The hardest reviews to write are the ones where I end the book feeling meh. I feel meh after reading SUNNY SIDE UP.

Things I loved:
☀️ The focus on body positivity. The theme runs through the entire book. I’ve been beanpole skinny, more than a bit overweight, and somewhere in the middle. I don’t remember a time where I enjoyed buying or wearing a swimsuit, so I absolutely relate to Sunny. I cheered for her during her self acceptance journey.
☀️ The strong female friendships depicted throughout the book. Yay for women who show up and stay; who straighten each other’s crowns; who understand that success for one does not mean failure for the rest. I definitely got Sex and the City vibes and I loved it.
☀️ Sunny’s determination to create a fashion line that lets women feel beautiful whatever their size. Her commitment to her mission remained steadfast.
☀️ The Golden Girls. I’m a sucker for fur babies.
☀️ The NYC setting. It’s clear the author understands the pulse of the city and the way neighborhoods can take on a small town feel even while being part of a major metropolis.

Things that didn’t work for me:
🌧️ Sunny. I really wanted to love her. She could have been representative of every woman, but came off as a bit shallow and one dimensional.
🌧️ Conflict resolution seemed too simple. The person Sunny treated the worst seemed to forgive her too easily. I hated seeing Sunny treated poorly by people in her life and I didn’t like seeing her do the same to others. She never saw the parallels of her behavior.

There are plenty of lighthearted moments to offset the constant focus on negative body image. I both read and listened to this book. The narration by Yael Rizowy (a new-to-me narrator) was fun. I especially enjoyed her authentic portrayal of Dennis as a native New Yorker. (Spoken as a NYer who sounded like a midwesterner from birth)

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Celadon Books for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and @CeladonBooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sunny Side Up is a feel good, body positive rom-com that brings a refreshing new voice to the genre. Sunny Greene is funny, flawed, and instantly likable a 35 year old newly divorced PR powerhouse who’s trying to figure out what’s next. Between navigating the dating scene, dodging her ex, and launching a size inclusive swimwear line, she’s got a lot on her plate and it makes for a super entertaining ride.

Sunny’s inner monologue is sharp and relatable, and her journey toward self-acceptance feels authentic without being preachy. The love triangle brings the drama (Dennis is a sweetheart, Ted has big rom-com energy), but what really stands out is how much the story focuses on Sunny growing into her confidence and claiming space—in relationships, in business, and in her own body.

It’s a little chaotic at times (in a good way), and the tone feels very Sex and the City meets modern self-love anthem. There’s lots of humor, a few genuinely touching moments, and a cast of side characters that round things out nicely.

If you’re in the mood for something empowering, funny, and full of main-character energy, Sunny Side Up is the book you need right now!

3.95 Stars rounded to 4!

#NetGalley, #CeladonBooks, #SunnySideUp, #KatieSturino, #ChickLit

This has a great energy to it, with the author's love for New York City, fashion, and life coming through in her main character, Sunny. It's both relatable and aspirational, and I think a lot of readers will find themselves in these pages.

All the stars!!! This will be in my top books of the year! I seriously couldn’t put this book down! I loved the body positivity and self love!
Sunny has had her heartbroken she is thirty five plus size, and newly divorced, she is the CEO of her own PR company in New York City. Her little brother’s wedding is around the corner and she’s determined to show not just herself but others that she’s fine and she can find a date. Finding anything plus size that’s cute or worth her wearing has her crying in the dressing room at Bergdorf Goodman, especially when it comes to swimsuits. She feels she’s at rock bottom but she’s determined it’s the perfect place to start a climb? Sunny feels like she is perfect the way she is, two cute dogs, her pr empire, Chelsea apartment and her divorcee friends. With her new commitment that it’s time to lover herself , her journey begins. Who says a plus-sized divorcee can’t put herself first, feel beautiful, and date up a storm? Fate comes knocking with two men Dennis the charming and down-to-earth mailman, or 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? Sunny is the new Carrie Bradshaw and I’m here for it!! I was clapping for her the entire time!

I loved this book!!!!! Sunny is someone that I would want to have as a friend. She is so relatable and a powerhouse in her own way. Plus, she is a beautiful plus size woman!!

Sunny runs a successful PR business. She is emotionally recovering from a divorce to a complete jerk, in my opinion. Sunny is headed on a girls vacation and needs a bathing suit. Bring in the awkward dressing room stress of fitting in a cute suit or having to settle for a grandma swimsuit. Sunny is inspired to start her own swimsuit line for all sizes.

Sunny is also having a life renaissance. Fabulous!!! You must read this one!!! It comes out June 24th. Order it now! Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Publishing for this advance read!

This was a cute book but I had trouble connecting with the writing style. The story had it's funny moments and I found myself almost laughing out loud a few times. Definitely worth a read.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

A divorcee headed on a divorcation and finding out a new relationship will be harder than ever before. Sunny seems a bit desperate in this read and needed to be reassured she is worthy of a good man but will she take it too far by being footloose and fancy free?

