Great debut fiction by Sturino.
I loved the female friendships. The story was not predictable which is nice to see. The author really got her point across about body diversity and acceptance.

This was a fun, fast read. It’s the kind of book you can bring on vacation or finish in a weekend. I liked the premise: a confident, plus-sized woman starting over after a divorce and deciding it’s time to put herself first. Sunny is bold, stylish, and ready to date again while chasing a new business dream. The body-positive message and sense of reinvention were both refreshing.

At the same time, I had mixed feelings. The story leans heavily into privilege, and that made it harder to connect at times. While Sunny’s size is relatable, her lifestyle really isn’t. She lives in a gorgeous New York apartment, shops at Bergdorf’s, revives her business effortlessly, and just seems to win at everything she tries. It didn’t feel like there was much on the line, which made her journey less compelling.

The romance storylines were light and cute, but they felt predictable. I also found myself wanting more emotional depth. The book touches on self-love and personal growth, but it stays pretty surface-level. I kept waiting for a moment of real vulnerability or reflection that never quite came. It was like the setup was there, but the follow-through was missing.

Some of the writing also felt a little forced, especially the dialogue. At times it came off more like social media captions than real conversation. It made it harder to fully believe in Sunny as a character, even though I liked the idea of her.

Still, this book will definitely appeal to readers looking for a quick and stylish escape. If you enjoy light, fashion-forward stories with strong female leads and a dose of romance, this could be a great pick. I just personally wanted a little less gloss and a little more grit.

Thanks to NetGalley (Edelweiss) and Publisher for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily. I thought this quote from the author was on point: “Sunny is a necessary hero in today’s world where women are told they need to look a certain way to find love or success.”

I was absolutely on board with this book! Portraying a female character who is heavier than the cookie cutter heroines we normally read is a great way to show body positivity and being comfortable in one’s own skin. It’s something to cheer about. Another positive is that the main character is in her mid-30s and divorced. Normally, someone that age has had a series of breakups and is closed off to love, but that’s not the case here.

This is the type of book that is the perfect beach read/summer novel. Narrated by Yael Rizowy, I thought they did an excellent job and would definitely listen to something of theirs again,

3.5⭐️. This was a story that many women can relate to dealing with ideals society sets up that are impossible to meet. Sunny was a very relatable character and I really enjoyed her and her “First wives club”. She goes through a lot of work to accept herself for who she is. I loved that she was a smart, very capable woman and that she accomplished her goals on her own.

3.75 ⭐️

I had mixed feelings about this novel. It felt like a recipe that needed tweaking—all the correct ingredients were present, and yet the final product wasn’t quite right.

I loved Sunny’s journey from diet-culture-victim to body acceptance/neutrality (vs body positivity). I’d probably read her newsletter in real life! But I found the novel focused on this concept so much, especially during the first 40% or so, that it was detrimental to the overall story. The first half of the book read very slowly, and I had trouble maintaining interest.

Things really picked up during the second half, as a love triangle (almost quadrangle) began to take shape. Without spoiling too much, I appreciated the author’s decision to make Sunny’s choice of man very clear in the end. But for people who don’t like love triangles, maybe skip this book. Sunny definitely treads some moral gray area when balancing her two beaus.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

This was a fun, relatable and bingeable read. Was it unrealistic at times?? Yes. Did I absolutely devour it? Yes. It was so refreshing to read about a plus size person in their mid-30’s finding love and success after a shocking divorce. If you are a millennial woman, you will find Sunny completely relatable in her discussions around her weight and finding clothes you love that you also feel good in. This was a nostalgic read that reminded me of sex in the city/shopaholic chic lit that I used to read, and I think it’s the perfect summer read.

I read and listened to audio, and they were both great!

completely loved this book and it was excellent on audio as well!!! cannot recommend it enough! 5/5 stars

Publishing June 24

Sunny is a complicated character.
She started her own business, helped her husband start his own business, got talked down to repeatedly about her body and ideas, got cheated on and got divorced.

