If you’re 30+, divorced, and/or plus-sized, pick this one up. It’s one of those rare stories that really gets what it’s like not to be in your 20s or rocking a “perfect” body. Super relatable and refreshing. It leans more toward women’s fiction, but there’s definitely some romance in the mix too.

ALC review

Sunny Green is a plus sized, recently divorced women that decides to accept her body after trying to change it.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

This is a book with romance, but the main point is about body acceptance and living your life at the fullest.
Even if she is a succesul business woman, Sunny still has anxiety and doubts.

The audiobook is narrated by Yael Rizowy, that managed to capture Sunny's personality.
Her character is funny, relatable and the narrator made the story enjoyable.

There were some things that Sunny did that I did not agree with.
Even if there was no discussion of the dating being exclusive, there was a love triangle that felt a lot like cheating.
Both love interests, Mr. Postman and Mr. Silverfox, were interesting characters, but I am glad that she ended up with the one I liked more.

Overall this was good story, with relatable characters and funny moments.
I liked that there was a distinction between body acceptance and body positivity and we saw a character growth.

The body positivity that Sunny Side Up brings to the world is a wonderful breath of fresh air! I loved Sunny’s growth and journey throughout the entire audiobook. I did get frustrated with her when it came to how she was handling the men in her life. As someone who was cheated, I expected more from her. But overall I really enjoyed the story. Narrator did a wonderful job!

Thank you to Kate Sturino, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC!

Sunny side up was a great read/listen. I loved the narrator as she did a great job bringing Sunny to life. The story of Sunny was fun to be part of as you felt like one of her girlfriends on the divorcation or a stranger reading her blog. Her journey to find love for herself and someone to share that with while also discovering everything she was capable of was a fun one to follow. Definitely worth the read!

Sunny Side Up was a really sweet, easy read with a great message. I loved Sunny’s voice — she’s funny, relatable, and her body positivity journey was honestly refreshing to read. The New Girl vibes are strong: quirky main character, good NYC setting, and some fun chaotic romance energy thrown in.

That said, while I enjoyed the story, it didn’t fully grab me the way I hoped. There were a lot of different threads (the business, the newsletter, the romance, the friendships), and I sometimes wished we could’ve dug a little deeper into fewer storylines instead of juggling so many. The love triangle also felt a little underdeveloped for me — both love interests were fine, but neither totally pulled me in.

But overall? Still a cozy read with a feel-good vibe and a message I appreciate. If you’re looking for something light, empowering, and charming, this definitely fits the bill — just don’t expect super high stakes or deep emotional angst.

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The narrator is amazing - I felt like I was talking to a friend about her life. She was so animated with her voice that the book was so amazing to listen to!

I appreciated Sunny Side Up for its honest look at body positivity, self-worth, and modern dating culture. That said, at times, Sunny’s stream-of-consciousness narration felt more like a Jezebel article and was a bit too preachy. Still, I appreciate the perspective it offers on how women with plus-sized bodies have to move through the world and how complicated it can be to navigate love, visibility, and confidence in an aesthetic-obsessed culture

3.5 ⭐️
I did enjoy the overall message of this, and after looking at the author's social media, I really love that swimsuits became a reality in our world. However, Sunny's initial breakdown at the beginning of the book really rubbed me the wrong way for some reason. Also, the love triangle had me extremely stressed, and the whole dating two people was not helping my stress levels. I do like Dennis, and he does seem like the most normal and sane person in this entire book. I received an audiobook ARC of this book, and I could not stand the voice that the narrator gave to Dennis. It may work for some people, but it did make him very unattractive to me because it felt sooooo exaggerated at times. I also want to know what happened to the Irish window cleaner??? We saw him at the beginning of the book, hear that he wants to see more of Sunny, and then we never see him again. It did feel unrealistic at times, with all of the men happening at once and things almost falling in her lap at times. Speaking of the men, I do absolutely despise her ex-husband, so Sturino did a great job of making his character as terrible as he was supposed to be. Anyways, as previously mentioned, I did enjoy this, but I am not sure that I would recommend it to people, at least not the audio version. I am interested to know if the experience would be different if I were to have a read a physical version of the book.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for a review! All opinions are my own.

I was so excited to get a widget for Katie Sturino's book. I didn't know she was writing one, although I'm a huge fan of MegaBabe. I thought this story was very funny and I was invested in who the MC would end up with - either the Silver Fox or the Mailman. However, I would have liked to see some challenges happen in the MC's life and her overcoming these versus everything working out for her as it seemed too simple.

I loved Sunny Side Up! The FMC, Sunny, is a strong, outwardly confident woman navigating life, love and business after a divorce. While she lives her life in a plus sized body, she doesn't allow it to hold her back and wallow in self loathing which is a common trope for plus sized characters. You can be plus sized AND also an absolute vixen! I related to Sunny's feelings about herself, about dating and her drive to make lemonade out of lemons. She launched a project to help plus sized women feel more fabulous in their bodies and she held true to her beliefs in keeping those that didn't support the mission out of the project. Kudos to Sunny for holding it down! This is a great story for anyone doubting themselves and/or who needs a reminder that you are fabulous - just as you are!

p.s.... the audiobook narrator mispronounced a famous Italian NYC restaurant every single time in the reading of this book. It didn't detract from the content but I winced every single time I heard it.

I love Katie Sturino and was excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley. Unfortunately, I just wasn't able to finish. I do know that eventually we would get to body positivity but the first 20 pages just made me feel crappy. A size 12 with that much body self deprecation... and a size 12 is not even plus size to me? So maybe this is just not my cup of tea.

A book from a women, about the struggles and joys of being a women, for everyone.

