It's the morning after... I finished reading A Good Day for Chardonnay around 1:30 last night and for some reason, I am close to tears while writing this. Why? Gosh, you guys, I feel like it's been a long year and for the first time in a long time, I felt kinda normal again reading the words from Darynda Jones. It felt comforting and familiar. I didn't want it to end. Sun is such a kind and loving character and when you throw in the humor and spark she supplies, well... she's my kinda gal. Her back and forth with Levi is a thing of beauty. I swear this needs to be picked up by Netflix and made into a series.

Once again I am left needing more.
5 Sunshiny Stars
~Tanja

Review also posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

Sunshine & Auri Vicram are Back and that means it’s Time to Celebrate!

It’s also Time for Shenanigans, Sass, and Sweet Nothings!

In “A Good Day for Chardonnay” by Darynda Jones, Sheriff Sunshine Vicram has plenty to deal with, investigating crimes with her best friend and Chief Deputy Quincy. Lately, the best and worst part for Sunshine is that both her past and her biggest case lead her back to one person: Levi Ravinder, the one man she can’t seem to forget.

Auri wants to be just like her mom, and can’t help but get herself and a few of her friends into trouble when investigating what seems like a fairly straightforward case.

For me, the best part about “A Good Day for Chardonnay” were the characters and their relationships. I was rolling with laughter at the antics that ensued between these guys and loved the witty banter that was exchanged between Sunshine and her daughter Auri and Sunshine and Quincy. One scene between Sunshine and Quincy got me and got me good! While I liked the romance between Sunshine and Levi, I was wholly unprepared for how quickly it transpired and found it to be a bit too steamy for my liking.

All in all, however, I enjoyed this addition to the series, loved how it ended, and can’t wait for the next addition to the story.

A buddy read with Kaceey that we both enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Darynda Jones for the arc.

Review published on Goodreads, Netgalley, Twitter, and Instagram.

A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY is the 2nd book in the Sunshine Vicram series. I don’t want to spoil anything so what I will say is if you haven’t started this series...get on it! The series starts out with A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE where we follow newly elected Sheriff (you guessed it, her name is Sunshine) and her daughter Auri. Everything reminds me of Gilmore Girls, but with a crime to solve. It’s truly zany and so much fun. Oh, and I must not forget to mention the potential romance between Sunshine and Levi is 🔥⁣
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This series is truly fun (there better be a 3rd book) and I highly recommend if the premise sounds like it may be your jam. I liked the big case in A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY better than the first book, but became less interested in Auri’s storyline. But I am so on board for Sunshine and Levi!

Of course I had to read the book as soon as I received the ARC. And I'm glad I did because it was as funny and captivating as the first read. Although I loved the second half more than the first, which also happened in the first book.

We did get answers to some of my most burning questions, but there are also so many more that still need to be answered, also the ending!!!!!!! The wait until the next book will be HARD!!!

I adored the YA romance between Auri and Cruz. I have a big crush on this couple and can't wait to read more about them. Cruz is book boyfriend material, I'm not kidding!!!

And then there is finally more of Sunshine and Levi. They are probably the paring I was the most excited about, and I wasn't disappointed. I'm still very much rooting for them and need more of them stat!!

Thanks to the many quirky characters, and the many lol moments made this book an entertaining read. Although the author's style can be a bit much at times. I realised that during the first half, when the situations and dialogues became a bit over the top, unrealistic, and maybe a bit forced too. Nevertheless I'm as excited to read more in this series as I was last year. The third book can't come soon enough for me.

I loved it! This author is so funny! There are a few mysteries going on in this book and one of them is being followed by Sunshine's teenage daughter. They have a close, witty relationship that reminds me of the TV show The Gilmore Girls. All the characters are a lot of fun and so many exciting things happen in the end. Very touching too. Great book!

10 ++++ Stars!!! I'm in love with this series and OMG...that ending! I'm a little afraid that this is just a duet. I don't think it is, but if it is, I might cry. That very last sentence had me screaming "No please don't end it there!"

I think a lot of people will compare this to the Charlie Davidson series without the PNR twist. I would agree to some of the same characteristics, but it is still it's own series. Either way, I won't complain. I'm a huge fan of both series and I want more, more, more.

