A Bad Day for Sunshine (Sunshine Vicram #1) @Darynda @StMartinsPress #mystery #snark #sass #strongwomen @absltmom

Having never read a book by Darynda Jones, and hearing wonderful things, I accepted the offer by NetGalley to read this story and I am thrilled I did. I have not laughed out loud at a book in quite some time, but his book is often hilarious, uproarious, and rollicking.

Sunshine Vicram is a terrific character, a young woman who mysteriously wins an election in a small town called Del Sol, in New Mexico. She has no idea how she won or even more amazingly how she did not know she was running for this office. The fun starts as Sunshine and her daughter, Auri return to a town she vowed never to return to, and we are treated to an engaging story of Sunshine, Auri, her terrific yet quirky parents, two drop dead gorgeous men, a best friend deputy, and a town that seems to have a bit of magic and whimsy.

All is not Sunshine and rainbows, as our heroine assumes the job, back again in a town she swore never to return to, and on the first day of the job a young girl goes missing. She is a friend of Auri’s, an adorable young character who has her mother’s eye and nose for mystery solving, and so the two ladies are on it trying to save this young girl. Along the way we are introduced to the very appealing, ultimately sexy man, Levi Ravinder, of the Ravinder clan, a family that has had over time various nefarious dealings and scares half the town. Levi is the love of Sunshine’s life until a gorgeous federal marshal makes an appearance and Sunshine is bewitched. Can you love two men? Easy when they both are like these two.

“Welcome to Del Sol, a town full of sunshine, fresh air, and friendly faces, (Barring three or four old grouches.)“

With the mix of quirky lovable characters Ms Jones has created the beginning of a series that was not only fun to read, but also hilarious at times. Introducing each chapter with witticisms from her town, we are thrown into the fray while getting to know this town as it trends toward the unconventional side. Point me in this town’s direction for I would love to live there. Poor Sunshine, whose only concern she thought, would be the town flasher, Doug, and a rooster named Puff Daddy. She in for some weird, wacky, and unusual happenings, while along the way we learn more about Sunshine and a terrible event of her past.

I am giving this book high marks on the fun side and of course recommending it most assuredly for just that along with some really adorable characters. If you are looking for a book that will lighten your spirits but has enough mystery to get you engaged, then rush to get this one. I will be back for more of this series as well as picking up a few more books written by this talented author.

Thank you to Darynda Jones, St Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for a copy of this extremely entertaining book due out April 7, 2020.

and here’s the author

NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious RITA, a Golden Heart, and a Daphne du Maurier. As a born storyteller, she grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press, the Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. Darynda lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of more than 25 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys.