A Bad Day for Sunshine is the first installment in Darynda Jones’ new series, and fans have been clamoring for this since she wrapped up Charley Davidson last year. Sunshine Vicram thought she left Del Sol in her rearview mirror when she fled with her young daughter, but after she finds out she’s the new sheriff of the town (after an election she never agreed to run in,) she returns in an effort to discover just what happened to her all those years ago.

I’m going to be honest - when this book started, it felt like I was reading Charley 2.0, but the more I read, the more Sunshine Vicram came into her own, and by the end of this book, I loved her character. She and her daughter, Auri, have moved right into her parents back yard, and despite the fact that they’ve lived apart for many years, the clan is as close as can be. I have a feeling the mystery of how Sunshine was elected sheriff is wrapped up in them getting her back to town, but I’ll have to wait for a later installment to find out if that’s true. I loved the relationship between Sunshine and Auri. It’s reminiscent of Lorelai and Rory to me, almost as if they’re growing up and learning lessons together.

And while I liked the men in Sunshine’s life, from Quincy, the childhood best friend, to the FBI agents that are assisting on other cases, and Levi, the mysterious man from Sunshine’s past, it took me longer to be won over by Cruz, the young man in Auri’s life. Their connection was quite instant, and I’m not entirely convinced there’s not a hidden agenda in play.

The character who intrigues me the most is Levi. There is something there between him and Sunshine that, through a series of amensia-surrounded circumstances, even Sunshine isn’t aware of. I’m dying to find out just what they are! And there’s the question of who Auri’s father is that I have my suspicions about who it is, but again, I’ll have to wait for this to be revealed.

There were a few surprises in this book, including a female friendship that I loved so much, and I still haven’t decided if there’s a paranormal bent playing out in Del Sol. I know it sounds like I have to wait for a lot of information, but it’s not in an annoying way. There was a mystery that played out in this one, but there’s also an overarching story that I know will bring all these threads together. I love these characters and this town enough to be in it for the long haul; I can wait to find these things out, because I know it will be worth it in the end.

Hijinks ensue from the second Sunshine steps into her new job, and they never let up, making this such an entertaining read. This may be marketed as Mystery/Thriller, but it feels more like Women’s Fiction with a side of Mystery-Lite, and I’m totally on board for it. A Bad Day for Sunshine was a great series starter, and I cannot wait to see what’s in store for Sunshine, Auri, and the rest of the residents of Del Sol!