Before you start this book, know that it is the first in a new series! It was an excellent start in my opinion. It was very well-written and kept me guessing. It's a very engaging tale that will keep you on your toes while making you laugh! Well done!

I’ve been finding it hard to find books to keep my interest these past few months so I was thrilled when I started reading this book and was hooked immediately. A Bad Day For Sunshine was the breath of fresh air I needed to reignite my mood to read. In the last year I got hooked on Darynda Jones’ previous series, Charley Davidson, and was really sad when the series ended with the 13th book. This new series from Jones is definitely what I need to fill that void though! This book had all of the humor and intrigue that I grew to love in Jones’ writing. Her characters are so lovable and quirky. In this novel, we are introduced to Sunshine Vicram and her daughter Auri. I absolutely loved their relationship. Gave me some serious Lorelai and Rory vibes.

Levi Ravinder… swoon… I have SO many thoughts about Sun and Levi… I have so many questions and theories and just love the tension between them. I can’t wait to see what the series has in store for that relationship. I also very much enjoyed Auri’s blossoming relationship with Cruz. He has that whole bad boy vibe going on but really he’s one of the best of them.

There was so much going on in this book with Sunshine trying to get some details on her past and the abduction of Sybil. So many shocking moments! I was definitely flipping the pages as fast as I could while reading, a page turner by definition. By the end of the book I was left wanting more and I can’t wait to read the next installment in this new series!

If you’re looking for some mystery rolled up with humor and romance, then look no further!

5 Stars

This is fun and intriguing; full of Jones' snarky humor and sharp writing. My rating 4.5.

Sunshine Vicram has returned to her hometown as the new Sheriff after her parents managed to get her elected even in her absence. She has mixed feelings but is glad to bring her teen daughter, Auri, to be near her loving, if meddlesome, parents. At the Sheriff’s office she’s meeting and getting to know the team which includes her childhood and teen bestie, Quincy. He’s always been a hunk, but they never went beyond their inseparable friendship. The one she has trouble facing is Levi, a dark, tempting member of a local family with history and secrets.

Sunshine’s first day starts inauspiciously with a basket of muffins – a predictor of trouble. Before they finish the treats she is almost run over by a car through the front window. The driver is a panicked mother whose teen daughter is missing. This situation triggers memories of Sun’s own abduction when she was 17.

It takes a few interviews, and unsolicited help from Auri, before Sun finds clues that tie the girl to Levi’s family and reveal special details the parents didn’t disclose. Sun finds Levi and his clan, on one hand, antagonistic and on the other more than ready to step up to help with the tracking in their mountains.

Meanwhile, a handsome US Marshall has swooped into town hunting an escaped convict. He is intrigued by Sun and more than willing to work together in their investigations.

Auri continues to help in the investigation even though a certain group in school tries to bully and shame her into seclusion. She finds a surprising ally in a striking young man who takes no guff from anyone.

I was thrilled to enjoy the quick, snarky humor that Jones brought to her Charlie Davidson series. (I was quick to share several passages with my office staff who appreciate ‘snarky’.) I also liked a couple of elements that reappeared here including a hearing-impaired character and just a touch of psychic ability. The current day mystery interweaves with Sun’s own traumatic past. And the secrets involving Levi provide a sexy tension-filled interaction with Sun. There was a handful of bad words that I found unnecessary. Still, the combined strong characters, humor and suspense make this a wonderfully entertaining read and I look forward to continuing the series.

Source: NetGalley 2019..

This book is amazing! I adored the author's Charley Davidson series and knew I had to read this next one by her. I am thoroughly impressed. While, yes Charley and Sunshine have a few character traits in common, their circumstances and the mysteries around them are completely different. I was hooked on this one from page one.

I wasn't expecting this one to have light fantasy elements to it, but it does. I'm not sure where the series is going with it, but I am interested --  especially since there is a mention of Charley! You don't need to have read Charley Davidson to understand this one, it felt more like a nod to fans of her first series. ANYHOW, this is mostly a mystery with some romance elements, light-- super light fantasy to it, but there are also some much darker aspects that come to light later that had my eyes welling up with tears. So, this book has everything you may want!

This book isn't only told in Sunshine's POV though as her daughter also gets turns to speak. Auri is an amazing character too and while I was taken aback at first, she portions grew on me and her little love story had me squealing in glee.

With all that said, this book is fantastic and I am very much looking forward to book two!

This book is just what I needed. I laughed, smiled and giggled my way through this one reminding me a bit of Janet Evanovich, only Sunshine is way more competent than Stephanie Plum. Sunshine moves back to the town where she grew up - a strange little town where the odd is common. On her first day on the job Sunshine finds herself searching for a missing girl who had a premonition about her abduction 7 years ago, a run away rooster, an escaped convict and a missing autistic teen boy. Not to mention the FBI, US Marshalls and the Mayor all looking to Sunshine to either fail or succeed. No pressure or anything.

