Sunshine: A Novel, Hello

Mini Review: Hello, Sunshine: Laura Dave
Love the documented fall from grace. Sunshine was a loveable character and I adored her relationship with Sammy. Although things did not go her way, I respected her determination to find herself and face her past. Dave filtered the perfect amount of humor, surprise and endurance into this novel.
Just released yesterday- go grab it! #highlyrecommend #feelgoodstory #socialmediaisthedevil #bookbloggerperks #netgalleyreview #hellosunshine @lauradaveauthor #src2017 @booksparks @simonbooks #lauradave

Thank you Net Galley for the early copy!

I chose "Hello Sunshine" because it made so many "best of summer" pre-pub lists, and I was not disappointed. (As a librarian, I receive digital galleys from NetGalley in exchange for honest feedback.) Laura Dave's book did not disappoint, and I breezed through it in 2-3 days of summer vacation. The main plot of betrayed celeb chef who is herself a sham was intriguing enough to keep me turning the pages; less captivating were the minor subplots and characters (hence, the 4 stars instead of 5). I have been pleasantly surprised to find that the premise of the novel and its insights have stuck with me in the week since I finished the book. I gained an understanding of what might go on behind the scenes of my favorite cooking shows--especially the idea that those chefs might just be on TV because they are personalities first and chefs first (or second, or third). As a librarian to teens and faculty members, I know I could recommend this book to anyone looking for a no-fail beach read!

Sunshine Mackenzie is an accidental culinary star with an estranged sister named Rain, a deteriorating-ish marriage, bunches of secrets, and a self-deprecating voice in which she tells us the story of her life’s collapse when she is hacked and her frauds, lies, and misdeeds are exposed, all the way through her approach to redemption and forgiveness — which she needs mostly from herself. Fun summer read, doesn’t demand complete (though, near enough) suspension of disbelief, and offers some laughs and a happy ending.

Sunshine seems to have the perfect career and marriage. She is the star of a cooking channel on YouTube and is about to launch a Food Network show and her own cookbook. Everything seems to be going according to plan until an unknown hacker reveals that Sunshine is not who she says she is. She is far from the down home cook who has a farmer for a father. Instead, she is from Montauk and the most elaborate recipe she has created was a really good grilled cheese sandwich. She is going to have to start over, which involves reuniting with her sister and niece.

This was a quick read but it really didn't appeal to me the way that some other novels have. It was a little bit syrupy and just didn't hit the spot for me. The author touches on themes of dishonesty on social media but those who are not interested in social media in the first place will not see this as an important piece of literary fiction. Without that theme, we are left with the inauthentic relationship between Sunshine and her sister, Rain, and Rain's genius daughter. There were some parts that I enjoyed in this book but it was not my favorite book of this year. I would recommend it to those who enjoy women's literature but it misses the mark for an important piece of literary fiction.

I received an advanced copy of this book in order to write an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hello, Sunshine was such a fun read. I was hooked from the very first sentence and didn't want to put it down. Laura Dave's books tend to have that quality for me. Sunshine is such an honestly flawed character that you can't help but root for her up until the very end. The only problem is that I need more of this book! I definitely recommend for your next beach trip.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave is the story of Sunshine Mackenzie. Sunshine is living a dream life as chef with bestselling cookbooks. She is just about to begin filming a television show for the Food Network when she is exposed as a fraud—she never grew up in the country (as she claimed) and she never developed any of her recipes. Suddenly, she has lost everything including her job, home, and husband. She goes home to her estranged family members and tries to put herself back together authentically. I thought this story had so much potential and I was really excited to read it. I expected some great insight into living authentically in a digital age. Overall, the story was a big disappointment. It was very unbelievable at times and the characters did not seem to behave true to who I thought they were. I was very disappointed in this book. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

"Hello Sunshine" is an original, fun look at recovering and triumphing after an Internet scandal has ruined someone's life. Laura Dave examines what we are losing when we put so much effort into pretense and writes with an intelligent and modern wit. I have enjoyed all her books - fun for the summer and full of real characters and insight!

