If Gilmore Girls were a mystery show and Stars Hollow were a small town in New Mexico, then you’d have this fun new dramedy mystery series. It’s witty and quippy, has some heart pulsing action, and lots of heart.

Without entering an election Sunshine Vicram has been elected the new sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico, her hometown. With her 14-year-old daughter Auri she’s moved into the newly apartment built in her parents backyard (coincidence? I think not.) A single mom, Sunshine has never been far from home but a very traumatic thing that happened when she was 17 sent her packing.

Now she’s back and her first day on the job all hell breaks loose, predicted by the arrival of a basket of muffins. No really. There’s a big crash, an escaped prisoner, and tipping it all off an abducted girl, whose case is a little too close to home for Sheriff Vicram, who must examine her own traumatic history, come face to face with the man she’s loved since she was a kid (just as alluring as ever and with some secrets for sure) and find a teenage girl who predicted her own death.

Luckily she’s got a burly BFF as her chief deputy, a posse of Book Babes who know everything in town, and a very savvy daughter.

The story is told in the alternating viewpoints of Sun and Auri, who have a wonderful and amusing bond. All the dialog was snappy, so I’ll forgive some plot points that didn’t quite convince me. There’s also an interesting element of the slightly supernatural.

There are tons of open ended storylines, so this is definitely not going to be one of those series you can read out of order. Can’t wait for the next one!

I received a copy of this from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever had a book that you can't stop reading? You read a couple chapters and get so into it, you keep thinking, I'll stop at the end of the chapter and then it's suddenly 2 am and your still reading. To top it off you start skipping shows and even food and potty breaks cause you don't want to stop reading. That's how A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones was. I loved this book! I won an got an early release copy from Netgalley and I was so excited my mom laughed at me. It lived up to the hype too! Sunshine Vicram is a strong, smart, and sarcastic Sheriff in a weird town. She also has amazing relationships with her parents, daughter and her best friend. She taught her daughter everything she knows and they both face their first day, at school and as a sheriff, with the same odd ball outlook on life. And on top of that, they deal with missing persons, a rooster, a 15 year old abduction case, and a fugitive. I loved this book and now I have to find the patience to wait for the sequel, hopefully there will be one. Bottom line, buy this book, it was awesome 😎

This book was really good, I enjoyed it. The storyline was engaging, and kept my attention throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book.

I liked the premise of the story, especially the senior citizen flasher and a rooster named Puff Daddy. The characters were interesting but I am not a fan of love triangles. Maybe my heart just wasn't in it on the first read and I'll try reading it again down the road.

This book was funny and entertaining, it included likeable and complex characters that were generally well developed and it had an interesting plot that made me root for those characters, even the ones I did not like completely.
This book is a reminder of why I keep reading Darynda Jones books. For anyone who might have never read anything of hers, there are certain qualities you are guaranteed with her books: funny dialogue, incredible chemistry (and not just romantically) and an interesting plot that is, however, supported by those well-constructed characters. That is where this book fell short for me.
We follow Sehriff Vicram’s first two days in the position, two very eventful days, while she solves a kidnapping and a possibly stolen chicken—sorry, rooster. The story starts strong and very quickly builds our main characters: Sunshine and Aurora (Auri) Vicram. The humor element is present as ever between mother and daughter, and we are able to easily understand that not only are they close, they are also reliant on each other for emotional support. We have enough information since the beginning to udnerstand how and why the characters act and think, yet there are a lot of unanswered questions: why did Auri try to kill herself when she was younger? What exactly happened to Sun when she disappeared? Is Auri actually a result of rape?
I am happy to say that all of these questions are answered, even if the characters do not realize it. The matter in which Sun’s past trauma was explained, however, missed the mark for me. When Sun finally explained that she had been kidnapped and now suffered from amnesia, yet recalled everything that had happened, I expected to be shocked or at least learn something new. But Sun’s story wa snothing if not disappointing, because it wasn’t anything new, it didn’t include any new leads, and it was something that had been implied before.
The question of Auri’s suicide attempt was the most emotional part of the book. I wasn’t a huge fan of how abruptly we change dperspectives between mother and duaghter, but I’m tempted tos ay it was all worth it for that scene where both Sun and Auri have a panic attack and are helped by their respective love interests, how one paragraph changed perspective Midway as they both experienced the same. I have always liked Darynda as a writer, but this particular scene made me respect her so much more.
The question of Sun’s kidnapping and the identity of Auri’s father, however, is what is bumping the rating of this book down for me. I could not, for the life of me, understand what on Earth Sun sees in Levi because being hot is not enough of a reason for a grown woman to act the way she does. It is more than obvious that Levi is Auri’s father, but how Sun cannot make the connection between the boy who saved her and Levi make absolutely no sense. If Auri looks like him, Sun was held in his family’s lands, and his uncle was killed around the same time Sun reappeared, what more does she need to figure it out? Levi is resentful towards Sun for, assumingly, keeping Auri from him; yet he makes absolutely no effort to call her out on it. My general theory is that they slept together before Sun was kidnapped and her amnesia made her forget it, but I can’t for the life of me figure out why Levi wouldn’t just say something. I found this plotline ridiculous and impossible to justify, and it made me like both Sun and Levi’s characters way, way les. I hope it is solved in the next book because this has been the most stressful thing to happen to me this year, and we’re in the middle of a pandemic.
Because this subplot was such a huge part of the book and it made me dislike Sun and Levi at least partly, some of the rest of the book falls short. Darynda Jones’ writing is fabulous as always, but it is a fact that she often relies on her characters to hold the story up, and these characters were simply not good enough to do the job completely here. It was Auri and Cruz, and all of the secondary characters, who did that job for her this time around, and the dislikeability and frustration caused by the main character is noted throughout the book.
The plot of this particular book, Sybil St. Aubin’s kidnapping, was as interesting as I was expecting. I liked the twists and, although predictable, it was a good time. I liked her character and it was enough of a mystery that it kept me entertained. I cannot explain why it is, but it felt exactly like what one would expect a Darynda Jones mystery book to be. It just fits in with everything I know of her as a writer. I do, however, expect her to explain the paranormal aspect of Sybil’s premonition and the cursed muffins, along with the importance of the Dangerous Daughters, who disappointed me by not showing up in this book.
Funny and full of character, A bad day for Sunshine was a good read for me. It was everything I expected it to be, but the character building lacked in certain aspects and it was not able to hold up the plot in the manner it needed to make this great. It did, however, make me laugh out loud and continue wondering about the world it built, because we can all agree that Del Sol is certainly out of this world.

