Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino is a romance; if anything it is more real-life than most. Sunny has worked hard and she has her own fashion-based public relations firm. But, she is taller and bigger than society likes; than she likes. It all comes to a head when she is shopping for a bathing suit and there is not much in her size; nothing comfortable or attractive, at any rate. She goes home to shop online and finds the same thing. She buys one; hates it; takes it to a designer friend and together they rework it. In the end she loves it and decides to market it. She sets to work with her assistant, Avery, to design a business plan. Through a friend, she makes contact with a venture capitalist willing to invest, and they prepare for the presentation. She is recently divorced and slowly begins to realize that much of her self-loathing comes from the things he had said over the seven years they had been together. This is the launch for a new Sunny.

Among the things she has let slide is a subscription newsletter, Sunny Side Up, she had on Substack. She revitalized it to appeal to people with body issues and including her experiments with online dating and eventually two men she was dating that she had met in real life. The names were disguised, thinly to anyone who knew her, and she went forth. Things got complicated for her but even those things contributed to her growing sense of herself. She realized how many things she had misunderstood; seen through her own sad eyes instead of realistically. Sunny is a strong, creative, intelligent woman who is large. She’s a great character. The beginning of the book was hard to slog through but by the middle I was devouring it. The character is great; the plot even better. It is a coming-of age novel despite the fact the heroine is thirty-five years old. It is well-written despite its slow beginning and turned out to be a simple joy to read.

I was invited to read Sunny Side Up by Celadon Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #CeladonBooks #KatieSturino #SunnySideUp

This book follows Sunny as she is recently divorced and trying to find herself again. She is a plus-sized woman and wanting to feel better about who she is in her own skin.
This is a very body positive story and I liked the journey Sunny went on to feel her best and I liked the friend group. But unfortunately the plot was just meh for me. It did give me strong Sex and the City vibes; which I think some readers might enjoy.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been a fan of Katie Sturino since her @The12ishStyle days on Instagram. One thing you can always count on from Katie is her refreshing honesty—whether she's calling out fashion’s size exclusivity, normalizing sweat and chafing, or sharing her strong opinions on coffee. Sunny Side Up feels like an extended version of her witty, relatable online stories brought to life in novel form.

Sunny, recently divorced, is off on a “divorcation” with her two best friends, but first makes a stop at Bergdorf to find a cute suit. What follows is, unfortunately, an all-too-familiar experience for many women: the frustrating and demeaning search for stylish clothes in sizes above a 12. After a small meltdown, Sunny decides to channel her frustration into action. Together with her assistant Avery and a talented tailor named Katarina, she creates a plan for a swimwear line that is not only size-inclusive but actually beautiful—no more giant floral prints or basic black as the only options. Every woman deserves to feel confident and seen, especially in a swimsuit.

As Sunny embarks on this empowering business venture, she also reboots her Sunny Side Up blog, gaining a fresh following with her candid commentary and charming dating updates. Her fans quickly become invested, rooting for one of two men vying to be her date to her brother’s upcoming wedding in Chicago.

Following Sunny’s journey as she boldly launches a new business and unexpectedly finds love is engaging. Her ability to stand tall in the boardroom and be vulnerable in the bedroom is inspirational. This cozy romance is a celebration of self-acceptance and the power of living authentically. It’s a joyful reminder that there’s no one right way to exist in the world—and embracing who you are is the most beautiful thing of all.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and of course the author Katie Sturino for the advanced copy of the audiobook. Sunny Side Up is out now. All opinions are my own.

👙 When weight gain coupled with an ill-fitting swimsuit causes an emotional meltdown, Sunny, a recent divorcee, vows to accept her body as it is and put her self back into the dating pool to find a date for her younger brother’s upcoming wedding. A new business venture introduces her to a hot investor who’s looking to mix business with pleasure, but it’s the blue-eyed mailman she can’t stop thinking about. As she courts them both, she documents her escapades in a blog that quickly gains public attention but comes with some unintended consequences.

