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.

I adored this sweet, spunky coming-of-age YA romance featuring two Indian-American teens. The titular Sweetie was everything I didn't realize I was waiting for in a romance heroine... she's a fat athlete and she's loving, respectful, and courageous. She loves and respect her parents but is stung by her mother's attitude towards her fatness. She had good friends, good grades, and excels in her sport, but her mom only sees her weight. Sweetie's journey isn't focused on anger and frustration as much as finding what she needs and standing up for herself.
I had previously read When Dimple Met Rishi, so I was familiar with the male lead already, but I enjoyed this window into his thoughts.

All in all, this book was utterly charming and fun!

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
I was really looking forward to this book when I found out about it because I loved Ashish in When Dimple Met Rishi. I may have liked him a little less being in his brain, but definitely not enough to make me dislike or hate him. Sweetie is definitely a new favorite YA girl. The way she carries herself is beyond amazing and I think the fat rep is insanely important. The cast of characters was once again so wonderful and I am so excited for Pinky's book (which I just found out about moments ago). I also once again appreciate the perspective into Indian culture. I think the visit to Ashish's rich Auntie with the pet room was probably my favorite part of the whole book. So cute.

Sweetie is a kick-ass athlete whose mom constantly wants her to lose weight, even though she 's happy the way she is. Ashish is brokenhearted after the only girl he's ever truly cared about cheated on him. Once the two of them meet, unexpected sparks fly.

Um. Wow.

Woooooooooowwwwwwwwww.

This book has its flaws--most notably teenagers jumping into saying "I love you" way too quickly, which is deeply irritating to me and the reason this book is 4 stars--but other than that. Woooooooooowwwwwwwwww.

Sandhya Menon has once again crafted realistic and heartwarming teenage characters. I loved seeing them interact with each other, while hating it when they were hurt. Sweetie and Ashish both dealt with some real issues, and it hurt me to see them hurt. I think that the way Menon depicted the people who care about Sweetie the most, especially her mother, as the ones who make her feel the worst about her weight and her body, is an unfortunately true experience across cultures. amd it was done very well. Ashish's first heartbreak and his healing from that was also wonderful to read about as he got support from family and friends.

This is a mostly a fun, lighthearted contemporary. I liked seeing little cameos from Dimple and Rishi, and it was overall wonderful to be in their little world again!

Like Sandhya Menon's other books, There's Something About Sweetie is an adorable, sticky-sweet rom-com that teen readers will adore. Sweetie is a relatable teen dealing with growing up while surrounded by nosy family and supportive friends.

I love that this novel begins with Sweetie already loving her fat body. Her mother is still on a journey to fat acceptance but Sweetie remains body-positive. Sweetie is a track star, a good student, and loves signing but all her mom can see is that she's fat. Sweetie is determined to help her mom see that being fat isn't a bad thing. She also wants to take risks and prove to herself that she is bold and sassy. Sweetie does have some naysayers in her life but she always makes sure that her cheerleaders are louder. She makes sure to find support when she needs it.

Ashish is just as charming as his older brother (Rishi from Menon's When Dimple Met Rishi) and readers will be so happy to see some returning characters from the previous books. Ashish has a big group of friends who just want the best for him. He always tries to include everyone and it's easy to see why Sweetie instantly connects to him.

This YA novel is great for tweens, teens, and older readers looking for a rom-com with a fat heroine.

There is Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon is a YA book about two people who were matched by their parents - kind of. It is the second book in the series called Dimple and Rishi #2 but can be read as a stand alone. The story is about two Indian - American young adults and their relationship.

Sweetie’s mother did not want Sweetie matched, she thought that nobody would date her daughter as she was too fat. Ashish’s mother did not see the problem and stated so. Luckily, Sweetie took matters in her own hands and contact Ashish herself. From there the story takes off.

There is Something About Sweetie was an interesting book. I learned more about the Indian - American culture as well as met two interesting main characters. I enjoyed reading There is Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon.

I absolutely devoured THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE! I loved WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI and was so excited to read a companion novel about Rishi’s brother, Ashish (and yes, Rishi does make a small cameo). To be honest, I couldn’t quite remember what happened to Ashish in WHEN DIMPLE MET RISHI so I was a little bit lost at the start when his ex-girlfriend was mentioned, but it was an absolutely lovely read and Sweetie is a match made in heaven for Ashish.

