Scan barcode
eesh25's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book that I didn’t think would happen. And I don’t think I really wanted it to happen. Dean, one of the protagonists, is not the brightest tool in the shed. Like really, previous appearances of Dean in Morton’s books have all been comedic, and often at Dean’s expense. He’s always been kind-hearted and genuine, but also someone who fits many of the stereotypes about models. And it wasn’t until Morton’s newsletter shorts that we started to see that there was more to Dean.
The series of shorts are about a podcast hosted by Mal (from Spring Strings), Dean and Pip. Each month’s newsletter has a new episode of the podcast and features the characters trying to be helpful by answering a question from a listener.
The shorts are pretty important to this book because much of what the book is doing is first established in them. It’s where we get to know more of Dean and where we meet the other protagonist, Jonas, the head of the model agency. Jonas and Dean share a years long history and the shorts hint at their feelings and act as pretty good build-up for this book. I tried to see if I could find the shorts on Lily’s website because I really think they should be read before the book, but they’re not there.
Back to the book itself, it’s a sweet story. Dean is the sweetest person and always so well-meaning. There’s no deceit or negativity to him. And I liked that the book explores his layers, his abuse of weed for several years, his past, and how people tend to treat him.
I liked the romance between him and Jonas. Dean’s admiration and trust of Jonas is heart-warming. And while Jonas has always known how good a person Dean is and has been protective of him, I liked seeing him getting to really know Dean, a bit like we were. Because this book is mostly from Jonas’s perspective. Dean gets a few scenes here and there, but we generally see him from the eyes of Jonas. But this is still Dean’s book. His development and relationships are what we focus on more. His friendship with Mal might be my favourite thing.
One thing I want to mention, I thought Morton did a great job of not changing Dean from the guy we know from previous books and shorts… at first. I understand the temptation to make Dean more clever or wise, but that’s not who he is. Him stopping his abuse of weed can explain some changes, and it made sense. But as the book went on, Dean was changed more and more. I found that kinda disappointing.
Also, Dean’s dyslexia is a big part of the book. I thought it was handled okay enough, but what’s with the obsession with reading books? Dean is so fixated on how he doesn’t read books and I don’t get where that fixation comes from. The author? And how the fuck did no one mention audiobooks? They’re huge these days and I kept waiting for someone to bring them up, but nothing. It was genuinely frustrating to me and I was this close to yelling at the screen.
Overall, this was a very good read. Having not enjoyed the last two Morton books I read, I’m glad we’re connecting again. And I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
The series of shorts are about a podcast hosted by Mal (from Spring Strings), Dean and Pip. Each month’s newsletter has a new episode of the podcast and features the characters trying to be helpful by answering a question from a listener.
The shorts are pretty important to this book because much of what the book is doing is first established in them. It’s where we get to know more of Dean and where we meet the other protagonist, Jonas, the head of the model agency. Jonas and Dean share a years long history and the shorts hint at their feelings and act as pretty good build-up for this book. I tried to see if I could find the shorts on Lily’s website because I really think they should be read before the book, but they’re not there.
Back to the book itself, it’s a sweet story. Dean is the sweetest person and always so well-meaning. There’s no deceit or negativity to him. And I liked that the book explores his layers, his abuse of weed for several years, his past, and how people tend to treat him.
I liked the romance between him and Jonas. Dean’s admiration and trust of Jonas is heart-warming. And while Jonas has always known how good a person Dean is and has been protective of him, I liked seeing him getting to really know Dean, a bit like we were. Because this book is mostly from Jonas’s perspective. Dean gets a few scenes here and there, but we generally see him from the eyes of Jonas. But this is still Dean’s book. His development and relationships are what we focus on more. His friendship with Mal might be my favourite thing.
One thing I want to mention, I thought Morton did a great job of not changing Dean from the guy we know from previous books and shorts… at first. I understand the temptation to make Dean more clever or wise, but that’s not who he is. Him stopping his abuse of weed can explain some changes, and it made sense. But as the book went on, Dean was changed more and more. I found that kinda disappointing.
