anyways, she ends up meeting Ashish’s mom who then is like oh Sweetie is so nice, let me set her up with Ashish. Only Sweetie’s mom is all, NO. But somehow there ends up being this dating contract and it’s super adorable.

I love these books. I love that the drama is low stakes. What Menon does so well is characterization. By the end I was so thrilled and happy for Sweetie and Ashish. Also, they have really excellent friend groups too which helped with my enjoyment of this book. Readers in need of a happy book should ABSOLUTELY pick up There’s Something About Sweetie.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
This is the first book of Menon’s that I listened to via audio and I have no regrets. Turns out her stories are excellent no matter what for them they take. The audiobook of There’s Something About Sweetie is 11 Hours 36 Minutes long. It has dual narration with Soneela Nankani and Vikas Adam. Nankani is an amazing narrator and I will be genuinely thrilled no matter what audiobook I listen to with her at the narration helm. Adam is alright. On the whole, a decent audiobook and one I’d say to get your hands on.

Thank you to Netgalley for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I loved so much about this book. First of all, it's so cool to read about a fat female protagonist, and I thought it was well done, if a bit heavy handed on the body positivity message. I also super love the Dimple Met Rishi universe and I really wanted to see more of the story and how things played out. I really liked the fun premise of being set up by their parents but then forbidden to see each other, it made for a good plot. I enjoyed how they got to know each other through their common culture, and made for a really cute and fun romcom. I enjoyed reading this book for sure and will recommend it widely.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of There's Something about Sweetie by Sandhya Menon. This was a sweet story about first love and moving past our fears. I enjoyed the characters in the story. This story stressed how being fit and happy is more important than being skinny and trying to fit in. Our young people cannot hear this message enough.

This book is bubblegum cute and I adored it! <3
I love, love, LOVE Sweetie. She's such an empowering character and I hope a lot of young girls are able to find their own strength from her story.

"Life can't get any more perfect than this.
But they were young, and it did."

Loved this body positive romantic romp that effortlessly immerses the reader in the protagonists’ culture.

Cute companion book. The story is separate from When Dimple Met Rishi -
But read that one first! Loved Sweetie! She was a really awesome character and was so cute. I enjoyed reading about a different culture than mine too. Highly recommend for teens.

Such a great companion novel! The way the author discusses the issues with Sweetie’s weight and family were really well done! Family and cultural connection were definitely a focus as well which I loved seeing! I highly recommend to those looking for a unique multicultural YA romance especially with plus size rep! Loved it!!

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 and 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.

I haven't read When Dimple Met Rishi, but now I really want to! They were mentioned a few times throughout this book, and now I'm curious about their story. There's Something About Sweetie was an impactful read that left me questioning myself as well as society. Sweetie is totally right, because "fat" isn't a bad word. Like she says, it's just the opposite of thin, and there's nothing wrong with that.

I've struggled with my body and how it looks in the past, and my parents were a part of the problem. My mom would criticize me if I wore a shirt that showed my "pooch," and my dad would yell during softball games, "You could run faster if you unhitched that caboose!" In retrospect, I don't think my parents meant any harm, but their words were damaging. They made me question my weight and appearance, instead of being happy with the person I was. I could totally relate to Sweetie and her Sassy Sweetie Project. I wish I'd had her confidence in high school!

Sweetie's relationship with her mother broke my heart. I wish her father had realized sooner that his daughter was hurting and stepped in, but more than that, I wish her mother would have defended her against verbal attacks and digs about her daughter's weight. She wanted to protect her daughter (usually by telling her not to eat this or wear that), but she would also let people say whatever they wanted about Sweetie's appearance and eating habits.

Ashish was cocky and he knew it. Smoldering Ash? Hah! I really liked his group of friends and how supportive they were. Their friendship was easy and the result of many years spent together. I'm curious if Samir will get a book after this, because I think there needs to be a story about him and Pinky! Sweetie had great friends, too. They were encouraging and maybe a little too eager to fight on her behalf.

Actually, that's my one quibble with this book... Sweetie's reaction to a perceived wrongdoing. I felt like she and her friends acted impulsively and out of character. I can understand why they would have been upset, but Sweetie jumped to conclusions without giving someone she trusted the benefit of the doubt. Instead, they did something completely unnecessary and over-the-top, and accomplished nothing. If anything, in that moment they were the ones being judgmental bullies.