Add to the mix the love of her life, the gorgeous and mysterious Levi. Levi has taken his familys bootleg moonshine business mainstream and on the up and up but some in the family want to go back to their old ways. Everywhere Sunshine turns she seems to be running into him and Sunshine is having a hard time calming down her hormones. Her daughter Auri knows the missing kids and thinks of herself as a PI and keeps insinuating herself into the investigation, putting herself in danger and causing trouble at school.

Full of twists, turns, laughs, and great action this book has it all. I loved the writing the humor and the mystery. The characters are fabulous and I have already pre-ordered the 2nd book in this series! Now I need to look at the other books she has written!

Darynda never disappoints. Never.

I fell head over heels in love with this author’s Charley Davidson series so when I heard she was coming out with something new…I shrieked. A lot. Out loud.

As the new Sherriff in her hometown, Sunshine already has her hands full – running a department, trying to maintain the peace in an ongoing chicken dispute and the never ending hunt for the officer no one seems to have heard of. Add in an adorably smart-assed teenaged daughter, loving but meddlesome parents, the smoking hot bad-boy ex no Darynda Jones book would be complete without and the strangest book club that I absolutely NEED to be a part of and you’ve got a coffee cup that is already to the brim – and it’s just the first day! When a local teen goes missing, it’s time for Sunshine to pull up her boots, open up to the past and get the job done!

In true Darynda Jones fashion, A Bad Day for Sunshine is filled with sarcasm, wit, sexy tension and buckets of coffee….along with some mysteries to solve, personal demons to face and sanity to keep.

I will admit this took a little bit to get into at first. I think I was making comparisons to the Charley series and, though Sunshine keeps a lot of what we have already grown to love, these two could not be more different. Once I separated everything in my head – I was good to go and fully enjoyed every minute.

Something I have always loved about Jones’ writing is that she can make even the strangest circumstances seem casual and relatable and she has done it again. I love that the author created Sunshine as a single parent. I am so in love with Auri and would adopt her in a heartbeat – though she would definitely give me a run for my money. I actually loved all the characters. This town and all the people in it are so delightfully quirky that it just makes me want to pack up and move to Del Sol. Are they meddlesome and all in everyone’s business – yes, but so much fun to read about and get to know. The eccentricities are abundant I am here for it!

The one thing that made me so happy, though, was that the author included her trademark chapter captions. Honestly, I looked forward to those little quotes and “wise words” every time I flipped to a new chapter and it just made me smile so much to see that tiny detail move forward into this series. There might even be a little nod to our favourite grim reaper if you look closely!

A Bad Day for Sunshine is a fun, quirky and mysterious start to a new series by one of my all-time favourite authors and this will 100% be a must buy series that needs to be added to my collection. Darynda Jones is one author I will always, ALWAYS recommend and I’m so thrilled that her latest book has justified that for me.
Can’t wait for the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and St’ Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest opinion.

Thanks to NetGalley for this precious ARC. I loved everything about this book! The best part was the author's witty humor stayed true as in her other series! Can't wait for more!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this book! 4 Stars , which are well deserved!

I enjoyed all of the characters , which I felt were written well enough that you felt like they could be your neighbors. I loved Sunshine and her daughter Aury, a realistic relationship with typical teen/mom angst. Sunshine returns home to her small town to find not much has changed, other than the fact that she was voted in as the new Sheriff in town! I can sympathize living in a small town, everyone does know your business! And when you're put in the spotlight it gets even tougher to have privacy.
I look forward to following Sunshine (I hope!) on future adventures. I think this book would make a great series that would be enjoyed by fans of Darynda Jones's other character series.

Fun to read for those fans of Mystery, Romance, Chick lit all twisted up with humor and quirks!

Loved this blend of comedic storytelling, family drama and crime solving. Looking forward to reading the rest of Sunshine Vicram series. Thanks to NetGalley for this digital ARC.

A hilarious and entertaining story that will make you laugh out loud, with eccentric characters that will keep you entertained from start to finish.

Sunshine is a single mother to Auri, who is 14 years old. When Sunshine is in High school she is abducted and everything is very mysterious, she moves to Del Sol to get revenge on the man who abducted her.

I loved this story so much, kind of like Charley Davidson but without the paranormal elements, I can't wait to read the next one in the series.

Welcome to the world of Sunshine! This is the first book of Darynda Jones' new series and it's right on par with her other series. Even has a nod in it to our favorite Grim Reaper Charley Davidson. It is set in Del Sol, New Mexico and has seen it's fair share of unusual things. Sunshine Vicram is the new Sheriff and she has no idea how she won that election! Sunshine along with the help of townsfolk and her beloved daughter Auri set out to solve the mystery of a missing teen and will have you accompany them on a thrilling ride.

This book was fun and great beginning. I laughed so much. Auri is my favorite character. I cannot wait for the next book. This was so much fun and it made me miss Charley quite a bit. I may have to go reread that series now.

Great book!

I really enjoyed the Charley Davidson books and wanted to try this new series by Darynda Jones.

This was a good read and I love when there are strong female characters in a book and this book did not disappoint.

