Sweet Thing (Sweet Thing, #1) by Renee Carlino Series: Sweet Thing #1
Published by Atria Books on August 20th 2013
Pages: 320
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"You have to teach your heart and mind how to sing together... then you'll hear the sound of your soul."
Mia Kelly thinks she has it all figured out. She's an Ivy League graduate, a classically trained pianist, and the beloved daughter of a sensible mother and offbeat father. Yet Mia has been stalling since graduation, torn between putting her business degree to use and exploring music, her true love.
When her father unexpectedly dies, she decides to pick up the threads of his life while she figures out her own. Uprooting herself from Ann Arbor to New York City, Mia takes over her father's cafe, a treasured neighborhood institution that plays host to undiscovered musicians and artists. She's denied herself the thrilling and unpredictable life of a musician, but a chance encounter with Will, a sweet, gorgeous, and charming guitarist, offers her a glimpse of what could be. When Will becomes her friend and then her roommate, she does everything in her power to suppress her passions—for him, for music—but her father's legacy slowly opens her heart to the possibility of something more.
A "heartbreaking and romantic" (Aestas Book Blog) debut, Sweet Thing explores the intensity and complexities of first love and self-discovery.
Renée Carlino is one heck of a writer. The characters she brings to life have great depth, and her stories are well plotted and very engaging, with awesome angst mixed in. Sweet Thing is no exception.
Mia is suffering from a quarter life crisis. When her father passes away, she relocates to New York City to run his café. She feels directionless, and is plagued by insecurities, afraid of not living up to her potential. She’s drowning in grief over the death of her father and holds a tight reign on her heart.
When Mia meets Will—a talented struggling musician—there’s a sexual pull but also a soul-deep connection through music. Will is kind, unguarded, self-assured, and gifted yet humble. He lives for his art, and when he loves, he loves intensely. I should mention he plays every instrument known to man, sings, and is sexy as hell. He may not have a lot of money, but he’s definitely a catch. Will forces Mia to rethink everything she thought she wanted.
This story is disappointing for one reason, and one reason alone: Mia. I wanted to throttle her most of the time. On her journey to self-discovery, Mia takes Will’s affection for granted. She jerks him around, sending mixed signals, lying, and behaving selfishly. My heart truly ached for Will.
Thankfully, despite her many mistakes Mia manages to redeem herself in my eyes. The ending is perfect and so sweet I felt giddy. I’d like to read the follow-up novella, Sweet Little Thing, to spend a little more time with this wonderful couple.
About Renee Carlino
Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and bestselling author of contemporary women’s novels and new adult fiction. Her books have been featured in national publications, including USA TODAY, Huffington Post, Latina magazine, and Publisher’s Weekly. She lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog June. When she’s not at the beach with her boys or working on her next project, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.
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