Sunny Side Up is a feel good, motivating book about a woman who breaks into the swim suit design industry. I love how grounded the main character, Sunny, and her girlfriends are as they support each other during the ups and downs of life and relationships. This book was fresh and fun. Thank you to NetGalley, Katie and Celedon Books for the opportunity to review this empowering book.

I had a tough time getting into this one - I would pick it up and read a bit then get annoyed with the character's obsession about her size (she's normal sized not plus sized) and put it down again. I ended up giving up and it ended up in my DNF (did not finish) pile. Not my cup of tea. Life is too short to read books I don't enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I so loved & enjoyed this book for its take on body acceptance, as the main character phrases it. Much like the title I thought this book gave off a sunny vibe overall & I tore through it in about 24 hours. The FMC is a delight & you root for her throughout the entire book. I especially appreciated the overall body image theme & thought it was a fresh take on the topic. A perfect beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about Sunny trying to overcome her terrible divorce and get back into the world of dating as a plus size woman. Sunny faces body image issues and feels hopeless when shopping for a bathing suit for her devorcation with her girlfriends.

Sunny Side Up displays a strong female lead overcoming obstacles to get what she wants. While it was predictable, it was just what I needed when I picked it up.

Thank you so much for the preview of this book! I was so excited to see that Katie Sturino wrote a novel, and it didnt disappoint. The main character had the same strength and wisdom that Katie portrays in her social persona throughout the story. The only thoughts I had was it got off to a slow start; more setup on her background or her divorce or her friendships may have helped. But ultimately, the story picked up quickly and I was hooked! I’d love to read more from Sturino.

I DNFed this pretty early.

It was just filled with too much entitlement and detachment from reality for me

I also know that eventually it was supposed to be about embracing who you are but the start had a lot of body shaming and the charachter with like a size 12 which to me is a pretty common size not
Outlandish. Was just not for me

Thanks to NetGalley for an early copy. This was a great book about a woman moving her life in a positive direction after her divorce. I really enjoyed the body acceptance representation, as well as her new friends. However, I thought some of the main character’s decisions were questionable for someone in their mid-30’s.

Sunny is newly divorced and ready to start fresh—but life doesn’t come with a guidebook, especially when you’re navigating heartbreak, body image, and bikini season all at once. As a confident, plus-sized woman with a razor-sharp wit and an unshakably sunny disposition, Sunny has always tackled life head-on. But when she finds herself struggling to find a swimsuit that fits—literally and emotionally—she realizes that confidence doesn’t always mean comfort.

Balancing the demands of being a successful businesswoman and redefining her personal identity, Sunny starts to explore something new: creating a space in fashion for women like her. Along the way, she faces insecurities, reinvents herself, and discovers that sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is simply show up—flaws, sass, and all.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read Sunny Side Up!

I am stopping this book at the beginning. I haven’t seen anyone else mention it but she says in Chapter 1 that she has been a size 12 her entire adult life. THAT IS NOT PLUS SIZE! At her height and weight mentioned, she is plus sized but she wouldn’t be a size 12. A size 12/14 is literally a large and you can find those sizes in almost every single store. I’m ending this before it begins. DNF

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a fantastic debut! I found the characters so real and like we were real friends. I loved the message, the tone, the story telling, everything!

From the very first page, this book draws you into its world with engaging prose, well-developed characters, and a compelling narrative. The author's storytelling is confident and immersive, weaving together themes that resonate long after the final chapter.

I love a good book that captures body positivity and the power of accepting one's body. This book did just that! It carried so many themes that I thought were powerful, and the characters were adorable. I also appreciate when a book with tough topics handle them with grace, and I believe Sturino did just that!

This book was a light and easy read. I liked the themes of body acceptance and female empowerment. I loved Sunny’s friends and Mr. Postman was my favorite!

I know we’re still far from pub date but believe me when I say this is the PERFECT summer read. If you’ve even fallen victim to the harsh lighting and awkward mirrors in a changing room then this book is for you. It follows Sunny, a plus sized woman (and business owner) after her divorce. She struggles with who she is now and fighting her inner monologue when it comes to body talk.

