This book looked so cute from the cover and I was thrilled to get a copy. THis was a good summer read--quick and light. Thanks so much!

I follow Katie Sturino and her body neutrality ethos- I love her passion and support of all people and bodies. I was excited to see she wrote a novel and in reading it I felt like a lot of her personal experiences went into it. I liked the strong female friendships, finding new love, and building confidence in all things! It was a cute story with a good message.

This is a debut novel following Sunny Greene, a 35-year-old, plus-sized PR mogul navigating life post-divorce in New York City. Facing challenges in both her personal and professional life, Sunny embarks on a journey of self-discovery, body acceptance, and entrepreneurship. There’s a romance subplot (which is cute and charming), but this book at its core is about self-love, friendship, and owning your space in the world—especially when society keeps trying to shrink you.

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved this book! I started reading it and then turned to the audio and LOVED the audio and recommend it in audio. Sunny is a bigger girl, tall and full sized and she is comfortable in her skin. As a newly divorced woman she met two other divorced women and they formed a close friendship. When they decide to take a beach vacation, or divocation, she has to shop for a swimsuit which comes with all sorts of PTSD. After a disastrous shopping experience she turns to her trusty tailor and together they construct the perfect suit for her of her design. When she shows up on the beach in the suit and is a hit in it and new career starts. Oh, wait, while this is going on her brother is getting married and she needs a plus one, she also hires a new assistant who jump starts her blog that has been missing from her life where she documents her life, including her dating and new venture. This was so much fun and from the silver fox to the postman to the duds, growing with her and all the ups and downs of life had me listening and enjoying this one!

I loved this story, it really meant a lot to me. Sunny was a badass, transformational queen who I adored at any size or shape she could have been! I’ve struggled with my weight almost my whole life and it’s been rough. The world puts so much pressure on women to fit into the molds that we’re given. I loved how she went through her whole arc of misery and stress to acceptance and love. It gives me hope!

"Sunny Greene is thirty-five, recently divorced, facing the looming prospect of going solo to her little brother’s wedding, and currently trying to find anything plus-sized in the Bergdorf Goodman swimsuit department that doesn’t make her want to cry. It’s not going well. But isn’t rock bottom the perfect place to start a climb?

She decides it’s now or never. Sunny has her PR empire, her gorgeous Chelsea apartment, her two dogs, and her loyal best friends. Maybe it's time to just love her body and accept herself for who she is. With a new commitment to confidence, her journey begins. Who says a plus-sized divorcee can’t put herself first, feel beautiful, and date up a storm?

Of course things are never straightforward in the dating world. Is fate knocking at her door with Dennis, the charming and down-to-earth mailman, or should she be with Ted, the business tycoon who seems ready to make her size-inclusive swimsuit brand a reality? And what should she do about her ex, who shows up unexpectedly, eager to reconnect?

With the same candor and confidence her followers love, Sturino brings us Sunny Greene, a Carrie Bradshaw for the next generation, and her journey through the trials and triumphs of dating, friendship, and finding yourself."

I'm a huge fan of Katie Sturino and have followed her for years, so when I heard she was coming out with a fiction book, I was so excited! The book was a really fun escape, and if you follow Katie, you'll be able to recognize inspiration taken from her own life—as a result, it was easy to root for Sunny, and I found her to be very relatable. We all go through periods of starting over and having to rebuild aspects of your life, and it was oddly comforting to walk through Sunny's process of finding herself, new friendships, and dealing with the aftermath of her divorce. There was a lot of body talk, so if there's anyone who has somehow escaped unscathed thus far from diet culture and has a healthy body image, it might be too much, but as a millennial woman who experienced coming of age in the early aughts, it was very affirming and cathartic.

While certain plot points felt a little unrealistic, and there were many of-the-moment pop culture references, those things are also what made the story entertaining and a perfect summer read. It had a great sense of place, and the love for NYC is apparent—it had definite Sex and the City vibes, which was really fun. You never know what you're going to get with debut fiction, but Sturino did a great job, and I'm looking forward to seeing what's next from her!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

3.75/5

This book isn't well constructed. There's nothing to keep me reading, and a lot to stop me: being didactic on fatness and overwhelming on fashion, plus thin on characterization --I cannot for the life of me understand her dating life or tendencies... And I'm just not enjoying it.

Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino
3.5/5 🌟

Sunny is a bigger gal who at 35 is freshly divorced but has great friends and a thriving career. I really liked how she is a character with so much heart and copes with feelings about her size in healthy ways. I really appreciated her very realistic emotions and the complicated experience of being a woman with a non sample size figure.

A lot of romance and loving yourself and it’s a ridiculously optimistic story!

Sunny's journey of self-acceptance and empowerment was both inspiring and relatable. The narrative was filled with humor, heart, and a realistic portrayal of the challenges faced by plus-sized women. I appreciated the emphasis on self-love and the importance of surrounding oneself with supportive friends.

