Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE (Book 1 of the Sunshine Vicram Series) by Darynda Jones in exchange for an honest review. We meet Sunshine and her daughter Auri on their first day of work and school in Del Sol, New Mexico. Del Sol’s a quirky little town that Sun thought was forever in her past, but she returned after she was unexpectedly elected to be the new sheriff; the unexpected part comes from the fact she never entered the race or ran for the position. When a muffin basket of doom is delivered to the sheriff’s office, Sun’s new employees let her know they signal that the office is in for a bumpy few days. The first day of doom begins when a distraught mother crashes into the sheriff’s office to report her daughter missing and probably kidnapped. Sun’s past as a kidnapping victim adds to her determination to find the teen and return her safe. Levi Ravinder, the man Sun’s been unrequitedly crushing on since infancy, becomes a part of the kidnapping investigation and, perhaps, a part of other investigations and troubles that crop up during the following days of doom. Meanwhile, Auri faces off with high school bullies and helps search for the missing teen.

CAUTION: DO NOT expect this to be a reboot or a continuation of the Charlie Davidson series. So far, there’s nothing supernatural in the book (besides the muffins of doom). Also, though Sun has an offbeat sense of humor, she’s not even close to being the utterly ridiculous character that Charlie was. So, if you are a fan of Darynda Jones and won’t be disappointed that this is an entirely new series, please proceed.

That being said, this was a great start to a completely new series! I liked the characters and the plotline. Though some of the future plot surprises may only surprise the book’s characters, I really look forward to the next book. I recommend this book to fans of mysteries featuring kidnappings, law enforcement, quirky and/or damaged characters, offbeat humor, literary hot guys, and mysterious origin stories.

What did Jones do, put several story lines, a ton of characters, a variety of genres and more into a blender and let it whip? There's way, way too much going on here and none of the most important bits in a new series get enough attention. There were also a lot of similarities to her previous (Charley Davidson) series. If it's going to be a new series, let's try something different. That said, I'm sure many fans of the first series won't mind more.

Besides the fact that was too much of everything, it jumped all over the place. The transitioning (despite someone else's review) was awful. One line we're with Sunshine in the middle of something then BAM! we're with Aurora. There was constant whiplash shifting. I would have to back track a few lines sometimes to figure out what happened.

Sunshine acting like she was almost in heat reminded me of the later Charley books and it turned me off there as it did here. Yes, a 32 or 33 year old woman is going to look at men and evaluate them, but there was too much of it.

The characters and setting have a lot of potential, but I think the author needs to calm it down and develop this new world in a more focused fashion and give them time to develop and slowly add more facets as the stories unroll.

The sad thing is that the "signs" that start off the chapters (aka the t-shirt sloagans in the Charley davidson series) are the best part of the book.

Definitely willing to give book 2 a shot, but hope the story development improves.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A new series by the author of another series I liked very much: the Grave series.

Introducing a spunky new character with an equally spunky daughter, set in the beautiful state of New Mexico this first entry gets off to a wonderful start. You will enjoy the residents of this small town and as you learn more about them you will eagerly look forward to their next adventures.

The mystery is not bad either. It will capture your attention and the ending, well you have to wait for the next installment.

Make a note of this one!

A very interesting story about a newly elected Sheriff of a small town in New Mexico. Sunshine, her nickname, is a single mother with one teeage daughter. She has returned to her home town and has a secret that she keeps from her daughter and friends. The tale is told primarily by these two individuals as multiple events occur and the plot thickens. As the action occurs will secrets be revealed and justice served or will there be a subsequent novel to wrap up any loose ends? I know I am looking forward to another novel but I am rather the curious sort who hates to leave anything unsolved. So readers I will leave it up to you to reach your own conclusion as to whether the story has concluded or not? The overall story line was excellent with a few red herrings thrown in to keep the amateur detectives on their toes.

I have rated this book 4.5 stars and look forward to what I hope will be another story about Sunshine and her daughter.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Loved this book! I was already a fan because of the Charlie Davidson books. But this novel really cemented my love for Darynda Jones! Quirky and lovable characters, witty banter, steamy love interest, interesting plot line with some twists and turns-this book has it all. I can’t wait for more in this series!

I’ve read other books by this author and this is so different.
I enjoyed the story, it kept me guessing to the end. Loved all the characters and will look forward to next one in the series. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy.

