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Sweet Thing

A Novel

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About The Book

A USA TODAY bestselling contemporary romance about the complexities of love and self-discovery in the early post-college years.

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 café, 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.

About The Author

Photography by Chris Wodjak Photography 2016
Renée Carlino

Renée Carlino is a screenwriter and the bestselling author of Sweet Thing, Nowhere But Here, After the Rain, Before We Were Strangers, Swear on This Life, and Wish You Were Here. She grew up in Southern California and lives in the San Diego area with her husband and two sons. To learn more, visit ReneeCarlino.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Atria Books (August 20, 2013)
  • Length: 320 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781476763941

Raves and Reviews

"Sassy and sweet, Sweet Thing melts in your mouth and goes straight to your heart!"

– New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans

“5 stars!!!! This is what I’ve been craving . . . one of my absolute favorites this year, and just one of my plain old favorites altogether."

– Maryse's Book Blog

“I have a new boyfriend and his name is Will Ryan. I’m in love. Oh, and did I mention he was a bit of a rock star? Sweet Thing was a sweet, heartbreaking and romantic story that kept me up reading all night!”

– Aestas Book Blog

“What more can I say that hasn't been said already about this book? Sweet Thing was really a great read. I loved the characters, the story, and I loved watching them grow.”

– The Autumn Review

“This is 5 HUGE stars—a soul-searing, beautifully-written book that now owns a piece of my heart…this book has made my all-time FAV list…I cannot wait to see what’s next for Renee Carlino.”

– Shh Mom's Reading

“There was something intangibly real and special about this book, which kept me reading until I finished it… one of my favorite stories of the year.”

– Vilma's Book Blog

“When Will and Mia’s story of self-discovery unfolds, it will fill you with love, it will crush you, it will frustrate you, it will lift you up and bring you down. You will share every heart-breaking moment and you will live every warm, tender, angry and funny exchange…You will read the end with that warm book glow…..you know, the one that lets you know you’ve just hung out with some wonderful characters who burrowed their way into your heart.”

– Totally Booked Blog

Sweet Thing is such a great book that you are guaranteed a book hangover after you finish it! I am currently suffering from one. This story is sure to tug on your heart strings and touch your soul. It is unique, memorable, and breathtaking! Trust me, you want Sweet Thing to be a part of your personal library.”

– A Bookish Escape

“Sometimes—out of all the books you read—you come across one that stands out amongst all the other titles. Sometimes, you read a book that completely overwhelms your mind, your heart, and your soul. An all-consuming read that totally captures your senses and puts them into over drive—but in the best possible way. There’s just nothing better than the completely sated feeling you get from reading it. For me, that book was Renee Carlino’s Sweet Thing.”

– Read This Hear That

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More books from this author: Renée Carlino