After enjoying [b:Eight Hundred Grapes|23492613|Eight Hundred Grapes|Laura Dave|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1429742890s/23492613.jpg|43082568] two summers ago, I was excited to see this new release from author [a:Laura Dave|2672|Laura Dave|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1296110461p2/2672.jpg]. While both books could be categorized as "chick-lit", I felt that "Grapes" was a notch above others in the genre -- offering more character and plot development than is typically found in this category of books. Unfortunately I can't say the same for "Hello, Sunshine."

In Dave's latest book, YouTube star Sunshine MacKenzie has sold tens of thousands of fans on the notion that that she's a fish-out-of-water farmer's daughter now living in NYC. Her ruse has landed her a cookbook deal and a contract for a show on the Food Network. All is well and good until someone who knows the truth hacks her Twitter account and spills the beans -- and then some.

Aside from the thin plot, my biggest issue with the book is that none of the adult characters in this novel are particularly likeable (there's a young niece who is charming). Sunshine's modus operandi throughout the whole book is to continue to lie to get herself out of the lie that got her in trouble in the first place. The side characters are vapid, shallow, and rude. The "redemption" just doesn't seem that redeeming.

This book would be fine for a beach read, but there are others that would probably be more satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Meh, she wasn't very likable or a good person. Overall, the premise was OK that the online world is fake. ( )

This was fine. This was solid. This was enjoyable. This wasn't addictive.
 
I felt like this was just so close to me loving it, but I never really became completely drawn in. Why? I'm not sure. This had solid writing, an interesting plot, and some well-drawn characters. But meh.
 
First of all, "spoiler" alert, the big fall from grace is simply that she didn't write her own recipes and isn't from where she said she's from. If she had been a bestselling author, I might have felt differently, but I found it hard to take the big deal seriously because they're recipes, and especially with the internet, recipes are so widely spread that anyone could have created them.
 
Our main character is immediately introduced as unlikeable and not entirely honest and I loved that about her until she proved to be quiet mediocre and kind of likeable but definitely not unlikeable. I think I got too excited about having a villainous main character that to then have her be jovial was not terribly fun. The book doesn't take her through any big changes personality-wise and she doesn't really grow or change.
 
Her new job and her family was probably the redeeming aspect of this book--she has an adorable niece and her sister has some interesting friends. The interactions amongst them were fun to watch, though their history was strange. I loved reading about her new job within the restaurant industry and her strange boss. I wanted to see more of that.
You'll probably enjoy reading this. I did. But it's not one I'll write home about.
 
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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3- There’s not much to say about this mostly predictable tale, but come visit me anyway and read my nugget review here. ( )

I loved all of Laura Dave's books and this did not disappoint. Quirky story and I love stories that don't have to go sideways to make a good read ( )