I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The stories suck you in and yes you read it right, the stories plural. Because the way this book is written is very unique.
First, you won't feel like only one couple forms the main characters. You have the teenagers like Cruz and Auri that are so sweet and smart that you can't help but fall in love with them. Then you have Sun and Levi with an intensity that pulls you and leaves you wanting more and cursing everyone that interrupts them.
Each one of them are very well rounded with their own goals and secrets. But the best part is that even when there are many things happening (and trust me, there are) all of it comes together smoothly. You never get bored. This is a book with many mysteries and surprises but it is also a lot of fun with the crazy town people. I can't wait for the next one.

Loved it! I am grateful to NetGalley for introducing this new-to-me author. Thrilled to see it is the first of a series. The police blotter and other humorous bits that start each chapter are terrific stress relievers. The story has some suspenseful moments and several heart-warming ones, too. I will wait impatiently for book #2. In the meantime I see that Darynda Jones has other series and books that I must procure. The only thing I didn't care for in this tale was the use of the "f" word. Sure glad I didn't let that stop me from enjoying the story. Easy to overlook.

This is another book that immediately grabbed me. Like with the first paragraph. Sunshine Vicram is the new sheriff of a town “even the locals call The Psych Ward”. A town that “held more secrets than a politician’s wife.” Oh, and that sheriff position? She won, even though she never entered the race.
Meanwhile, Sun’s daughter, Aurora, is not having an easy time adjusting to her new school. The popular kids have it in for her.
This is a fairly lighthearted book. There’s great banter, wild escapades, and hunky men (of all ages). There’s a missing teenager and an escaped prisoner. And the police blotter excerpts and signs at the beginning of each chapter are just spot on perfect.
This book is the perfect escape from these trying times. It even manages to be a decent mystery. Consider it a quirky cozy mystery. It highlights the importance of good friends and loving family with lots of love to go around.
It ends with a hell of a cliff hanger, so there better be a book two!
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

This was delightful!
You get all the satire you would expect from Jones with a great new group of characters.
Of course I compared it to the Charley Davidson series (how could I not?).
Yes some of the characters (and even some of the plot) have similar aspects.
Does it make this any less enjoyable?
Nope! I am totally looking forward to reading more in this series.
Much love to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC.

A Bad Day for Sunshine is the first book in a new series by Darynda Jones. Set in mythical Del Sol, New Mexico, this story begins as Sunshine Vicram takes office as the town’s new sheriff. Sunny has a strong law enforcement background from her work in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, but is a bit taken aback by having won an election that she didn’t know her parents had entered her in. But then Cyrus and Elaine Freyr would move mountains, and build a guest house, to get Sunny and granddaughter Auri back home in Del Sol.

On the first day of the new job a haunting case comes Sunny’s way when a young girl has been abducted. This case hits far too close to home for Sunny. From the letter Sunny receives from the girl and her parents’ accounts, this girl had a premonition and dreams of this happening that no one took seriously. Did she see her future or did she plan it?

With a cast of fascinating characters and more twists than a mountain road, this is a fabulous new series that calls up Sunshine’s past and future in this small town tale. And while it solved the immediate case, there is so much more that the next book will need to reveal. I very much enjoyed this book, I look forward to the next book in the series, and do recommend this story

This review was originally posted on <a href="http://booksofmyheart.net/2020/03/31/a-bad-day-for-sunshine-by-darynda-jones/" target="_blank"> Books of My Heart</a>
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Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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I wasn't sure what to expect from this new <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/268702-sunshine-vicram" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em><strong>Sunshine Vicram</strong> </em></a>series from Darynda Jones.  Sunshine is the new sheriff in the town where she grew up and her parents live. She has been away for about 14 years.  She is an experienced law enforcement officer and I like that.  Her caring and commitment to her work is excellent.  Her first day on the job is crazy with things happening.

<strong>A Bad Day for Sunshine</strong> has many traits we have come to expect from this author. The main character, Sunshine loves coffee and sexy men. She's a hot blond woman.  The story is told from a case viewpoint.  It is set in New Mexico. There is a snarky sense of humor from the quirky characters to the delicious chapter titles.
<blockquote>Deputy Salazar responded to a report of a woman stopping at mailboxes and going through residents' mail.  Upon further investigation, it was the mail carrier.     ~ Del Sol police blotter</blockquote>
There are some really amazing characters. I like Sunshine's parents, Levi, the coffee shop dudes, and Jimmy. Cruz was fantastic and I'll be happy to see more of him.  We also get more of Sunshine's background in some (sort of) flashback scenes or memories.

