Hello

Apologies for the late notice, but I have decided not to review this title. While I am certain it's obvious by now, I wanted to also clear this off NetGalley, so it's not showing as open for either of us.

I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2023 and beyond.

Laura

This is the first book that I have read in this series, and I think i have been missing out!

Now, this is really very different from the author's other series, but that really didn't detract from my enjoyment.

Of course, communication is key and there are frustrations around the protagonists' inability to have a frank conversation. But then the story wouldn't be half as good if they did!

The characters are wonderful and their interactions with each other completely drew me in. I found myself invested, not only in their relationship, but in the town as a whole.

You can bet I'm coming back for more!

Zep had a lot more depth than I would have thought from reading his sister’s book. He really was a good guy and put everyone before himself. I loved how Roxie saw him when she started looking below the surface and actually fought for him to see himself. This was a fantastic book.

This is the third book in the Butterfly Bayou series and I continue to enjoy these romances set in a small town. Although this is a series, each book features a different couple so they can be read as standalone stories. There are recurring characters so reading ahead you will come across spoilers for the earlier books if you have not read them. Roxanne King was the only female member of the SWAT team in her New York precinct. She was subject to sexual harassment from her boss, but no one wanted to hear that. Her husband is the PR guy and he takes it upon himself to have her transferred, as he does not want any of it to come back on him. She quits and decides to move to New Orleans. She gest a job in a sleepy parish and besides a one night stand, a mistake in her mind, she keeps pretty much to herself. Her one night stand, Zep Guidry has other plans for Roxanne, because he can't get her out of his mind.

This was another great romance by Lexi Blake. I enjoy the setting of these stories. Even though it is a small town, the police are kept hopping. I enjoy the cajun culture and the small town atmosphere. There are just enough quirky characters to make this a great little parish to set these stories. Roxanne is a strong person and knows what she wants. She also won't put up with women being treated as second class citizens. When she left New York, she left her family behind as well. They were not happy with her decision to quit the NYPD or to leave her husband, so she lies to them and tells them she is in a relationship. When they come to town for her birthday, she asks Zep to be her pretend boyfriend. I loved how they were together and their slow burn romance. Roxanne's mother is a hoot. She wants what is best for Roxanne, she just doesn't realize that what she wants is not what Roxanne wants. The males in her NY life were not my favourite characters, and I can see why she left. Zep is a sweetie. He has had a tough life, giving up his own dreams for his family. He is a playboy, until he realizes what he wants out of life. I really enjoyed watching him change and begin to realize his dreams. I love how animals are portrayed in the book and that they play such an important role in the story. With the romance, animals, culture, friendship, community and family, I love my trips to Butterfly Bayou and look forward to checking in with the wonderful characters I have met in the next book in this series.

This is a romance book, and this book is the 3rd book in the Butterfly Bayou series. This is the first book I have read in this series, but I have fall totally in love with this series. I have also love the small town this book takes place in and all the people/characters in this cute little Southern Small town. I love that Zep is what everyone thinks is a bad big, but he really just loves to safe animals and care for everyone else. Zep the bad boy falls in love with the new women cop. I love how the characters talks to each other, and I loved all the Southern parts of this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Berkley) or author (Lexi Blake) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I can’t remember the last Lexi Blake book I read, so I decided that it was time to try her books out. BAYOU DREAMING is book three in the Butterfly Bayou series and although I haven’t read the other books, I felt like I could easily submerge myself in this world.

I will say that I had a little bit of difficulty getting into the characters a bit. I didn’t hate them, but they also didn’t completely win me over like I was expecting. I don’t know if I was expecting more, but I still do enjoy Blake’s writing style. It’s very free-flowing and simple, making it easy to read. I think if you’re in the mood for a simple, refreshing read, then this might be a good book to read. It definitely calmed me when I felt like I needed an escape from reality.

This series got worse for me as it went along. I loved the first book, but each book after has fallen flat for more.

I loved this so hard and I’m agonizing over the fact that I don’t get to go back to Papillon until July! Zep was MY FAVORITE! So sweet and loving and self-sacrificing … he’s my fave male protagonist in a while. I love this series and Bayou Dreaming is the best book in a series that just keeps getting better and better. 5 out of 5 wine glasses.

This is the 3rd book in the series and it is Zep's story. We already knew who his love interest was from previous books. I love the infusion of Louisiana superstitions. I wasn't so fond of how everyone just disregarded Zep and thought he couldn't be serious about love. His family should have given him more credit.

My Kindle broke and I had to factory reset it and lost all of my Net Galleys, so I wasn't able to complete my read/review of Bayou Dreaming.

The archive date had already passed and I wasn't able to re-download it. I'll be catching this book from my local library.

