This is the third in the Sunshine Vicram series, and I freakin' love them all.

Set in a small town in New Mexico, Sunshine is the sheriff. For such a small town, they sure have a lot of murders. While there are sometimes some pretty gruesome things that happen in these books, they are also completely hilarious. Plus, they always give me that cozy feeling and I never want them to end.

In this installment, there seems to be someone attacking young women and throwing them over the edge of a cliff alongside a particular stretch of road. It's not just Sunshine and her team that are trying to solve this case though, Sunshine's daughter Auri has also decided she wants to help, despite her mom's pleas to stay out of it. Without fail, wherever Auri goes, trouble isn't far behind.

This book is a bit different because you get both Sunshine's and Auri's point of view, so it feels as if it switches between an adult novel and a young adult one. That took a little getting used to.

I'm notorious for reading series out of order, but this is one that I recommend you start from the beginning. The antics are bananas enough as it is, without missing information that came in the book before, and having background on all of the characters.

Speaking of the characters, they are all just so, so great—both the main and supporting ones. They're often grumpy, meddling, smart, real, and completely loveable. As always, I was completely devastated when I turned the last page and had to say goodbye to them all.

If you're an audiobook fan, definitely check this one out. It comes in at 10 hours and 32 minutes and is narrated by Lorelei King, who also performed the other books in the series.

4.5 stars. I love these books so much and I will be so sad if this is the last of the series. There is so much humor and precious moments, along with mystery and suspense. It makes the perfect combination. I have fallen in love with all the characters and the wacky town itself.

I thought this book was a satisfying conclusion to the story, answering all our questions and resolving all the mysteries present throughout the series, along with the mystery of this particular book.

This book takes place just days after the last one and while It is a little crazy that Ari keeps investigating on her own and ending up in threatening situations, it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment of the book.

I was a little sad that some of the minor characters played a lesser role in this one, as I’ve grown to love all the Del Sol inhabitants, especially Sunshine’s deputies. I did feel like the ending was a little rushed; I was waiting for more information on some of the plot points, that never came. It wasn’t necessary, but I felt it would have rounded out the book and made the ending seem complete. There was also mention of a dead body that was never touched upon again, so that left me a little confused.

Overall, I just can’t get enough of this series, Sunshine, Ari, Levi, Cruz, Quincey…I could go on and on, Del Sol, and it’s craziness. I really loved the humor and especially the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. If my wishes were answered, there would be many more books to come in this series 🙏

***Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan for an ARC of this Audiobook. All opinions expressed within are my own.***

Darynda never disappoints! A Hard Day for a Hangover is the last installment in the Sunshine Vicram series, but I'm hoping we get more about the residents of Del Sol. Like the other books in the series we have just enough suspense and humor with healthy dose of plot twists. I love the relationship between Sunshine and Auri and I love having both of their POVs in this series. The rest of the characters in the story are also equally as fun and/or interesting. I'm sad the series is completed, but I loved the ending and hope we get some spinoffs to keep up with the gang. I feel there is plenty we can still undercover and explore in Del Sol.

Darynda Jones with Lorelei King narrating might just be my favorite author and narrator combo ever! This is a hilarious light hearted mystery that Lorelei King brings to life. You should definitely read/listen to the first two books as there are many questions that become answered in this 3rd installment. Darynda Jones is one of the few authors that I will read/ listen to no matter what the book is about since I know it will be entertaining. Beware if you read this in public, you will likely laugh out loud and get strange looks! Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook!

I am so sad that this trilogy is over. I want more of these characters! That being said, I thought Jones did a great job wrapping everything up. This book, like the series, had a little bit of everything, and the narrator did a fabulous job bringing this book to life. I laughed, I cried, and I didn't want things to end. Jones is definitely a new favorite author of mine- I've already started her other series!

This is the 3rd book in the Sunshine Vicram series. If you aren't familiar with the books, Sunshine was elected as the sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico after her parents coordinated her run for office without her knowledge. In this installment, Sunshine is dealing with a beaten female found barely alive on the side of a cliff by a hunter in the area. Who left her for dead and why?! Sunshine's daughter, Auri, a high school freshman, has her own theory as to who the young woman is and conducts her own investigation on the side.

I liked the developments in Sunshine and Levi's relationship and her mom's book club, the Book Babes, was a hoot! (They want to do ride alongs as research for a book idea). Sunshine reminds me a lot of Stephanie Plum which is a good thing in my book. If you are interested in the series, I definitely think you should read the first two books before picking this one up.