I was a bit worried with this book because I wasn’t in love with Sandhya Menon’s second book, From Twinkle, With Love. It was cute but read a little bit junior for me, so I wasn’t sure if I would love There’s Something About Sweetie. Sweetie definitely does read a little bit junior (and high-school-aged Jenna would’ve absolutely reread it to pieces) but I honestly didn’t really mind. I found the plot to be compelling, the characters to be relatable and the romance to be an absolute swoon-fest. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE follows Sweetie Nair who is a champion sprinter but is carrying a little bit of weight, and Ashish, the star basketballer and younger son to the super rich Patel family. After being in a bit of a rut, Ashish agrees to let his parents matchmake him with another Indian girl – none other than Sweetie. Although Sweetie is interested, her mother is ashamed of Sweetie’s body and firmly objects the match. Sweetie and Ashish decide to date in secret so that Sweetie can experience what it’s like to do something that makes her feel truly confident and in charge of her life. Meanwhile, Ashish is interested in kicking the bad habit that is his ex. Sweetie and Ashish soon develop feelings for each other, but is it too late to reveal the truth to Sweetie’s parents?

I really connected with the plot of the book. While I haven’t experienced anything like it in my own life, I really related to Sweetie’s deference to her mother and her strong spirit. The book was an absolute page-turner and I just couldn’t get enough of Sweetie and Ashish’s dates and the cute story of two ordinary people who just want a relationship. And my gosh, their relationship was cute! I love that Menon writes these wonderful male characters who aren’t jerks and are just genuinely nice, and Ashish definitely fits into that category. He treated Sweetie so well throughout the book and I just loved him in the last few chapters of the book. Likewise, I also really loved Sweetie. She was proud and confident of her body and I enjoyed her Sassy Sweetie Project a lot. I loved that she stood up to her mother in her own way but never truly defied her.

Family is an important theme in this book and I loved the message that, while some parents may be strict, they really just want the best for their children. I also enjoyed the message that no matter how cool and independent you are, you sometimes do need your parents – and they’ve always got your back.

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SWEETIE lives up to its title. It’s a sweet story about two people who are finding themselves and, in the process, find each other. I loved the characters, their relationships and all of the family elements in this book. I’m looking forward to Sandhya Menon’s next book and I hope it’s just as sweet.

Rating: 4 out of 5

This is a fabulous follow up to When Dimple Met Rishi with both favorite characters from the first book and a whole new cast we're introduced to. It was great to hear from Ashish's perspective and to see a different view of the Patel family dynamics. I enjoyed seeing Sweetie transformation from someone who internally dealt with the lies her mother told her about her body to a kick-ass girl who didn't care what others thought about her size. The supporting cast of characters were fantastic, I loved meeting Ashish and Sweetie's friends and would love to see even more books expounding on them. She proves that just because you're not a size 2 doesn't mean you can't be an athlete and find love. Sandhya Menon is a truly gifted writer and I love being able to get glimpses into Hindi culture.

I loved Sweetie! Sandhya Menon manages to create another character that is imperfect, but still immensely lovable with Sweetie, a fat and incredibly talented athlete. Because yes, you can be both things. When an attractive boy finally lets his parents set him up, they have their eyes set on Sweetie. He's into her, his parents are into her, but Sweetie's mother says no because she can't imagine anyone loving Sweetie at her current size.

So Sweetie sets out to prove that she is lovable and strong and sassy. Except she's going to have to do it behind her mom's back.

Sandhya Menon delivers yet another amazing romcom with this book. I was rooting for Sweetie and the success of her Sassy Sweetie Project from the very beginning. She is a shining star for fat representation, and I'm so thrilled that this book exists for fat brown girls to see themselves and the happiness they deserve in it. Ashish was also a sweetheart and a relatably awkward teen despite his supposed cocky appearance, and I ended up loving his character and rooting for his happiness as well.

There's Something About Sweetie is one of the cutest books I've ever read and I wish that I'd had it when I was a teenager. Sweetie is such a strong girl who knows what she wants but also feels cowed by her mother's insistence that the natural shape of her body is a bad thing. While I don't applaud Sweetie for going behind her mother's back in dating Ashish, I can definitely respect how she went about it. The writing was beautiful and the characters were extremely relatable. Menon's side characters were a treat that I wasn't expecting and I really appreciated the diversity, not just in race, but also in gender and sexuality. This was my first Sandhya Menon book and I honestly can't wait to read more by her aftr reading this!

This was such a fun summery contemporary read! After reading Sandhya’s first book I was really excited to hear she was writing more about Sweetie and Ashish! This book did not disappoint.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book via Netgalley, but all opinions provided are my own.

Sandhya Menon’s There’s Something about Sweetie is an adorable, vibrant, and bold love story that feels fresh and modern.

Sweetie is proud of who she is: among other things, a track star, an Indian-American, and a self-proclaimed fat person. She knows that she can do anything, be anything, wear anything, and date anyone, possessing a faith in herself and her ability to face any potential derision that comes her way that her mother Amma doesn’t share.

