Lexi Blake

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 show more 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! show less

Harlow is fierce, intelligent, and emotionally scarred from her past with Jensen, the man who broke her heart to protect her. Just as she begins to open up to Niall, another protector with secrets of his own, the past collides with the present, and so does Jensen. Their chemistry is intense, the emotional depth is authentic, and the suspense kept me captivated. I loved how this story explored forgiveness, found family, and the beauty of choosing more than one kind of love. Lexi Blake crafts show more a compelling trio with genuine struggles, steamy moments, and a journey that concludes in healing. show less

My Review:

I really enjoyed Dungeon Royale, it was such a fun story and honestly I really wanted Damon's story so much. He is this sexy brit Dom who is injured and the lady he ends up with is a softer FMC and you all know that is my cup of tea. I loved their dynamic so much. The heroine is struggling with some self worth issues and I really related so well with her. She is shy, reserved and emotionally damaged. We see her come out of her shell but in many respects I loved how she fights for show more her man, how she treats him so fairly, always aware of his mental health and needs like WOW .....how many heroines do we actually read that are like this? The only complaint I have about this series is all the heroines are curvy....can we get some variety cause women don't come in just one shape. LOL

The story itself was very interesting. We basically have a forced proximity, working undercover as a dom and sub to get some important documentation to help save millions from a virus outbreak. I loved their interactions, the way that they connect to each other and the moments in which you see their vulnerabilities just shine through so well. The more I read into this series, the more I am loving about it. And even though I am NOT looking forward to Chelsea's book (cause she is kinda a spoiled brat and I really don't like those) I also am intrigued cause I really have loved the hero in the past couple of books and he knows how to handle Chelsea. I am hoping we see great redemption from Chelsea's character though.

Overall this book was a true keeper! show less

My Review:

This might be my least favorite of the series. I honestly wasn't sure how I thought about these two together, especially with the interactions that we have seen of them throughout the series. I enjoyed the story as a whole and it definitely had more plot building than I expected for a novella. But really her novella's are actually very good and actually have....I don't know...a story in it and its not just erotica which I love with this author, she writes good depth no matter the show more length of the book.

This story was hard to enjoy, mostly because of the angst that is between these two. I honestly still don't know how I feel about this pairing to be completely honest. I feel like it was a bit too rushed in the end and would have loved to see more exploration of the type of couple that they would be in the end. They have very different expectations for the future and I would have enjoyed just a bit more focus on that as it didn't feel as resolved as I would have preferred. But it was still well done. The actual plot was fabulous. Definitely kept me on edge and even though I suspected the villain....I actually didn't see it until close to the reveal so bravo to this author to really digging into the mystery of it.

Overall I had a good time with this one and now onto Simon and Chelsea's book and man I am crossing my fingers so hard that one will be good cause I am nervous as a hatter for Chelsea's story. show less