The heroine and all the sidekicks are hilarious and keep me very entertained. The hero is smoldering! He's intense and just his description alone has me saying "yes please!" Yep, I'm a fan.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the 2nd book in the Sunshine Vicram mystery series. The first in the series, A Bad Day for Sunshine introduces Sunshine Vicram, the newly elected sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico and her truly adorable daughter Aurora Dawn "Aurie". The first book was so much fun, and I was truly laughing out loud for most of it.

This book takes place about four months after the events of A Bad Day for Sunshine, and it holds up well after the VERY impressive first book. Darynda Jones is so talented in creating these expansive universes with top-notch characters. I loved the second book, just as delightful as the first.

Fresh, brilliant, bright, and funny! Darynda takes readers on a ride through Del Sol you won’t want to miss. She’s a champion writer of romance, comedy, mystery, and suspense. The funny things are laugh-out-loud-and-hope-the-people-around-you-don’t-think-you’re-crazy funny. Even the serious things are funny. The even more serious things are, well, raw and unfiltered. True.

Sun and Auri are two of my favorite girls in all of literature. There’s simply no escaping this world once you’ve stepped into it. Sunshine has found out just enough enough of the mysteries in Del Sol, but not all of them, to keep me coming back for more. And don’t get me started on Levi Ravinder or we’ll be here all night. Swoon!

A Good Day for Chardonnay, book #2 in the Sunshine Vicram series, by Darynda Jones is even more engrossing than A Bad Day for Sunshine. The New Mexico setting is perfect for Sheriff Sunshine Vicram, her cute and tough daughter Aurora Dawn--Aurie, and the guys in their orbit. The plot pacing is fast and furious--more thriller than cozy. The investigation into the kidnapping from book one is picking up speed as new clues are revealed, there is a cold case serial killer hunt, Sunshine's parents are still trying their best to 'hook her up', and her feelings for sexy Levi are growing by leaps and bounds. Oh, and Cruz? He melts my heart. Darynda Jones pulls the reader into the story with wonderful characters, snarky humor, and a thrilling fast paced mystery---leaving the reader both satisfied AND wanting more. Excellent read!
Thank you #AGoodDayForChardonnay #NetGalley #Kensington for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I review books I enjoy so that others can enjoy them too.

It's about four months after the events of A Bad Day for Sunshine and Sunny finally seems to be able to have a real life outside of her sheriff-ing duties. She's even going on dates. Granted, they are blind dates that are set up by her parents with men who really aren't her type, but it's a start. Right?

Things get a little crazy when her best friend calls her in a panic over a wild raccoon at his cabin.

They get a little more crazy that same night when there's a stabbing at the bar of the man that Sunny has been crushing on since she was around four years old (and he was about 6).

Things get even crazier when a cold case from Sunny's past ends up back on her radar.

And, on top of all that, the mayor is holding things over Sunny's head if she doesn't solve the mystery of the legendary group who is thought to run the town.

If only there was some time to just sit back and get a drink!

Final thoughts: I love all Darynda Jones books and this one is no exception. She's got a special writing voice that just makes me jealous. I wish I could come up with these comebacks in a few months, let alone the seconds the characters have to say them. I got a little confused by the Dangerous Daughters subplot as it was mentioned in the beginning and resolved near the end, with nothing in the middle. I feel like either I missed something or something was just missed. Additionally, one HUGE peeve was the use of c*&t in the book. It's just once (at least in this ARC) but it seriously pulled me, more accurately, YANKED me right out of the book. That is such a harsh word and its use was in a place that was the exact opposite of the connotation I usually feel for that word. I hope it gets changed before the final book is released.

And she does it again! Darynda Jones has a true talent for creating a cast of interesting characters whose past and present are intertwined in so many ways - you can't stop reading and end up wanting to know be one of the crew. You will be turning pages, laughing out loud, a bit teary, tense and even sometimes angry - what a roller coaster of fun! This is the second book in this series and even better than the first if that's possible - keep them coming!

I received an arc from Netgalley and am ever so grateful to get my Sunshine fix a little early! This second installment was full of mystery, humor, and thrills we have come to expect from Darynda Jones. My advice is to preorder now...you won't be disappointed!

