This is such a sweet and heartwarming tale. We have Major who is a deputy and has moved back to his hometown in order to help his ailing father. Then we have Brynn who was a child actress but now he’s trying to do her first leading role. You can see the chemistry between the characters from the very beginning. As usual all of the towns residence only both health and hinder the romance as it goes forward. Both Brynn and Major have to deal with family matters in order to move forward. It’s a sweet romance that is satisfying and I can’t wait to return to the town for another story.

I love the Papillon books! They are all so heartwarming and easy to read, you can just dive in and have a few hours of peace. Nothing matters in Papillon, but the shenanigans of the protagonists and their friends.
I wasn't really sure what to expect from Bayou Sweetheart since we hadn't seen the two main characters so far, but as soon as I started, I fell in love with them. I love the sunshine-grumpy trope and there was a lot of grumpiness as well as a lot of sunshine. I love how Brynn and Major needed both to change to get where they wanted to be and stay together. I loved the side characters, especially those from the direct family and I just loved to revisit older characters from Papillon.
I really enjoyed reading this book, because as usual the author managed to wrap serious topics in an easy wrapping, so that I could enjoy reading about them without having a heavy heart.
I really hope we see more of all the new characters that popped up and cannot wait for the next book!

Wow! We really enjoyed Brynn and Major's story. Talk about a book having drama, there was a ton of it. We really enjoyed all the characters, from the busy bodies of the town to the overprotective mom and especially the sassy sister Ally.

Loved the way this couple met if not for Major's predicament who knows if they would have ever met but, I have a feeling fate was at play with this couple.

Work brings Brynn to town, and she was hoping for some downtime, as she really needed it bit, fate had other plans for her. We loved the characters, she was funny and just had a great personality, and she may be famous but, we felt she was just a down to earth kind of gal who at this point in her life seems to be at a crossroads of what she wants out of life beside fame and acting.

Major what a riot that man was constantly messing up and failing miserably at this dating thing. He is a great guy, though loves his Dad with great passion and pride is loved by the town and its people have a great sense of humor and sexy and handsome and has a great sense of humor. Perfect for Brynn in every way and Brynn agrees, she calls him her catnip!

The story was full of tons of drama and emotion, both characters had a lot going on in their lives, not just their lives all the characters were dealing with something there were a lot of twists and turns and ups and downs keeping you engaged in the story that made you laugh, and sometimes you feel like crying! The story brought out so many emotions in the reader, and we just loved that.

Bayou Sweetheart is book five in Lexi Blake’s small town romance series, Butterfly Bayou, and it has everything I love from her- quirky characters, all the feelings and steam! Brynn Person is in Papillon, Louisiana to film a movie that she hopes will transition her from child actor to full blown movie star. Major Blanchard is the small town deputy trying to balance an array of blind dates, his dog Dolly and his father slipping deeper into dementia. After an adorable but muddy meeting that goes viral sparks fly! But with Brynn’s overbearing mother, the pressure her life in the spotlight creates and Major’s dad these two have their work cut out for them on their way to an HEA.

I love going back to Papillon! Everything about this town makes me happy - the cast of quirky characters from the elderly neighbors to Brynn’s Hollywood family to golf cart driving Greg. The interweaving characters from previous books of Armie and Roxy. The animals! Mastermind Brian behind the string of thefts, Dolly and the adorable cover Corgi Duke, provided the comic relief to balance out some of the deeper emotions of this book.

Major is a perfectly flawed hero, he has to make real life decisions and while he doesn’t handle them all perfectly, it makes me love him more. Major saw more in Brynn than just her pretty face and fame which allowed her explore what she could do outside of acting. While these two have their obstacles, I was fully invested in their chemistry!

I ran thru all the emotions in this book - sad for Major’s dad, laughing at the antics of Papillon’s citizens and cheering for Major and Brynn. Lexi Blake balances family expectations, the ending of a parents life with humor, love, and sweetness. I laughed, I cried and I can’t wait for the next book- maybe Brynn’s sister Ally will find love!

Thank you to the publisher (Berkley) for an e-ARC. All thoughts are my own. Bayou Sweetheart has a pub date of July 26, 2022.

Welcome back to Papillon! Book 5 in Lexi Blake's Butterfly Bayou series is here with a racoon gang, led by Brian, busy body hijinks, and romance!

