ContemporaryAThon: read a fun book.


1) When Dimple Met Rishi ★★★★


content warnings: fatphobia
representation: fat Indian-American main character, Indian main and side characters, mlm Black main characters, side m/m relationship

“He wanted to tell her he’d never felt as happy, as at peace, as he did when Sweetie was with him. He wanted to tell her he was changing, becoming a better person, a gentler, kinder person, all because of her.”

I can say, without a doubt, that this is one of my new favourite books. I was already on the Sandhya Menon train because of how much I enjoyed When Dimple Met Rishi, but this masterpiece of a book has converted me to a full-on stan. I will read anything she writes because if it's even half as good as this, odds are I'll love it.

Speaking of When Dimple Met Rishi, this is a sequel/companion book to that, taking place after the events of that book and following Rishi's younger brother, Ashish, who has since broken up with Celia, the girl he started dating in WDMR. Feeling like Celia ruined him for all other girls, he agrees to let his parents set him up with someone like they did Rishi: enter Sweetie Nair, a fat girl who is one of the best track runners in the state but whose health is still constantly questioned.

We all know I love a good romance book, and this might be one of the best. I hadn't even hit 100 pages when I realised I would be content with the rest of the book being just Ashish and Sweetie hanging out, kissing occasionally (or a lot). Both characters were so easy to love, and having the book be written in both their perspectives I think really helped with that. Ashish screams fuckboy but is actually a cutie who loves his friends, family and basketball, and is nursing a broken heart. Sweetie is one of those people who can't find it in herself to hate anyone and always looks for the best in people without ever letting people walk all over her. In many ways they're complete opposites, as they point out at one point, but they're opposites in a way where they completely gel with each other.

The entire supporting cast is also A+. I continue to love the Patel's, who just become even dorkier parents in this book, and I adored both the main characters' friend groups. I'm very happy that the next book is going to be about Pinky because, unsurprisingly, she was my favourite.

This book isn't just a cute romance with lovable characters, though. A lot of the book focuses on Sweetie being a fat girl and how this impacts her day-to-day life. Her mother is determined to make her daughter thin, disregarding that Sweetie is in no way unhealthy because she's so terrified that her daughter might be mocked for her weight. Sweetie is at a place in her life where she's stopped feeling ashamed for her weight, but there are still lingering insecurities that have been drilled into her by practically everyone in her life. For their first meeting, Sweetie has Ashish race her so that he can see that she's incredibly athletic and not lazy because she immediately assumes that will be his first impression of her when he sees that she's fat.

Don't worry, none of the fatphobia in this book comes from Ashish, and all of it is challenged in some way. Some of the scenes could definitely be triggering for some people, though, so proceed with caution. There are scenes of people commenting on Sweetie's body, people trying to control/shame her for her eating, and people policing what she can and can't do because of her body, all of which is challenged in different ways.

Despite how much this book deals with fatphobia in a very real and raw way, Menon has worked it expertly into the narrative and never detracts from the light tone this book ultimately haves. It's a perfect blend of seriousness and sweetness (pun intended). If you're looking for your next cute contemporary romance, look no further than this series because it is spectacular.


17/10/18: I don't think anyone understands just how much I love this cover.
It is my favourite cover in existence.
I want it tattooed onto my eyelids so I can see it forever.
This cover makes my heart go (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