Also, Dean’s dyslexia is a big part of the book. I thought it was handled okay enough, but what’s with the obsession with reading books? Dean is so fixated on how he doesn’t read books and I don’t get where that fixation comes from. The author? And how the fuck did no one mention audiobooks? They’re huge these days and I kept waiting for someone to bring them up, but nothing. It was genuinely frustrating to me and I was this close to yelling at the screen.
Overall, this was a very good read. Having not enjoyed the last two Morton books I read, I’m glad we’re connecting again. And I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.
brittaddictedtobooks's review
4.0
This was a sweet book. Easy going and lovely. I’ll definitely be picking up more books by this author.
kindlemmromancereader's review against another edition
5.0
***ARC Review***
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and the author.
“The Sunny Side” by Lily Morton is Book One in the Model Agency series. This is a wonderfully tender opposites attract/age-gap romance. Jonas owns a modeling agency that used to be run by his mother. Dean is a supermodel employed by Jonas. Jonas is very controlled and quite serious. He doesn’t like chaos or disorder. He also doesn’t condone mixing business with pleasure. So it’s rather inconvenient for him that he’s attracted to Dean.
Dean is a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air. He is just so lovable, it’s insane. Dean is a genuine and charming person. He’s exceptionally kind and patient. He is often misjudged because of his profession and loads of people assume that he is unintelligent as well. Dean has felt something for Jonas for quite some time, but doesn’t think he compares to the kind of person that Jonas typically goes for.
These two unexpectedly come together one summer and learn that there is more than meets the eye, on multiple levels. It was really sweet seeing how protective Jonas is of Dean and how Dean sees Jonas in a light that few people do. It was wonderful to see them fall for one another. It was especially lovely to see Jonas open up and lighten up bit by bit. I especially enjoyed the family holiday that Dean accompanied Jonas and his daughter Ruby on. Even though they are total opposites, Jonas and Dean just fit together. They bring out a sense of safety and contentment in one another.
Jonas accepts Dean as he is, without any expectations that others have attached to being involved with a supermodel. Dean brings out feelings of passion and possession in Jonas, slowing chipping away at his cold and icy exterior. While this book is sweet and heartwarming, there is definitely some snark (it’s the fashion world), and oh my is there some heat! If you are a fan of Lily Morton or reading her for the first time, you should definitely check this book out! I smiled and laughed quite a bit while reading it.
I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and the author.
“The Sunny Side” by Lily Morton is Book One in the Model Agency series. This is a wonderfully tender opposites attract/age-gap romance. Jonas owns a modeling agency that used to be run by his mother. Dean is a supermodel employed by Jonas. Jonas is very controlled and quite serious. He doesn’t like chaos or disorder. He also doesn’t condone mixing business with pleasure. So it’s rather inconvenient for him that he’s attracted to Dean.
Dean is a ray of sunshine and a breath of fresh air. He is just so lovable, it’s insane. Dean is a genuine and charming person. He’s exceptionally kind and patient. He is often misjudged because of his profession and loads of people assume that he is unintelligent as well. Dean has felt something for Jonas for quite some time, but doesn’t think he compares to the kind of person that Jonas typically goes for.
These two unexpectedly come together one summer and learn that there is more than meets the eye, on multiple levels. It was really sweet seeing how protective Jonas is of Dean and how Dean sees Jonas in a light that few people do. It was wonderful to see them fall for one another. It was especially lovely to see Jonas open up and lighten up bit by bit. I especially enjoyed the family holiday that Dean accompanied Jonas and his daughter Ruby on. Even though they are total opposites, Jonas and Dean just fit together. They bring out a sense of safety and contentment in one another.