Sunny is funny and driven. She’s a great person to take you through this story of self discovery and acceptance. The conversations around bodies and the fashion industry were really interesting and well done in my opinion. The author previously has spoken a lot about body positivity/ acceptance (you will see they are different things in this book) and the time she has spent thinking about this really shows.

Talking about women’s bodies without making anyone feel isolated or like they’re under a microscope can be incredibly hard but I feel like this book does it well. She handles the struggles that women of all sizes can have with body image with care.

In the age of social media and our bodies being on display 24/7 this is an important book for anyone who has ever felt like their body wasn’t enough.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this book in exchange for an honest review!

Sunny Side Up is a relatable book about accepting our body and ourselves. It is a book that is funny at times and realistic with the tiggers or situations that can send our emotions into a tail spin. It shows the need to have supportive and encouraging friends who are there for you in the good or bad times, lifting you up when you need a hand, and giving you the push you need in life. Sunny is honest and vulnerable about her body size, experience finding clothes to fit that are comfortable and look good, and her dating life in her online newsletters. She is working on positive self-talk, being comfortable in her body no matter what others think, standing firm in her beliefs and direction for her business. The romance in the book is a little spicy. Overall the book was a fun, enjoyable, and easy ready. This is a good book to read this summer on a vacation or when you are just looking for an escape from the struggles of life. I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino (out June 24, 2025) introduces us to Sunny Greene, a 35-year-old recently divorced woman facing the challenges of being single again, especially when it means attending her little brother’s wedding solo. Add to that the struggle of finding plus-sized swimsuits Sunny’s life feels like it’s hitting rock bottom. But as she sees it, rock bottom is the perfect place to start rebuilding herself. She is ready to embrace self-love and confidence. Her new mission? To date with confidence, put herself first, and accept her body as it is. The dating scene proves to be tricky though, should she choose Dennis, the down-to-earth mailman, or Ted, the business tycoon who’s eager to help her launch her plus-size swimsuit brand? And then there’s her ex, who unexpectedly shows up, wanting to reconnect.
Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest opinion.

"Sunny Side Up" by Katie Sturino (out June 24, 2025) is a story that blends themes of self-empowerment with romantic comedy, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Sunny, a 35 old divorcee, faces body image struggles and the challenges of being a plus-sized woman in a world that often feels unwelcoming. While I appreciate the themes of self-love and body acceptance, I found Sunny's character a bit hard to connect with. At times, her dramatic and self-absorbed attitude made her a bit insufferable. Her journey to embrace her body and put herself first felt a bit forced, and her romantic escapades, torn between a charming mailman and a successful business tycoon, felt predictable. And the return of her ex? It added to the chaotic drama but didn’t add much to the plot for me.
Katie Sturino’s writing does shine when it comes to body positivity, and I think this book will resonate with readers who connect with Sunny’s journey. Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read this book in advance in exchange for my honest opinion.

A curvy divorcee with a business and a plan. Plus two divorced friends all living in NYC. Sounds like an older SATC, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, unlike that iconic show, this book fell far below the benchmark that series set.
While I applaud the writer for her body positivity and writing a curvy girl who likes who she is and doesn't want to change. I didn't like Sunny's behavior all that much. The bed hopping was cringy for me. Really cringy.
The plot kind of fell to the wayside when the multiple guys she kept hooking up with from a dating app appeared.
3 stars. Thanks, Netgally, for a sneak peek, but this one just wasn't one of my favs.

This has all the makings of a progressive and modern day Sex and the City. Based in New York City Sunny is a successful business woman, running her own PR firm and starting a new body positive entrepreneurial pursuit. She has two best friends, who push her to overcome her recent divorce and look for love again - the Miranda, Charlotte, and Samanthas, if you will. There are overdramatized, and icky male stereotypes: the good, the bad, the ugly, and the return of the Ex. While predictable, you do want to find out if she chooses her 'Aiden' or 'Big.'

This relies heavily on the theme of body positivity, which at times takes over the storyline and motives for most of what drives the character and her choices. This makes the outcomes predictable and oftentimes cliche.

I had high hopes for this but I couldn’t even get past the first chapter unfortunately. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me this arc.