I really enjoyed this story. I am not typically a fan of a love triangle, but this one is done SO well.

The characters are complex and some are so lovable.

I knew who I was rooting for from the first time he becomes a love interest and I so glad that things went the way they did.

Want to know what I’m talking about? You will have to read the book to find out. 😉

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5

✨ Thank you, Macmillan Audio, for the ALC of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own. ✨

Funny, heartwarming, and body-positive, Sunny Side Up is a great read if you’ve ever dreaded swimsuit season. I found it delightful and listened through in one enjoyable sitting.

Yael Rizowy did an excellent job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Katie Sturino, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

I've followed Katie Sturino on Instagram for years and love her (and loved her book Body Talk)! This was a cute romcom with a plus size heroine. I loved Dennis, and the audiobook narrator did a great job with his voice!

The only part I thought was really dumb was when she's about to get it on with a guy and lets him cut off her $90 shapewear. Weird and unrealistic.

As far as some reviews saying that the heroine Sunny is not relatable - we don't always want relatable characters! We want to envision ourselves as fashionable NYC girlies. OK maybe it takes more than a few months to get a swimsuit line into stores, but who cares! This is clearly based off the author's life anyway, so I don't think she was stretching the limits of fiction.

Was thrilled to get this audio arc from Macmillan and NetGalley. Such a perfect start to summer reading for me. Sunny pulls you in with her charm and passion so quickly.

Her perspective on body image and love were so refreshing to read throughout her dating after divorce and running not only her own company, but adding a new venture into a swimsuit line.

The drama of her day to day felt real and relatable in a way that I haven't read in a bit.

Sassy. Funny. Empowered.

This book was everything I was hoping for. A women that is like 90% of the population who struggles with swim suits in the fitting room and annoyed with the options. Sturino has a distinct voice that shines through. Sunny's character was easy to cheer for and her love interests were wildly entertaining. Overall, I would recommend this book to everyone wanting a fun summer read.

Thanks for the advanced listener copy. Yael Rizowy was the perfect pick for narrating this novel!

3.5 ⭐️

This was a really cute story! Some parts I LOVED. Other parts were a little too unrealistic for me, but overall still a good story!

Sunny’s character was a breath of fresh air. I think this book is spot on for a lot of issues many women and girls go through on a daily basis (raises hand).

I really loved the ending too! The last 10% was so good.

Thank you NetGalley, Katie Sturino and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this book!

Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino
Narrated by Yael Rizowy
Release Date: June 24, 2025
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Audiobook rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC of Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino!

Yael Rizowy delivers a vibrant and engaging performance in the audiobook edition of Sunny Side Up. Her narration captures the tone of Katie Sturino’s writing with warmth, humor, and clarity, bringing Sunny’s voice to life in a way that feels both natural and empowering.

Rizowy’s pacing is spot-on—breezy when it needs to be, grounded during more introspective moments—and she handles dialogue with ease, giving each character a distinct, believable voice without overdoing it. Her tone strikes the perfect balance between casual and confident, echoing the book’s themes of self-acceptance and starting over without ever veering into melodrama.

The production quality is clean and polished, with no distracting background noise or uneven volume shifts. It’s a smooth, well-edited listen from start to finish, enhancing the overall experience and allowing Rizowy’s performance to shine.

Whether you’re already a fan of Katie Sturino or new to her work, this audiobook is a feel-good listen with a top-notch narration that elevates the material.

I received the ARC for this book on Netgalley and this is my review.

I have been following Katie Sturino for years and have always loved how honest and real she is about body acceptance, fatphobia, diet culture, and how messy the body positivity conversation really is. She has never sugarcoated it. She always tells the truth, even when it is uncomfortable, and I have always appreciated that. So when I found out she was writing a novel, I could not wait to get my hands on it. Sunny Side Up gave me exactly what I needed.

This book feels like a big, slightly chaotic, ridiculously heartfelt hug. Sunny Greene is thirty-five, newly divorced, standing in the Bergdorf swimsuit department trying not to lose it. Watching her start over and figure out who she wants to be, without shrinking herself to fit someone else’s version of "good enough," felt so real and hit me right in the heart.

Her dating life? A whole adventure. Dennis the sweet postman, Ted the business mogul with big dreams, and of course the ex who cannot seem to stay in the past. But the best part is that it is never about who she ends up with. It is about Sunny choosing herself, again and again, even when it is messy and hard.

Katie’s writing feels like the best kind of group text with your best friends at two in the morning. Honest. Funny. Fierce. Full of all the complicated feelings that come with loving yourself in a world that keeps telling you not to. Sunny’s journey is about building a life that actually fits her, not one that tries to shrink her down.

If you have ever had to start over, or if you have ever looked around and realized you deserve more, this book is going to feel like a deep breath you did not know you needed.

Tropes
Mid-30's, plus size FMC
DatinG/Love square-ish
Ex Wants a Second Chance
Found Family/Strong Friendships
Self-Love is the True Endgame
Divorce
Starting Over

Sunny Side Up is a feel-good story about Sunny Greene, a recently divorced, spunky, plus-size, dog mom, owner of a PR company, who thinks she is ready to start looking for love again in NY, all before her brother's wedding, which she's dreading going to.

This is a fast-paced, easy listen. I did like the audiobook narrator, but there were times when I felt the situations Sunny was experiencing were unrealistic. There were multiple times in the book where Sunny felt discouraged about her body image. She immediately turned her negative thinking into positive affirmations and moved on without a second thought.

Overall, I don't think I would reach for this book again, but it was a cute story, especially for fans of Sex and the City.

Thank you, NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Katie Sturino, for the ALC of Sunny Side Up. All opinions in this review are my own.