I liked this one a lot more than the first in this series. I did like the first, it was just a bit slow and didn't pack the same punch I'd gotten used to in the charley series. Anywho, this one felt like it was paced better, flowed a lot better. I feel like I know and love these characters now, and I KNEW I WAS RIGHT but I'm sure I'm not the only person who guessed that, lol.

Darynda Jones has written a playful police procedural in A Good Day for Chardonnay. Sunshine Vicram, who was kidnapped and raped as a teenager, is a sheriff in a small New Mexican town with a small smart daughter. She has memory loss from her traumatic experience and is trying to solve a number of crimes while supervising her overactive daughter. Interesting romantic interests. Great read.

These books never disappoint. Laugh out loud funny but also with a strong female that manages to get through life one adventure after another. This is a great series and definitely worth the read.

I absolutely LOVED the first book and couldn't wait for this second book. I have to say, this book did NOT disappoint!! I love all of the characters & how we've seen them grow so far in this series. Sunshine is intelligent and has a lot of snarky humor to her character that I think is amazing. I honestly wish I could just live in this world for a few days because you never know what will happen next!! This story was really interesting and the ending is unbelievable.... when will the next book be coming out?? I highly recommend this book, it is definitely worth it. In addition to reading both books on my Kindle, I listened to them in Audible and the narrator did an amazing job!!

I love this series and I loved this book. I really enjoy the humor, the touching relationships the town vibe, I like it all. I’ve just finished and I can hardly wait for the next book to come out. Sunshine’s parents have been setting her up on blind dates and this one is horrible. Luckily, her deputy calls with a raccoon emergency. Then there is an attempted murder, a hit and run and a sighting of a child who’s been missing for years. Sunshine has her hands full but she and her team of deputies step up to the job. She gets a tip from a prisoner that offers information to help solve a past murder and a lot of secrets come to light. Sunshine and Levi are able to come to terms with each other as details of her abduction are revealed. Meanwhile the Dangerous Daughters and the Sinister Sons have plans of their own. Auri becomes interested in a string of unsolved missing persons cases which she believes are serial murders and enlists Cruz and Sybil to help. I really like Áuri and Cruz’s friendship even though they are too young to be that serious. I think Auri and Cruz make a great team. This book is full of laughs, love, danger and some sadness but it is a great story and I can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really like the characters in this world which will keep me coming back. I liked the first book a little better, but this book was enjoyable for me. The graphic sex scene caught me by surprise as up until that point I had felt like this fell closer to cozy than thrilling mystery, but I’m ok with books that cross genres. There is something that is almost over the top in a soap opera kind of way sometimes that does take me out of the story, but I was able to jump back in. Sunshine tries to take a day off which of course does not go well. She finds herself drawn into stabbing, kidnappings, and murders, and between all of those she gets a tip about her own abduction when she was 17. And Auri has her own entry into detectiving which does not go exactly as she planned. This book had plenty of humor, some dark moments, some sad moments and some interesting mysteries. I can’t wait for book 3.

Darynda Jones has a wonderful sense of humor. A Good Day for Chardonnay had me laughing out loud. There is plenty of sexiness, mystery and interesting characters. I absolutely adore the relationship between Sunshine and Auri. Jones has a wonderful way with banter between her characters. This second book in the Sunshine Vicram series has a lot going on. Sunshine investigates the tramatic events of her past. teen daughter, Auri, involves herself in a mystery as well as she investigating a cold case, and sexy Levi is in a bit of trouble. There is a lot in this book to follow. Overall, a fun read just like the first in the series.

***5 Stars***

I was all kinds of excited to get back to Del Sol, New Mexico to not only hang out with the very eclectic mix of characters that reside there but to see how certain relationships would evolve and if any new revelations would surface in certain situations and I was disappointed. I laughed out loud, rolled my eyes, swooned a bit and even got all teary and sniffly ~ which I was not expecting ~ and just enjoyed my time there and cannot wait to get back, especially with how things ended.