I had a lot of fun reading this novel. It’s kind of an all in one, containing a little bit of everything: quirky, witty characters, a layered mystery and a touch of romance. It all begins when Sunshine Vicram returns to Del Sol, New Mexico to take the helm as the new, elected sheriff. A position that she never ran for, but was somehow mysteriously elected to. Del Sol is a town with a lot of history for Sunshine. A lot of memories, not all of them happy ones. It was in Del Sol 15 years prior that Sunshine was abducted, held for days and returned pregnant. Now with her 14 year old daughter in tow, Sunshine sets out to solve the mystery of her disappearance, and set the town of Del Sol in her rear view mirror. Hoping for a leisurely tenure as sheriff, reality strikes with a vengeance when another teenage girl goes missing on her watch. What seems like a perhaps ordinary disappearance is spun on its head when Sunshine receives a personalized letter written by the missing teen that prophesies her own disappearance and untimely death. Rattled, Sunshine is determined to not let this prophecy fulfill itself. The trials and tribulations of the various characters are at times hilarious and heart rending. A real delight. Review posted to Facebook, LibraryThing, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Quirky! Lots of snappy patter! I enjoyed the mystery portion of the story and accepted that, in some galaxy far, far away, there are people who are indeed that witty, all of the time.

I was unfamiliar with this author and was pleased to see that she has written other books. I plan to read more of her work.

If you're looking for literature with a capital L, this probably won't do it for you. If you have a pet peeve with books that end in cliffhangers, be warned. But if you're looking for a mystery that moves along, that occupies your mind when it needs to be occupied, you'd probably enjoy this book. If you're cursed with l'esprit de l'escalier and can't imagine having a quip for every occasion, here's your book.

I think this book does precisely what the author intended.

4.5 Hearts, Romance Junkies
SJ

Darynda Jones' A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE is a laugh-out-loud, intriguing mystery set in a quirky, small town filled with characters, good, bad, and—most importantly—fascinating.

Sheriff Sunshine Vicram is back in Del Sol after having been gone for several years. Her time spent as a police officer in Santa Fe has barely prepared her for her first day in office when a car runs right through the department building and nearly mows her down.

Sunshine hits the ground running, dealing with a rooster on the run, muffins of doom, a missing convict, and a kidnapped teenage girl. Not to mention keeping an eye on her daughter, a lovely, funny teen who's had emotional trauma in the past, as well as dealing with the not-quite-an-ex, a man she's been secretly in love with forever who can't stand her.

The mystery is well done, with details that enrich the story. The idea of a psychic tie-in that might or might not be real, in addition to the mystery of Sunshine's murky past (she left Del Sol for a very good reason), keeps the story flowing. The characters are dynamic, and though Sunshine and Auri take center stage, the story wouldn't be nearly so fun without Levi, Cruz, Quincy, Zee and the others. The banter between Sunshine and Quincy is gold.

