My house has windows on every side for similar reasons, but it's back firing big time. I have to keep them closed at all time because of noise, and they let the sun in, requiring even more A/C. We have blackout/insulating shades, but it's still not as good as straight up walls.
So millage will vary.
Similarly with light, in winter by the time I get home its pitch black either way, so it wouldn't change a whole lot. And in summer the light from the windows doesn't play well with TV/monitors/etc.
Depending on the style of house it may look out of place but can you put awnings on the exterior above your windows? This usually has the effect of blocking sun when it's high in the sky and the hottest while still allowing the sun to hit the window when it's lower and cooler (morning, evening, winter months).
Not surprised - solar gain from having lots of big windows is one of the big reasons why some homes get far too hot here in the UK. They effectively turn the house into a big greenhouse. Supposedly the problem can be reduced a bit by having the windows aligned north-south so they avoid getting so much direct sunshine into the rooms over summer, though that's going to be very latitude dependent.
I am suffering that at the moment in Oxfordshire. Just a bit of morning sun heats my bedroom up to 28 C. Totally insane.
Leaving the windows open barely helps.
My grandmas flat, in Southern spain, did not have AC. But thanks to big walls and external blinds you could live comfortably even during 40+ C Summer days.
External blinds are a killer feature both for heat and cold insulation.
This is what eaves are for. Since the sun is lower in the sky in the winter, properly sized eaves will shade the windows in summer and expose them to sunlight in the winter.
So millage will vary.
Similarly with light, in winter by the time I get home its pitch black either way, so it wouldn't change a whole lot. And in summer the light from the windows doesn't play well with TV/monitors/etc.
Cats like the windows a lot though.