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.

There's Something About Sweetie is officially my favorite book from Sandhya Menon! Sweetie Nair is an all-star track athlete with an amazing group of girlfriends and the kind of self-confidence that made me immediately see what a boss she is. And yet, her mom is constantly telling her that she's fat and her life is and will continue to be lacking as a result. Sweetie is determined to show everyone just how wrong that mentality is and this decision just happens to coincide with meeting Ashish Patel. Ashish is wallowing after getting dumped by his ex-girlfriend and has decided to finally take his parents up on their offer of setting him up with an Indian-American girl of their choice. Naturally, Ashish's mom chooses Sweetie, as long as they abide by their dating contract. Letting Ashish's parents plan their dates sounded like a recipe for disaster but it's not! Instead we're privy to genuine, heartwarming moments between Sweetie and Ashish as they get to know one another. I loved how the author incorporated Indian culture through their dates and the interactions with their families. The latter plays a huge role in their story and while Sweetie's mom in particular often made me feel sad, seeing how each parent approached their child's life, dating and more is valuable to see. For me though, the heart of the book was ultimately Sweetie. Don't get me wrong, I loved Ashish and he's definitely book boyfriend material but being inside Sweetie's head was empowering. She made me laugh, want to cheer our loud and sympathize with her as she refused to give into stereotypes of any kind. We should all aspire to be a bit more like Sweetie Nair.

“I’m happy being fat. To me, “fat” isn’t a bad word. It’s other people who’ve made it like that. It’s as much a part of me as being an athlete or Indian American or a girl. I don’t want to change it, and I don’t want to hide it. I am not ashamed...”


Trigger Warnings: Fatphobia.

~ Ashish Patel has been having a difficult time dating after his ex-girlfriend, Celia cheated on him before breaking up with him. Ashish is also a star basketball player for his high school basketball team. Not only does he loose his dating mojo, he’s a bit rusty on the court too. After awhile he finally asks his parents to set him up with an Indian girl like they did with Dimple & Rishi.

~ Sweetie Nair is a proud Fat Indian girl who is the fastest track runner in the state of California. She loves herself unconditionally despite people’s judgements, harsh insults and stereotypes about her weight. She’s also a Hufflepuff too! The only her who is less accepting of Sweetie’s weight is her Amma despite Sweetie feeling confident in her own skin.

When Ashish & Sweetie finally meet, they decide to date secretly since Sweetie’s mother doesn’t approve of her dating because of her weight. By this, Ashish’s parents find out they’re secretly dating without Sweetie mother’s permission, so they must go on a series of dates on the parents of Ashish’s terms. Which includes going to the Holi Festival, a temple, fancy restaurant, visiting Ashish’s grandmother who also thinks he’s Rishi (oh man) and the last date is their choice.
This novel is full of Romance, body positivity, accepting who you are and with beautiful Indian culture from food to music.

Sandhya Menon delivers an beautifully empowering message about body positivity and Fat people can love and BE loved.

The weight on the scale doesn’t measure your worth.

I will never stop recommending this novel to everyone I know because this is THE best novel for proper Fat Representation.

After being dumped by his ex, Ashish Patel is off his game. The love he used to feel playing basketball is gone, he feels like he doesn't deserve the title of team captain, and the confidence he used to carry around - especially when dealing with the ladies - is nowhere to be found. So when it is suggested that he let his parents fix him up with a nice Indian girl, Ashish - who normally would have scoffed at the idea - decides he's got nothing left to lose.

Sweetie Nair is many things. She's the fastest track star at her school, she's a great friend, she has a beautiful singing voice, she loves and respects her parents and her Indian culture, and, to some, she's also considered fat. Sweetie is happy with who she is, with her body, but that doesn't mean her mother's constant bid to get Sweetie to lose weight doesn't cut her to the core. When her mother rejects Ash's parents' idea for Ash and Sweetie to date due to her weight, Sweetie takes matters into her own hands and starts to date Ash in secret.

Both Ash and Sweeties have something to prove. Ash that he isn't felled by his ex, and Sweetie that she can be found attractive despite her weight. But with each date, it becomes less about proving anything, and more about how much they care about one another.