I really liked both Ashish and Sweetie's families! They wanted to be involved in their children's lives (maybe a little too much in some instances), but it was obvious they cared. The Patel's wanted Ashish to understand his culture, and the Nair's wanted their daughter to be accepted and not ridiculed (this was more her mother than her father). Parents do things out of love, but it doesn't always come across the right way.

There's Something About Sweetie was an encouraging story that will stick with me. Sweetie proved to everyone and herself, that she was perfect exactly the way she was. She loved herself and the life that she had, despite the ignorance of others. I think there were a lot of lessons to take away from this story, and believe a lot of people will be able to relate to the characters.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on May 17, 2019.

After loving Sandhya Menon’s other stories, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on There’s Something About Sweetie. Menon did not disappoint me with a swoony romance that made me fall in love with her writing all over again.


There's Something About Sweetie CoverAshish Patel didn’t know love could be so…sucky. After he’s 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? (Goodreads)
Goodreads

I received an eARC of There’s Something About Sweetie from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There’s Something About Sweetie needs trigger warnings for intense fat-antagonistic comments that are challenged on the page.

I loved reading Ashish slowly but surely fall in love with both Sweetie and his own culture in his own way. He’s very different from Rishi and he has to figure out his own path to love and self-confidence. His parents’ dates for them were perfect for that.

Even more than that, I loved seeing Sweetie grow the confidence that she needed to show how much she loved herself. To see her stand up to her mother and have her mother actually hear her was amazing.

We get small hints at what Dimple and Rishi are doing throughout the story, which was a nice throwback for me. I also loved their friend groups and how entwined they were in our main characters’ lives – especially when we get to the part where they’re having trouble in their relationship. It was very realistic for me and I loved it.

Ashish and Sweetie challenge each other in sports, in their thoughts, and in their hearts, and it was done absolutely beautifully. And the gift Ashish gives her? Honest to god I want it.

If you hadn’t guessed already, I loved There’s Something About Sweetie a lot. I think you will, too.

I was a big fan of the YA rom-com read When Dimple Met Rishi, so I was thrilled when I saw this companion was being released. In When Dimple Met Rishi, Dimple and Rishi's parents have tried to suggest an arranged marriage for them - which Rishi knows about, but Dimple only learns when she goes off to college and he introduces himself. Lots of fun reading ensues. In this book, Rishi's younger brother Ashish - who has always dated around (with non-Indian girls, at that) and scoffed at Rishi being the dutiful son who is willing to have a traditional arranged relationship - finds himself in a bit of a romantic slump after a bad breakup. Looking to find back his mojo, he actually agrees to let his parents set him up with someone, who turns out to be Sweetie Nair, a confident, sunny, friendly, athletic girl whose mom can't quite let her be all of that and be fat. Sweetie is fed up with her mom trying to hold her back or change her because of her body, so she finds this dating set-up to be the perfect opportunity to kick off her "Sassy Sweetie Project" and prove to her parents and the world that she can be the way she is and live the life she wants all at the same time. This is YA, so the story of Ashish and Sweetie's developing relationship is of course cute and fun and has the up and down drama you'd expect - and I'm here for it. If you liked Dumplin' or Puddin' especially as relates to a portrayal of a high school girl with body confidence (but who still has totally realistic moments of self-doubt), you'll find some of those elements here and will enjoy this one a lot. I liked that this finding self love/one's true self was the main gist of the story, with the adorable teenage romance as a fun bonus. (No need to read When Dimple Met Rishi first, but it's also worth picking up for sure.)

Cute in ways, but also very juvenile. And I think that's more on me. It just reads very young and I'm not particularly a fan of that style.

I was able to get through it though!

Not my favorite from Menon, but I'll still read her future books.

Sandhya Menon strikes again with a sweet romance between two characters you can't help but love. If you enjoyed meeting Dimple and Rishi, you won't be disappointed.

I love reading books with characters of different backgrounds; they are the windows, mirrors, and sliding doors that we need. YA leads the way by presenting storylines that are universal.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

Oh, wow. I almost don't have words for how good this book is! It's just...here's the thing. I am fat and grew up fat and reading this book made me feel like it's OKAY. There were so many experiences that Sweetie has, with people trying to shame her (or not trying to but doing so nonetheless), with people commenting on her body despite having no right to do so, with herself feeling like she should hide, that I could relate to.