I adore this series for many reasons. Papillon is one of my favorite fictional small towns. Blake has created a cast of characters that make me laugh while at the same time I admire their loyalty to each other. They feel like family, which Blake writes better than any other author I read.

Her characters are some of the best written, in my opinion. So many authors miss the boat when creating conflict between characters, typically making the antagonist one dimensional. Not Blake. Her characters are well rounded and even with those that make us (and the MCs) mad have a reason for being that way. I absolutely love this!

Of course, there's the romance. I've been waiting for Major to find his HEA and Brynn is perfect for him. Both of these characters grow immensely in Bayou Sweetheart both as a romantic couple and as two people finding their way while navigating changes in their lives. I would have liked a little more romance before the HEA, but their personal growth was entangled with their falling in love and that's okay.

Thank you to Social Butterfly, Berkley Publishing, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for honest feedback.

Another wonderful story from Lexi Blake. I've been really enjoying her Butterfly Bayou series. Bayou Sweetheart is another great brick laid down to make a strong, wonderfully written series.

You'll just love Majoy and Bryann's story. These two are just wonderful people.

Bryann has a busy life and she's always working. As a tv star since she was a kid she hasn't really had the time to sit around a breathe. You can't help feel bad for her about it. Life should be enjoyed and she really hasn't done that. When she shows up in Papillion she realizes that fact and thinks about changing her life.

Poor Major is dealing with a lot on his plate. His father is ill and he has no other family to help him deal with it. He often takes on way too much and I think he does that so he doesn't stop and think. He's a great guy that all can count on for a helping hand but isn't good at taking one.

I really enjoyed these two together. Both made each other feel comfortable. I think it helped that he had no clue who she was and really didn't care. He liked her for who she was, not WHO she played on TV. Right away you can feel how much these two like each other. He helps her breathe and she makes him feel less alone.

At times Bryann's family drove me crazy but you see just how much they care about each other by the end of the story. You also learn so much more about them and feel for them. You also see so much on how Major is dealing with his dad and I think you get an idea of why Major is the way he is. You'll love so much about this story and really enjoy them. It's the perfect addition to this series and reminded me of why I love it so much.

Bayou Sweetheart is the fifth book in the Butterfly Bayou series by Lexi Blake. A lovely contemporary romance about family, friendship, finding oneself, and more, Bayou Sweetheart is a charming story. Since I haven’t read the other books in the series, I fully intend to go back and read them all.

Serious tears and a whole lot of laughs while reading Bayou Sweetheart. Lexi Blake wrapped me up in all the southern comfort of revisiting Butterfly Bayou while sending my emotions on a ride.

Bayou Sweetheart brings instant chemistry with a slow burn romance and family drama that is a binge worthy kind of reading.

Major Blanchard is losing his dad to early onset dementia. A sad reality that is hitting him hard as he's the only one left in his family now that his dad is slipping away from him little by little. This part of the story is heartbreaking and also heartwarming. How could it be both? Well....Major's dad is a sweetheart with a kind soul and in his lucid moments I wept for the big hearted love he had for his son and the tough decisions that they both knew were coming. I'm still tearing up while trying to write what I was feeling, if that helps in conveying the big sway of emotions that Lexi brought forth in this wonderfully crafted book.

Brynn Pearson has never had the chance to be free to be herself. She's been working as an actress since the age of five and never once took a break. Now, twenty years later, on the preprice of breaking out as a serious adult actress she experiences a taste of being herself. A taste of happiness that doesn't stem from being a known actress. A taste of hope in being free from the poison of LA and tabloids. A taste of peace. It's all wrapped up in the small town of Papillon and somewhat in the grumpy deputy who sees her and not her fame. Could this be her chance to walk away from her career or take this small taste of happiness and then return to her life of neverending work?

Lexi's writing slayed me in all the best ways. I laughed, I cried and fell in love all over again with this small town. This story resonated with me in ways I will always treasure.

While this book is interconnected to others in a series, Bayou Sweetheart can be enjoyed as a standalone.

This is the first I've read in this series, but I have read many from this author and adored them all. Brynn and Major's story isn't any different. These two have so much going on in their respective lives, he's trying to come to terms with a difficult situation and figure out what his future will look like. She's trying to figure out if she wants to continue on the same path, because it's all she's known, or if she's ready to take the next leap of faith that may or may not include a very handsome deputy that has a penchant for sticking his foot in his mouth when he's anxious. At least he tends to realize it and isn't too proud to try to make amends.
If you're looking for a small town, feel good story with a bit of inner conflict and a whole lot of lack of privacy, this is your story.