Amma wants to protect Sweetie from malicious gossip, and one way she thinks she can do that is by forbidding Sweetie from dating Ashish, star basketball player and wealthy dreamboat.

Ashish only agrees to let his parents set him up with an Indian-American girl because he thinks he’s lost his mojo after a bad break-up. His parents jump at the chance, particularly since in every other instance he’s shown a disinclination to really engage with their Indian culture.

Sparks fly as soon as Sweetie and Ashish meet, and before they know it, they’re embarking on their dating journey, a journey that they have to keep secret from Sweetie’s parents…

The relationship between Sweetie and Ashish is endearing, both of them stumbling at times because what they’re feeling is so different and new. Their love story feels young and hopeful and matches the brightness of the overall book. The book’s ending is particularly lovely; the last couple of lines hit me right in the heart.

Though Sweetie and Ashish are young—16 & 17—they are remarkably mature and sensitive, so much so that while I mostly appreciated the things they said and thought, there were times, most likely when I was feeling a little more cynical, when I questioned how authentic it felt.

But overall, I loved how aware both characters are, and how each main character becomes more self-aware as the book progresses, newly cognizant and assured of how they fit into their families and how important their families, values, and culture are to them.

One other thing I loved? The body positivity in this book. Sweetie is a fantastic character, and I loved how she has some occasional insecurities but for the most part, she’s happy with who she is. She’s brave and sincere and super talented.

There’s Something about Sweetie is a sweet and soulful YA romance.

The feel good romance novel for your summer TBR.

After being introduced to Ashish in When Dimple Met Rishi, I didn't think there could be any situation in which I found him charming or even a little likeable. But this book works miracles for Ashish, I tell you!

Sweetie is now my all-time favorite Menon character. Through her self-imposed Sassy Sweetie Project she takes risks and says yes to experiences she'd never have been bold enough to choose before. With each page she came into her own more and more, to the point that I wanted to take a little of her attitude and tuck it into my back pocket in the hopes that I could start my own Sassy Carol Project and start saying yes to new opportunities.

Great book about a fat girl who rocks! Sweetie is constantly being told by her mother that she needs to eat less, exercise more in order to be thin so they can marry her off to a nice Indian boy of their choosing. Her mother constantly sells her short because of Sweetie's appearance. Sweetie decides to take matters into her own hands and starts dating the most eligible bachelor in town behind her parents back. By the time her parents find out, Sweetie and her beau are in love and her mother then learns to accept Sweetie as she is. Great book about positive, healthy body image for overweight girls.

Did Not Finish

I picked this book up when I was flushed with success after reading Serious Moonlight. Success you say? Well, I don’t read much young adult contemporary romance because generally I don’t like it. Serious Moonlight was a young adult contemporary romance which I really really enjoyed. So, I decided to continue and see if I could find another book I liked, hence me reading There’s Something About Sweetie. Not only did it have a cute cover, it also had a curvy heroine, I was helpless to do anything but give it a try.

It didn’t work out. I stopped reading this book at about 30%. As that’s the case, I am keeping my actual review fairly short as it wouldn’t be a fair reflection of the book itself. The reason I stopped wasn’t because there was something I hated about the book, the writing or the characters. I just wasn’t enjoying it. Young adult contemporary romance isn’t a genre that I like very much and this wasn’t pulling me in. So I stopped.

So, there you go. If you like this genre, I would recommend you give it a try, I can see why other people may enjoy it. However, if your tastes run similar to mine…as my people say…it probably isn’t your cup of tea!

While I am not necessarily the target audience for this book, I loved it. "There's Something About Sweetie" has strong, well developed and likable characters, a cute romance, and a plot that focuses on a girl who wants to stand up for herself.

"There's Something About Sweetie" centers around Sweetie Nair, a high school track star. Sweetie is constantly battling her mom's criticisms about her weight and her view that Sweetie will be happier when she has lost weight.

Sweetie meets Ashish Patel, who is the star basketball player at another school. Sweetie's mom is convinced they won't work out, despite the fact that Ashish's parents are trying to set them up, because of Sweetie's weight. Sweetie and Ashish make the decision to date anyway. At the same time, Sweetie starts the Sassy Sweetie Project, so she can prove to her mom that she's happy already.

This book is so sweet and lighthearted. It's the perfect read for summer, even if you aren't necessarily in the YA age group.

This is a book that I wish that I had access to as a high schooler. Sweetie does not define herself by her weight even though the people around her do. She absolutely deserves the fantastic friendships and love that comes her way. I cannot wait to put this book in teen (and adult) hands and hearts. Fantastic.