As for Sunshine herself. I have to say that I really like the woman. She’s snarky, sweet, vulnerable and loves her family deeply. And speaking of family, Auri was awesome! She had her moments ~ some of them big ones ~ but I love how she is simply a good person who sees way more than most people understand. As for the other residents. Levi is frustratingly yummy. Quincy is hilarious. Cruz and Sybil was just as awesome as Auri and add in Zee, Poetry, Salazar, Hailey...well, there are enough unique and big hearted, crazy people in this town to keep things interesting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the Sunshine Vicram series. The mysteries kept me on my toes, though there were a few things I figured out in one of them, and instead of taking over the story, they helped to give more insight to everyone that mattered. Now to wait for the next book in the series to see how the revelations that occurred affect the citizens of Del Sol!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Have you ran through all twenty-five Stephanie Plums and find yourself jonesing for a new quirky crimefighting female lead? If so, look no further than Sunshine Vicram. In all honesty I wasn’t exactly sure Sunshine’s series was going to be my cuppa tea after book one either, but there’s occasionally an exception to the rule so I buckled down and requested the second. I mean seriously I did it for the cover alone. That’s just good stuff. And the contents weren’t terrible either. I mean, I could really do without some of the trying-waaaaaay-too-hard-dialogue . . . .

Not to mention characters with names like Crystal Meth. Oh the cringe! At over 400 pages there’s probably close to 100 of filler and subplots no one gives a rip about that could be left on the cutting room floor in order to keep things flowing too. But the good news is once Darynda Jones finds her rhythm, she’s actually pretty funny without even trying . . .

“I don’t recognize any of them. Do you?”

“Nah. Sorry, boss.”

She noticed a couple had visible tattoos. “What about their ink?”

“That one,” he said, scrolling back until he came to the stocky one with the tattoo of a scorpion on his hand, “is La Cosa Nostra.”

She gaped at him. “Really?”

He laughed. “No.”

Additional good news is the questions I had at the end of the first book all got answered in this one and the dealbreaker I was afraid of never came to fruition (or was explained away and didn't leave me feeling like I needed a bleach bath). So when it comes to how many of these will I be reading before I give up on the series? At this point the limit most likely does not exist.

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

I don't think I could ever speak highly enough of Darynda Jones' writing or characters. Sunshine and Auri are two of my favourite people ever and I can not get enough of this series.

As with A Bad Day for Sunshine, this book has a lot going on....a LOT...but it's a lot in the way that it keeps the reader interested rather than confused. Jones has this talent for creating a town and the characters in it in such a way where it's equally too much and not enough. It's engaging, infuriating, misleading and completely over the top hilarious and you just can't help but fall in love.

The main fall back that this book had for me lands in the main plot twist. This was well done though I will say it was fairly predictable if you pay attention. How I feel about it completely depends on how long this series will be. If this is to be a shorter series - we'll done and excellently timed. If it's to be longer I would have preferred it drag on a bit more. Time will tell.

I already can't wait to get my hands on the next book and will absolutely reread this time and time again!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me the chance to read another great addition to my ever growing Darynda Jones collection.

I have to admit I was a tad lost for a bit, and it took me awhile to catch up on all of the characters. So yes, I definitely feel reading the first book in the Sunshine Vicram series would definitely be advised.
Sunshine is a sassy self-assured Sheriff who is not only strong, and determined but possesses a kind heart. Trust me, she gets the job done. Her daughter Auri is a chip off the old block, and possesses a fair amount of sass herself along with the ability to totally manipulate her adoring grandparents. Said grandparents, often remind their daughter of how many adventurous chapters she had as a teen, which I totally loved.
Quincy, her deputy was a delight, and if Sun could have feelings for him, her life would be so less complicated. I loved the friendship / professional relationship between the two.
Beatings, comas, abductions and Auri's quest for a serial killer are just some of the highlights to this page turner. Trauma that Sunshine suffered when she was 17 is always in the background. You just know there is more to the story of her abduction. Despite the past Sun is a warrior and will stop at nothing to protect those she loves and to finally find out the truth of her kidnapping, that her mind has blocked out all of these years. An amazing story with the cast of zany but lovable neighbors, intrusive but well meaning family, and the man she truly desires.
I enjoyed every page and strongly recommend this amazing tale. I plan to read book one to get more familiar with this series. Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this story for my reading pleasure.

