An excellent second installment in the Sunshine Vicram series. This book will keep you entertained with the multiple mysteries, and the cast of characters. It's a story that will not only make you laugh, but also bring tears to your eyes. A perfect read for those who enjoy sassy, sarcastic, and strong willed female characters with hearts of gold. And with an ending like that it will no doubt leave you craving the next book.

The audiobook version was well done, and at times I had a hard time putting it down. I read the first book in the series, and must say that listening to the second greatly increased my enjoyment. The trouble I had following the switching between main characters in the previous book was eliminated. The back and forth banter, and fast paced action was greatly enhanced by Lorelei King's delivery. I will definitely be listening to the rest of the Sunshine Vicram series.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is a wild and enjoyable ride. It made for an easy listen on my road trip.

As with A Bad Day for Sunshine I felt there was a lot going on in A Good Day for Chardonnay. Sunshine is trying to find those involved in a bar fight, that mysteriously lead to a previous case. Her daughter is convinced she knows a serial killer, and the Dangerous Daughter mystery is still going on.

Aside from the mystery solving aspects my favorite parts of the books were between Sunshine and Levi and Auri and Cruz. I enjoy that we get two romances here. The adult and going for it all (eventually/hopefully) Sunshine and Levi and the sweet Auri and Cruz. Both of these romances were well done and fitting.

The cast of characters surrounding Sunshine are an integral part of the story and I loved every one. especially Quincy, who may have a love interest. :) But as a whole I adored the whole squad and how they were always there for each other.

OMG THE ENDING

Jones wraps a lot of things up regarding Sunshine, but also manages to leave us on a bit of a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for the next installment!

I had high hopes for this one, especially after reading so many positive reviews on how entertaining and laugh-out-loud they found this book to be. But pretty much from the very beginning, I could tell that this would not be my type of book. For me, the humor in this book was not funny but more childish. It seemed more as if you are trying to be funny when you really are not. The only thing I slightly found funny was at the beginning of the chapters. There were slogans for different businesses in the town, and those were quite funny and clever. But I found that the humor and jokes between characters just made them seem immature.

I also had a big problem with how Sunshine's daughter is portrayed in this book. She acts a lot younger than she is supposed to be. She plays detective and tries to get this old lady in the town convicted for being a murderer with little reasoning behind it. She is always sneaking out and getting herself into trouble. Her grandparents are often the people watching her when her mother works on cases, but I felt like most of the book was them trying to hunt her down whenever she 'escaped'. She not only was immature in her actions but the way she talked made her seem like a 10-year-old. Then she was supposed to be basically in love with this boy, and I found it very hard to get behind that relationship when she acted the way she did.

I not only had a problem with the daughter but also with the way that the mother acted. She also acted very immaturely with the fantasies that she conjures up in her mind. She's is also supposed to be this great sheriff but I saw no real detective work going on.

I didn't find this book to be very much of a mystery/thriller, it was more of a rom-com. The only mystery that I enjoyed in this book was the secret of sunshine's past. Throughout the book, we are learning more about Sunshine's abduction as she slowly recovers lost memories. This is the only mystery in the book that led to a grand shocking reveal of some sort. Then comes my second problem with this grand reveal, it's very hard to believe that they didn't know this way before. Without going into spoilers it was just very unrealistic and I still can't quite wrap my head around how it makes sense.

What was supposed to be the main mystery in the book I truly forget all of it, that's how unimportant it was in the book. I found it very hard to keep track of the investigation because I had no interest in what was happening. I found the book to be very drawn out. I wanted it to focus and have more substance to the investigation, but I felt like most of the book was just drama in the characters’ lives.

I liked and disliked parts of the narration for the audiobook. I like the voices that the narrator did for each of the characters as it helped to distinguish dialogue between each of the characters and I felt like the voice fit that character very well. But I also felt like when the narrator was just telling the story and not saying what someone said it lacked the feeling and emotion that was needed for that situation. I would have liked to hear more urgency in intense situations and more change of tone when called for.