A secondary plot involving Sunshine's teenage daughter dealing with school and emotional issues really added dimension to the story and made the book richer because of it. Cruz, Auri's crush, is wonderful, unexpected, and almost if not more intriguing than Levi--Sunshine's angry kind-of-ex.

This is the first of what I assume to be a new mystery series, and I can't wait to read what happens next. The story is fun, entertaining, and perplexing as you try to figure out who did what. I occasionally had to go back and reread a page, because of the myriad characters, but honestly, the story was so entertaining I didn't mind.

For mystery fans, a must-read. A definite great beginning for a new series by the always entertaining Darynda Jones, bestselling author of the Charlie Davidson series.

There are things that I love about D. jones writings.... I love her cast of diverse and quirky characters, hysterical chapter openings, and her description and use of setting throughout the story . As a long time reader, I was anticipating one or more of the characters to turn in a vampire that’s gone vegan. But I wasn’t disappointed in the lack of paranormal activity.

I’m not sure if I’m emotionally invested in Sunshine and Auri enough to watch them grow in a series, but I’m ready for my mind to be blown!,

Sunshine Vicram has just been elected Sheriff of her hometown, Del Sol, New Mexico. She never knew she was running! Today is her first day on the job. Although she and her daughter Auri have returned to the place Sunshine calls home, the place seems different, yet very much the same, as if time has stood still.

Her first day and the next few will find Sunshine questioning herself for saying yes to the position. Between a young girl being kidnapped, a prisoner on the run, being worried about her daughter, seeing her first love again, finding a dead body in the mountains and having to navigate a feud between two townspeople over a rooster...what else could life throw at her? Believe it or not, even more!

The young girl, Sybil goes missing just before her 15th birthday. A new friend of her daughter's, Sybil has been haunted for years believing that she would die before her 15th birthday. Was she really kidnapped or is this just a ruse for attention?

While trying to find Sybil, they discover a dead body up in the mountains. Does this have anything to do with the kidnapping? Or is this just added stress on Sunshine.

All this is happening as Sunshine begins to relive her own abduction from years ago. Could any of this be connected to her own kidnapping, something she has little to no recollection of because she had a brain injury.
Her daughter Auri is not fairing any better! On her first day, when her friend Sybil fails to show up at school, she must try and navigate her peers, who know she is the daughter of the Sheriff and want to have nothing to do with her. And when she discovers her friend is missing, decides to play sleuth against her mother's wishes.

Now, throw the quirky townspeople into the mix, including her own sheriff's department staff, add a missing deputy that no one seems to know where he is (although they seem to know where he is) and you have a story reminiscent an episode of The Gilmore Girls, sharp witted humor, funny and sarcastic, with a very strong female protagonist.

The creative book chapter headings only make you fall in love with the town and the people in it even more! Hopefully there will be a second in the series and Sunshine can continue to keep us smiling!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Darynda Jones for the advanced copy.

This was such a great book! I was sorry to see it end. Can't wait for the next installment.
Sunshine and her daughter move back to their hometown when Sunshine accepts a job as the local sheriff. The town is full of quirky people & Sunshine's not sure she wants to stay, but her daughter loves it and her parents are thrilled that they are back.
Unfortunately the first day on the job is not a quiet one. First a girl goes missing, then a boy goes missing... but it's not certain that the two events are related. This brings up memories of when Sunshine was abducted as a child.
I loved the character development and the story. Really a great book

What a hilarious, entertaining, witty, thrilling ride from the fantastic author of Charley Davidson series. I enjoyed the characters, witty, humorous writing, pacing, progression. The only thing I didn’t like and made me cut my one star is the mystery between Levi and Sunshine is so obvious and predictable. It shouldn’t be a cliffhanger of the first book. It should be revealed and we have to face another intriguing, questionable cliffhanger. This is a great novel to read if you are feeling even a hint of the blues and in need of a lift.

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/2
A great start to a new series!! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to A Bad Day for Sunshine. Darynda Jones is an excellent storyteller. I love the chase of characters she has created in this new Del Sol world. There are many many characters that I loved and quite a few that I really wanted to tar and feather.

I loved the relationship between Sunshine and Auri. They are everything that a mother and daughter relationship should be. I loved that Darynda told the story from both Sunshine and Auri’s point of view. It was great to see how much they love and support each other.

The rest of the characters are so great! I really hope that we do get to explore more of a lot of the secondary characters throughout the Sunshine Vicram series. Or possible spin off stories about the characters.