Overall I enjoyed this one with its NYC setting, the entertaining blog entries, and the HEA ending. It was witty, relatable, relevant, and fun! BUT, I was really disappointed with Sunny’s integrity. While I loved her stance on body neutrality and positive self image, I was unimpressed with the dishonesty she displayed in her dating life. She effectively does to the men she dated exactly what her ex-husband did to her and used the excuse that there was a lack of defined exclusivity to justify her behavior. So I’m not a fan of that, if for no other reason than that it’s irresponsible sexual practice.

Anyway, check this one out if you like a strong female character and quirky love interests with a focus on positive self image but also very morally gray sexy time scenarios (not of the fun RH kind, but the dishonest kind). Pairs well with condoms and open disclosure of active sexual relationships with new sexual partners. Be safe out there!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino. This book was such a bright and uplifting read. Sturino’s voice is warm, funny, and relatable. It felt like getting advice and encouragement from a good friend who genuinely wants the best for you. I really enjoyed how she mixed humor, personal stories, and empowering messages about confidence and self-acceptance. The tone stayed positive without being overly sweet, and I appreciated her honesty throughout. Some parts did feel a little repetitive, but overall, it didn’t take away from the experience. Sunny Side Up is the kind of book that makes you feel seen, heard, and reminded to show up for yourself with kindness. A great pick for anyone looking for something feel-good and affirming.

A cute cozy romance about finding and accepting who you are.
Going shopping isnt easy for Sunny because of her plus size.
Can she overcome and deal with being plus and hind romance.
Voluntarily reviewed.

This novel, while well written, is a huge trigger for anyone with body image issues, weight gain, eating disorders, etc. The first 10% of the book was spent discussing that. It was difficult to get past this, so I cannot confirm there is not a positive message about this in the end, but it was just not for me.

I nearly DNF'd this one as it started out very tediously and shallow: all about the trauma of trying on swimsuits and how bad it makes you feel about your body. I can relate to the feeling, but, geez, move on, lady! This was the focus of the whole book--well, with a little dating drama thrown in. It did improve a bit later on, as Sunny starts a new business and starts to feel a bit less insecure, but it didn't do it for me overall.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.

Sunny Side Up is a story that features issues of body image, acceptance and self-confidence.

The FMC is a recent divorcee with a great career and solid female friendships.

This will be a quick beach read or maybe a book club pick.

Thank you @celadonbooks & @netgalley for an ARC of Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino! I’ve been a Katie follower for years and I was so excited to check out her first fiction novel.

This is the story about Sunny Greene, a recently divorced fashion PR powerhouse. She’s struggled with her weight and body image for as long as she can remember and is dreading both her brother’s upcoming wedding and going shopping for her next swimsuit for an upcoming girls’ trip. She takes on two big challenges, starting a size-inclusive swimsuit line and getting out there and dating. Dating is a wild ride and she soon has more suitors than she anticipated. Will she succeed in life and love?

What I loved:
🩵The friendships! I adored Sunny’s new friendships with Brooke and Noor and how supportive they were of each other.
💛The NYC setting- made me want to go visit ASAP.
🤎Sunny’s job in fashion PR and her new venture.
🩵The big-time SATC vibes!

What bugged me:
🩵TBH…Sunny. I tried to root for her, but she made it tough. She was very caught up in how others made her feel with very little regard with her behavior towards others. She’s definitely the Carrie of the group!

Overall, it was a fun read! Easy with plenty of humor and great to promote body acceptance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Empowering chick lit with a strong focus on body acceptance and remembering how to love yourself. This was such a fun read! Sex in the City vibes, a love triangle and women supporting each other. It got a little steamy at times too which was a bonus! The newsletters interspersed were funny and definitely one is read in real life.

This was a fun story about a 35 year old recent divorcee named Sunny who learns to love her body as it is and starts a size inclusive swimsuit line in the process! I thought it was a romance, which there was romance involved, but I’d classify it more as women’s fiction. Sunny dates several men throughout the course of the book, so I felt there was less focus on a single romance. Overall an easy read perfect for summer!