If you like audiobooks, I recommend them as Lorelei King perfectly voices Sunshine's snark and wit. (Her narration reminds me of Laurie Gelman narrating the Class Mom series).

Rating 4 stars

Special thanks to @Netgalley and @macmillanaudio for the ALC of A Hard Day for a Hangover for the voluntary review purposes. All opinions are my own.

If you are new to the Sunshine Vicram world, do not start here. I repeat, do not start here. This is the final book in the trilogy and you'll really be missing out on all of the buildup in books 1 and 2.
 
Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the brilliance that in the Sunshine Vicram finale. When I started this series in 2020, I was unaware it was only meant to be a trilogy. Because of that, I did not pay attention to pacing of the overall arc. Upon reread, I did and have to say that the pacing of the main Sunshine Vicram story arc over the course of three books was quite brilliant and that could not be an easy thing to do.
 
I mean, I finished A Good Day for Chardonnay and immediately had to start A Hard Day for a Hangover and it was after midnight. That in itself should tell you how much I needed that final book.
 
A Hard Day for a Hangover not only had an intriguing new mystery/thriller, it gave us more of the secondary characters we've grown to love, threw in a little hotness, made me literally laugh out loud on several occasions, had a couple twists I didn't see coming, and wrapped up the series in the best way possible.
 
I mentioned in my other reviews for the Sunshine Vicram trilogy that it felt rather Gilmoresque. Between the changes in POV between Sunshine and Auri, it gives me Lorelei/Rory vibes and I'm totally here for it. When you factor in the mystery/thriller aspect, Sunshine Vicram is the love child of Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars and I will die on that hill.
 
I read a lot and by a lot, I mean that this was book 104 for the year. I mention this because it's kinda important. When you read as much as I do, it's rare when you find a world that you love so much it comes to life in your head like you're watching it on screen. Sunshine Vicram does that and it's a damn shame the publisher didn't invest in its potential because there's a frak ton of potential here. Big mistake by St. Martin's Press.
 
Not all books/series would make a great TV adaptation, but considering the whole Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars blend of brilliance, Sunshine Vicram would make one kick ass TV show. Really bummed we aren't getting more.
 
*Audiobook provided by Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for honest review*

https://www.amazon.com/review/R8NR82R5ML3T/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5147476191?book_show_action=false

https://twitter.com/missmelthomas/status/1600187817438547968?s=46&t=OOullnKNofEbqr2DEuEPVQ 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-hard-day-for-a-hangover-darynda-jones/1139985446?ean=9781250233141&bvnotificationId=d37e93ea-7598-11ed-bfde-0a0782b3ef93&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=aim.com#review/230969160

https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Hard-Day-Hangover/Darynda-Jones/9781250233141?id=8703484189090

Disclaimer: while honest, this review is not without bias as I love Darynda Jones’ books! I was first introduced to her work when I came across the Charley Davidson series, which is still one of my all-time-favorite paranormal romance series and I highly recommend. That said, this series is a fun ride too!

“A Hard Day for a Hangover” (the third book in her Sunshine Vicram trilogy) has all the action, mystery, humor, and heat of the aforementioned series, minus the supernatural. Sunshine Vicram is the sheriff of a small town in New Mexico, and she’s dealing with a lot: quirky characters, family secrets, dangerous mysteries, and a teenage daughter conducting her own investigation.

To me, this latest installment felt quite a bit darker than the first two books, which added to the stakes, and the climax had me on the edge of my seat. That said, I think the author does a great job at balancing the dark with the light, with plenty of charm and humor. I absolutely adore the characters, so I’m said to say goodbye, but very much looking forward to what the author does next!

The audiobook of “A Hard Day for a Hangover” is narrated by the lovely and talented Lorelei King who also narrated the Charley Davidson series, and many other works, such as: the Mercy Thompson series, A Ruin of Roses, and so much more. If you enjoy audiobooks and are a fan of mysteries with some spice, I recommend giving this one a listen!

The story is solid. It's fun, wild, and mysterious. There is plenty of wit and banter. Not only was it an entertaining read, but it was believable. I have not read the rest of the series but I did not feel lost so I would say this can be read as a standalone. I look forward to what the author will come out next.