This was a little to all over the place for me with all the love interests in and out of her life but I did enjoy the humor and ending.

I am a big fan of Katie Sturino, I follow her on Instagram and use her Megababe products. If you like her social media accounts, you will like this novel, which basically feels like a frothy novelized version of her account. I am so here for plus size representation in romance novels. I love that Sunny was allowed to be sexual and romantic. I appreciate that she was smart, hardworking, and wanting to empower herself and other women. Her dating life showed the highs and lows of dating as a plus sized woman in the city: some men checking a fat girl off their bucket list, some lusting after her curves, or her power, and few actually liking her for who she really is. The ex-husband irked me to no end. I don’t understand what voodoo he did to have Sunny so caught up in him- their whole relationship didn’t add up to me. Maybe I needed to see more of an arc and more of a vulnerable Sunny in the flashback portions? I loved how supportive all the women were to one another. Make this a Hulu miniseries stat! Thanks to Net Galley and Celadon Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. 3.5 stars

So the premise of this book sounded interesting, and I liked the comparison to Sex and the City. However, the book fell short of my expectations. Here's why:

I have issues with books with body positivity as a theme when it is constantly thrown in my face. I get that the author needs to make statements about the character's body but I think this book had too much of it. At times it almost took over the story. So not my cup of tea this time around.

I don't like books that talk about smoking joints or cigarettes. This book had several mentions of smoking joints. So that was a huge turnoff for me.

This book had potential but the author didn't dive into the characters as much as she could have I believe. I liked the friendship between Sunny and her friends. I liked the relationships with Ted and Dennis. But I felt like these could have went a little deeper. Sunny seems a bit superficial. In fact, I finished this book last night and had to look to see what her name was. Yikes! Sunny didn't leave that much of an impression on me.

All in all this was an ok read. It was quick and easy to read without putting too much thought into it. Not sure I would recommend it to anyone though.

First of all, thank you to Celadon Books, NetGalley, and Katie Sturino for this ARC of Sunny Side Up. What an inspiring and funny story.

I'm going to start this review off by saying that I loved Sunny! She was funny, confident, and knew her worth. She's the kind of person I want to be friends with. I loved her journey throughout this book, as she created her plus-size swimsuit line, as well as her blog entries.

The opening scene is one I have lived quite a few times, and I know every woman has. Sunny finds herself stuck in a swimsuit in a changing room. The way Katie writes that scene is like I'm reliving all the times I got stuck in an outfit in a changing room. I loved it! Katie is great at taking events that most women experience and adding some humor to them.

Lastly, Sunny Side Up is a great book who anyone who wants to read about body positivity, humor, and a little romance. This book will make you feel good and confident. You'll love Sunny's attitude and root for her to get everything she wants.

This was such a breath of fresh air!

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.

That is, until Sunny decides that she needs to start loving and accepting herself just as she is and open herself up to new friends and finding love again. I mean she is gorgeous and successful, so why not put herself out there?

The characters in the novel are real and likable and relatable. I love having a "plus-sized" (size 12... really?!?) heroine. I love her incredibly supportive friends. I love how different the men in her life were. I love the body positivity message. I love the mix of difficult moments and situations with lighthearted moments and conversations.

I found this debut extremely enjoyable. And the narration was rather well done.

A huge thank you to the author, Celadon Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a gifted ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I had so much fun reading this one! This book is a refreshing, confident, and wildly entertaining read that lands somewhere between Sex and the City and a self-love manifesto. I adored Sunny. She is thirty-five, recently divorced, curvy, successful, and still trying to make peace with the voice in her head—and the judgmental stares in dressing rooms. Sound familiar?

Sunny’s journey unfolds as she preps to attend her younger brother’s wedding solo (or not if she can meet the right guy in time). But besides being single (after an emotionally crushing divorce), Sunny is doing pretty well. She’s got a killer apartment, a thriving PR business, and a solid group of best friends. But she’s ready to reclaim her confidence, her sexuality, and her joy. All things she feels went by the wayside post-divorce.

Cue female empowerment and some classic rom-com chaos: there’s the charming mailman Dennis, the business-savvy Ted, and a surprise reappearance from the ex. But what's most inspiring about this book is that the central romance here isn’t just about men. It’s about Sunny falling back in love with herself.

What I loved most about this one was that it's not a “poor me” kind of book. It’s funny. It's empowering. It's sexy. And most importantly, it doesn’t rely on trauma as the sole engine of growth. Sunny gets frustrated, self-conscious, and occasionally falls into old patterns, but she picks herself up again. She decides she doesn’t need to be “fixed”—she just needs to finally believe that she’s enough, exactly as she is. It's real and it's relatable.

I also appreciated how the book celebrates body acceptance without turning it into a lesson. Sunny is a big girl, and she is fine with it. It's who she is. She’s not a stereotype or a statement. She’s real, flawed, and absolutely fabulous just the way she is.