Darynda has hit it out of the park once again! Readers truly couldn’t ask for more as a follow up to A Good Day For Sunshine. This book has a little bit of everything: mystery, comedy, romance, cliffhangers, tears, joy, and everything else in between!.
All of our favorite characters are back from book 1, some highlighted more than others.
Many important questions are answered in this book while leaving plenty of room for more cliffhangers and adventures in the next installment of the series.
I simply couldn’t put this book down. I lost several nights of sleep because of it but it was well worth it. I can’t wait for book 3!

This book is just a total hoot! I have not read the first in the series (must do that now!) but I was able to get the gist of characters and place soon enough. Honestly, you could read it just for the tongue in cheek headers at the beginning of each chapter. So clever! Anyway, just read the book. It will make you laugh and then make you feel good after you've laughed. The author has a nice way with words that is unpretentious and downright funny.

LOVED IT

I would like to thank Darynda Jones, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t think I speak of anything in enough detail to be considered a spoiler, I made an effort not to, but if you want to make sure to avoid them, maybe don’t read this.

I loved this book more than the first! I have a strong craving to reread it already, to reread both of them. There were a million plots, per Jones’s MO, but they were all interwoven seamlessly, also per Jones’s MO. A few threads didn’t get completely tied up because they’ll extend into book 3, but they were resolved enough to leave the reader satisfied, which is much appreciated.

I refuse to think too hard about this book and pick it apart, I don’t have the heart this time. But off the top of my head, there was one thing that could probably have been cut without consequence: the Randy gag. As far as I can tell, it served no purpose but to be funny. And now that I think on it, was it even resolved? Were we told what happened to Randy? If we were, I don’t remember. *runs search* No, he isn’t mentioned past chapter 24. But anyway.

The pace was fast but steady, every scene had room to breathe. It might throw some readers off that the climax for one plot is as early as 60%, but personally I was ecstatic to know that there was still so much left of the book! I didn’t want it to end. Jones said she had to cut like, ten thousand words during revisions, which makes me gasp like Damian when Cady breaks the crown at the end of Mean Girls.

The characters were all amazing, every single one. I couldn’t get enough of them. I admired Sunshine’s goodness and dedication and maturity (that’s a feat, making the character appear mature despite her constant quips); I related to Auri’s well-intentioned mistakes and to just generally being a teenager; I sympathized with Quinn and Sun’s parents; I was afraid for Hailey and Jimmy; I was conflicted about Wynn; I adored Rojas and liked Zee and Salazar.

And oh god, Cruz. Cruz simply shattered my heart.

I was most impressed with Levi, though. I liked him a lot more this time around; he was still prickly and obstinate, but much less of an asshole, at least to my mind. He didn’t once complain as he ran himself ragged trying to help and protect everyone he cared about. I think he reveled in being involved, being needed, being useful, especially in regards to Sunshine. I hope his eye’s okay . . . I kept expecting Sunshine to force him to go to the hospital and he’d come out with a sexy eye patch. But alas, no eye patch.

I do wish Jones had included a few more lines at the very end; I’d really like to hear Levi’s answer to Sun’s question, because it would help me understand where his head’s been at for the last fifteen years. When did he? I want so badly to understand; I’m still tempted to be angry with him for not doing anything, but I’m much more willing to give him the benefit of the doubt than I was after book 1. He earned that benefit in 2.

*groans* The third book cannot come fast enough. I want it almost as much as I want Beep and Osh, that’s how much I’ve come to love this series. Forget Annette’s book, can we have A Hard Day for a Hangover this fall? Pleeeease?

Overall, this has to be one of Jones’s best books of late. I loved it times infinity.