There was mystery and intrigue and this is the start of a new series. It was fun and witty and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

I must say that I couldn't get into this book - I did try the arc as well as gave the audiobook a try. I didn't realize that this was the same author that wrote the Charley Davidson Series. Unfortunately i didn't like that series so I'm afraid that this author is just not one for me.

This is the first book in a new series by Darynda Jones and I really enjoyed it. Sunshine Vicram has returned to her hometown of Del Sol, Mexico after being elected Sheriff. She has returned with her 14 year old daughter Auri. This is a town that has legal moonshiners, an elderly flasher, a couple of neighbours who fight about everything and her parents, who entered her into the election without her permission. There is humour and there is seriousness. Sunshine has a past in Del Sol, and it was complicated. She was abducted when she was a teenager and that abduction changed her life. The kidnapper was never caught so Sunshine is still trying to find that person. In this story, there is another kidnapped teen, a friend of her daughter's. Can Sunshine find this girl before something bad happens. Can Sunshine, Auri and those who care about them help them weather the storm when their secrets are revealed?

This is a great introduction to a new series. It has a mystery/crime to solve, family and friends, secrets to be revealed and humour to temper the serious parts of the story. Throw in a hunky guy who Sunshine had a crush on when she was younger, one who has to rescue her daughter who goes off on her own to do her own investigating and there is something for everyone. This is very much a character driven story. Sunshine is smart, independent, feisty, tough and loyal. She does what she needs to do to uphold the law, even though it doesn't always sit right with her. She has strong feelings or hunches that she follows. Auri is also a tough cookie. For a teenager, she rolls with the punches, but has some friends that support her and help her deal with some tough stuff. Deputy Quincy Cooper, Sunshine's best friend growing up is her sidekick who helps her solve the crimes and knows most, if not all, her secrets. I like the small town of Del Sol with its quirky or eccentric characters. The story is told from two POVs, Sunshine and Auri. There are also several different plotlines that intertwine throughout the story. I enjoyed the humour throughout the story, with the banter being laugh out loud at times. The mystery kept my interest and I was looking for clues to solve this one before Sunshine. I did not figure out the culprit, which I liked, but when it was revealed, I had an aha moment. I will definitely continue to read this series and recommend this one.

Somehow Sunshine Vicram ends up winning an election she hadn't entered for sheriff in the hometown she left years ago. Del Sol, New Mexico is home to one of the most unique and original cast of characters. This book is witty and filled with laugh out loud moments. Filled with memorable people and plenty of action, this book is well worth reading.

I received a copy of this book for free from NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I received this book almost one year ago via NetGalley and it went to the archived folder and I totally forgot about it. I found it as an audio book on my Scribd subscription and I am so, so glad to have given a chance to this book!

We follow the story of Sunshine Vicram, a new sheriff in her hometown. She has a secret of her own, from her troubled past, she had to deal with a kidnapping case and she is raising her 14 year old daughter called Auri, as well as fighting the feelings toward the love of her love Levi.

This book is full of dialogue and it so great! I felt that I was watching a very quick paced detective drama and I could imagine all the characters easily and almost interact and together with them in the cases.

Ah, and the characters! They are excellently developed and the array of diversity is amazing. Their quirks, talents, humor, banter and the community sense are wonderfully depicted in the book.

Sunshine and Levi - ah! I love the romance stories that have a childhood origin and the authors words are so cool and so fun to read. Their chemistry-packed love relationship, the tension between them and the overall perception and descriptions of the history of their relationship is just the coolest. :)

The detective part of the story is expanded just enough so you can enjoy finding the culprit without feeling guilty if you don't guess who did it. :)

There is a small dose of mystery that just adds to the charm of this story and I encourage everyone to read this.

I haven't read a fun, humor - filled, action-packed story like this in a long time and it was a great story with all of these elements.

I am anticipating the new book from the series eagerly!

There is a lot going on in this book and it is all good. Sunshine is a bada** hilarious woman, mom and now sheriff. Her friendships and relationships are full bodied and have history. Auri is a fascinating and charming young girl who had quite the interesting history.

This story deals with a crime from the past and several new crimes in Sunshine’s home town. There are some odd characters and events as well as more mundane items such as the first day at a new high school. All the characters are well developed and colorful. The use of humor and budding relationships is key to this story and I love the role the different family dynamics play.

Not all questions are answered by the end, but the excitement of a new series is there and I can’t wait to revisit Sunshine, Levi, Auri, Cruz, Quincy, Zee, and now the new deputy!

Thanks for the chance to read this book and share my opinions!

Sun is going to be the sheriff of a town nicknamed the psych ward. The town is full of secrets. Sunshine was home after fifteen years. Sun was abducted when she was younger and wants to find the man responsible. She has a daughter named Auri. I liked the dialogue between Sun and Auri.

I love anything that Darynda writes. This one was a bit of a surprise as it started slow but then it started to simmer and then, at times, would explode and you think, "ah ha, now we will get to the bottom of this" but no. Darynda takes you off on another angle and you are left holding your breath because you want to know the result but you don't want the mystery to end either. I think I know how it will continue in the next book but since this is Darynda I wouldn't bet even a wooden nickel on that one. Loved it and can't wait for the next book.