Amanda Jayatissa

Paloma thought her perfect life would begin once she was adopted and made it to America, but she's about to find out that no matter how far you run, your past always catches up to you... Ever since she was adopted from a Sri Lankan orphanage, Paloma has had the best of everything--schools, money, and parents so perfect that she fears she'll never live up to them. Now at thirty years old and recently cut off from her parents' funds, she decides to sublet the second bedroom of her overpriced San Francisco apartment to Arun, who recently moved from India. Paloma has to admit, it feels good helping someone find their way in America--that is until Arun discovers Paloma's darkest secret, one that could jeopardize her own fragile place in this country. Before Paloma can pay Arun off, she finds him face down in a pool of blood. She flees the apartment but by the time the police arrive, there's no body--and no evidence that Arun ever even existed in the first place. Paloma is terrified this is all somehow tangled up in the desperate actions she took to escape Sri Lanka so many years ago. Did Paloma's secret die with Arun or is she now in greater danger than ever before?

My Sweet Girl

Dee B. 

Perfectly adequate thriller, just maybe not for me. 


I was able to see the 'twist' way too early on for me to feel any satisfaction from the reveal, the many micro-aggressions and internalized self hate also rubbed me the wrong way. 

What I will say is that the potential that the author has makes me want to see more from her in the future.

Kath Lau

Paloma is adopted from a Sri Lankan orphanage by a wealthy American couple when she's twelve. She's now in her thirties and her parents have cut off her funds so she's living in a small apartment. Her roommate finds out about her deepest and darkest secret and starts blackmailing her. One night, she finds his lifeless body in a pool of blood. The police arrives shortly but her roommate's body is nowhere to be found.

The story is written in dual timeline and it's done effortlessly. We get to see Paloma's past in the orphanage and her present life living in San Francisco years after her adoption. This added more depth to the story, in my opinion. The book is a bit slow at some parts but I still thought the writing was clever. I enjoyed the paranormal elements as well. I guessed some of the twists right but I was totally surprised with the big revelation towards the end. I couldn't believe that I didn't see that one coming. Overall, this was a very gripping debut!

'My Sweet Girl is like nothing else I've read. Set in San Francisco and Sri Lanka, this is a story about friendship, lies, and guilt. A stunning and original must-read' Samantha Downing, Sunday Times bestselling author of My Lovely Wife A girl in a new country. A dark secret left behind. A dead body which might tell all. Ever since she was adopted from an orphanage in Sri Lanka, Paloma has led a privileged Californian life: the best schools, a generous allowance and parents so perfect that Paloma fears she'll never live up to them. Now at thirty, Paloma has managed to disappoint her parents so thoroughly that their relationship will never recover. Unemployed and friendless, the only person still talking to her is Arun - the Indian man subletting her spare room. That is until Arun discovers Paloma's darkest secret, one that could jeopardize her fragile place in this country, and the next day is found face down in a pool of blood. On finding Arun's body Paloma flees her apartment. But by the time the police arrive, there's no body to be found or signs of struggle - and no evidence that Arun ever even existed in the first place. The police may be quick to dismiss everything, but Paloma knows what she saw. Is this tangled up in her childhood in Sri Lanka and the desperate actions she took to leave so many years ago? And did Paloma's secret die with Arun or is she now in greater danger than ever before?

The most shocking thriller of 2021 with an UNFORGETTABLE narrator

Paloma is adopted from a Sri Lankan orphanage by a wealthy American couple when she’s twelve. She’s now in her thirties and her parents have cut off her funds so she’s living in a small apartment. Her roommate finds out about her deepest and darkest secret and starts blackmailing her. One night, she finds his lifeless body in a pool of blood. The police arrives shortly but her roommate’s body is nowhere to be found.

The story is written in dual timeline and it’s done effortlessly. We get to see Paloma’s past in the orphanage and her present life living in San Francisco years after her adoption. This added more depth to the story, in my opinion. The book is a bit slow at some parts but I still thought the writing was clever. I enjoyed the paranormal elements as well. I guessed some of the twists right but I was totally surprised with the big revelation towards the end. I couldn’t believe that I didn’t see that one coming. Overall, this was a very gripping debut!

My Sweet Girl

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