I was so excited to get this book, I love Darynda Jones books so much! Thank you NetGalley for the advance reader copy of A Good Day for Chardonnay in exchange for an honest review. I also got the first book of the series as an ARC and loved it and have been impatiently waiting for this book as soon as I heard about it. Now I am doing the same with the next one, is there going to be a third book? Please tell me yes, I would fall into a deep depression if this was it in the series. In A Good Day for Chardonnay we start about four months after the events of A Bad Day for Sunshine. Auri and Sybil have become best buddies, Auri has also gotten much closer to Cruz. Sunshine has to solve a murder, a kidnapping and save herself too. Levi was a much more present character in this book, much to my delight and Sunshine's. Yes, I have a mad crush on Levi, is that weird? We learn more about Sunshine's kidnapping all those years ago and a lot of blanks are filled in of her missing time. I just want to talk about everything in the book, but no spoilers, so I'll just write that I loved this book even more than "a glass of Chardonnay". Thank you Darynda Jones for writing such amazing books full of humor, love, intrigue and compassion. You make me laugh, cry and want to hug your books to my chest like they are oh so precious. I also feel less abnormal reading your work, knowing that other people have the same sense of humor. I LOVED this book!

A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second book in the Sunshine Vicram series. I really enjoyed the story and how it played out. The story does stand alone, but I'd recommend reading the first in the series first. I love the characters and their witty dialogue. Is it the next great American novel, no. Some things are unrealistic, like "are you kidding me?" But will you enjoy the story, absolutely!

Kudos to author Darynda Jones for a fun and well written book! Of course the title drew me in but I did not expect quite this type of book to unfold with each page turn.

What a delightful read! Sheriff Sunshine Vicram leads readers through so many twists and turns, frolics, mayhem and mystery and at each page turn had this mystery lover engaged and wondering what the heck was coming next. Each character was filled with just that - character - and I loved each and every resident and visitor to this New Mexico town.

From secret societies to decades old love affairs, murders and mystery, this book took me on a great escape from reality for the time I was reading it. Crafted by a great wordsmith this is one that will stay with me for awhile. I am anxious to read more by this author for sure!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a free digital copy for my honest review. Definitely one that will top my favorites list.

A Good Day for Chardonnay is a great read! I always like books by Darynda Jones and this one didn’t let me down. I enjoy the authors books because the story is always fast paced and has bits of humour in every chapter.

I love Sunshine and the way she interacts with her colleagues. I love her relationship with her daughter and the way they check in with each other by text. And I love the slow burn relationship she has with Levi.

This book was a great escape with mystery, secrets and revelations. I can’t wait to read more in this great series.

I received an e-arc of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

When an author I love starts a new series, I'm often a bit worried that it won't live up to the previous one. After loving Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series, I was excited when A Bad Day for Sunshine was released. I was thrilled to be approved for an ARC of a Good Day for Chardonnay and debated rereading A Bad Day for Sunshine to refresh my memory... but I was too impatient and jumped right in. No need to worry - A Good Day for Chardonnay sucked me right back in to the story and the characters. Very few books have been quoting lines to my kids, but this one did (several phrases and Auri's bike/bridge experience). I love the banter between characters and Sunshine's comments to her daughter, Auri, fit right in with my relationship with my kids. A Bad Day had me questioning some of the elements (like how Sunshine got her job) but the relationships and storylines that came out of it had me forgiving all my doubts.

A Good Day for Chardonnay continues the story of Sunshine Vicram, sheriff of a small New Mexico town. There are still the unanswered questions about Sunshine's abduction 15 years ago and who was involved, but that's got to make way for a bar fight, a teenage daughter who takes after her mother in so many trouble-finding ways, and unresolved missing persons cases. Never a dull moment when you consider the good and bad elements of the local Ravinder family - lost love Levi, in prison Wynn, scheming Clay, enigmatic Hailey. We get the fantastic cast of characters from the first book with Darynda's usual flair for banter and relationships. The longer arc storylines feature along with newer issues combining into a fast-paced read. I enjoyed A Good Day for Chardonnay more than the first in the series, perhaps because I already knew the characters. There was ALOT to unpack in this book with many of the characters having their own stories. In many ways, even having just finished the book, it's hard to say which storyline stood out the most. There are also a variety of tones set -- a mischievous raccoon, old missing persons cases, young love and friendship, adult love and friendship, blind dates, bar fights, stabbings, abductions, and crime... and when I got to the end, I loved how it all came together (although I was sad about one of the endings). Literally, when I read the last sentence, my first thought was MORE. Now I have to figure out how to patiently wait for the next in the series. (Who am I kidding, I won't be patient.)

My thanks to Darynda Jones for another fantastic series, St Martin's Press for approving my request, and NetGalley for providing the ARC.