A must-read for anyone seeking a heartwarming story about embracing oneself and finding joy in life's imperfections.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Thanks to Katie, Celadon and NetGalley for the ARC of Sunny Side Up!

I really enjoyed reading about Sunny and her journey to find her best self again.

I recommend this book to anyone! After I finished reading, I pre-ordered my own copy.

Have you ever had a bad experience in a dressing room? This book is for you.
Do you hate your body? This book is for you.
Do you love your body? This book is for you.
Are you somewhere in between? This book is for you.

I have been a fan of Katie, her content and body acceptance stance for years and was so happy to receive the ARC.

3.5 rounded up for the ARC. This was a "sunny," uplifting book that was very much #girlpower and self-acceptance. I had some thoughts about her feeling "huge" in a size 12 (when the average American is a 14) but to each her own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Sunny is a driven, self-made PR mogul in NYC. Recently divorced, she is prepping for an upcoming trip with friends and has a very unpleasant plus size swim suit shopping experience. This sparks a new business idea for Sunny. Meanwhile, she’s also hoping to put herself back out in the dating world to find a date for her brother’s wedding. She ends up dating both Dennis, a down to earth mail carrier, and Ted, a venture capitalist who could bring her business idea to life.

I enjoyed reading this book. Sunny’s quest to make swimwear size inclusive and the body acceptance and positivity of her character is great. While as a romcom, some plot points are predictable, it’s an entertaining story with multiple fun elements: a love triangle, Sunny’s business venture, the relationship with her fellow divorcées, in a New York backdrop.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

A fun quick read that hit the spot for a sunny afternoon. Always nice to see a plus-size protagonist and the backdrop of NYC made it extra run!

i love how positive about herself our protagonist is. the romance is great, and the sunny side up plotline is great. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

I just really struggled with this. I think I'm just really over stories that follow plus sized women who are still struggling heavily with body image. I want to see a plus sized woman who just OWNS it. It's frustrating and just a bit cliche
The rest of the story for me just never materialized. I thought the company came too quickly, the body positivity just felt really off kilter, I struggled to root for Sunny and didn't care for the romance. This was just absolutely NOT the right story for me. The humor and some of the friendship arcs get me about 2 stars but its barely there

What a transformation in Sunny. Katie Sturino, did a wonderful job writing this story, she delved deep into what everyone was doing, feeling, the changes, struggles, and most of all, how many people who are reading it says, I have been there. This was a story that brought up memories for me, but all we can do is go through it, and see where we end up. I am not going to say anymore. I want you to enjoy it like I did.
I received an ARC from Celedron Books through NetGalley.

Absolutely LOVED this book — it’s so fun and damn relatable. I’ve been a longtime fan of Katie and honestly was a little nervous the book wouldn’t live up to the personality I’ve loved following online. But wow, she nailed it! It’s LOL funny, heartwarmingly real, and perfectly captures the complex, emotional, and often hilarious experience so many women have with their bodies. Katie’s voice shines through on every page. I’m already excited to recommend this one to all my friends.

A fun and uplifting read from the lovely Katie Sturino.

I always wonder what will happen when someone with no background in fiction writing decides to write a novel, and this was a fantastic surprise. Not only is it well put together, thoughtful, funny, and narratively well-crafted, it actually *sounds* like Katie if you follow her on social and in her other endeavors.

The book has a lovely message about self acceptance, and does a really good job of being affirming to the reader without ever getting preachy.

I love Katie’s sense of humor and that comes through in the subtle but clever comedy of the novel, but where this book really shines in its sweetness, which is delivered with a light touch as a sort of modern fairy tale that hits all the right notes in terms of being a charming, feel-good story arc without getting schlocky or saccharine.

I’ll go ahead and call this a must-read for summer, especially if you like a smarter-than-your-average beach read.

This book is fun, lighthearted, and definitely has its spicy moments. But at times, it leans a little too hard into the glamor of New York City, making it tough to fully connect with the story. Sunny’s struggles with her weight—and the way people around her comment on it—are real and relatable, but the rest of her life? Not so much.
She’s got a dreamy apartment, shops at Bergdorf’s, casually revives her business, and seems to excel effortlessly. Because everything falls into place so easily for her, there’s not much tension, which makes her journey feel less gripping. While her size is something many readers may relate to, her lifestyle feels more like a fantasy, which makes it harder to emotionally invest.
The romance is sweet and cute, but a little predictable. While the book delivers enjoyable escapism, the heavy focus on privilege makes it feel slightly out of touch at times. This book left me flat. I didn't enjoy it, but I didn't hate it.

Oh my goodness - LOVE IT!!! I in no way want a divorce but I do desperately want in the first wives club they have - this is the girls girl energy we all need and should have in our lives ! I love the golden girls , all the amazing spot in 90s aka best era references and the nod to my absolute favorite ride or die intelligentsia coffee —- ummmm I think we are bffs she just doesn’t know it yet !!! I really truly absolutely adored this !

Amazing character and work building , great humor, relatable , real- again LOVED IT!