Bayou Dreaming

BAYOU DREAMING is the third instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult BUTTERFLY BAYOU erotic, romance series. This is former NYPD police officer Roxanne King, and Zephirin ‘ Zep’ Guidry’s story line. BAYOU DREAMING can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information for the previous instalments is revealed where necessary. Told from dual third person perspectives (Roxanne and Zep) BAYOU DREAMING follows the building romance and relationship between former NYPD police officer Roxanne King, and Zephirin ‘ Zep’ Guidry. Four years earlier police officer Roxanne King’s life imploded when she discovered complaints about sexual harassment had been ignored and dismissed by the old boys club in the department, a department where her now ex-husband and father worked. Walking away from a job that she loved, and a marriage that was quickly grinding to a halt, Roxanne King landed a job as a deputy in Papillon, Louisiana. But a one night stand with local bad boy Zep Guidry never amounted to fruition until several reports of strange incidences with a mythological creature found Roxanne and Zep working together following an accident that left our heroine with a mild concussion. The appearance of Roxanne’s family added to fuel to Roxanne’s already crazy life, an appearance that pulled Zep into a pretend romantic relationship with Roxanne King. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Roxanne and Zep, and the potential fall-out when Roxanne is offered a job she cannot refuse. The Louisiana Parish of Papillon has its’ fair share of mythologies but the most recent ‘sighting’ of a werewolf type rougarou, has Roxanne shaking her head at the stories and phone calls to the local PD but Roxanne’s problems only escalate when her family visits Papillon Louisiana, a visit meant to encourage our heroine to finally come home. The relationship between Roxanne and Zep is one of immediate attraction but Zep’s bad boy reputation precedes his introduction to our story line heroine, a reputation predicated on history, rumors, gossip and lies. Meeting Roxanne King gave Zep a hope for a future but Roxanne had no plans to remain in Papillon long term, and with it went the hopes of a man who was quickly falling in love. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Sheriff Armie La Vigne, and practical nurse Lila Daley (Butterfly Bayou 1), Lisa and Remy Guidry, deputy Major, Harry and Seraphins ( Bayou Baby 2), Sera and Zep’s mother Delphine Guidry. We are introduced to Roxanne’s parents who area infuriating, stubborn and disappointing , her brother Brian and his fiancé Shawna, and her ex-husband Joel Nelson, as well as several townsfolk in Papillon Louisiana. BAYOU DREAMING is a story of family, friendships, betrayal and loss. The premise is entertaining and engaging; the romance is captivating and decadent; the characters are colorful, dynamic, and spirited.

What you see isn’t what you get, or maybe, still waters run deep? Either works to describe both Zep and Roxie. They aren’t what they seem, but they are happy to put forth what other expect. The problem is that it holds them back from being who truly makes them happy, and hurts when others who care about them don’t see the deeper them. The real them. Little by little, these two learn to trust the other, and then they start to see what was already right in front of them. Sweet at times, sexy at others, and emotions always right on the surface, these two were made for each other!

Is it weird that I've been humming Linda Ronstadt's "Blue Bayou" but change it to "Butterfly Bayou" instead? It's totally a result of me loving Lexi Blake's series by the same title. We've now got the third book, Bayou Dreaming, and I adored seeing how Zep Guidry and Roxanne King went from mismatched to perfect match. They may have seemed like the unlikeliest of couples, and then there was Roxie considering what happened between them the year prior a mistake, but there was this undeniable chemistry explored and invested in. There is so much more to these two than meets the eye, and when all those layers were peeled back, I simply couldn't imagine them with anyone else than each other. Le sigh. Five stars for Bayou Dreaming!