There's Something About Sweetie by Sandya Menon Review

Title: There’s Something About Sweetie

Author: Sandhya Menon

Age Group: Teen/Young Adult

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romance

Series: When Dimple Met Rishi, book two

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

                I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

                Sandhya Menon is one of my favorite authors; she won my heart last year with her debut romance, When Dimple Met Rishi. (Diverse books for the win!) There’s Something About Sweetie is the companion novel to Dimple, and it’s been on my list since before it came out. I’ve checked it out from my library a few times, but unfortunately had to take it back before I could read it. When I was at one of my book clubs, I saw it sitting on a new book display and had to take it home. I just finished it over the long weekend, and just thinking about it, I haven’t been able to stop grinning. With her signature romance, humor, and heart, Menon has continued the story, this time focusing on Rishi’s younger brother, Ashish. Fresh out of a painful breakup, his friend suggests that he let his parents set him up with a good Indian girl. Said Indian girl is Sweetie, a kind, gentle, and sweet fat athlete who is desperate for people to accept her and look past her weight. Thus ensues a romance straight out of a rom-com, complete with misunderstandings, cute banter, and a happy ending. I wish romances were written like this one, because if they were, I would read them more often! Sandhya Menon has knocked her third novel out of the park, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

                Sweetie is fat, and she knows it. She’s totally fine with it, but the same can’t be said for her well-meaning mother and other people who think they’re doing her a favor by telling her she’s overweight. Certain that if she can look past it and love herself, so can others. But unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Then there’s Ashish, fresh off of a bad breakup. Half as a joke, he asks his parents to set him up with a proper Indian girl. When Ashish and Sweetie meet for the first time, their attraction to one another is instant. Going against her parents’ wishes for the first time in her life, Sweetie begins seeing Ashish. Will true love win the day? Or will these two crazy kids’ love affair end before it has a chance to truly begin?

                I loved, loved, loved this book; there aren’t enough words in the English language to properly express just how much I loved this romance. When Dimple Met Rishi was one of my favorite books of last year, so I’ve been looking forward to Sweetie since before it came out. I loved the way it put emphasis on Ashish, Rishi’s younger brother. The pacing was breakneck and I was immediately spellbound by Ashish and Sweetie and their distinct voices. I’m such a sucker for love stories, especially ones where I’m rooting for both halves of the couple! This book might be my favorite in Menon’s entire body of work; it’s one of my favorite books of 2019! My favorite part of the book, though, was Sweetie, and her fierce devotion to herself. She was so gentle, sweet, and kind, and I really related to her because of that. Ashish, Dimple, Rishi, and the parents all made wonderful, heartfelt foils to both Ashish and Sweetie. The only thing that really upset me was Sweetie’s strained relationship with her mother; I understood where she was coming from, but it still seemed to me, at times, that she couldn’t accept Sweetie for who she was, until the end. But I loved this book, and I will never forget Sweetie and Ashish and their young, new love! A romance that should be required reading for all! The bottom line: Romantic, honest, and insightful, I loved There’s Something About Sweetie! Menon has outdone herself once again! Next on deck: Stepsister by Jennifer Donnelly!