A favorite author and absolutely a new favorite series. Book two lived up to all of my hopes. I loved each page and want more.

Humor, a few mysteries, fun and a lot of sarcasm. A Good Day for Chardonnay is a jaw dropping, laugh out loud story.

Sunshine Vicram leads a very busy life. Being a mother to a teenage daughter, the running of her small town, investigating a cold case murder and trying to piece together a few things from her. She’s got a lot on her plate and that’s just the beginning. A Good Day for Chardonnay has so many things going on but it keeps the reader that much more intrigued into the book. We start out with a major accident involving Sunshine‘s one true love, Auri Finds herself in the mitts of what could be a serial murder case and teenage love sprouting its roots. There is a lot of growth for both Sunshine and Auri. The back-and-forth between these two it’s truly comical. I love the way they interact and you can tell that the daughter is a chip off of her mother's shoulders and that they truly do care and love each other. Sunshine is the type of person that you want to be your friend and it shows in everything she does. From the way she is a mother to the way she cares for others and the way that she feels with every part of her being. Even with several storylines going on I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable book. Even if we readers we’re left with a bit of a cliffhanger.


A Good Day for Chardonnay is classic Darynda Jones in every way. You will laugh, you will feel, and by the end you just may be drowning yourself in coffee or a nice bottle of Chardonnay

I really like Jones paranormal stories, but this one was fabulous. I laughed so hard at parts, but it also had it serious moments. Sunshine was such well fleshed out character. I felt like she was someone I knew in my own life. Great writing!

I enjoyed the first book in the Sunshine Vicram series. I have to say, I enjoyed this one just as much. The humor aspect is over the top at times but I love it! I need a story that makes me laugh out loud and this one certainly did that. But, it also had me teary eyed a few times. Humorous, emotional, intriguing, quirky…..I could go on. You need to read the series to know what I mean.
So much going on…one mystery after another. The author brings them all together at the end.
Anxiously waiting for the next book!
Highly recommend you read this series.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.

From the publisher:
Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff--and even fuller-time coffee guzzler--Sunshine Vicram, didn't get that memo.

All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out, that's about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?)

Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunny's got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer and, oh yes, the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he's not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps beneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She's seen it. Once. Accidentally.

Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls four cents short of a nickel, that pesky crush she has on Levi which seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn't know when to quit, Sunny's life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy.

My thoughts:
There's a lot going on in this book. But you can still follow the storylines fairly easily. The biggest storylines are the mystery that Sunny is pursuing and her daughter's investigation into a possible serial killer. I think the raccoon is there mainly for comic relief. Lots of subplots including a romance for Sunny and some romance for her daughter as well.

This book is definitely better if you've read A Bad Day for Sunshine first. Otherwise you won't know why Sunny gets so upset by a basket of muffins. Or who the Dangerous daughters are supposed to be until much later in the story. Generally most things get explained well enough. But reading book one gives you more depth into what's going on and to the characters.

The ending is a little bit of a cliffhanger. I don't mind terribly, I am planning to read the next book anyway. The feeling I get is like waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I gave this book 4 stars. Don't miss it if you've read book one. It's well-written. The mysteries are interesting. The book will grab your attention. And it's generally fast paced. I really enjoyed the book. If you are a fan of Darynda Jones, you will probably enjoy this series. It has mystery, romance, and humor.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Get comfortable, pour yourself a nice glass of wine, preferably Chardonnay, and dive into the next installment of Sunshine Vicram’s intensely funny, shocking and always eccentric life as sheriff of a small town in New Mexico where people have very uncommon names…such as Crystal Meth and everybody knows everybody and everything about everybody! Although, there are still some secrets buried in this old town.