I didn't like the way Sunshine had such a sexual view of almost all men; it was a little over-the-top.  Sunshine's daughter is the other main point of view for some of the chapters. I was uncomfortable with how much she involved herself in the cases as she is only fourteen, and that her mother let her do some of it.

I really enjoyed the mystery and the cases. The action was exciting.   There's easily more I want to know and an ongoing story arc I will want to follow.   After this great start, I'll definitely want to read more in this mystery series.

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I could relate to the hot climate, strong coffee, and the overall setting as I live in Arizona. I found this to be a fun, entertaining read that had me laughing out loud. I am happy to have stumbled across it on Netgalley. I found the description inviting.

The new sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico, Sunshine Vicram, has her hands full her first day on the job: a distraught woman drives her car into the police station, a prisoner has escaped from jail and is hiding out in Del Sol, and a 14-year-old, Sybil, goes missing and leaves an eerie note behind detailing her demise. To make things even more stressful, the Mayor is keeping an eye on Sunshine.

Sunshine Vicram has returned home with her beloved teenage daughter, Auri (Aurora Dawn Vicram . Sunshine is a single mom to a 14-year-old.

The narrative is split between Sunshine and Auri. It was entertaining and insightful to see how a 14-year old copes with a move. I enjoyed the relationships being developed between the characters. I expect to see more in the development of a specific love interest, will it be Team Levi or Team US Marshall?


This being my first Darynda Jones novel, I have added her to my author list. Looking forward to the sequel.

A Bad Day for Sunshine is my first book to read by Darynda Jones. I enjoyed the mix of suspense and humor. I am looking forward to reading more about Sunshine.

What a great start to a new series by Darynda Jones. Sunshine Vicram is the smart-talking new sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico. Elected without even knowing she was on the ballot, Sunshine shows up to her first day of work and as soon as the muffins arrive, the roller-coaster takes off. No, I am not going to explain that remark.

Sunshine moved into her parents guesthouse with her daughter Auri, with whom she shares a close relationship. Auri is smarter than the average teenager, which is just fine with the adult me who appreciates her maturity. And her wit. For example, when mom asks, “I do look rather badass, don’t I?”, Auri responds with “All that matters is that you think you look badass.”

Sunshine’s best friend is Chief Deputy Quincy Cooper. He is Sunshine’s straight man at the office. Or is it the other way around? At any rate, the BFF’s make a great team.

Sunshine has a past, the details of which are grudgingly revealed throughout the story. The main story line(s) follow Sunshine’s first cases in her new job. A missing girl, a chicken/rooster feud, an escaped prisoner and a deputy that is always conveniently unavailable.

Readers of Ms. Jones’ Charley Davidson series will see many similarities between the two series in both characters and construction. The similarities include (but are not necessarily limited to):

chapter openers of funny ads or signs
smart-mouthed humor (you will laugh out loud)
a BFF
an adorable lovable teenager
a deaf person
a major case
a minor case
a paranormal element
coffee
Mexican food
a promise there is more to the story
somebody that doesn’t like her
and last, but not least, our heroine being attracted to a mysterious man who is not necessarily a nice man

So if you lamented the end of Charley Davidson, take heart. Sunshine Vicram is just a charming, just a funny, just as complex, just as smart, has just as much heart, and I think I might like her even more than I liked Charley.

Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I don't read mystery books, but I liked this author. Storyline was good. Story kept me on edge of my seat. I laughed too. What else can I ask for when I got most of it from reading this book. It was just that good.

Darynda Jones, welcome back!!!!! If you haven’t read her Charley Davidson series about a private investigator by day, grim reaper by night who bangs Reyes, the son of Satan....you haven’t lived! Jones fills every book with humor, mystery, fantastic relationship building, and just cuckoo shit. But we’re not talking about Charley, we’re talking about Sunshine. And she’s equally badass and hilarious. Sunshine is a the new sheriff in Del Sol, New Mexico thanks to a rigged election and this is her first time back in a town where she was a previous kidnapping victim. She deals with memories and the crazy shit her town puts her through as well as a reappearance of a old love. I’m so here for this new series!!