Now, Sunny has a couple new gal pals and needs swimwear for a vacation they're taking together. Instead of choosing a store that's more likely to have what she'd like, she finds herself trying on ugly one-piece swimwear in a size 14 (oh, the horror...). Irritated that Bergdorf's doesn't have what she's looking for, she takes a swimsuit that fits to her tailor and modifies it. (If you had a tailor in the first place, why even try on the ugly suits?). In any case, the experience of creating her own swimwear makes her happy so she decides to start her own company of high end plus size swimwear.

In the meantime, we are to understand that Sunny has deeply rooted feelings of inadequacy in her body, but she decides to walk nude in front of the construction guy outside her window and then have sex with him, which feels like a huge leap. She then attracts the hot mailman and also the hot gazillionaire she pitches her new line of swimwear to. All to say, it was an astonishingly quick leap from hey my husband repeatedly told me I was fat and now I've recently gotten divorced and gained 40 lbs and having a panic attack in a dressing room to let's get naked!

I loved several parts, especially about body neutrality over body positivity, but the dialogue between Sunny and Mr Postman was often yicky, and I felt like she frequently crossed boundaries with her employee Avery.

Thank you to Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for digital and audiobook ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

📖 Book Review 📖 If your given name at birth is Sunny, perhaps there is some magical super positive attitude that radiates magnetically. Thirty five and divorced was not how Sunny envisioned her fabulous life in NYC but looking at the plus side, she finally snagged an apartment in her favorite neighborhood of Chelsea. In a society filled with pressure - from finding a date to her brother's upcoming nuptials to an unhealthy obsession with being thin - she navigates it all with a refreshing humor and grace. Katie Sturino delivers a breezy beautiful read that will light up your summer. Sunny Side Up is a beautiful read that will not only have you rooting for our girl; it’s a reminder to be that woman who fixes another woman’s crown without telling the world it’s crooked.

This book took me straight back to those feel-good 90's rom-coms we all secretly adore! "Sunny Side Up" delivers that perfect blend of laugh-out-loud moments while tackling something so many of us struggle with—truly accepting ourselves.

Sunny Greene fascinates me because she's this PR powerhouse with a gorgeous Chelsea apartment and thriving career, yet inside? Total chaos of insecurities. That opening swimsuit scene at Bergdorf's hit way too close to home—I literally cringed and nodded along simultaneously. We've all been there, right?

What makes this story resonate is how Sturino peels back the layers behind Sunny's self-doubt. Her divorce left scars deeper than she admits, and those family dynamics? Whew! The way she misinterprets how her mom sees her broke my heart a little. Those past experiences shaped her in ways that felt genuinely human rather than plot devices.

The absolute joy of this book, though? Watching Sunny embrace her full-bodied figure and realize her worth. She transforms into this magnetic woman who's sexy, smart, and unapologetically herself when she stops overthinking everything. And yes—the spicy scenes definitely deliver! The love triangle had me constantly switching teams between charming mailman Dennis and business tycoon Ted. No spoilers on who wins her heart!

I demolished this book in two sittings. The writing just wrapped around me like a cozy blanket from page one, and honestly, not a single boring moment throughout.

If you need a charming romance that celebrates plus-size heroines finding love while finding themselves, this one's a total gem.

Thank you, Celadon Books and NetGalley, for my electronic advance copy for review.

Katie Sturino - new year new author for me. This story follows 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗲, a 35-year-old PR business owner in NYC who’s picking up the pieces from a fresh divorce. After a mini meltdown moment in the Bergdorf swimsuit department, she decides it’s time to shake things up. What follows is a journey of starting over, self discovery, and 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 first and foremost. Sunny is 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝘀-𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲, confident in her work and fashion sense and I was all about the body acceptance. This story had me hooked from the start. Loved the characters and the setting of NYC. The side characters were fantastic. I loved her circle of friends. This romcom vibe is perfect for this summer. Hope you enjoy.

Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A light-hearted, easy- read. Perfect for poolside, or at the beach. I love a relatable normal-sized fmc and Sunny is confident and adorable! The plot and writing are catchy, but not deep. The spice is fun and not too awkward, the dialogue is very readable. A solid 4 out of 5.