I absolutely loved Sweetie. I love her confidence and her kindness. I'm ok with the fact that with everyone she meets she imparts wisdom and logic, and she gives everyone the benefit of the doubt. Normally such an unflawed character would feel really flat and one dimensional, but I give Sandhya Menon a pass because of how she shows that even the most body positive, self-assured, and confident person can be put down by other people's words and/or perceptions based on someone's looks. And this is what Sweetie struggles with everyday. Made even more heartbreaking that it's her mother who gives her the hard time.

Being a mother, I can see the need that Sweetie's mother, Amma, feels in protecting her daughter from people who would make fun of her just on appearances alone without actually knowing anything about Sweetie. Despite this, Sweetie's mother almost perpetuates the stigma by automatically equating Sweetie's happiness with her size and not listening to Sweetie when she says her size doesn't matter to her. It's not keeping her from accomplishing everything she wants to do. It was difficult to read Amma's constant harping on Sweetie, she kind of becomes the villain of the piece and in this regard her eventual redemption fell a little flat for me because the moment of clarity for her felt sudden. I didn't see much of a build up of it.

I did like the positive representation of friendship that both Sweetie and Ash have, and I would have liked more interaction with both of their groups of friends as well as Sweetie with Ash's and vice versa. The unwavering dedication and support that they all have for each other is clear.

While this is a companion novel to Menon's When Dimple Met Rishi, you absolutely do not have to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one. They stand very well on their own. I wouldn't be opposed to another character getting their own book in this expanding universe (I'm talking about Ash's friend Pinky of course!).

There's a lot to like about There's Something About Sweetie, but honestly, the awesomeness that is Sweetie eclipses everything.

Ashish Patel never had a problem with relationships… until that last one. When his now ex Celia dumped him, Ashish fell into a totally uncharacteristic funk and three months later, he’s still there. Desperate to feel like his old, carefree self again, Ashish takes the wild advice of a frenemy and asks his parents to match him with someone. His parents are delighted and they find the “perfect” girl for him: Sweetie Nair, an athlete and top student from a good Indian family. Dating Sweetie will be the perfect way to finally get over Celia. But when Ashish’s parents try to make the arrangement, Sweetie’s parents say no.

It has nothing to do with Ashish’s dating reputation.. or Ashish at all, for that matter. Sweetie may be breaking track records and on the path to a great college, but she’s still fat-- a fact that her very thin mother approaches with equal parts hesitation and horror. Sweetie is outraged that her mother can’t see Sweetie and Ashish as “equally matched,” so she decides to take things into her own hands with Ashish. Well, sort of. Once his parents get involved, it’s wholesome scheduled dates to Indian-centric events only. But Sweetie is still going behind her parents’ backs to live the life she wants, officially kicking off the “Sassy Sweetie Project.”

Neither Ashish nor Sweetie is really looking for a long-lasting relationship to completely shake up their lives, but as time goes on, there’s much more between them than the points they each have to prove.

Sandhya Menon certainly knows how to craft a light, airy romance that will make readers smile. The Ashish we see in this novel is a little different from the one we’re introduced to in When Dimple Met Rishi, but fans of the character will still be plenty happy with him. Readers also get to see more of his home life and his memorable friend group (When do we get a Pinky/Samir novel, Sandhya?!) Sweetie has a supportive but less defined friend group of her own and while I loved her narration on the whole-- perhaps even more than Ashish-- her home life was tough to swallow. Sweetie’s mothers shame and hang-ups about her daughters weight probably qualify as emotional abuse, even if she thinks she’s “protecting” her child. It’s hands-down Menon’s most profound storyline yet and not one the story or the author takes lightly. Menon addresses it in an earnest foreword and throughout the novel, Sweetie must learn the earth-shattering message that even the people who love you most can be very, very wrong.

Were you all caught up in Ashish/Celia before? I really wasn’t, so I can’t help much there, but I can confirm that Ashish and Sweetie are super cute! The former relationship was good as a humorous background piece, but the latter has depth. Ashish and Sweetie equally encourage and challenge each other, making for a great team.

Of course, Menon’s novels also clock in on the very innocent side of YA. This works and makes for a novel that’s appropriate for preteens and younger teens, but it can be a little jarring here and there. I could handle things like the odd replacement curse words if it weren’t for one strange habit: These are the most open, earnest characters I’ve ever read in a novel. Everyone says exactly what they’re feeling exactly as they’re feeling it, making intimidating confessions and discussing deep emotional insecurities, in a way that felt super unrealistic for a group of teens. Naturally, with that in mind, things wrap up super neatly without much fuss. Knowing that this is meant to be a fluffy love story, I was mostly able to take it for what it was, but it was a suspension of disbelief.