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones was another great book in the Sunshine Vicram series. All of the characters are likeable and have very distinct personalities. I enjoy seeing the characters develop and grow. The storyline of this one delves into a few heavy topics that may trigger some readers.
Lorelei King narrates this book and IS Sunshine Vicram! Highly Recommended.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Happy Pub Day to 𝗔 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 by Darynda Jones Author!

𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦!

You know I have a thing reading series out of order, and I did it again, this was my first book from this series and this author, and what a fantastic surprise. Hilarious, entertaining and wild from start to finish. Loved it!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for this gifted copy!

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

A Hard Day for a Hangover is the third book in the Sunshine Vicram Series. This story begins just days after the end of book number two. Both Auri Vicram and her boyfriend Cruz De Los Santos are still recovering from the occurrences in book two. However, that does not stop time or the happenings in Del Sol, New Mexico.

The link between Sunshine and Levi Ravinder is further explored and old questions are answered. But new mysteries are also to be solved.

When a young women who has been dumped and left for dead in the mountains is discovered, a new mystery comes into play. And when it becomes apparent that she is not the first, a serial killer is revealed.

This, like the others in the series, is such a wonderful read. With rich characters, a scenic backdrop, and more twists than imagined, it is such a good story. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

OMG this book was sooooo good! I am totally in love with all of the characters but her daughter is my absolute favorite. I love that she's raising her up with an amazing sense of humor and bad-assery! I will always read a book put out by this author, she's the best!!

#NetGalley

Book three of the Sunshine Vicram series.

Looking for a light mystery with plenty of laughs? Look no further! As a matter of fact, the entire series is a fun romp! But if you haven’t read the first two no worries, you can easily jump in anywhere.

Sunshine is the reluctant Sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico. Reluctant because her over-bearing (loving) parents coordinated her run for office without her knowledge. Before she could object, she suddenly found herself the duly elected Sheriff!

Her young teenage daughter Auri is a handful, but not in the typical ways you may think. Auri is driven to help solve any crime that comes across her moms’ desk. Like mother…like daughter!

And then there’s Levi, a man Sunshine has (secretly) loved since she was a teen. Can they finally put all the pieces together and officially be a couple? Or will unforeseen circumstances continue to halt any hope for love?

I’m becoming a huge fan of this series, always saving these books for when I need something light to balance my dark thrillers.

The previous two books I read on my kindle. This time I had the opportunity to I listen to the audio version. Now I’m a bit torn which version I’ll continue with for the next installment. (Such a predicament!)🤣

A buddy read with Susanne.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for all my versions!

<3 This is a slow burn but well paced. The narrator was absolutely brilliant navigating the ranges of ages, genders and personalities. Although this is part of a series it can stand alone I wish I did not read the other two books so long ago. There are some sensitive topics about, sexual violence, mental health issues and suicidal ideations but there were some real LMAO LOL scenes that balanced it all out. The bird and the bees discussion and the scared straight scenes with the three first graders that made up a boy band--were hilarious! The ending was so unexpected! I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series. <3

#NetGalley #MacmillanAudio #DaryndaJones #Mystery #Thrillers #GoodReads #ARC

I was blessed with an advance copy by the publisher in exchange for a review.

When I first started reading this novel I didn't know this would be the last in the series. I didn't even realize half-way through. I didn't realize until someone had shared their advance reader review onto the author's page and mentioned it in the first sentence.

Then....the cold sweats began.

I was not prepared for this. You see, I have an reader that I barely use. I mostly use it for advance reader copies. The last time I used it was to read Sunshine Vicram's second novel. I take the time to charge that puppy up for Darynda Jones.

Prepared or not, I had the final book in the series in my hand and I read it. And it was wonderful. I felt like the plot and mystery was darker, more impactful. And with it being the last, a lot of answers were finally revealed.

Throughout the series I struggled to enjoy the narrative of Sunshine's daughter Aurora. I don't know if it was just the idea of a young child being placed in so many serious situations, or if it was how sad I felt about her past, but regardless I have found it difficult to get into her parts of the story. However, they all connect, so I didn't have much of a choice. This novel...may have changed my mind about Auri, and even get really into Cruz and how his story continues.

But the other side of the narrative, was that of Sunshines, and man-oh-man, do I love Sunshine Vicram. She is hilarious and I love her as a character, as well as basically all the Del-Sol residence, who have their own interesting characteristics and stories. With all things finally falling into place, and answers finally being answered it meant that Sunshine and Levi's relationship gets...defined. Saying much else, would unfortunately spoil it, so I will leave you with this:

Darynda Jones always seems to create a group of characters that are enjoyable to read about. She makes the smaller side stories sometimes just as interesting as the main story arc. I'm really going to miss these characters, but I'm sure Jones is working on something new that is just as brilliant and enjoyable as the this one.