A wonderfully empowering, fun, smart, witty story about friendship, following your dreams, owning who you are and love. Sunny is comfortable exactly as she is. A smart, beautiful, successful woman. What she isn’t comfortable with is the judgments from everyone from her mother, the snooty women in department stores, the misogynists she encounters regularly and the way the world views women who don’t fit into their vision of the perfect cover model. When shopping for a quick getaway dubbed “a divor-cation” with her best friends she has one of those “I’ve had all I can stand and I can’t stand no more” moments in the dressing room. Shopping is hard enough for everyone, but if you’re not a small size, it is an actual hellscape. A new business is born for women of all shapes and sizes meant to make them feel seen and for them to see themselves as the beautiful and worthy people they are. A tall order, but her passion is as amazing as is her fortitude. She is also trying to find a plus one for her brother's wedding and maybe just maybe, new love. What she can’t take is one more comment from her mother such as “get yourself out there before it's too late” and the underlying feeling that the world tells women that we aren’t enough without a partner now matter how successful they are. It’s a fabulous listen and or read about women supporting each other, following their dreams and living their best lives! So much fun!

This a body positive romance that I really enjoyed. Sunny is an overweight recently divorced woman who is searching for love. She finds Dennis her blue collar postal worker who is super nice but she’s also dating Ted the “silver fox” who is helping her launch her plus size swim brand. Who will she choose and what will happen with the ex husband shows up again?

I love the message in this book and liked that it was a romance for a woman that was already divorced. Sunny was a great character and the story was light and engaging. I would describe this as a perfect poolside snack

Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino was such a fun read! Sunny was very relatable as a main character and that is sometimes hard to find in a book. Add this to your summer TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sunny Side Up did not disappoint. I loved the characters, especially the MMC. I found the whole book to be very well written with well developed characters. Once I started this, I was hooked. A few times I didn’t know what direction the author was going to take us on, yet the execution was perfectly timed and just what I wanted. All the stars- this book was a total delight with characters that will stay with you even after you’ve finished.

Many thanks to the publisher and also NetGalley for an advanced reading copy

A strong and successful female lead that is willing and able to kick ass on her own but also WANTS to find love... yes please. I love a good common rom comm but I tell you, my heart sure does love the twists that came with #sunnysideup. deadbeat ex. successful businesswoman (might I even call her a ....#megababe) main character that stands on messages that so many of us could afford to hear. yes please. A fun first book for #KatieSturino

Thank you so much to NetGalley & the publisher for the eArc.

Consider me a Sunny Side Upper. I want to live in Sunny's world. She truly is like the sun, people and opportunity just orbit her and she deserved everything good in her story.

As a Certified Fat Girl, I have definitely had the fitting room meltdown that sparked Sunny's new venture. Trying to find cute clothes in person is a battle and doesn't happen often. I related so much to this FMC and was cheering her on the whole way.

I've also dated a Zack. Narcissistic, rude, lying cheater. Been there, so I personally related heavily to Sunny.

I thought this book was so fun. It was a quick read, and because of that, I felt some of the events kind of unfolded crazy fast. Like it definitely wouldn't happen like this in real life. BUT. That's why I read. To live a "life" where things just work out.

Great novel full of strong women and eventually, healthy men. I would read anything this author writes. 4.5 stars rounded up.

“Sunny Side Up” by Katie Sturino is an empowering story about embracing yourself and knowing your worth. We follow Sunny Greene, a recent divorcée, as she comes to terms with her past relationship and expands her entrepreneurial ventures. It all start with the dreaded the swim wear selection for plus-size women at a luxury department store. Her tailor dutifully took those suits and made her a new one that everyone love. Her friends inspire her to start her own line. Along the way, Sunny rebuilds her confidence and finds love.

I enjoyed this story. Sunny was a good main character. She had been so beaten down emotional by her ex, but still exuded this confidence, especially while venturing back into the dating world. I appreciated that duality. I knew from the start who the real romantic interest would end up being, but the romance wasn’t the part of the story I connected with.

I think many readers will love Sunny and her story. Thank you, NetGalley for this eARC!

I am familiar with Katie Sturino as a social media figure and entrepreneur, and if you’re a fan, you’ll love this book. It’s optimistic and affirming without being saccharine or cheesey. We need more stories of reclaiming joy throughout our lives - bravo Sunny 🌞