While I loved her past books, this fell so short. I kept waiting for the story to start and then it was over with no conclusion or real ending. This was an easy beach read, but honestly nothing happened that I'm left feeling disappointed I was counting down for it's release.

I was excited about reading this book because I met the author at a local writers' presentation and found her bright and personable.
The story line seemed contrived and unrealistic, and the characters remained one-dimensional, with no real growth of the sister or the husband. The quirkiness that was introduced (eccentric father, fisherman-millionaire friend) was too contrived to be meaningful, and there were contradictions throughout. If Sunshine wanted to get so far away from Montauk, why was she living in NYC?
I gave this two stars rather than one because, bottom line, I finished it. Which I do not do for books I hate.
I believe the author has potential and insight, and this was not her best effort.

Sunshine MacKenzie has the perfect life- a great job that includes a tv show, a great apartment,and a great husband until it all comes crashing down around her when her internet presence is hacked. A totally fun read! This was my first read by Laura Dave and I definitely will seek out other books she's written.

Total beach read. What I love about this author is that you never know where she is going. Sunshine has it all, until a hacker takes her down. This book has a little bit of everything...mystery, drama, love, reinventing yourself! Author does a nice job of bringing it all together.

HELLO, SUNSHINE is a novel about social media, the lies we tell ourselves and the world and how to find our way back to truth. It was a well-written, entertaining read with an unconventional ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

e book was interesting and held my interest for awhile. It is a story about an internet author of cookbooks who is exposed as a fraud. The story seemed pointless and seemed to go nowhere. And the characters were really unlikable.

Laura Dave is one of my very favorite authors, and Hello, Sunshine is without a doubt one of the best books I’ve read this year. There is truly nothing I love more than a protagonist who, on the outset, is not traditionally “likeable”—a character with flaws, who screws up even when they know better but has reasons for all of it. I love digging into what makes them tick, understanding them, rooting for them, and wholeheartedly adoring them by the time the whole thing is through. With her wit, her smarts, her unconventional behavior, and even the “borrowed” tomato pie recipe that shot her to stardom, Sunshine Mackenzie secured herself a place in my heart forever. I treasured every messy step of her journey—a journey filled with honest observations, surprising revelations, humor, unforgettable characters, and plot twists I didn’t see coming.

Hello, Sunshine is an absolute can’t-miss that needs a spot at the top of your summer reading list. So put your phone down, unplug from social media, grab an iced tea or maybe some tomato pie, and settle in for this deliciously good treat. You’ll be so caught up in this tasty read that you won’t even be thinking about how many likes your last Facebook post got.

On her 35th birthday, food celebrity Sunshine loses her marriage, her job and her apartment after someone hacks her Twitter account to reveal her darkest secrets. Abandoned by everyone, Sunshine packs her things and moves back to Montauk to live with her estranged sister, Rain, and her niece, Sammy. Trying to get her life back on track and to build a relationship with her sister, Sunshine goes through a rediscovery of herself and what it is really important in her life.

I found the character of Sunshine strong and determined, but also selfish and self-centred. Throughout the novel, she has a transformation and becomes a more mature and sensitive (and also more likable) person. The character I preferred is Sunshine’s niece, Sammy. She is only six years old but she is very smart and more mature than the adults who surround her. I loved her quick remarks and her perspicacity. It is a carefully plotted novel and I didn’t expect the final twist. Well-written, insightful, and thought-provoking, this is a novel about the power of social media and how real life is different from how we portray it on social media.

On Sunshine's 35th birthday she loses everything! She is the host of a youtube cooking show but she can not cook! She uses someone else's recipes and her entire show is a lie! On her 35th birthday someone exposes her for the liar she is. She loses her job, her husband, and her apartment! Sunshine returns home to the Hampton's and her sister's home. Can Sunshine rebuild her life after living such a lie? It is a really good book about family, forgiveness, and redemption. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.