I can not express how happy I am to be reading in a world that Lexi Blake created! And the fact that there is connection between this series and the Masters and Mercenaries series makes by book loving heart so happy. Having read the HEAs of all the other Daley siblings, it was so nice to get Lila's story. I know well enough about Lexi Blake's characters and stories to have not expected anything light and fluffy (despite what the adorable cover might imply) - she serves emotionally gritty, intense, tear inducing stories with characters that you can relate to and root for (especially when they get in their own daggum ways). My heart cried for Lila from the very beginning of the story and I found that even when I was forced to put the book down, my thoughts lingered with it and I longed to pick it back up. I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook - the narrator is FANTASTIC. I'm so excited to spend more time in Papillon, LA and with her citizens - here's to hoping that this series spawns as many stories as M&M (and fingers crossed we get some more crossover plots and characters)! 4.5 out of 5 wine glasses.

What a beautiful introduction to a new series!

I loved reading every page of Butterfly Bayou.

Lila Daley wasn't brought up in the best of circumstances and had to grow up way too fast. Now that she's grown and all of her siblings are adults, she's made a name for herself as a nurse practitioner in Dallas. When a tragic event happens that changes her life, she moves away to a little town called Papillon. Lila never expected to find an alligator blocking her path on her way into town and when fear sets in she takes off as quick as she can to hopefully escape the gator, who apparently is named Otis. Except fate has other plans for Lila and she gets pulled over for speeding.

Armaund LaVigne (aka Armie) is the Sheriff of Papillon Parish and when he sees someone driving thirty miles an hour over the speed limit he doesn't pass up the opportunity to pull the person over. Armie never expected to find the woman who he hasn't been able to get out of his head for the past few months to be the driver.

Lila finds it difficult settling into Papillon and when she sees a patient that reminds her of friend Maryanne she knows she needs to do everything to save this woman.

The events that unfold during this book will keep you on the edge of your seat. Noelle, Armie's daughter, is one fantastic character who I just fell in love with while reading this book. I love the banter between the three characters and even all the sub-characters.

From start to finish this book is fantastic and I can't recommend it enough!

4 stars — Honestly? This felt like a non-menage version of the Nights in Bliss, Colorado series Ms. Blake originally wrote under the pseudonym Sophie Oak. Which sounds like it should be a criticism, but honestly? That’s one of my favourite guilty pleasure reads, so I absolutely did NOT care that so much of the set up felt familiar. It was just fun to have another quirky town full of crazy characters to fall in love with.

Lila was a fascinating character. I wasn’t sure how I’d like her at first, b/c she’s very type A, and so buttoned up. But man you got to see so much of what made her who she is, and I admired the traits that I don’t even remotely share with her. She’s smart, tenacious, determined, and I LOVED seeing how she’d made strides in moving forward with her life with the help of counselling. I also appreciated the choices she made in her relationship, and that she pushed the people she loved when they needed it. She was definitely a heroine to admire, even with her faults.

Armie had MUCH farther to go in this book. He was sweet, kind, thoughtful, and wonderfully protective. I loved that in general he appreciated a strong woman, and wanted to support her but not hold her back. My problem is that he was realistically damaged from his past, and it took him a realistic amount of time to get past that damage. It was just so FRUSTRATING!!!

In general I loved Lila and Armie together. It was passionate in both a steamy way and a contentious way. They’re very strong characters, and you could tell they loved with all of themselves.

I was genuinely worried how the Noelle story would play out. At first I was shocked by some comments…then I figured out it was probably going to be part of the growth in the story. But it was hard to watch the way she was treated, b/c I know some people truly see disabled people in that way. BUT I was wholly satisfied with it in the end, and hopefully it will be eye opening.

The little bits of suspense were pretty solid. I saw them coming, but they added some fun and mystery, and were generally just a teeny part of the plot.

The best, the absolute best, part of this book is the town and its characters. It’s the same reason I love the Nights in Bliss, Colorado series. Are they completely realistic? Eh. Do I care? Not one bit. They’re hilarious, and quirky, and they mean well. I will definitely be checking out more books in this series, because the town is a character unto itself.

Butterfly Bayou is the first book in the new series with the same name. Lila Daley is a nurse practitioner that has been through something very tragic. She is a strong person, thankfully. But she was ready to move on and moved to Butterfly Bayou.

I grew up in Florida where we had alligators in our lakes. I have a healthy respect for them. Well Lila was welcomed to the town by Otis “the sweetheart” of an alligator. Otis was sunning himself on the highway. Haha! She ends up meeting the sheriff after finding herself speeding after getting around Otis. The sheriff of Papillon Parish’s name was Armand LaVigne and he went by Armie. And, this is Lila and Armie’s story.

Lexi Blake really brings Armie alive. I can just hear his accent while I read this book. There are some laugh out loud moments and there are some tearful moments as well. I fell in love with Butterfly Bayou and all its residents! Even though they didn’t make it easy for Lila.

I already can’t wait to read the next book in this series and this one hasn’t even been released yet! If you love reading romance Butterfly Bayou is a MUST read! I loved it!

Every new book that Lexi Blake puts out is an adventure to me, and I'm honestly such a fangirl of hers that I don't even read the blurb anymore. I just know that I'll love it, and to expect laughter, tears, and lots of happy feelings. Butterfly Bayou is the first book in a new Lexi Blake series, and it's just the perfect start to a new world, and it delivers laughter, tears, and happy feelings.