Another great book and start to a series! Characters are fun and entertaining while the seriousness of trying to solve the mystery of a missing girl keeps you waiting to find out what happens. I can't wait for the next book in this series, to find out more about the mysteries of Sunshine's past.
*arc provided by netgalley for honest review

I was sucked into this book as soon as I started reading it. You will laugh, cry and get a little heated up reading this book. Sun is a badass with a heart of gold especially for her daughter Auri. I loved how this book went back and forth between Sun and Auri. I really didn't want the book to end. Though I knew who the bad person was in this book I still had fun reading about it all and who they ended up catching the person. I wish the next book was already out so I could continue the story right now.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Sunshine Vicram is back i Del Sol, New Mexico as the new sheriff. Her fourteen old daughter is starting out in a new school while mom is starting her first day as sheriff. The book is written with humor. Sun uses humor to get trough her days. Sun has some past things to settle as well as finding a kidnapper and a young man missing up in the mountains. Her job and her life keep her very busy, A book you can read for fun.

Charlie Davidson is one of my favorite series and this one is starting out to be just as great. Sun Vicram is a kick ass heroine. I’m going to love watching her grow as the sheriff. And then you have Levi, you can just feel the hotness and chemistry with Sun burn from the pages. Great secondary characters. Auri, what can I say about her. I look forward to her budding crush on Cruz. Well done, I can not wait for the next book in the series.

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones is book one in her new series.

This book was SO good!!!!!

The town of Del Sol and all the characters were so well described, I was completely immersed in the story.

The murder , kidnapping was fantastic. There were only a few suspects and the mystery was great.

A well crafted mystery. Can't wait for the next book!

#TheLastTourist #StMartin #NetGalley #BookReview

Special thanks to St.Martin Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
I am not a big fan of Comedy novels but i loved this one. It's the first time to me to read a novel by Darynda Jones but the story is so good.

This novel is about Sheriff Sunshine Vicram and her daughter Auri or Aurora, they live in a small town of Mexico called * Del Sol *, the characters are different but amazing, lovely and joyful, i love Latin America so much that i want to visit her one day with my husband.
This is the first book of the series but it's a very great start and i hope the rest of it will amazed us like this one.

This book is so fun, i really enjoyed it and i recommended it to a lot of my friends.

I loved Auri character so much and how brave she is.

The cover is so lovely and the idea of it admired me.

I have a lot of questions in my head but i hope that book 2 will answer it when it release.

With a fun cast of characters and a fast moving story, this book was fantastic!

I loved the characters! They were funny and relatable and real. I loved the relationship Sunshine has with her daughter and parents. Her friendship with Quincy is so endearing.

The serious situations were dealt with quite well and the hilarity didn’t lessen the importance or diminish their severity.

Not real good with descriptions but fun really fits! I had fun reading this book and can’t wait to see what happens next with this group!

I was so sure I would not like this book, since it wasn't Charley Davidson and her dysfunctional family. I was wrong, can't wait for the next Sunshine Vicram book. I will still miss Charley, but so glad Darynda Jones was able to write another winner.

I never expected anything from “A Bad Day for Sunshine” other than a good story from an award-winning author. I certainly didn’t expect what I got.

The first thing that bothered me was the similarity between the mother (Sunshine) and Daughter (Aurora, or Auri). Both characters merged into one, with few differences in personalities. As none of the other characters are given much depth, it made for bland reading. The relentless banter that filled the pages didn’t help, as it was rarely funny and usually skirted the edge of high school humor. Sunshine gives the impression of a woman whose driving goal has been her career, but for all the effort to keep men away her thoughts and actions reminded me more of a dog in heat. In one section, she bluntly stated that one man had everything she needed, and the last thing on her list was “penis.” I suppose it was a stab at humor, but the effort to me was not impressive.

There is a lot of back story thrown in at any given time, almost as if there were ten books about Sunshine and Auri before this one appeared. Being the first book, the past history instead became a convenience for the author. I’m not saying that an author can’t do this, but presentation is everything. These bits and pieces of the past would have been far more interesting if the readers could have discovered them, rather than the author explaining in a quick information dump that this character did this strange action because of these things that happened long ago. It didn’t take more than a few instances before the technique became old. Worst of all, the final suspense sequence of events contained law enforcement elements that wouldn’t happen in the real world and it became impossible to suspend disbelief.

In short, I was disappointed in the story. There are a lot of great elements that could have provided a unique backdrop, and there are plenty of characters that initially prodded my interest. Unfortunately, what I hoped for didn’t develop. It felt like the author was always on the verge of telling an entertaining and provocative mystery story, but just never got around to it. Two-and-a-half stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary electronic copy of this book.