I can appreciate the way this book is for any girl who has had body image issues and/or has gone through a divorce with a terrible partner. That aspect and Sunny dealing with those things was pretty good. This is just one of those books where I kind of wish romance wasn’t a part of it or had less focus. Sunny’s journey into loving herself, her divorce friends, and her career would have been enough for me. I did like the idea of her dipping back into the dating world after her divorce. In the beginning, I liked it because she was finding her confidence and empowerment again. Once the love triangle developed I wasn’t into it as much though. I also feel like this story as a whole is wildly unrealistic. Everything happens so fast and easy for Sunny. She barely has any setbacks or conflicts. I would have liked a little higher stakes for Sunny at any point.
Overall, it was an enjoyable light read though.

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Katie Sturino for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a quick and easy read that explores standing up for the love and respect you do deserve. That translates to self love, career love, and stick to your guns and intuition and know your worth love. I mean- when a larger FMC strikes career gold because she develops a sizing inclusive hot as helllll swimsuit line- you gotta love that success! I love the later in life found friendships too. Best friends don't have to be people we met as children- our paths can cross at anytime with anyone and magic can happen!

I was really excited to read this one - the premise really spoke to me. Unfortunately, I struggled with the execution of the premise and it fell flat for me.

4 Finding Herself Stars!

I love finding new authors and their debut novels. This book is one that I immediately connected with on so many levels especially with how Sunny decides to start loving herself as is rather than trying to conform to societal standards.

There are so many heartfelt moments from her dates with would be suitors, including her mailman and a billionaire. I found myself laughing and getting all in my feels with Sunny. I love her independence and her drive to make her plus-size swimwear line a reality. This book is truly a book of self discovery with a side dish of romance.

This story will stay with me for a long time because of the excellent story writing by Ms. Sturino. She wrote a book that so many women can find a way to connect with Sunny and appreciate her growth throughout the book and finding the self-love many of us strive for on a daily basis!

3.5 rounded up to 4

Quick, easy read… perfect for a summer/beach. Sex and the City-esque, complete with cutesy nicknames (The Silver Fox and Mr. Postman).

Started reading the ebook via NetGalley and finished with the audiobook borrowed from the library. Loved the audiobook. Excellent narration with great voices/accents.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

☀️Sunny Side Up🌇
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(ARC Review, out now!!)

Sunny Greene is 35, recently divorced, & loving her life as a New Yorker. She has a successful PR business, a Substack account with a very loyal following, & friends that feel like family. Her divorce certainly sent her on a bit of a spiral, but she’s coming to terms with what has really been affecting her: Sunny feels shame about her own body. She’s tired of feeling shame for taking up space, tired of feeling shame for not being able to find clothes in her size, & tired of society thinking this is a “normal” way for women to live. Sunny makes a pact with herself to start focusing on loving herself & her own company, & everything she manages to accomplish along the way is life changing.

Empowerment, romance, friendship: this book was the sweetest coming of age story, but for women in their thirties. I absolutely loved Sunny & the story being set in New York City was just the icing on the cake. 1000% recommend!!

I am an instagram fan of Katie Sturino's and love her positive personality and vibe, so I was excited to hear that she was writing a book. This is a fun, light summer read. And while it was a little predictable, she still managed to put a new spin on a story we've heard before, and you still couldn't help rooting for Sunny and Dennis and feeling all the feels along with her.

Thank you NetGalley, Celadon Books and Katie Sturino for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.25⭐️ I almost DNFed the book due to the attention on the FMCs weight and size. I kept going and while she did seem to get more comfortable and confident it was still more of a topic than I enjoyed. I did appreciate the body neutral versus body positivity vibes but overall as someone who is in the larger size range it brought the topic to my brain more than I wanted.

The writing style is very informal and conversational with the reader. It’s fine but not my preferred style.

Sunny was impressive with her career and achievements. I loved her relationship with her friends, tailor and assistant - she is loyal, fair and caring.

The romance of it was lacking for me. We saw a little of it but it didn’t feel very undeveloped for how it turned out.

All in all, it was fine but not something I’m shouting from the rooftops about and for anyone sensitive about weight/size issues I might skip this one.