Review: Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was so excited to hear about this novel. I was a big fan of the author’s novel Eight Hundred Grapes. I was curious to see what she would explore next. And, frankly, I think Laura Dave really delivered a solid novel in this book. The novel focuses on secrets and how they can unwind in our lives despite our intentions. I loved the fact that quite a bit of the book centers around the culinary industry which I found to be an interesting backdrop for the overall story. As the main character, Sunshine’s life falls apart due to her secrets becoming public, I found it fascinating to follow her through that experience – the opportunities, the fears, the shame, etc. It was a really good look at the idea of authenticity in a world so dominated by social media. It’s not a particularly deep read – it’s fairly light and easy. It flowed well and successfully explores some fairly deep topics while remaining light in tone. I loved the exploration of authenticity and social media – it really gave me a great deal to think about (for myself and my social media obsessed children). I think this would be a very good book to take on a vacation or a long plane ride. I also think it would make a wonderful book club book as there is quite a bit to talk about in this novel. And the cover art is FANTASTIC! I just love the cover which I think also does a good job of setting the tone for the novel itself. I definitely recommend this one!

NOTE: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher for an honest review.