A review by robin_is_me
A Good Day for Chardonnay by Darynda Jones

funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

*received via NetGalley and voluntarily reviewed*

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so when I got an email from NetGalley that this second book was available I snapped it up. I think I liked this one even more than the first book. 

All the familiar, quirky characters from the first book are still around. There’s a lot going on, what with Levi getting in the middle of a fight that puts his friend in the hospital, a rascally raccoon wreaking havoc, Sunshine and her best friend Quincy exploring each other with hilarious results, and Sunshine’s daughter secretly investigating a long time resident as a possible serial killer. The action never lets up. There’s plenty of humor as well, with lots of bantering conversations. 

While Sunshine is investigating that fight that appears to be more than just a bar fight, she’s contacted by Wynn Ravinder, who is incarcerated, and who claims he has information about Sunshine’s abduction seventeen years ago. Sunshine has very little memory of that incident, or the weeks leading up to it, and she is eager for answers. I loved her interactions with Wynn, and finding out a little more about her past, despite Wynn not being completely trustworthy. 

Meanwhile, she is still pining for Levi Ravinder, who is determined to hunt down the three strangers who were involved in that fight. Even after being hit by their truck, he refuses to go to the hospital, and Sunshine spends much of her time trying to track down Levi and force him to get medical care. I was really glad that Levi was very involved in the story and we got to spend quite a bit of time with him. 

And then there’s Auri, Sun’s daughter. After seeing some old newspaper clippings about a string of missing persons cases many, many years ago, she is convinced that Mrs. Fairborn, who used to run a boardinghouse out of her home, was a serial killer, which leads to Auri – and her friends Cruz and Sybil – getting into all kinds of trouble. And here I thought my daughter was a handful! 

The writing is breezy and flows along nicely, and while most of the characters are a bit quirky and out there, they are all still well written and believable, not to mention relatable. I especially likek Levi (of course!), but am also very found of Quincy and Cruz, along with Auri and Sunshine’s parents. The mayor, not so much. The subplot about the mayor and a rumored secret society called the Dangerous Daughters was a little too out there, and I wouldn’t have minded if it were cut out completely. And the book ended a little abruptly. Not exactly on a cliff hanger, but without a full resolution. Other than those two issues, I have no complaints. This was a fun read, and I look forward to a third book. I certainly hope there will be a third book!