Jonas accepts Dean as he is, without any expectations that others have attached to being involved with a supermodel. Dean brings out feelings of passion and possession in Jonas, slowing chipping away at his cold and icy exterior. While this book is sweet and heartwarming, there is definitely some snark (it’s the fashion world), and oh my is there some heat! If you are a fan of Lily Morton or reading her for the first time, you should definitely check this book out! I smiled and laughed quite a bit while reading it.
zaza_bdp's review against another edition
4.0
Lily Morton arrive avec une nouvelle série mais ... des personnages familiers ! En effet, nous retrouvons Dean et Mal, mannequins dans une célèbre agence, dirigée par l'austère Jonas. Pour rappel, Dean est le demi-frère de Asa Jacobs (héros de Négocier un accord) et Mal est un mannequin héros d'une nouvelle pour le moment inédite en VF.
Jusqu'ici Dean offrait l'image d'un mec souvent décalé, accro à la fumette et par conséquent souvent à côté de ses pompes. Là, on va découvrir sa vraie personnalité et découvrir quels trésors se cachent derrière sa beauté et ce charisme qui captive photographes et créateurs de mode. Pour celles et ceux qui ont suivi les différents épisodes du podcast "Model clinic" diffusés dans la newsletter mensuelle de Lily, le contraste entre la fantaisie absurde de Dean dans ces épisodes et celui qu'il est dans son propre roman est saisissant. Quoique même défoncé, Dean reste étonnement juste, malgré un gros (!) décalage avec la "réalité".
Dans ces épisodes, on a aussi pu se rendre compte de l'attachement que lui portait Jonas, un attachement qui va au-delà des simples liens professionnels.
Dean et Jonas sont extrêmement différents de par leur personnalité, leur éducation, leur façon de vivre, mais en même temps, ils sont très complémentaires. Chacun permet à l'autre d'exprimer un pan de sa personnalité qu'ils ne peuvent partager avec personne. On est en plein dans le slow burn, c'est tendre, intime, et romantique. Ils partagent des moments intenses et très personnels avant même de consommer leur union, il y a quelque chose de délicat dans tout ça.
Bien sûr on retrouve la patte inimitable de l'autrice pour ses fabuleux dialogues et son génial sens du sarcasme. J'adore vraiment la façon dont elle écrit ses répliques, ça marche à tous les coups, je ne m'en lasse pas. Et là, outre les dialogues entre Dean et Jonas, on a aussi droit aux joutes entre Jonas et Pip (son assistant sacrément culotté mais tellement drôle), mais aussi avec Mal, qui n'a rien perdu de sa verve.
Il y a évidemment les caméos que j'attendais (#billyforever) et qui m'ont fait fondre de plaisir, cette très belle romance avec un couple doux, tendre et attachant, mais aussi cette plume que j'apprécie toujours autant. Et pour une fois, je choisis de ne pas râler sur le petit grain de sable qui vient enrayer la machine, car on l'attend depuis le début, donc aucune surprise de ce côté-là (la surprise aurait évidemment été de ne pas y avoir droit, mais pour avancer, l'un des deux personnages avait besoin d'en passer par là ...).
Vous l'aurez compris, je me serai vraiment régalée avec ce livre, et je suis très curieuse de savoir à qui seront consacrés les prochains tomes !
Jusqu'ici Dean offrait l'image d'un mec souvent décalé, accro à la fumette et par conséquent souvent à côté de ses pompes. Là, on va découvrir sa vraie personnalité et découvrir quels trésors se cachent derrière sa beauté et ce charisme qui captive photographes et créateurs de mode. Pour celles et ceux qui ont suivi les différents épisodes du podcast "Model clinic" diffusés dans la newsletter mensuelle de Lily, le contraste entre la fantaisie absurde de Dean dans ces épisodes et celui qu'il est dans son propre roman est saisissant. Quoique même défoncé, Dean reste étonnement juste, malgré un gros (!) décalage avec la "réalité".
Dans ces épisodes, on a aussi pu se rendre compte de l'attachement que lui portait Jonas, un attachement qui va au-delà des simples liens professionnels.
Dean et Jonas sont extrêmement différents de par leur personnalité, leur éducation, leur façon de vivre, mais en même temps, ils sont très complémentaires. Chacun permet à l'autre d'exprimer un pan de sa personnalité qu'ils ne peuvent partager avec personne. On est en plein dans le slow burn, c'est tendre, intime, et romantique. Ils partagent des moments intenses et très personnels avant même de consommer leur union, il y a quelque chose de délicat dans tout ça.
