Katie Sturino’s Sunny Side Up is a heartwarming, hilarious, and refreshingly real debut that completely captured my heart. As someone who is plus size and loves seeing myself represented in books, I appreciate this book so much and love the frank and funny take on body acceptance, culture, and societal norms.

Sunny’s journey resonated deeply with me—her struggles with shopping, dating, and simply existing in a world that often refuses to make space for plus size women felt incredibly authentic. Beyond just showing those external challenges, Sturino beautifully captured the emotional weight of navigating them. It was comforting to see those feelings reflected so vividly, and I’m grateful for how she showcased a plus size lead female character as more than just the quirky best friend, or the token fat friend. We are so much more than a number on the scale, and this book helps reinforce that message in the best way possible. Plus, she totally gave me plus size and likeable Carrie Bradshaw vibes!

Once I started reading, I was completely hooked. The humor, the friendships, the romance—it all worked so well together. I don’t always love when books include extra media like articles or newsletters, but the ones in Sunny Side Up were spot on. They felt exactly like the kind of marketing fluff that lands in my inbox, making them all the more entertaining. I wanted to be part of the First Wives Club and cheer on the supportive, empowering friendships that formed.

And of course, the romance! You always expect an HEA in a rom com, but I loved how Katie brought it all together in a way that felt natural and satisfying. Plus, I’d be more than happy to get a spin off about Avery.

Katie Sturino has delivered a rom com that is both fun and important, proving that plus size characters deserve center stage in books. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katie Sturino, and Celadon Books for the eARC of this book.

This book is an absolutely adorable and heartwarming read! The main character is charming and relatable, and despite her struggles with self-esteem, you can’t help but root for her every step of the way. The romance is sweet, and the story has plenty of feel-good moments that will leave you smiling. That said, the inner monologues can be a bit lengthy at times, slowing down the pacing in some parts. But overall, it’s a delightful and uplifting story that’s perfect for when you need something light and full of heart.

If you are over a size 14, you're considered a plus-size woman. Welcome to my world and my new best friend in a book, Sunny.
Sunny Side Up shows the horrors of finding clothing on the plus side of life; it can make us feel fantastic or drab. Plus-size clothes and Sunny make the world a better place.
Thank you, Katie Sturino, for bringing a ray of sunshine and showing how real life works for a plus-size woman.
#SunnySideUp
#KatieSturino
#NetGalley

I can’t say I disliked this book, because that wouldn’t be true, but it didn’t turn out to be as good as it could have been. Sunny was a fun character, mostly confident and a hard worker, supportive family and friends rounding her out. She seemed to have everything she ever wanted out of life, successful business, amazing apartment, a new swimsuit line, everything but love. But wow, she jumped in and out of hookups and relationships constantly. I enjoyed the story line, but some parts just seemed to drone on and I found myself losing interest. Decent story overall.

I had high hopes for this book, but it didn’t measure up. I got tired of her complaining and looking at every guy as someone cute (mailman and construction worker out her window). It started out ok, but did not keep my interest.

I went into this book with high hopes but it just didn’t work for me. Sunny’s character honestly brought back bad memories for me - as an adolescent in the late nineties/early 2000s, it was really hard to read focusing on clothing sizes and weight, body image and self esteem. It just wasn’t for me.

Finishing this one was a slog. I liked it well enough for the first few chapters, but things went downhill quick.

Sunny is one of the more insufferable main characters I've ever come across. She's obsessed with her wardrobe and her looks, and I got SUPER tired of hearing about what she was wearing, or how her office and home were furnished, or what fancy restaurant she was dining in. Her best friend is a celebrity chef, because that's realistic <eye roll>. She's into hooking up with random men and parading naked in front of the construction workers outside her window, all while complaining that she can't find a date to her brother's wedding. No thank you. The book and the characters drip with disdain for the world's "little people" who don't shop at Bergdorf Goodman and I was VERY over it. We're supposed to believe this woman would be interested in dating her mailman? I doubt it.

There's no conflict in this book until about the 75% mark. It's just a long string of Sunny's escapades that I guess we're supposed to find endearing. But everything she touches turns to gold and it's SO BORING. Finally, something goes wrong for her (through no fault her own, because of course it's not her fault), and that creates some tension, which is all neatly wrapped up in a bow by the end of the book a few chapters later. In the meantime, we have to sit through EVERY WORD of her pitch to a potential investor about the plus-size-inclusive swimsuit line she wants to create. Believe me when I say I am totally on Sunny's side with the whole body acceptance thing -- I get it, and she's absolutely right. But I DEEPLY don't care about the details of her business venture. This is supposed to be a romance, for crying out loud. I'm not reading this to learn about entrepreneurship.

I also could not possibly care less about her dumb newsletter where she writes about her dating life. I get why her ex-husband hated it. I did too, and I didn't need to read entire issues of it.

At one point, Sunny refers to her "polyamorous heart." Honey, polyamory and two-timing are not the same thing. You're not polyamorous -- you're just being dishonest with two decent guys who like you.

This book was written by a social media influencer, and that's exactly how it reads -- like Sunny is all about creating content from her life instead of living it. I was expecting something like early Jennifer Weiner, but this ain't it. Save yourselves from this one.

I had so much fun with Sunny Side Up - to be honest, I consider myself fairly tuned in to influencers, but I was not familiar with Katie Sturino (I absolutely ran and did a deep dive the minute I finished this book). The plot and synopsis intrigued me and coming off a very heavy read, I was excited for this one. It did not disappoint! I think people will be buzzing about this book this summer and I know I'll be one of them!