While I love all the series, this author has written, and I easily fall into every book, it is visiting the small town of Papillon I always look forward to. Its small-town southern charm, wily animals, quirky townsfolk, and meddling are endearing.

While Brynn and Major are opposites, she has been in the limelight since she was a child, and he is not a fan of attention. Things are about to change for both, and we should have seen it coming as Dolly quickly fell for Duke, their dogs. Brynn and Major’s story is enjoyable, with subtle heat, and lots of laughs. Her mother and sister are quite the characters, they work for Brynn, and create the drama.

Thank you to the Author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

Welcome back to the bayou and the quirky little town of Papillon.

Major Blanchard is back in the bayou after taking a position as a sheriff’s deputy. While his focus is on his ailing father, he’s also looking for someone to settle down with to put down some roots. But, after more than twenty blind dates, he hasn’t found the right lady just yet.

Brynn Pearson is trying to transition from child star to an established adult actress. She’s hoping the new role she’s playing will help secure her spot. She’s also hoping for a little downtime to paint and relax in Papillon before filming starts.

When fate, and perhaps a little bayou mud, brings Major and Brynn together, sparks begin flying. But, with both facing turning points in their lives as well as knowing that there is an expiration date on a possible romance, are those sparks worth the risk?

Oh, Lexi, I’m so happy to be back in Pappilon! While the Masters and Mercenaries series will always be my first love of yours, I love the Butterfly Bayou series because it shows a softer side to romance.

My heart breaks for Major in this book, for all that he and his father are going through. I love that he sees Brynn as a regular person and not just as Bria Knight the star. I adore that he makes mistakes and bad decisions and struggles with not being able to control all of life’s situations and sometimes harsh realities.

And, Brynn . . . her voyage of discovering who she wants to be is breathtaking. Having worked in Hollywood from age five, she’s struggling to decide what is next and what she really wants to do with her life. I adored how down to earth she is when she’s grown up in Hollywood. I loved the struggles she has with her family as well.

Together, this couple has so much potential to support and rely on one another while exploring the possibilities. But, change and fear of the unknown is hard and scary and Lexi Blake handles those uncertainties like the queen she is as their story plays out.

Five stars for yet another amazing story from Lexi Blake. It’s full of sweetness, but tempered with humor (I can’t wait for you all to catch up with Brian. Brynn’s sister Ally’s sister was also a standout character). It also shows both the fragility and the joy of life and love and the importance of family. 5 stars!

Another visit to Papillon, Louisiana and another wonderful addition to the Butterfly Bayou Series and this time it’s Major Blanchard and Hollywood actress Brynn Pearson’s entertaining journey.
Major Blanchard is a deputy sheriff who has recently moved into town, he has become the bachelor every single lady wants but he isn’t interested until an actress named Brynn rolls into town.
Brynn is only in Papllion for work, she doesn’t need feelings and love to cloud her vision but we can’t always control our feelings and it seems her heart is determined to love the deputy.
So what does the future hold for this couple, well you are going to need to one click to find that out…..
This series is a breath of fresh air and for me it shows how very talented and diverse Ms Blake is because Bayou Sweetheart is a beautifully written emotional journey with wonderful characters and it will certainly appeal to a wide range if audiences. It has the perfect mix of love, passion and plenty of laugh out loud moments normally when Otis the town wandering alligator turns up for a visit. I love everything about this quirky town and it’s adorable quirky residents so I urge you all to one click and visit Papillon, Louisiana, you won’t be disappointed.

Bayou Sweetheart is the latest Bayou Butterfly series, and it is awesome! I love this series. The characters are so well written and lovable. I couldn’t put the book down. I just had to root for Major and Brynn. They had a bit of a rough patch, but I knew a happily ever after was coming. Seeing the rest of the characters again is certain to make you smile. Lexi Blake’s brilliant writing appears leads to a great book whether it is in one of her contemporary romance books or her more edgy romantic suspense books.

4.5 stars — Man, I love this series. I love that I can always count on Ms. Blake to give me all the eccentric townspeople, all the truly good and caring friends, and new people to learn to love. As with any series, I always end up having my favourites, but no matter what I’m thoroughly entertained and full of squees.