A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones
3rd book in the Sunshine Vicram series and conclusion. Mystery w romance.
Sheriff Sunshine Vicram has a full case load and a personal life that falls right in the middle of her day. A young, beaten, and unidentified female is found on the mountainside while an escaped convict has Sun and her team under investigation.

I listened to this first on audiobook then did a second reading by ebook.
The chapter headings are hilarious. The story itself compelling and gripping. A cast I want to watch a weekly television show about and that’s from a person that doesn’t do series or even much tv. The conclusion is fantastic but I’m going to miss these people.
A thrill ride.

Excerpt
“Auri was worried about the woman who birthed her. She’d been depressed since Levi escaped. Like, more depressed than usual. So depressed she’d turned to her archnemesis last night: tequila. Never a good sign, so it was up to Auri to hunt Levi down”.
Excerpt from A Hard Day for a Hangover by Darynda Jones.

🎧 I listened first to an audiobook version narrated by Lorelei King who did the full series. I like the audio version for this series for the sarcasm and highlighting the humor. When I read text, it’s more of a movie where I get all the feelings and emotions. Plus it tends to stick more and I remember it. When I listened to an audiobook it’s more about the pacing and the voices of the characters. Here in particular, Sunshine’s sarcasm and daughter Audi’s vulnerability is clear.
I highly recommend this series in audiobook. I do listen at a slightly higher speed of 1.3. Anything higher and you’d have to pay very close attention to the chapter and POV changes.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and St Martin’s and Macmillan Audio. I also purchased all formats of this book to share and keep and later re-read.

BOOK REVIEW
A Hard Day for a Hangover- @daryndajonesofficial
I might have girly screamed when I was + gifted #+ this audiobook by @netgalley and @macmillan.audio
I have loved Darynda for years and I have been waiting for this book for what feels like an eternity...but in reality it was a year
I think this book was the perfect wrap up for the series.
I loved everything about it. I absolutely adore Sunshine Vicram and Aurie. Liam is a bit of a wild card but he works so well with Sunshine..he is truly the yin to her yang.
Extra bonus points because this book was narrated by the queen @loreleikingofficial *bows, cries at her feet* NOBODY could do Daryndas characters as well as she does.
If you're looking for a funny mystery with a little romance, please check out this series!

I have a fantastic time with this book! I listened to the entire book in a single day, which is somewhat unusual for me. I was enjoying the book so much that I didn’t want to stop listening which is such a great feeling. I loved the sense of humor present throughout the book and I really enjoyed spending time with all of the characters. Apparently, this is the third and final installment in the Sunshine Vicram Trilogy and while I am sad to see the series end, I must say that it was a great finale.

Sunshine once again has her hands full. There is a girl found in a ravine that has been left for dead which leads Sunshine to discover that other girls may have also gone missing. Despite her promise not to do any investigating, Auri is once again trying to solve crimes. Plus there is the small issue of Sunshine’s relationship with Levi. I was so glad to finally see things getting resolved between Levi and Sunshine and was happy with how it worked out. I thought that this book was very exciting at times and I loved that the action was balanced out with a nice dose of humor.

Lorelei King is one of my favorite narrators and I thought that she did an amazing job with this story. I really like all of the character voices that she uses to help bring the story to life. I thought that her delivery of the funnier moments of the story was perfectly done and I liked that she was able to add more excitement to the action-packed scenes. I do feel that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this book.

I would definitely recommend this book to others. This has been such a fun series with a lot of laughs, some romance, great characters, and solid mysteries. My only complaint is that it doesn’t look like there are any more books planned in this series. If that changes, I will be first in line to get my hands on a copy of the next book in this series.

I received a digital review copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio.

I really enjoyed the first two in this series, and I am hoping this third one is not the end but I am afraid it is as everything wrapped up pretty well in the end. I have enjoyed these characters very much, loved the relationships between all of them, and have laughed out loud several times throughout. This is also heartwarming at times, and I loved Auri and her determination in here, and that’s about all I will say so I don’t give anything away.

I have listened to each of these via audiobook and the narration was perfect in all of them, with Lorelei King doing a fabulous job as always. I cannot recommend this series enough, and the title is more than fitting as we wrap up this series and wait to see what Jones writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC to review.