It you’ve loved Sandhya Menon’s previous novels, you’re absolutely going to fall for There’s Something About Sweetie! It’s an adorable coming-of-age romance with an important message about self-confidence and living for today.

What can I say about this book? Well, I can start with… I absolutely loved it!!!! Oh my goodness. I couldn’t put this baby down. There is so much love that I have for Sweetie and Ashish it's not even funny ! I planned on rereading When Dimple met Rishi because I honestly don’t remember much of Ashish from the book. And I wanted to remember him and Cecil. Well, I didn’t have time so I decided to just go ahead and jump in There’s Something About Sweetie. I’m glad that I did. Even though I still didn’t remember much of Ashish, it didn’t change anything. These guys are some of my favorite characters! They were funny and sweet, and so dang lovable!

Sandhya Menon definitely has a way with words! I laughed so much in this book. Like one scene, if I was drinking something while reading it, I most definitely would have spit it out because it was that funny! Thinking about it now makes me laugh. And there were so many of those parts that made me laugh my butt off. But not only did I laugh but I also cried a good amount as well. I connected with Sweetie so much. I wouldn’t put myself in the “fat” category but I do have tendencies of being unhappy with how I look, especially after having 4 kids. But after reading this book, I felt like I should love who I am, and how I look, and to make sure to teach my kids the same.

One of our amazing POVs is Sweetie. She is an amazing athlete, singer, sweetiest (see what I did there) person you would ever meet, but also “fat” which she refers to herself as, but doesn’t see it as a bad thing, even though it has been used by people to make her feel bad. Sweetie is very happy and content in how she looks, but if only she could make her mother understand that. Her mother feels like Sweetie won’t live a normal life until she loses the weight, but she couldn’t be more wrong.

Ashish, our other POV, is a player who can pretty much get any girl, except, after being broken up with by Cecil, he no longer has his mojo. And not just his girl talking mojo, but his everything mojo. He just can’t get over Cecil. He becomes desperate and decides to let his parents set him up. But, his parents insist that that set him up with an Indian-American girl, and one that they think would be good for him, so most likely someone so opposite than he is used to dating.

This is what brings Ashish and Sweetie together and it’s the best. I loved everything about their dates, and about them together in general. And both characters' group of friends are just as amazing as they are. This book is full of some awesome characters. I was so sad when it was over. I wish that Menon would go ahead and add on to the series! Like, the third book could be about what’s going on with Dimple and Rishi after they graduate, as well as what’s going on with Sweetie and Ashish. That would make my year!

So, I *OBVIOUSLY* recommend this book to everyone who loves contemporary. This baby is up there with To All The Boys and Anna and the First Kiss. I’ve added Sweetie to my top favorite list of contemporary YA of all time. I can’t wait to gush about this book in my Spoilery portion, which I won’t release for a few weeks after the release! Hurry guys, go and get this book and read it! Seriously, Now!

This is the third book by author Sandhya Menon and it is the third book of hers that I have read. She is quickly climbing my list of favorite YA authors. A few things about this book and Menon's books in general:
1.) I was glad to see Ashish. I loved When Dimple Met Rishi and was hoping to see some of those characters again.
2.) I loved Sweetie! She was the perfect, modern teenage girl. She represents females of that age, across the globe, so well.
3.) I love the way Menon teaches her readers about Indian culture without making it boring or making it an agenda. I feel that I have been somewhat ignorant of Indian culture, and Indian-American culture, and her books have made me want to learn more about all Indian peoples and customs.
4.) I like that the author's books are meant for teenagers, but are not so descriptive in certain areas that I would feel guilty giving them to my middle school students.

I don't really write long reviews, so these are my thoughts. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story with a powerful, delightful, female protagonist!

Just as delightful as the first book, There's Something About Sweetie is a great contemporary romance. The characters talk with more wisdom and insight than teenagers naturally would, but since what they're saying is important, it's easy to just enjoy that as part of the narrative. Sweetie embraces herself in the novel, and she shows other people they should embrace her and themselves just as they are. Cute, quick, and fun story, and I highly recommend it for young adult contemporary fans.