But take what I'm saying in this review with a grain of salt because a lot of people have enjoyed this book and so I'm sure that many people who can look over the plot holes and the unbelievability of the characters actions will truly enjoy this book but for me, it just wasn't what I was looking for or hoped it to be.

TW: kidnapping, endangered youth, assumed rape (no description)

Although I am familiar with Darynda Jones because I’ve read her other series, I have not read the first of this new series.
This being the second book of the series I was a little concerned that there would be things I missed in the first book that would affect my understanding of this book.
That was not the case at all. I was able to follow this book easily. The story is a mystery with ongoing series subplots. It had surprises and kept me engaged. I kept expecting some kind of supernatural piece to the puzzle but there wasn’t one. The town intrigue is plenty of plot on its own.
As expected a lot of snark, which I thought might be overused, but it stopped short of being irritating. The other humor was situational, office teasing and pratfalls. I liked the plot twists and the community connection. It has the nicest small town feel without sap.
I recommend this book and I will be reading the first.

A Good Day For Chardonnay is the second book in Sunshine Vicram series and it did not let me down! I absolutely loved it!! I love all of the characters and their personalities! All Sunshine wanted was an easy going day well that did not happen! Between a bar fight, her daughter trying to hunt down a serial killer, and also solving who abducted her years ago. Sunshine’s day was going to be just peachy! Thank you so much to Darynda Jones, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillian Audio, and NetGalley for this advanced audiobook!

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second in a new series by author Darynda Jones, featuring Sunshine Vicram, a thirty-something woman who is the sheriff in a small town in northern New Mexico. I have not read the first in the series but Jones does a good job of filling in the backstory so I never felt lost. While this is a mystery/thriller, it read more like a funny cozy mystery for much of the book. The writing style reminded me a bit of the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, which is funny in itself because the audiobook narrator, Lorelei King, narrates a lot of those books too! There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments but the story itself is a serious one and fairly complex, with a number of different interlocking crimes, including a cold case of several missing persons and untangling the story of Sunshine’s own abduction when she was a teenager. Her feisty teenage daughter, Aurora, figures into the story in a big way.

Ultimately, while an enjoyable read, I didn’t find the characters compelling enough to seek out the first book in the series or plan to read any future books. "Too many books, too little time."

I switched off between the ebook and the audiobook, so thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read/listen to an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Warning - references to teen abduction/kidnapping and rape

This book was just not for me. I had a hard time following the book. I felt bored most of the time, and I was so thankful for the few parts that were entertaining enough to keep me going. It was too flat in my opinion. Not much in the way of movement for the characters.

I enjoyed reading this story with quirky characters and an unsolved mystery that kept me guessing all the way. The story is set in a small town in the mountains of New Mexico which makes it pretty unique, just based on the location.

I found the story to be, at times: funny, yet serious and suspenseful, yet relaxed. I felt like the story could have benefited from more forward motion, and with a bit less of the mundane day to day happenings. Regardless, A Good Day for Chardonnay is entertaining read and fans of this author will be sure to enjoy the read.

A Good Day for Chardonnay
Sunshine Vicram, Book 2


Re-Read:
June 19 2021 - June 22 2021

I love Ms Jones’ writing and Ms King’s narration so of course when I had the opportunity to listen to this audiobook I jumped on it despite reading the book just a few months ago. I still loved the story. I love how things are unfolding and I cannot wait for more. I will admit I’m greedy for these stories.

A Good Day for Chardonnay...sounds like my daily motto! Side note-love any wine BUT Chardonnay, however I did really like this book so I'm letting it slide. Second side note-I still don't think this title fits this book because the main character, Sunshine, only has wine like 2-3 times in the whole book, but eh.

Sunshine Vicram is the sheriff of a small town, and for a tiny town there is a lot of crime. The first crime involves a bar fight where her dream man is begins to go after some trained killers. The second involves a cold case serial killer being hunted down by her own daughter. And finally, Sunshine's own kidnapping as a young adult comes back to a head as she gets a new witness. I like this novel had layers. I did not feel like any of the "mysteries" became stale because you constantly get woven into the various threads of each of the stories.