I started off really enjoying the story and the main character, Sunny. She's a fun, upbeat girl's girl, even after facing a divorce and recent weight gain. Still, Sunny faces life with a positive attitude, preaching body neutrality and creating a swim line with a wide range of sizes. While pivotal to her development, this part of the story didn't grab my interest as much as her newsletter did.
I felt that the story felt repetitive at times and other parts just far too cheesy for my personal taste. The romance was sweet, and I did enjoy the turmoil between choosing between Mr. Fox & Post Malone aka the postman.
All the being said it was cute quick read with some good laughs.

This is a Hallmark movie in book form! If you need a palette cleanser you won't be disappointed with this one! Happy reading!

This was a cute story with a happy ending. I could see this as a Hallmark movie. A main character you want to root for and good supporting side characters. Good light read!

I really enjoyed reading this and almost felt like I was reading a continual blog post, in a good way! I was rooting for the main character and found the book to be light even when covering difficult topics. Definitely a great summer read!

Book Review: Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino

Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino is a delightful and empowering read that captures the essence of self-acceptance and resilience. From the very first page, I found myself immersed in the relatable scenarios that many of us face, particularly the struggle to find the perfect swimsuit that flatters rather than frustrates—a feeling that resonates deeply with anyone who has ever stood in front of a mirror, questioning their self-image.

Sturino’s protagonist, Sunny, is a remarkable character who embodies strength and determination. I admired her journey of overcoming the hurtful words of her ex-husband, transforming negativity into motivation as she builds a beautiful empire in New York City. Her story is a testament to the power of self-love and the importance of surrounding ourselves with positivity.

One of the highlights of the book is Sunny’s exploration of relationships. Watching her navigate the complexities of love and friendship was both heartwarming and inspiring. I found myself rooting for the postman throughout the story—his charm and support for Sunny made him an endearing character who checked all the boxes for what a partner should be.

Overall, Sunny Side Up is a quick and enjoyable read that left me feeling uplifted and inspired. Katie Sturino has crafted a narrative that not only entertains but also encourages readers to embrace their true selves. A big thank you to NetGalley and Katie Sturino for the opportunity to read this inspiring book. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a story filled with heart, humor, and hope.

As the cover shows this is a fun read but underneath there is a lot about body positivity and how the modern world feels about bigger women. The main character learns a lot about herself post divorce and also about the people in her life. The book dragged a little in the middle but otherwise I was glad to read it thru NetGalley.

Sunny Side Up was a good read. It made me laugh out loud but also evoked sad feelings from time to time. I enjoyed the body positivity message that occurred throughout the book and the acknowledgement that so many women struggle with not only that issue but with the lack of support from family and community. There were so many different themes/story lines presented that I stayed engaged throughout the book, wondering what would happen next. Thank you for the opportunity to read an advance copy. I would expect this book to do well.

I loved this so much! The story centers around Sunny, who, for starters, is a delight. She’s recently divorced, struggling with body image, and loses it when she’s trying to find a bathing suit in a department store and nothing fits. She decides that the market is there for size inclusive swimsuits and works with a trusted friend to develop a line and see it to fruition. Meanwhile, she puts herself back out there in the dating game and you follow her journey to confidence and love again.

It was a bit predictable, but I didn’t mind it because the story was just SUNNY, if you will.

While this book is lovely, sometimes I hated my own body while reading it. Perhaps that is not the author's fault and I should not have picked up a book that discussed weight so intensely.

3 ½ stars rounded down. (Why, oh why, can't we get half stars on Goodreads? Bookly and other reading apps give half, even quarter stars. Anyway, I digress.) Sunny Side Up is the story of a size 14-16 woman in NYC who supposedly can't find clothes that fit her in regular, straight-size stores. I don't know what stores she's in, other than Bergdorf's, but I have never had any problem finding nice quality, fashionable clothes that size in Macy's, Nordstrom, Ann Taylor, etc. Regardless, she decides she'll start her own line of bathing suits for women of all sizes. Meanwhile, she's recently divorced from a critical, mean loser and sleeping her way through the city. She ends up dating two men simultaneously, one of whom helps her start her swim line. She also has two great girlfriends, who were the best part of the book. It was nice to see the MC learn to value herself and not give an eff what anyone thinks about her size, but overall it was pretty unrealistic.

I love it when there is plus size representation and also the story of a 30 something divorce a trying to recover from that divorce as well anxiety issue. All of this is something that I can personally relate to and so I wanted to see the characters succeed, and find the love story that they had not before. It was such a quick read in the sense that you want to power through this book because it has healthy sex and the city meets 2020 dating vibes. I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is the strongest representation of romance, but I love the idea of Sunny trying to find herself amongst everything she’s been through

Such a fantastic story! Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino is a romance story & body positive advice column all in one well written novel. Sunny is recently a divorced plus size, strong, driven woman & a chance nightmare in a designer dept store leads to a professional adventure that helps her not only find love in her life, but also helps her realize she is enough to love herself without a man. Lots of hilarious characters & some so well written they'll make your blood boil with dislike for men like them.
Thank you, #NetGalley & #CaledonBooks! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book with all thoughts and opinions being my own. If you enjoy romance, a little drama, plenty of self reflection, & some passion sprinkled in, then you'll enjoy #SunnySideUp by Katie Sturino.