the sweetest thing by christina mandelski

In the world of Sheridan Wells, life is perfect when she’s decorating a cake. Unfortunately, everything else is a complete mess: her mom ran off years ago, her dad is more interested in his restaurant, and the idea of a boyfriend is laughable.
But Sheridan is convinced finding her mom will solve all her problems—only her dad’s about to get a cooking show in New York, which means her dream of a perfect family will be dashed.

I LOVE the cover for The Sweetest Thing, before I had ever read a synopsis I knew I needed it just based on the lovely cover. I will say I assumed I’d be reading a sweet little romance, instead gracing the pages are a dash of romance AND family drama. (Ok, I promise that I’ll try to keep away from cooking references from now on.)

Sheridan is amazingly talented when it comes to decorating cakes. I wish I had her talent, I can’t even write “Happy Birthday” or “congratulations” in a straight line when it comes to cake decorating…I also once spelled “congratulations” incorrectly on a cake, but that’s another story. Sheridan’s father is a known chef, at least in their cozy little town, who aspires to get his own cooking show. When he gets the news that he does, Sheridan’s world is turned upside down. She decides that under no circumstances is she moving and comes up with a little crazy plot. Sheridan was such a fun character.

Enter boy drama. Sheridan’s number one crush is suddenly paying attention to her. I have to say I liked Ethan! He was kind of the perfect boyfriend in the beginning even with his past shallow side. I can’t get into specifics, but he’s a great character. Sheridan also has wonderful friends and a town full of people who love and support her.

The Sweetest Thing is a book that’d be perfect for lovers of Sarah Dessen or Deb Caletti.