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones is book one in her new series. I fell in love with this book from chapter one.

Ms. Jones' descriptive writing made the town of Del Sol and it's residents come alive. This story flowed as readers are introduced to Sunshine, Quincy, Auri, Jimmy, Hailey and Levi. The kidnapping mystery was complex with so few suspects and clues that I was beginning to doubt if it would be solved in this first book. With Ms. Jones' sarcastic wit, a well-crafted plot and another mystery about Sunshine to be resolved in a future book, I am hooked on this series.

I really enjoyed this book. I will be looking forward for the next one.
The characters were believable and also likeable. The situations were a little off the wall, but not so much for a small town.

Told from alternating perspectives of Sunshine Vicram, new sheriff in Del Sol, NM, and her teenage daughter Auri, this new series can potentially find a fan base from Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum tribe. This book mirrors the silliness of the Plum books, and is also definitely on the lighter side of police/detective novels with no in-your-face gore or thriller trauma. Author Darynda Jones does a good job setting the story in a quirky small town, and introducing potentially recurring characters who will interest and amuse readers. This series debut quickly gets confusing, though, as there are multiple “cases” that keep popping up and being added to the story that are not connected: the abduction, the dead body that re-introduces a cold case not connected with the abduction, a hidden adoption brought to light, the mysterious Daughters group that no one seems to know about but who seem to run the town, the missing deputy no one wants to talk about, the mean Mayor who is out to get Sunshine (coinciding with the mean girls out to get Auri), the unsolved case of Sunshine’s own abductor and possible father of Auri, what Levi is hiding, and of course how Sunshine even got elected as Sheriff when she didn’t throw her name in the hat. Also difficult is the character of Sunshine, ironically enough the main character who is the least defined. Jones describes her as “cold as ice,” but in several scenes describes her sexual angst and attraction and flirtation to no less than three other characters. The reader has trouble buying in to her as a competent sheriff when multiple personal distractions take her away from her office and job. The series certainly has potential, so hopefully this first book was a leap to try to get the setting secured and characters in place to set the stage for future episodes. It’s worth reading and giving the future book #2 a chance before making a final judgment on this series.

A new series for DJ different from her Charley Davison series but just as awesome.
Great characters that make the story.
Drama, mystery,twists,turns,like the snarky sassy fun humor even though it is a suspense.
It has a beginning adult and teenage romance.
It has a kid napping,a mysterious officer,an old unsolved case and feuding neighbors.
A really great beginning to a series now have to wait for the next.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Sunshine was abducted at age seventeen and wants to find the man who did it. She became a detective in Santa Fe, New Mexico and moved back to her home town Del Sol with her daughter Auri age fourteen. Problems develop for both Sun as Sheriff and Auri at school Her 1st day as Sheriff becomes very unsettled hearing that a fourteen year old girl, Sybil, was missing. Sun gets into the search for the girl and flash backs come to her in thinking that had happened to Sybil. Everything comes out about Sun's abduction that she could never remember or discuss. This is a book you don't want to stop reading. Lots of exciting twists and turns that gets your mind trying to figure out how it will end!

First off, I love Darynda Jones and the Charley Davidson series so I was a little worried if this book was going to even come close to as good! Well I must say I was pleasantly surprised! Darynda has done it again!! I absolutely loved Sunshine and all the characters in this book. The story has a little bit of everything: adult romance, teenage romance, action, mystery, and several twists and turns! Thank you Darynda Jones, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with and ARC in exchange for an honest review. The hardest part about this is now having to wait forever for the next book when this one isn't even officially out yet!!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to.

I would like to thank Darynda Jones, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for letting Christmas come early by allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have been a fan of the Author for quite some time now and I could not believe my eyes when I saw the new book and I just knew I had to read it in record time. I loved the characters and the storyline, and now that I devoured it I can go back and leisurely read it again until the next installment. The pace was good and as always there was plenty of suspense, humor and some smoldering longing between the main characters that could set the pages on fire.
Lucky I have all her other books so they will have to tide me over until I can find out what will happen next to Sunshine and Levi. Very entertaining Read.

While I enjoyed the story I felt like I had only read a short part of the story when I had finished it. I felt that too much had been avoided, left out, and not finished or explained throughout the story.