I loved seeing the way Menon turned it around by the end, because the truth about Sweetie is she is a badass girl (has been from the start) who has it in her to stand up for herself. She just needs a kick to do so.

Oh, and the romance? Ashish and Sweetie are adorable together, fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle. It's a beautiful story of first love and redeeming love and closure and tbh. It's just. So good.

The only thing that occasionally drew me out of the story was the cast of Sweetie's friends, who didn't as feel as fully defined as even, say, Ashish's friends, and scenes with all four of them (but especially Izzy and Suki) made it somewhat difficult to keep track of who's who and what's what, at least until the very last 7% of the book or so when they crystallized a little more.

That said: if I had to recommend one book to you to read this summer, it would have to be this one. Pick it up.

Just when I thought it was impossible to gush over one of Sandhya Menon's characters more than I have Ashish Patel, along came Sweetie Nair. I mean, there's just something about her that made me fall in love. Obviously!

There's Something About Sweetie tells the story of a soon-to-be seventeen year old Indian-American girl and her self-love journey. This journey affects everything around her, from her choices, relationships with others (especially her mother), and her ability to share her voice with others, both figuratively and literally.

At first glance, we see Sweetie as the typical teenager, trying to find her footing in the world. But as we look beyond the layers, we find so much more. Not only is she the track star at her school, she's the lead singer in her girlfriend-group-turned-band, as well as a self-proclaimed feminist. While on the outside she appears to be this cool, cavalier, confident young woman who doesn't care what others think of her, she is deeply affected by her mother's disapproval of her weight.

Being overweight bothers Sweetie's mother so much, she unwittingly takes it upon herself to "fat-shame" Sweetie before others do. This shaming creates a strained relationship between Sweetie and Amma that makes Sweetie feel that she will never be enough for her mother. Wanting desperately to prove to her mother and everyone else that she can be her best self while maintaining her current weight, Sweetie embarks on a self-love journey coined "The Sassy Sweetie Project."

In the middle of creating this project, Sweetie and Amma are propositioned by Ashish Patel's mother. Just as Sweetie has something to prove to her mother, Ashish has something to prove to his own parents. Having never dated an Indian-American girl, Ashish's parents thought it would be a good idea to arrange a date for him. And since Sweetie already had her eye on the handsome basketball star at a neighboring high school, Sweetie was game. However, Sweetie's mother forbids her to date Ashish Patel because Amma secretly confides in Ashish's mother that they aren't a match because of Sweetie's weight. And as fate would have it, Sweetie overheard the conversation and was again crushed by her mother's words. What a buzzkill.

This conversation helps Sweetie move forward with the Sassy Sweetie Project, causing her to begin secretly dating Ashish through dates sanctioned by his parents. It is through the blooming relationship between Sweetie and Ashish that the readers see Sweetie as well as Ashish grow as young people and learn to accept themselves and who they are as Indian-American teens raised by traditional Indian parents. Through the alternating POVs we see Sweetie and Ashish maintain friendships, strive to better themselves, and learn what it means to get to know another person romantically.

I loved so much about this book. I love the power of friendship displayed in the close-knit friendships both Sweetie and Ashish had, respectively. I also love how both Sweetie and Ashish were learning to accept themselves wholly as the story progressed. While we see much of Sweetie coming into her own through body positivity, we also see moments of Ashish sharing his feelings of insecurity. Just as Sweetie feels she doesn't measure up to her mother because of her appearance, Ashish felt he played "second-fiddle" to his older brother Rishi because he didn't cling to his traditional Indian values as much as his brother did. But in the midst of all the teenage angst, both characters were able to lean into each other and progressively grow as the book reached the end.

Above all, I love that Sweetie is a sassy, assertive, and spicy lead character. I believe Sandhya Menon gets this right with each of her books. I'm always on the search for strong heroines in my young-adult fiction reads these days and Menon does not disappoint. She also creates characters full of color that show up on the page, and don't just fall flat within the plot, finding it hard to decipher one from the next as the book progresses.

While I had to get used to the word "fat" being used so often, I feel that it was more of a "me" thing than the book because I've been conditioned to look at the word negatively. Sweetie wears the word "fat" with pride and urges me to look at the word in an entirely different light. And I thank Sandhya Menon for that. I can't wait to share this book with my daughter and the other young women in my life.