Oh one more thing: Levi Ravinder..... YUM! And please don’t turn out to be a dirtbag.

Either way I am hooked on the Sunshine Vicram world.

I was a bit worried to listen to this story because I feared that I would hear Charley as Lorelei King was reading. But I should have known the brilliant voice of Lorelei would never let that happen. From the get go Sunshine sounded nothing like Charley and it made listening to this story amazing. Lorelei is so talented with her voices, Sunshine, Auri, Quincy and Levi...sigh... she is a great narrator. If you are a fan of her narrating the Charley Davidson series never fear. While there may be a few side characters that may sound similar the main characters are all new.

I am ready for book 2, A Good Day for Chardonnay (2021). I can’t wait to see where Darynda takes us on this journey.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

I absolutely loved this book! The banter, the building relationships, the mother/daughter dynamics. I am so looking forward to the next book in this series.

I was given a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion via NetGalley.
This is the story of Sunshine Vicram, the new sheriff in town. Her old hometown where there is a history that is a mystery. At times the story read as a Hallmark movie in that her teenage daughter, Auri, was such a great girl. Teenage girls are not always as sweet as her. Interactions between adults in the book were just too sweet and nice that it just wasn't realistic to me. There were scenarios with others in the book as well that didn't ring true or very realistic to me. I can overlook that though because I was anxious to find out "who done it". Perhaps I overlooked the fact that this is the first in a series. Because I didn't know that, you can understand my frustration of finishing the book with mid sentence and NOT knowing "who done it".

Sunshine Vicram is the sheriff in Del Sol, New Mexico. Sunshine had moved away but somehow her name was put in for Sheriff and she won. US Marshal, Levi Ravinder, is also helping find out what is going on in town. These 2 have a past and he is so hunky that her thoughts go elsewhere.
This is the first book in this series and I can not wait to read the rest. You get to meet everyone in this town so there are a lot of characters but is easy to follow. I found this a fun and quirky read.
I received this from NetGalley for review.

I love Darynda Jones' writing. It is so funny, sarcastic, and sassy. And her characters! I just love how she brings together this dysfunctional group of people and family and entertains us with their antics and relationships. This was the entertaining, fun mystery read I was looking for right now. I guess my only complaint would have been how Auri's point of view made the book feel a little bit like a YA read.

Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series is an old favorite. A Bad Day For Sunshine has a lot of similar qualities - a snarky, mystery solving heroine obsessed with coffee and southwestern food, charming secondary characters and a misunderstood anti-hero love interest. It also puts the main character through similarly horrific events.

One major difference is that this book gives Sunshine's teenaged daughter almost equal page time. Aurora has her own horrors and her own misunderstood anti-hero as she starts at her new high school. She also helps her mom solve her case since Aurora was friends with the missing girl. I liked Aurora's POV but it took me a little while to get used to.

I love the quirky small town shenanigans, like the old man chasing the rooster down Main Street, but I might have liked to have more of them. The story was kind of dark and heavy despite the snark. Admittedly, that might be due to the fact that I read it right after the first few books of the In Death series. That was a lot of cases that bring up the heroines' childhood trauma for one weekend!

I'm fascinated by Sunshine's world and excited to read more in the series. I'm pretty sure I have some stuff figured out that Sunshine doesn't know yet and can't wait to see if I'm right.

A Bad Day for Sunshine is a great start to Jones' new series featuring Sunshine Vicram. I always enjoyed Jones' Charley Davidson series, and I found that I really enjoyed this series as well. Sunshine and her daughter are moving back to Del Sol after Sunshine wins the election for the position of sheriff. Sunshine figures that cases should be easy to manage, but unfortunately she is proven wrong. When a teenage girl disappears, Sunshine is in a race to save the girl while also trying to keep memories of what happened to her as a youth at bay. Sunshine's first day on the job definitely doesn't go as expected, and she needs to solve this case before time runs out.

Jones does a great job at creating a new cast of characters as well as a new setting for this series. I do love that this series still combines humor with the mystery, intrigue, and suspense. Sunshine is very well developed, but the book still leaves more to be explored for future installments. I especially loved the cast of secondary characters that really added to the story. The book's story captures the reader's interest from the very beginning and never lets go. Full of twists and turns as well as plenty of page turning action and suspense, A Bad Day for Sunshine proved to be an entertaining read. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a suspenseful, entertaining mystery that proves hard to put down. I look forward to reading Sunshine's next adventure.

Received a copy of A Bad Day for Sunshine through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I'm so glad to see Darynda Jones back with this new series! Her books are undeniably funny, but they are also surprising and ingenious. She takes simple tropes and turns them on their heads. I love that she gives a view from different perspectives. I can't wait for more Sunshine!