I just finished reading “A Bad Day For Sunshine” … I loved it! I’d never read Darynda Jones before. And as soon I finished, I looked her up and plan to read all of her backlist! Which is the true sign of loving a book! The story was super engaging, and I loved all of the characters. Sunshine was so very likable, and her relationships with the other characters were fun and heartwarming. I was also really impressed how seamless the jump between characters POV was. I’m super excited for this series to keep going! When is the next one ….?

Review by 2shay.............

If you loved The Charley Davidson series, hold on to your panties, Ladies, Sunshine Vicram has Levi Arun Ravinder! He’s HOT! Sun and Levi have a strange non-relationship full of mistrust and misunderstanding, with a level of sexual tension that makes the pages burn. Sun’s loved him since she was ten. How he feels about her? I’m not sure. But their non-relationship is just a small part of the story.

Sunshine is the new sheriff in town. How that happened is still a little mysterious, but she has come home with her amazing fourteen, almost fifteen, year old daughter, Auri. Aurora Dawn Vicram is a red headed wonder child. She’s smart, vivacious and hides a deep and secret pain. Pain that she tries hard to keep from her mother. I may love Auri just little bit more than Sunny.

But as special as they are, there are more great characters. Sunny’s parents, Cyrus and Elaine Freyr, are doting and manipulative with both their daughter and granddaughter. They’re fabulous and add layers to the story. Sunny’s best friend since kindergarten and her current chief deputy, Quincy Cooper, is another hotty, and much of Sunny’s past we learn from him. Then there is Elaine’s best friend, Darlene Tapia, who makes “magic muffins” that predict upcoming disasters for the town.

The town. Del Sol, New Mexico is the best supporting character of all.  Full of quirky residents and drawn flawlessly from the small towns I am familiar with in N.M. To my knowledge, Del Sol is purely fictional and could be anywhere from Albuquerque to Sante Fe, but reminds me more of Taos with their quirky, artistic and touristy similarities. It doesn’t matter. I want to live there, even if only in the author’s imagination. I want to know who the Dangerous Daughters are and what happens between Sunshine and Levi, if anything. I want to know what happens the next time Darlene delivers muffins to the Sheriff’s Department. The last time the Sheriff’s Department received muffins, on Sunny’s first day at work, all hell broke loose.

I will be stalking Ms. Darynda Jones for a while, wanting to know when the next book will be ready. If you love a great tale, you will fall hopelessly in love with Del Sol. Grab a copy as soon as possible, and...

Enjoy! ARC graciously provided by St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an honest and voluntary review.

Like a big bright ray of sunshine, Darynda Jones' s A Bad Day for Sunshine slid onto my kindle bringing nothing but smiles and happiness. Full of the humor and a strong, funny female lead that Ms. Jones's books are known for, this book is hands down an entertaining mystery full of surprises, hot guys, and a hot mess of a heroine. Elected sheriff in a race she didn't enter, Sunshine Vicram returns home and is thrown into a case for a missing teenager. Add in a missing convict, an old murder victim, and and an old flame and Sunshine's life gets way interesting way fast. Auri is a delightful mess following in her mother's footsteps. The story left me grinning like the Cheshire Cat and just when I thought I figured it all out something new crawled out of the woodwork. This story is just fun and totally addicting. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Darynda Jones for this ARC copy of A Bad Day for Sunshine. I finished two days ago and
***I am completely obsessed with this book.***

A Bad Day for Sunshine is Darynda Jones' brand new series. A bit of fun about this book is it was dual povs...Sunshine, the brand new sheriff who was elected without even running and her daughter Auri. Auri was navigating all the troubles that go with being the new kid in school but multiplied by 100 because the student think she is a narc since her mom is the new sheriff. I adored the quirky supporting characters, the hilarious side crimes, the mystery, the freaking make my heart melt sex on a stick Levi, I LOVE HIM. I can't get enough! I had to put my kindle down for a min at 34%. Two words...
HOUSE KEY.
This book was quite an emotional read for me, I cried multiple times. Darynda has a way to make you feel like you are right there, in the scene living it with these characters. I was a weeping mess. My heart was swelling right along with Sunshines, and also breaking. It was beautiful. I highly recommend this book, I have no idea how I am going to wait for book 2!!

Yes! We have a loving, bad-ass mom with a snarky sense of humor. We have her whip-smart daughter. We have a wonderful cast of supporting, supportive characters: friends and family. We have hunky hot men. We have mystery and a long ago unsolved crime. A good start to a fabulous new series. Enjoy!