The novel had quite a bit of witty humor which I thoroughly enjoyed. Sort of felt a little like Brooklyn 99 mixed with Castle. I was surprised by some of the endings, and felt connected to the characters. I was granted a free copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review (thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press!).

This is such a fun book! It has everything: mystery, romance, heat, laughs, it does a lot and it does it well. A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second in a series and, even though it's probably best read in that order, the author does a good job integrating the background so anyone jumping in here won't be lost. I love quirky, original book with a big heart. This one is exactly that. It's a little weird, even campy, but in all that funny strangeness, the characters are tremendously likable and say to relate to. The mystery keeps the pages turning, and the romance is spot on, not set aside even with everything else going on. Even though I'm not usually one to commit to a series, Sunshine, Auri, Levi, Cruz and this entire town have me hooked.

I was lucky enough to get an audio version of this book and I have to say, in audio it's even better, The narration is spot on for Sunshine, and Levi's voice really bring him to life. Highly recommend the audio!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fun, exciting story! I really enjoyed the characters and the banter between them. I laughed so many times at the comments they make. This is a great story for readers that enjoy fun characters and a good mystery!

Overall, I think the narrator is a good fit for these characters. But, the banter that fills the pages of this book isn’t quite as spot on in the audiobook version.

Oh Sunshine! This was a fun sequel. If you enjoyed the first book in this series (A Bad Day For Sunshine), then of course you’ll love this follow up! Darynda Jones is so talented at developing her characters that you feel like you know them and wish you could be friends with them. That’s how I feel about Sunshine, Levi, Quincy, and Cruz (they are my favorites)! The narrator, Lorelei King was excellent (as always).
I really enjoyed the moments in the book when it focused more about the character relationships. I will also admit that I got a little bored with all the fluff about the mysteries/work days, I feel like this book would have been just as good if not better with less of those parts (longer books are not always better). I’m still giving this book 4 stars, and will continue the series if the author writes more with Sheriff Vicram. If you want a light hearted, fun novel to dive into, I do recommend this duo! Dare I compare them to the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich? But that’s what both of these books remind me of! And that’s a huge complement by the way.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me to preview this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I had a hard time getting through this one and finally gave up about halfway through. I loved Darynda Jones' other series (until it got weird) and her writing is witty and snarky. This book, however, just wasn't the same. First, even though I read the first book, I felt like I came in in the middle of a story; I was lost for most of it. So many characters are thrown at you and it's hard to keep them straight. Add in that every character seems to have the same voice and it's impossible to distinguish between them. I may try to read this one again at a later date but I doubt it. The rest of the story wasn't enough to keep me hooked until I could find out more about what happened when she was kidnapped.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second installment in the Sunshine Vicram series. Also, any summer day is a good day for Chardonnay in my book. Even though I am a huge red wine lover over here.. I do dip my toes in some white. Just not Pinot Gris/Grigio (aka Pinot Gross). The day I randomly drink that wine will probably be my last because I will be on my death bed. Just saying.

Back to the book, there's just something about Sunshine and her crazy family. Whether they are finding trouble or trouble finds them. They just always keep me on my toes because I never know what I'm going to get. I will say that I am so freaking about one little reveal. It definitely filled my heart with happiness because there was some serious chemistry going on and it was a cherry on top kind of moment. In my eyes at least.

As for Sunshine's daughter? Well I'm glad that she put on her little Nancy Drew detective cap because she isn't afraid of a serial killer. I mean.. she most definitely should be but oh well. The girl has bigger balls than me and I was here for it all.

Other than that, I really liked getting more pieces to Sunshine's past. It was really bugging me because I just wanted all the answers and I'm pretty happy with what I got with this book. Now I'm just really excited for the next book. Especially after how this one ended. I need and want more from everyone within this small town community. So much freaking more.