Called to the scene of a barfight Sunshine finds her not so secret crush, Levi Ravinder hurt and his friend in serious condition after a stabbing. Ravinder does not want to give up any information as to who or why the situation occurred and leaves the bar to begin his own investigation, much to the sheriff’s angst. Putting the pieces together will be difficult. Finding Levi even to answer questions, even more arduous.

Meanwhile her daughter Auri is falling in love and getting into her own trouble unbeknownst to Sunshine. She has taken it upon herself with two friends as her accomplices to look into a myth the town has lived with for many years in which people who visited the area were never heard from again. The rumor has always been there was a serial killer living amongst them. Auri seems to believe she knows who it is and is determined to prove it. A sheriff in training!

If that wasn’t enough, and in this town mystery and puzzles are never enough, a furry critter has taken up residence at the police station and seems to be ruling the roost as the officers are unable to or perhaps too nervous about getting rabies to find him.

As the plots thicken and the reader is given more information into Sunshine’s past, some questions will be answered only to have new mysteries start to take shape. There is never a dull moment in this rural oasis where bodies seem to stack up like pancakes. I tried to be like Sunshine with that line!

A Good Day for Chardonnay is completely laugh out loud amusing, yet has truly suspenseful story-lines and the most impressive back and forth dialogue I have ever encountered. The chapter headers are just as funny as the story itself. Darynda Jones has one incredible imagination and quite the way with words! I had a smile on my face from beginning to end, and the next installment can’t come fast enough!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #AGoodDayfor Chardonnay #DaryndaJones for the advanced copy.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second installment in author Darynda Jones’ Sunshine Vicram mystery series. In this novel Sunshine is tasked with finding the assailants that landed a seasoned veteran who lives off grid in an ICU after an unprovoked knife fight outside Levi Ravinder’s Roadhouse Bar and Grill, also injuring Ravinder as he tried to prevent their escape. At the same time Mayor Donna Lomas has given Sunshine a deadline to discover and report on the group known as the Dangerous Daughters and her teenage daughter has begun an investigation of her own to try to find a cold case serial killer. This would really be a good day for a glass of Chardonnay!

This carefully woven plot has strands from the past pulling on current occurrences and entwining both Sunshine and Levi Ravinder in a fast paced mystery that just might bring about the answers to several past crimes including Sunshine’s abduction when she was a teen. Also enmeshed are the paths of Auri Vicram and her young beau Cruz De Los Santos as they seek their own answers. I cannot say enough good about this series. I have enjoyed these straight talking multidimensional characters as they come together to solve convoluted crimes. I did enjoy this book, I do recommend it, and I so look forward to the next installment!!

I absolutely devoured this book…it was so good! I read the first book in the series, A Bad Day for Sunshine a few months ago and really enjoyed it but this sequel was even better!

I really enjoyed how Darynda Jones picked up where she left off from the first book but still included plenty of explanation for readers that hadn’t picked up the first one or for readers, like me, who needed a refresher on some of the plot points.

This book is action packed and constantly moving. There is so much going on, I definitely never got bored reading it and wanted to continue chapter after chapter to find out what was going to happen next.

I love when stories surprise me and there were definitely some twists I didn’t see coming. There is one big “twist” that is alluded to throughout the book. I thought it was pretty obvious but maybe that was on purpose and when the characters finally came to that realization in the end, it was a very sweet moment.

This is a great read and extremely enjoyable! I look forward to reading more about Sunshine in the future and reading more from this author!

A fun and thrilling read that immediately captivated me and kept me totally involved in all that was happening until I read the last word with a great cast of characters, small town vibe, a fast-paced mystery that quickly became a page-turner, laugh-out-loud humor, riveting suspense, touching family dynamic that pulled at your heart and so much more. I feel like I know Sunshine Vicram, sheriff in Del Sol located in the mountains of New Mexico and loved her dynamic with the other characters especially her teenage daughter Auri, best friend and chief deputy Quincy Cooper and Levi Ravinder who she has been crushing on forever. If you like Stephanie Plum, you will love "A Good Day for Chardonnay", book two in the must read Sunshine Vicram series by gifted author Darynda Jones. I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.