There’s Something About Sweetie is the third book I’ve read from Sandhya Menon, and as with its predecessors, When Dimple Met Rishi and From Twinkle, With Love, it left me with a big grin on my face.

I’m a huge fan of the way Menon draws her female characters and Sweetie Nair is no exception. Sweetie is strong, bold, and full of life, and she’s also a talented singer and athlete who’s ready to take on the world. There’s one obstacle, however, standing in her way…her mother. Sweetie is overweight, and while her weight doesn’t bother her or her friends, it bothers Sweetie’s mother. Her mother’s obsession with her weight becomes so emotionally draining for Sweetie, she decides it’s time to implement the Sassy Sweetie Project, where Sweetie is determined to live life to the fullest and do whatever makes her happy. Sweetie really does love and respect her mother and doesn’t want to hurt her, but ultimately, it’s her life and she has to fight for it. I really admired her determination to stick up for herself.

Menon does an equally wonderful job with the love interest for Sweetie in this book. Those familiar with When Dimple Met Rishi will recognize Ashish Patel as Rishi’s younger brother. Ashish is a kind-hearted, soft boy who is in an especially vulnerable spot when the story opens. His long-time girlfriend has cheated on and dumped him, and he’s so down on himself that he can barely function. In fact, he’s so off his game and desperate, that he resorts to recruiting his parents’ help in finding him someone to date, and it’s his parents who bring Sweetie into his life. I love the journey that Sweetie and Ashish begin together. They each have something to prove and I loved how supportive they were to each other and I spent many pages hoping Sweetie would be able to get her mother to back off so she and Ashish could have a chance at a happy ending.

There’s Something About Sweetie is a wonderful read for anyone who enjoys charming romance novels filled with lovable characters, supportive friend groups, and sometimes awkward family dynamics. This is also a wonderfully diverse read in that both main characters are Indian American and several of their dates actually focus on learning more about their culture and embracing it. I’d also recommend There’s Something About Sweetie to anyone looking for a book that has a strong focus on self-love and body positivity. 4.5 STARS

I absolutely adored When Dimple Met Rishi and I loved this title just as much. This is a swoon-worthy love story. Ashish just recently got dumped and in a moment of weakness agrees to his parents' challenge to set him up. Meanwhile, Sweetie Nair has started her own challenge - the Sassy Sweetie Project to show her parents that just because she is fat, doesn't mean she can't be successful in life.

I loved this intersectional love story featuring a body-positive girl and a guy just trying to get back his mojo. It was such a fun and quick read!

OMG!!! I loved loved loved every word of this book! Can I leave my review at that? Sandhya has been writing consistently amazing stories about brown girls and their happily ever after and it makes my heart very very happy. I feel like Sandhya Menon just gets what I want out of a feel-good book.

There's Something About Sweetie was extra special for me because I saw in Sweetie someone that young Nick could have aspired to be. She was amazing and I had so much admiration and respect for her. Sweetie was such a powerhouse of a character. She was fierce, strong, and wickedly funny. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to see a fat desi character at the forefront of a book. Being fat can be a hellish experience in any culture because of the way we are treated as ugly and unworthy of love, but it's even more daunting experience when you belong to a brown family. They constantly (and I do mean constantly) comment on your weight and your appearance and how much "prettier" you would be if you just lost some weight. It can be mentally draining to have to hear that you are undesirable and you just have to stand there without being able to fight back. Sweetie goes through that with her mother in There's Something About Sweetie. She won't let Sweetie date before losing weight, she won't let her wear the clothes that she wants, and she's constantly worrying about what other people will think of Sweetie. In her own twisted way, it's coming out of a place of love, but it doesn't make it any easier. Sweetie was bold and beautiful though, and we get to see much of her brightness emerge throughout this book as she decides to go after her own happiness regardless of what her mother thought. I loved that Sweetie was so much more than her weight. Yes, she's fat, but she has got so many interests that actively pursued including track and music. Honestly, Sweetie is the best and I would like to be her BFF - too bad, she's fictional! I'm really glad that teen girls now have this badass girl as a source of comfort.