Bien sûr on retrouve la patte inimitable de l'autrice pour ses fabuleux dialogues et son génial sens du sarcasme. J'adore vraiment la façon dont elle écrit ses répliques, ça marche à tous les coups, je ne m'en lasse pas. Et là, outre les dialogues entre Dean et Jonas, on a aussi droit aux joutes entre Jonas et Pip (son assistant sacrément culotté mais tellement drôle), mais aussi avec Mal, qui n'a rien perdu de sa verve.
Il y a évidemment les caméos que j'attendais (#billyforever) et qui m'ont fait fondre de plaisir, cette très belle romance avec un couple doux, tendre et attachant, mais aussi cette plume que j'apprécie toujours autant. Et pour une fois, je choisis de ne pas râler sur le petit grain de sable qui vient enrayer la machine, car on l'attend depuis le début, donc aucune surprise de ce côté-là (la surprise aurait évidemment été de ne pas y avoir droit, mais pour avancer, l'un des deux personnages avait besoin d'en passer par là ...).
Vous l'aurez compris, je me serai vraiment régalée avec ce livre, et je suis très curieuse de savoir à qui seront consacrés les prochains tomes !
secret_librarian's review against another edition
3.0
The beginning of this book was so much fun! I laughed a lot, and I loved how the first 10% of the book was pure chaos. Unfortunately it didn't last, and I ended up struggling quite a bit with the story.
I have to admit I haven't read any of the books that's connected to this, so all the characters were new to me and there were quite a few of them. I felt like I was missing things at times, and sometimes there were just so many names dropped everywhere and it didn't help my confusion.
I loved Dean, he was such a great character and I wanted everything to work out for him. I felt for him and I liked him and Jonas together at first, Jonas became softer with Dean around and I felt like they were good for each other. My heart totally melted when Dean said how he'd always felt safe around him.
With that being said, I didn't really feel any chemistry between them and there was a lot of telling how they were feeling but not that much showing. The characters have been around each other for years, from Dean's side there seemed to have been some pining, but the attraction to Dean was new for Jonas and to be honest their set up didn't make a lot of sense to me. There was no explanation or talk about what changed for Jonas to make him change his opinion about Dean at all.
I also don't like it when things get overly dramatic towards the end and it was sort of what happened here. Dean deserved better and I just had a hard time with the events overall. The story felt a bit long, there was definitely some dragging and certain things got repetitive.
I think you might enjoy this if you're an avid reader of Lily Morton's books and know the characters, but sadly this one didn't work for me.
I have to admit I haven't read any of the books that's connected to this, so all the characters were new to me and there were quite a few of them. I felt like I was missing things at times, and sometimes there were just so many names dropped everywhere and it didn't help my confusion.
I loved Dean, he was such a great character and I wanted everything to work out for him. I felt for him and I liked him and Jonas together at first, Jonas became softer with Dean around and I felt like they were good for each other. My heart totally melted when Dean said how he'd always felt safe around him.
With that being said, I didn't really feel any chemistry between them and there was a lot of telling how they were feeling but not that much showing. The characters have been around each other for years, from Dean's side there seemed to have been some pining, but the attraction to Dean was new for Jonas and to be honest their set up didn't make a lot of sense to me. There was no explanation or talk about what changed for Jonas to make him change his opinion about Dean at all.
I also don't like it when things get overly dramatic towards the end and it was sort of what happened here. Dean deserved better and I just had a hard time with the events overall. The story felt a bit long, there was definitely some dragging and certain things got repetitive.
I think you might enjoy this if you're an avid reader of Lily Morton's books and know the characters, but sadly this one didn't work for me.
elizabethbaker's review against another edition
5.0
Lily Morton’s books are always incredible but The Sunny Side is my new favourite. Dean has been such a scene-stealing side character in so many books, and the undoubted star of Model Clinic, in Lily’s newsletters. We’ve all grown to adore him and now he finally gets his own book. And what a cover— the model is
erica_g's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0