This is a great sequel! It has several mysteries going on, bite your nails action, and a nice amount of romance to top it off. I loved learning more about the town and it's inhabitants, plus we got insight into what happened to Sunshine at seventeen. This is packed and keeps the reader's interest while making you chuckle at the character's antics. I'm so happy I got an advanced copy, though the wait for the third book is going to be hard!

Sunshine is investigating an attempted murder when a cold case from her past makes a reappearance. Meanwhile, Auri thinks an elderly neighbor may be an actual serial killer. The plotlines are both fun and end up having a lot more going on than they seem. I was happy to see Auri and Cruz date and be adorable, but my favorite relationship is Sun and Levi. They have so much history and their arguments just show the tension between them. I was rooting for these two and if you ship them, you'll be happy with how things go.

Most of the big threads are tied up, but there are still a couple things to be resolved. I'm excited there will be another installment, I only wish there were more!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copy.

This is a fantastic series so far. This one ends in a seriously hawt cliffhanger too which threw me a bit but this one has all the feels.

Narration: MacMillan Audio did an amazing job on this audiobook! Best audiobook for me in 2021! This story had me laughing and crying…. I love this series so far! Such great characters… Sunshine, Aurora, Levi….Quincey! The narration by Lorelei King was perfect! I loved it and give it ten stars!

What did I like? Sunshine is absolutely fabulous! Her main character is able to juggle so much that I’m just astounded. From stabbings, to the mayor’s drama, to figuring out her best friend Quincy... then there is her daughter Auri. Highly entertaining and I read it so slow because I wanted it to last.

Would I recommend or buy? I definitely am getting this series for my shelf. I picked up the first at the library and it’s necessary to read the series in order. I loved it. I’d recommend to people loving small town sheriffs and slow burn romances. The heat between Levi and Sunshine is so hawt! I also love the covers and titles! Five huge stars.

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review!

Second in a series. I have not read the first book. And some may say that would be necessary. I was able to keep up with the storyline without reading the first book. And I am also thankful that time wasn’t spent explaining things one would read in the first book. I hate when a story is repeated in second book for those who didn’t read the first book.

I listened to this book through NetGalley. Narration was good for the most part. I really didn’t like the narration of the daughter. The narrator made her sound like an 8yo girl instead of the nearly 15 the child is. So hard to listen to a teen banter about sex and drugs but sounds like an 8yo. This would not be an issue with the written word.

Be aware that sex pops into the story in the most unexpected moments. So do not listen if a child could walk into the room unexpectedly or use headphones. Language may be considered vulgar for some. If penis and clit, for example, are words you find offensive then this book isn’t for you.

Aside from these minor issues, the book is a great cozy mystery. The characters are likable. The story is engaging. The chapter titles deserve their own accolades. I laughed at each and everyone of them them.

Another amazing book from Darynda Jones. She’s definitely an insta by author for me.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second in the Sunshine Vicram series. So. Go read the first if you happen to stumble up this review. (Then go read her Charley Davidson series.)

What I loved: the CHARACTERS. Darynda never disappoints me with her amazing characters from the main and supporting. Sunshine and Auri, her daughter, have the most amazing relationship. Auri has such a good heart and she reminds me to hug my 5 year old daughter because she’ll eventually be a teenager. Just kidding, kind of. Sunshine is so dedicated even with all the quips and witty dialogue. Cruz, Auri’s boyfriend is such a sweet kid. And the friendships Sunshine forms are just beautiful. The romance in this romantic suspense was perfect and steamy. I love Levi forever.
Darynda takes the suspense in a thousand different directions with so many plots. She does this smoothly and effortlessly.

What I didn’t like: I have to wait so long for the next.

The narration was done flawlessly. The narrator, Lorelei King, captures the tone and sarcasm so well. She is perfect for this book, she really brings the entire characters to life.

If you are a fan of the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones, you will adore this series. If you haven’t read anything from Darynda Jones and love witty, hilarious, dialogue and perfectly detailed characters with complex yet smooth storylines, then give this series a shot!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.