He's determined to win her back by any means necessary.
Bayou Dreaming, an all-new charming contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake is available now!
New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake’s heartfelt contemporary romance set in Louisiana's Butterfly Bayou
Roxanne King left the big city looking for a simpler life, but after years of proving herself on a SWAT team in New York City, being deputy in a sleepy Louisiana parish is something of an adjustment. She's settling in, but she knows she made some mistakes in the beginning-- Zep Guidry being the worst of them. Zep drifts through life on his looks and Cajun charm. Roxie learned the hard way he's not for her.
Zep is a man who knows what he wants, and what he wants is Roxie. He's just not sure how to get her. They spent one hot night together a year before and now all the lovely deputy seems interested in doing to him is arresting him. He's not used to a woman he can't charm, but Roxie seems immune. He's determined to win her back by any means necessary. Including becoming the kind of man she desires.
And when Roxie's past comes calling, it might be the opportunity Zep needs to show Roxie that the town bad boy might just be the man of her dreams.
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!
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Excerpt
The door opened and Lila walked in. “I’ve got good news and bad news. You do have a concussion, but it’s minor and my brother says the rest of your brain looks great. So you’ll be fine, but I either need to send you to the hospital for observation for the day or someone needs to stay with you.”
“I’ll be fine.” She wasn’t about to go to the hospital. No way. “Just give me some instructions and I’ll be out of your hair.”
“No, you won’t. You’ll be completely in my hair because, like I said, I need to know someone is watching you for the next twelve hours,” Lila explained. “I can do that by driving you an hour and a half to the hospital, checking you in, and then having someone pick you up late in the evening. Or you can have a friend stay with you today. I would tell you to hang out here at the clinic, but we’re closed this morning. I’m going to Noelle’s science fair. If we can ever trick another NP to come down here, well, we’ll still be closed sometimes.”
It was weird since hospitals didn’t close in New York, but this clinic was the nearest thing they had to a hospital in Papillon. Lila would definitely insist on driving her since she wasn’t even letting her lie on the couch by herself. There was no way Lila would let her get behind the wheel.
“I swear I’ll be cool,” she promised. “I’ll sign one of those forms and everything will be okay. I don’t mind signing it.”
“You want to sign an AMA?” Lila’s eyes had widened slightly but not in a surprised way. Nope. Roxie knew that look. It was the “dumbass said what” look.
“You’re not leaving against medical advice,” Armie declared with a frown.
She didn’t have anyone to call. She quickly went through the short list of people she knew well enough to ask for a favor. She pretty much only knew the guys she worked with. She worked and then went home. She got the occasional beer, and sometimes she hung out with Lila. That was the sum of who she might be able to ask.
Major was working. He would have been called in to take over the rest of her shift and his own. Armie would be at his daughter’s school event. Vince would be working with Major, and the fourth deputy, Chris, had recently hired on and was moving today.
The door opened and Zep walked in, Daisy on a leash, though she obviously wasn’t trained. She squirmed and strained against the leash the minute she got in the room.
“Sorry, I wanted to make sure you were all right before I head into Houma,” he said. “Also wanted to give you the chance to say good-bye to Daisy.”
If she didn’t find someone to “watch” over her, Armie would likely do it himself. Or they would have to spend their whole day driving back and forth to the hospital. He would miss his daughter’s science fair, and it wasn’t some elementary event where they showed off homemade volcanoes. Noelle was in her senior year of high school and competing for scholarships.
Also, she might save the puppy from having to go to some horrible shelter.
She looked at Zep. She knew what she was about to say was a mistake, but she didn’t see that she had any other choice. She was desperate. “I need someone to make sure I can wake up every couple of hours.”
Zep stopped and looked around as though trying to make sure she was talking to him. “You want me to call my sister or something?”
His sister and her husband, Harrison Jefferys, owned a B and B, the nicest one in town. That could be the solution. She could check in for the day and sleep on the couch in the great room.
She’d heard their family dog was almost like a nanny to their little boy. Maybe he could be a nurse, too. “Does she have any rooms open?”
Armie huffed and Lila started shaking her head as though they both knew she planned to ask a dog to help her out before she’d ask the human male in the room.
Zep nodded as though that was what he’d expected. “Sorry. I was talking to Sera and Harry last night and they’re completely booked. They’ve got a big family coming down for the week. From somewhere back East.”
Then she didn’t have a choice. She closed her eyes and wished the ground would swallow her up. It would be easier than doing what she had to do now. She sighed and opened her eyes because the ground was still firm beneath her. “Would you do it?”
The slowest, sexiest smile crossed his face. “I can definitely wake you up, darlin’. Though I’m more used to putting pretty ladies to sleep. Wait. That came out wrong. Never mind. I can do it.”
She already regretted the choice.
About Lexi Blake
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Blake lives in North Texas with her husband, three kids, and the laziest rescue dog in the world. She began writing at a young age, concentrating on plays and journalism. It wasn’t until she started writing romance that she found success. She likes to find humor in the strangest places. Lexi believes in happy endings no matter how odd the couple, threesome or foursome may seem.
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