Then, of course, there's Ashish. If you've read a book by Menon, then you already know that she writes incredible love interests. Ashish was no exception. He was so soft and kind and ugh, where do I find myself someone like him, please? Ashish is dealing with one his first ever break-ups and it's not going all that well. He decides to enlist his parents' help in setting him up with a girl since they did such a good job with his brother, Rishi. This is what puts Sweetie on his radar, and what begins is a super cute relationship that had my heart singing in joy. I didn't think it would be possible to love Ashish as much as I did Rishi in When Dimple Met Rishi, but my gosh, THIS BOY! I loved how respectful he was of Sweetie and how he saw her for the incredible girl that she was. The romance was just the best. There is great chemistry, the kissing was swoony, and the conversations the two shared as they grew close to one another were perfection. The shippy feels were out of this world with There's Something About Sweetie! Ashish's parents also deserve to be mentioned, because oh my gosh! They were funny and so supportive, but also very much of a pair of desi parents - I cracked up at their dating contract for Ashish and Sweetie. They were too precious and deserve to be protected at all costs!

There's Something About Sweetie is one of those books that takes you on a rollercoaster of an emotional ride. You will tear up, you'll laugh your butt off, and you'll swoon and sigh over the romance. Truly, it's the perfect package, and Sandhya Menon is just continuing to prove why she is at the top of my favorite author's list. I need more words from her, preferably, right now!

3.5 stars, rounded up. This book was really *ahem* sweet! Sometimes a little saccharine, honestly, and Sweetie is just a little too perfect. Still, I enjoyed the body positivity and support from the side characters within the rom-com love story.

Another adorable book by Menon. I loved the writing and the revisted characters. This was a good story with a strong message about loving your self and accepting those around you for who they are. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Katherine Teigen Books for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this companion to When Dimple Met Rishi. Sweetie, much to her mother’s dismay, is fat. She likes herself. She’s a track star. She has great friends. But her mother cannot get over Sweetie’s figure. When she catches the eye of Ashish Patel’s mother (yes, Rishi’s brother) at their farmers’ market booth, Sweetie is hurt to overhear her mother turning down the Patels’ proposal for their children to date. Sweetie and Ashish decide to secretly start dating, but don’t expect what comes of it. Super cute, sometimes a little too cute, and refreshingly body positive. Recommended for grades 8+, and it’s out next week!

I wanted to love this one because I enjoyed both of Menon's previous books and I remember being really excited when I learned that Ashish was going to get his own book. And I wish I could say I loved it, but it just didn't work for me.
The biggest problem I had with this one was just that it was insanely sweet and everyone is perfect. (Except Sweetie's mom.) And for me, that just doesn't work. Sweetie was a good character but just too good at everything. Seriously, she was amazing at just about everything. Except. Her mom thinks she weighs too much. So Sweetie sets out to discover how to be happy with who she is and is determined to show her mom that she's worthy of love and happiness just the way she is. And those were by far the best parts for me. To watch Sweetie learn to love herself and realize that her weight doesn't get to determine what she does or doesn't deserve and get to do in life. (Though I wish it wasn't tied so closely to having a *super* hot boy fall in love with her.) And then convincing her mom of the same. I actually felt for and connected emotionally with those moments. But otherwise, she was just too perfect. All. The. Time.
As for Ashish, he was pretty much the same. Star basketball player and good at pretty much everything else as well as super hot and charismatic and rich. Except he had his heart broken. So now he can't play basketball or flirt with girls or be happy. Until he meets Sweetie. And then everything changes.
And for me, the over-the-top perfect characters, the predictable bumps in the road, the way they talk to each other like they're their therapists, and how extremely quickly they fall in love and solve all their problems was just too much for me. I just can't connect with perfect characters. And being slightly overweight just isn't really enough of a "flaw" for me, I guess. And this is just personal opinion. Other people have been loving this and that's great. It just didn't work for me.
I think this would be a good book for younger teens and tweens who want to start reading more YA romances because it's pretty clean and sweet. There is mention of *something* that happened in the past between two characters but there's nothing more than kissing actually talked about. Plus, it's pretty upbeat, cute, sweet, and everything works out easily in the end. It's also a great read for slow summer days when you want a drama-free, super cute romance. So if that's what you're looking for, this is it! If you want something realistic with flawed characters and real problems to work through, I don't think this will satisfy your needs.