Caffeinated Reviewer

If you are looking for a fun, heart-felt, sexy, body embracing novel to read this summer, then I recommend Sunny Side Up by Katie Sturino. This contemporary, steamy romance delivers with humor, friendship, and feminine power. The perfect feel good, uplifting beach read.

From body-acceptance advocate and MEGABABE founder Katie Sturino comes a heartwarming and hilarious debut.

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. But isn’t rock bottom the perfect place to start a climb?

She decides it’s now or never. Sunny has her PR empire, her gorgeous Chelsea apartment, her two dogs, and her loyal best friends. Maybe it's time to just love her body and accept herself for who she is. With a new commitment to confidence, her journey begins. Who says a plus-sized divorcee can’t put herself first, feel beautiful, and date up a storm?

Of course things are never straightforward in the dating world. Is fate knocking at her door with Dennis, the charming and down-to-earth mailman, or should she be with 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?

With the same candor and confidence her followers love, Sturino brings us Sunny Greene, a Carrie Bradshaw for the next generation, and her journey through the trials and triumphs of dating, friendship, and finding yourself.

Sunny Green is thirty-five, recently divorced and owns a successful PR firm in New York. While going through her divorce, she made friends with two women going through the same thing. The three are planning a ladies-only tropical vacation and decide to go out shopping for the perfect swimsuits. Sunny dreads the department store. She has put on some weight and is tall. Most of her clothes are re-tailored by a seamstress who is a godsend. Sunny loves fashion and embraces bold choices, but has always had panic attacks in the dressing room.

I’ve been on both sides of the feelings Sunny Greene has when she tries to buy clothes at high end department stores, or those little speciality shops at the mall. Especially if you are over a size 12, short, or too tall. Forget finding the latest fashion, let alone a swimsuit. All she finds are solid colored unflattering bathing suits and, even worse, they don’t fit properly.

This is when Sunny decides enough is enough. She is going to embrace her big, beautiful body and design swimsuits that fit EVERY woman. Along the way to embracing her new body affirming attitude, she gets back into dating. I laughed, cringed, and enjoyed her journey. With her new attitude, she certainly has the guy’s attention. There is a cute mailman, a financial backer, and even her ex is sniffing around.

Sturino made Sunny vulnerable, strong, sweet, uncertain, and down to earth despite the glamorous life she leads. She is a powerhouse in the business world, but not in her personal life. I have very little in common with Sunny, but the author allowed me to connect with her. I adored her friends and had firm opinions on where and who I wanted to see Sunny have a happily ever with. Lots of feels with this one, along with genuine friendship, character growth, and uplifting ideals.

While this is a standalone, I wouldn’t mind getting her friends’ stories. I loved how different they all were and how they uplifted each other. Woman seem to be so critical of each other. Sunny Side Up is the perfect feel good romance to pack in your beach tote!

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About Katie Sturino

Katie Sturino is an entrepreneur, author and body acceptance advocate. Through her personal platform @katiesturino, she lends her voice and personal style to raise awareness for size inclusivity, empowering women of all sizes to find their confidence and celebrate their style. Her regular content series, #SuperSizeTheLook and #MakeMySize, have gone viral, reaching millions of people and attracting global media attention. Katie is also the founder of MEGABABE, an innovative beauty brand offering non-toxic, solution-oriented products that allow people to feel more comfortable and confident in their own skin. With her book Body Talk, an illustrated workbook released in 2021, Katie leans into her signature candor and humor and helps empower women to improve the relationship they have with their body. Her debut novel Sunny Side Up published in June 2025.

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About Kimberly

Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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