This is the third installment in the Butterfly Bayou series and tells the story of Zep Guidry and Roxanne King. While most of Lexi’s books are about finding-or making-a family, this one is about finding your place in the world. When Roxanne King first came to Papillion, La, she intended it to be a temporary stop until she could go back to her rightful place on the New York City Police Department-or some other big city department. But soon the people of the Parish begin to grow on her, especially Zep Guidry. On the surface, Zep is the town bad boy, not holding a full-time job, but doing all kinds of odd jobs to keep afloat. He still lives with his mother, and dates the single women in town without discrimination. That all changes when he meets Roxy, but he doesn’t believe he’s good enough for the sexy cop.

What Roxy comes to realize is that Zep’s laid-back manner covers up a soul that is dedicated to helping others. He doesn’t have a steady job because he’s been helping raise his sister’s little boy. His love of animals comes through when he deals with a stray puppy, and Roxy finds herself falling for him. But when the opportunity arises to go back to her old job comes up, will she chose to leave Zep or has he gained enough hold on her heart to keep her in Papillion?

This is a fun, sexy read, with a hero who only needs to recognize his own worth and a heroine who acknowledges that her ambition may not be the path to happiness. A delight as are all the Butterfly Bayou books.

A wonderful return to Butterfly Bayou. We have Zep's story and he is not what the town paints him as. A lovely romcom with an adorable puppy and her slightly overbearing family.

I am so in love with this town. It just keeps getting better and better. As always Lexi Blake gives us a town and people full of quirks that only she manages to write so well. She creates a place we long to visit or live in.

I admit that I wasn't too sure about Zep because he was just so bland in the previous book to me. However, getting to know him was much better than I thought he would be. I mean there really couldn't be a better character to get arrested as much by the woman who has feelings for him.

Only in the town of Papillon (Butterfly Bayou) Louisiana could deputy Roxanne King get away with arresting someone as much as she does Zep. After a one night stand she realizes just how much she has feelings for him so she does what she can to kill those feelings.

This is one of those series that no matter how much I tell you it is great you have to read it for yourself to grasp all of the joy and greatness that is Lexi Blake.

This was a cute story. Loved the setting and I really loved Zep. I really felt for him and his life choices. He was such a great guy, Very devoted to his family but I felt bad that he was kinda overlooked and not really appreciated by them. Roxanne too. I felt like she judged him too quickly without giving him a proper chance. It took awhile but she finally saw Zep and realized he was so much more than the carefree image he portrays.

I cannot stress this enough, Zep is book husband material. That man has won a spot in my heart and he is so much more than I thought. Usually, I begin my review by giving out some basic info for the book, and in this case, I feel that the reader should know that Zep is gold and must be protected at all costs. That man is swoon-worthy.

From the previous books in the series, I had the impression that Zep is a lazy, not very intelligent man who is not good enough for many things besides a night between the sheets. That is the impression most people seem to have about him too in his town. Getting to know his point of view though changed my view about him. He is the kind of person who gives and doesn't make a big deal out of it or ask for anything in return. The prologue made that obvious when he let go of his dreams to support his pregnant sister. He has quite a reputation, but it doesn't reflect the person he is now. When he mentioned that he had dated other women after Roxie I was ready to kill him, but he mentioned that he hadn't slept with any of them so it was comforting. The moment he won me over though was when he talked to Roxie about Caroline's view of the world. He is a kind soul.

I honestly could go on and on and on about him, but Roxie deserves some recognition too. That woman can be stubborn and set on her views, but I actually liked her too. She wasn't treated well in her life in New York and that explained her walls. I was frustrated with her for a little over half the book because her views about Zep were only based on what other people had told her and not on the evidence she was seeing every day about the man he is. She did grow as a character and had great development. Her two best moments were a) the one in the town meeting where she solved a case and managed to secure a job for Zep among other things and b) when she arrested Zep for the last time (in this book because I bet that there will be many more arrests). There is nothing I love more than a woman who is strong and can get what she wants.

If I had to sum up the book in one sentence it would be "Everything is not what it seems". As cliche as it sounds, it fits perfectly with what is going on in this story. For example, Roxie's family seemed over the top and filled with not so good people, but later on, we saw many of their layers. If there isn't one already, I would love to read the story of Roxie's brother and his wife. And that is only one example, there are plenty more in this boo, for you to find out on your own.

Bayou Dreaming is the best book in the series so far and to be honest, I don't see how another book can top this one. It was one of the most heartwarming books of 2020 and I will definitely add it to my list of the best books of this year. Zep is one of the best male characters I have ever read and Roxie is not far off, but she was outshined.

Just as I was about to say that I was done writing this review, I remembered that I forgot to mention another beloved character, Daisy. She is a puppy Roxie and Zep found that was left to die and decided to adopt. She is certainly a scene-stealer and you will also love her!

Review: BAYOU DREAMING (Butterfly Bayou Book 3) by Lexi Blake https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-bE1
Publication Date: December 1, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4.5 Stars

This is a lovely romance between Zep, the town’s supposed playboy, and Roxanne, the standoffish new deputy. Their relationship may have started out with a physical encounter, but the slow burning romance brought out their true selves. Not only to each other, but town and family as well. I loved watching them take a chance on being open and honest about their feelings, hopes and dreams. It was heartfelt and romantic.