Major and Brynn had the most hilarious meet cute. Not only did I fall in love with them, but who could resist the wildly different Duke and Dolly?

Brynn was so sweet and kind and could be really sunny. It was her career and anything Hollywood that dimmed that sunshine. Unfortunately, that included some of her family. Wow, that was a dysfunctional bunch. And because of the way she grew up, and her strange family dynamic, Brynn could be a bit of a doormat as well. The thing is, I actually genuinely got where it stemmed from. I wanted better for her, it was frustrating, but it made sense for me. And her growth was realistic and so satisfying as a result.

Major was somewhat dichotomous himself. He could be so sweet, but he was also the grumpy in this grumpy/sunshine story. There were times he was so thoughtful, but he was also filled with a lot of fear and anxiety about being alone. He made some seriously messed up decisions as a consequence, both with his Dad, and with Brynn.

In a twist, I really appreciated how Major messed up in the end. 1) It was realistic. Sometimes people make huge mistakes, and it takes them a long time to learn and grow. 2) It shows just how powerful fear and anxiety can be. 3) It gave us the opportunity to see how much Brynn had grown throughout the book, and we got to root for her as she put her foot down and didn’t accept less than she deserved. I know that seems like a conundrum, because I’m cheering Brynn growing but Major not growing…but Major was actually really close…this was like his last mess up in a way. I don’t know, it worked for his character.

They were definitely not perfect characters, and they weren’t even a perfect couple. BUT they were a couple you rooted for, because the good between them was GOOD. I loved seeing them connect, seeing them care about one another. And the steamy scenes were both sweet and steamy — my favourite kind.

As always, the town was hilarious. I love these characters, and can’t wait to read more.

Major’s situation with his Dad was so complicated, and I appreciated the glimpse into that situation. His Dad was also a sweetheart teddy bear.

Brynn’s family was…well, as I said, complicated. I have mixed feelings about them, but in the end I could see them being early versions of the Rose family from Schitt’s Creek — definitely potential for good.

So yeah. Another hit. Someday I’ll go back and reread from the beginning, but for now I’m impatiently waiting for the next book to find out if Brian’s life of crime continues. *wink*

I have come to learn that I am usually a fan of the trope where one person in the couple is famous and the other is not, I just eat that right up! I really enjoyed the famous aspect in this one because Brynn was just so down to earth but she understood what she thought her role in the family was, to be the bread winner. Brynn started acting at the age of 5 and now at almost 30 she didn't know who she could be. Enter Major and Brynn's world is really knocked upside down. This one was so fun and I am so glad I read it that now I want to go back and read the first four books in the Bayou Butterfly series. I will say that this being my first read in the series I was not lost and it was easy to just jump in to this one, however I was spoiled on the earlier couples but that never really bothers me.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the small town setting and how everyone knew each other's business! I love reading that even knowing I would hate it in real life! Such a fun story and I can't wait to read more in this series and return to such fun characters! Thank you Berkley for my gifted copy for review and for allowing me to participate in the blog tour for this release. You can pick this one up tomorrow!

Major, former military, is now a deputy in his little hometown of Papillon, Louisiana. His dad has dementia and he came back to be near him. Major has been on 23 blind dates in the past six months and none of them have turned out to be THE ONE.
Brynn has been an actress since she was five years old. She arrives to Papillon early to get a feel of her character. She comes across a man stuck in the mud with his dog on his shoulders. Turns out to be Major. ( that was a hilarious scene ).
Between the rumors that circulate about Brynn and her co star Gavin ( which is like her dad ) to Major who is trying to spend time with his father and work out some health issues with his dad. They both are up to their eyes in problems.

I believe this was one of my favorites in this series. Brynn tries to figure out if she wants to continue with acting. Major has some major decisions to make about his dad. They are star crossed lovers hoping to get a relationship to work. Bossy moms. Two cute dogs. And a thieving raccoon.


* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley and the author *

This is a new to me author, but this book is the 5th in a series. I didn't feel like I missed anything by not reading the other books first as everyone in the book was described good enough to know how they fit into the story.

This book features Brynn and Major. Major is a 33 year old sheriff's deputy who lives alone with his dog and takes care of his dad who lives in an assisted living facility. Brynn is an actress who is in town to shoot a movie. The way they meet the first time was really cute. The attraction was instant for both and they start spending time together. When Brynn's mother, who is also her manager, arrives early, she is not pleased to see her daughter spending time with Major. She should be researching her role and getting ready. Major is also dealing with his sick father and had some life altering decisions to make. Can they really start a relationship that has an expiration date?