I tandem read this one, and if you are an audiobook listener, do yourself a favor and check this one out. Yael Rizowy is a perfect Sunny. She nails the humor, the heart, and the sass.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Especially if you're looking for your next empowered female main character. This is the perfect "grab life by the balls and make it your own" summer read. Smart, feel-good, and full of heart. Add it to your TBR immediately.

Sunny Side Up is a fun, fizzy read that channels the best parts of early Sex and the City with a strong, body-neutral message from Katie Sturino. While the vibes are great, the plot is by-the-numbers and occasionally feels like it missed a memo from the last decade. Still, a solid beach bag pick.

"Sunny Side Up" by Katie Sturino is a refreshing, vibrant dive into self-acceptance and body positivity. Sturino’s engaging storytelling style blends humor with heartfelt insights, making it an inspiring read for anyone looking to embrace their authentic selves.

The book shines in its candid anecdotes and relatable experiences, creating a comforting space for readers to feel seen and understood. Katie’s voice is both empowering and friendly, like a conversation with a supportive friend who genuinely understands the struggles of self-image.

Sunny Greene is bold and funny and I loved how she figured it all out one awkward date and body-positive pep talk at a time. I loved the writing style and how it made me laugh, cringe (in a good way), and root for her through it all. Between the ex reappearances, mailman flirtations, and business pitch drama, it was full of heart and sass. I'd say this is for anyone who is looking for a heartwarming self-love ride that shows that reinvention can be messy, but also empowering!

Thank you to @Celadon Books via @netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review was posted (Instagram, Goodreads, bookishlytara blog, Storygraph) on June 17, 2025. An additional post (with a reposted review) will be posted on Instagram on the publication day as well as an Amazon Canada review. (links below)

This was a super enjoyable, fast read! It felt heartfelt and relatable, and gave readers a peek into a New York lifestyle. It struck a perfect balance between tough family moments and lighthearted humor. By the end, I was left feeling hopeful and glad I’d spent time with Sunny and her world.

This book completely took me by surprise!

Our story starts with out main character dealing with divorce and is crashing out in the dressing room trying on swimsuits. I've been there babe. It sucks. So right away, I connected immediately because the internal dialogue she has over her body was relatable. In fact, I almost wanted to dnf just because it was a bit triggering. I will say that the main character is wealthy and successful so that is probably not super relatable but the negative self talk? That was me 100%

Sunny has a moment and decides to love herself and with that moment, we follow her as she puts herself first, finds her confidence and even starts dating.

I loved her newsletter, her friends, and her dating adventures. I loved the body positivity " My body was never the problem"

My favorite parts of this book were the moments with her best friends , her support system affectionately called The First Wives Club as well as a scene at the end of the book with her mother. That conversation she has with her mother at the end was wonderful to me.

I really enjoyed it and would recommend this as a fun summer read!

Thank you so much to the author, Celadon books and Netgalley for this ARC

SUNNY SIDE UP is a post-divorce tale about a very successful woman in search of a date for her brother’s wedding. Or perhaps the plot is about Sunny’s exploration of the online dating scene. Or even, the plot might be about another successful venture of Sunny’s: plus-size swim wear sold in traditional department stores. The challenge in this book is finding an overall direction for the tale; the various subplots are fine but there is a cohesiveness missing. The book moves through themes and plots with regularity, each time offering another tidbit for the reader. An easy summer read, this book is like a TV episode to a frothy show: a lot of players and activity but no real forward momentum. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

⭐☆☆☆☆ (DNF at 60%)

I really wanted to love this book. As someone who’s lived in a larger body, I deeply related to the themes around body image and navigating a society that isn’t built to accommodate or affirm you. Those parts hit home.

But that’s where my connection to the story ended.

At the halfway mark, I kept waiting for something—anything—to pull me in emotionally. Instead, the plot meandered into what felt like a parody: the main character’s central crisis is… finding a date to her brother’s wedding? The stakes never felt real, and I couldn’t get invested.

I started this book three months ago. The fact that it took me that long to crawl to 60% says everything. I had to DNF.

From the very first page, Sunny felt like a breath of fresh air. A plus-size, Midwestern, divorced woman living in New York and carving out her place in the fashion world, she’s self-loathing at times, self-deprecating, but always self-aware—and determined to grow. The author wrote her with such depth: flawed, funny, motivated, and deeply human.

I appreciated how honestly the book explored body positivity and self-confidence. Sunny confronts the emotional baggage from her ex-husband’s harsh words, questions why she keeps attracting the wrong men, and even takes aim at the swimwear industry’s lack of inclusive designs for bodies like hers.

We also get to see her surrounded by her core group of friends and navigating her dating life with a string of unique (and sometimes hilariously mismatched) suitors. The writing is sharp, cohesive, funny, and heartfelt—so much so that I found myself rooting for Sunny every step of the way.

She’s incredibly relatable, and I’d love to see more of her. A series would be perfect! And please, bring back the Golden Girls—Sunny’s two hilarious dogs—because they added so much charm to the story.