One of the best parts to this series is the side characters. Papillon is the perfect place for a small-town romance. It is full of colorful characters, nosy neighbors, and just enough normal to round it all out. Wait until you read the town hall meeting. I’m still giggling. This combined with a sweet romantic story makes this a great book to curl up with.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

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Kindle https://amzn.to/36gH21A

I reviewed Bayou Dreaming for BookPage as part of a roundup of contemporary romance.
Read: Love and Liberation at https://bookpage.com/features/25824-love-liberation-romance#.X91Rf2RKjJ8

Here's the opening:
Though it’s a more conventional novel, sexual politics also inform Lexi Blake’s small-town romance, Bayou Dreaming. Former military sniper Roxanne King’s divorce and her subsequent move to Louisiana were precipitated by the sexual harassment she suffered in the New York Police Department and the lack of support she received from her family. After filing a complaint that didn’t go anywhere and getting ostracized for it, Roxie starts over in rural Louisiana and finds herself inexplicably attracted to a local bad boy with a heart of gold.

Starting over as a deputy in a very small town suits Roxie fine. She likes her neighbors and she’s good at her job, even if it’s less challenging than she’s used to. One year after the big move, though, Roxanne’s family turns up in what they call a visit but looks a lot like an intervention. Their unexpected, unsolicited and frankly unwelcome invasion threatens to overturn Roxie’s hard-earned peace of mind and independence, so she lies and says she has a boyfriend to keep her mother from interfering in her life.

I’ve been looking forward to Zep and Roxie’s story as their interactions had been quite fun during the first two books in the series, but I really disliked Roxie in the first little bit. She was superficial and careless, which didn’t fit with her supposedly being such a great cop. I worried it would go on like that for most of the book until the Big Black Moment, but luckily she caught on and realised Zep was not what she expected him to be.
Once I got over Roxie’s attitude and she started to pay attention to what Zep said and how he acted, I really enjoyed the story. It was heartbreaking to see how much Zep gave up for his family and being at his side when he realises that it’s nearly impossible to change people’s perception, especially if they’ve known you from a young age.
I loved seeing him come into his own and when Roxie stands up for him I wanted to clap. Roxie is on quite the journey herself. She learns that Papillion is far more her home than New York has ever been and being the only female officer has real impact. It was wonderful to see her take down the walls she’d built up around her heart and lean into who she wanted to be.
And the chemistry between Roxie and Zep burns hot throughout the story.
Overall, BAYOU DREAMING was a delightful, heartfelt romance with great chemistry and banter, cute animals, and a happy ending that leaves you smiling. Solid 3.5

Roxanne and Zep we know from the books before and couldn't wait to see what these two were up too. Zep is the bad boy but in truth not at all, he helps his family over himself all the time. Roxanne moved down to Louisiana for a break from NYC after her ex-husband and father don't help her out. They had a one-night stand but there is still something between them they are both fighting. That is until her parents come and she has to think quick.

This is my favorite book so far in this series. Loved having the family members and side characters we had from the previous books.

4 stars

4.5 stars — I feel like this series is just getting better and better…or maybe it’s that I was really excited about Zep and Roxie’s story, and while it took me on a wild ride, it definitely lived up to my expectations.

Zep was a COMPLETE surprise for me. I mean, I knew there would be more to him, b/c duh…but I guess I didn’t anticipate the depths, or the reasons behind his carefree façade. He honestly broke my heart and made me want to hug him over and over and over again. He was so sweet and kind and caring, mixed in with super sexy charm and humour. He’s basically book boyfriend material for me. He’s not without flaws, and he makes a doozy of an error at the end, but I loved that he listened to the people smacking him upside the head, b/c they had some fabulous wisdom to impart.

I was worried I wasn’t going to love Roxie as much, but I did. I hurt for her too, and at the same time she frustrated the SHIT out of me on MULTIPLE occasions. But I kind of loved that while she would make these boneheaded errors, she ended up having her eyes open to SO MUCH around her when she was confronted by it. She was strong, sassy, and passionate about her job. I loved having this female deputy be so admired and appreciated in her town, even if she didn’t always know it.

There were so many moments with the two of them together that made me want to stand up and cheer. It made up for all the moments where they totally did what I thought they were going to do and made me roll my eyes. I loved that those bad decisions weren’t dragged out, but that they would make little inroads with each other at each step, and obviously at the end. Plus, they were super steamy. 😉

This town just amuses the crap out of me. They are SO ODD and QUIRKY and yet have great intentions, and you just love them anyways.

And as an animal lover, I adore the dog character’s in each one, and Daisy was no exception.

I can definitely see wanting to reread this series whenever I need a pick me up. I’m so glad there is still more coming, because I am here for that.