My thoughts- this was a cute story. I don't really care for the 3rd person storytelling, but I was able to overlook it. I do think it would have been better in first person dual pov, but that's just my opinion. This book isn't like most romance I read. I was expecting a little more spice. There was really only one scene and it was mild. The rest were left to the imagination. This was very Hallmark movie style to me. Not that that's a bad thing, just not MY thing. Overall I did enjoy the book and I thought the story was good.

This series is an absolute delight. Small town romance at its best and if you're looking for that extra edge, there's a gator called Otis who adds and nice crazy twist to the character mix. Major Blanchard and that's his first name not his rank in the military goes for a walk with his dog, gets stuck in the swamp and ends up a star on national TV in his tighty-whities.  All that happens in the first chapter, so you know you're in for a treat when the story continues. 
What were the odds that a wildlife camera on a tree would capture Major Blanchard's inglorious moment of first being stuck in the swamp, then rescued by a beautiful young woman only to find that his sweatpants had been swept away and because he had been too lazy to do his laundry, he's displaying all his assets? He is just never going to live that one in the small town he lives in and also in the sheriff's department where he's a deputy. 
Brynn Pearson is a child television star who's trying to transition into being an actress even though her heart's not really into acting. Her acting career rescued her family when they were on the brink of bankruptcy. Now her mother is still obsessed with Brynn's success to the determent of her sister who genuinely wants to be an actor while Brynn wants to walk away from the fame and fortune and paint and discover who Brynn Pearson really is. 
As Brynn tries to deal with the press and her dysfunctional family, Major is dealing with his own situation watching his father deal with dementia and fearing the eventual loss.  Brynn with the publicity that follows her, and her career is definitely not the right choice for him but he's powerless to resist the chemistry.  Will they be able to both work through their family situations and find a path that works for them both?
Laugh, cry, love and live with the folks in this small corner of Louisiana and let this story tug at your heart strings. This is a great series, and this might be one of the best stories in the series.

Small town rom com with sticky-fingered racoons!!! I love this town and their residents; they are always good for a laugh and some zany fun. There is also a lot of heart at the core of it all, and this time around Major and Brynn get their HEA. It takes a bit for it to happen, there are a lot of life events they both have to deal with, but from the start, these two click. We get a nice, slow burn, and then lots of road bumps as feelings about a lot of things need to be worked on internally, and then acted on. There was everything needed for a good story, some laughs, some tears, a bright future, and a lot of love <3

3.5 STARS

Moving to Papillon, Louisiana to be with his elderly father, Major Blanchard has settled in as one of the newest deputies in the quirky backwater bayou town. As a former military man, Major likes law and order so he tries to carefully control all aspects of his life. Major, being that rare bird of an eligible bachelor in Papillon, has had a myriad of blind dates; however, none successful indicating perhaps the problem is with him not any of the fine ladies he has met. An incident where he is stuck in the bayou mud trying to save his dog goes viral after Major is rescued by a former child star, Brynn Pearson, who is in Papillon to make a movie.

Brynn, whose professional name is Bria, has been an actress since the age of five. Now in her twenties, Brynn is looking to make her mark in adult roles although at this point, she is very nearly burned out on the whole life in the spotlight gig. Brynn and Major begin spending time together before the rest of the crew and her very intense, extremely bossy mother who is also Brynn’s manager come to town. Brynn’s role involves being a police officer so she is scheduled to shadow one of the other deputies.

Brynn may not be looking for an emotional involvement but one comes her way although she and Major have several obstacles to overcome including her career, lurking tabloid reporters looking for a story, her very irritating mother, and Major’s stubborn ideas about what is good for Brynn. Major’s feelings about his father’s failing health complicate matters as well.

While I liked Brynn, Major’s attitude and mule hardheadedness got a little old. Brynn’s mother is also hard to take; however, her younger sister, Ally, kind of stole the show for me. She is quite entertaining and has some of the best lines. In this story the main couple do not actually spend all that much time together. This book focuses quite a bit on Brynn’s angst about her career as well as Major dealing with his father’s mental and physical decline. This is the 5th book in the Butterfly Bayou series.