It's not a secret that I'm a huge Lexi Blake fan. Whether she's writing urban fantasy, contemporary romance, or erotic novels, everything she writes will end up being a favorite book of mine. And while I love all the sarcasm, hot sex, crazy dangerous situations that she puts some of her characters through, her way of writing small town romances is probably my favorite thing about her stories. Because she makes me believe in these small towns, in their crazy adventures, the very interesting cast of characters, and the magic that these small towns have.

Butterfly Bayou is the story of Lila Daley and Armie LaVigne, and their chance to start a new life away from their fears. It took me a while to realize why I knew Lila, why she felt familiar to me, but once I realized she was Will's sister, I knew I was going to love this book. I love the Daley clan, I truly do, and I they all need to be happy for all eternity and not have anything bad happen to them. Lila especially. They all had a traumatic childhood, but Lila had it the hardest, because she had to be the mother of her siblings when she herself was just a child. The book starts off with a very traumatized Lila, and you find out really quick what happened to her and it's an event that will shape who she is not just throughout this book, but it changes her life forever. Lila was hard on herself before, but now she's even more so. The Lila that arrives in Papillon however is also a Lila that wants to be better, she wants to make a life for herself, a life that has meaning. So she follows her sister to this small town far away from the traumatic experience she went through.

I loved that Lila wasn't a pushover. She had a hard time connecting with her emotions, and going after what she wanted, but she was no pushover. She stood her ground even when people around her were trying to talk her down, and I loved that about her. She defended herself and took no crap from the people in town that were judging her even though they didn't know her. She was professional and kept her cool whenever she needed it, but she also knew how to dish out some sass and some tough love. Her relationship with Armie was great, but I love the fact that she loved herself a little bit more than she did Armie. Don't get me wrong, Armie was great, and I'll get to him in a second, but she was honest with herself when she needed to be, which is something I don't read about that often.

Like I said, Armie was great. He hasn't been able to forgive himself for playing a part in the accident that claimed his ex-wife's life and his daughter's ability to walk, which is why he is so protective of his daughter, Noelle. But this protectiveness turns to have a negative impact on Noelle's life, which can potentially harm his relationship with Lila. I liked what Armie was able to do for Lila. It's not just that he showed her she was worthy of love, it's that he allowed her to feel guilty about what had happened, but not to the extent she took that feeling. Lila was living in a nightmare, and Armie allowed her to admit that to herself, but also to let the past go. Which is kind of ironic considering he was doing the same thing as Lila was, so they healed each other.

Papillon is full of very interesting characters, and I cannot wait to meet them all again and read about their crazy antics. More so than the people, I absolutely fell in love with Otis, the town alligator. There's just something about a small town with an alligator that always manages to pull me in, and I am not ashamed to admit that.

Butterfly Bayou is truly a great book to start off a new Lexi Blake series, and if you want to try out her writing but aren't sure which book to try, you should give this one a go. Now to wait for the next book in this series, Bayou Baby.

Butterly Bayou is a delightful story, about an uptight city girl who survives a horrendous experience and decides to recover from it by moving to rural Louisiana and taking over a clinic in a small town. is a delightful story, about an uptight city girl who survives a horrendous experience and decides to recover from it by moving to rural Louisiana and taking over a clinic in a small town.

Lila Daley studied medicine as a way to overcome her crappy childhood and was happy with her fancy apartment, designer clothes and boyfriends who never challenged her. But when a friend is attacked and killed in her hospital and she is taken hostage, her view of everything changes. Unable to enter her hospital without seeing the attack, she moves to Papillion, Louisiana to be close to her sister. No sooner has she reached the community, than an alligator in the road causes her to speed to get away from it, and the hot sheriff, Armie LeVeigne, gives her a ticket and asks her out.

Quite honestly, I didn’t like Armie. From giving Lila a ticket to talking her into living with him, then kicking her out, he was not kind, and his actions spoke louder than his words. It took intervention from his friends and another situation where she was endangered for him to realize he really did love her. I’m not sure I liked Lila, but I did respect and admire her character. Instead of letting one bad moment define her, she moved on, opening herself to love and caring. She is a true heroine, saving people’s lives and making differences in her chosen community.

The secondary characters, from Rene, Zep and Nicole to the animals, Peanut and Otis, were fun to read about. The story line is captivating but straightforward, and I look forward to more in this series.

Lila has a life changing event in a Dallas ER so she sells everything and moves to a small town where she will be the primary medical person for the town. ARC from NetGalley.

THE DELIGHT
A heartwarming story of recovery, second chances, sleeping southern towns, and the quirky residents that know everything about everyone.

REVIEW
Butterfly Bayou starts with a tragedy that pushes the heroine to make a big move in her life but also runs away from a past she needs to confront and own. Packing up her life, Lila Daley heads to Butterfly Bayou to be closer to her youngest sister and restart her life. Getting stuck on the road because a gator won’t move, then getting a speeding ticket tops off her first day, but it forecasts the days to come. She soon learns the house she bought so cheaply is in need of major upgrades, a scruffy dog adopts her and she doesn’t have the support she expected from the local to take over the clinic as a nurse practitioner. Fitting in isn’t going to be easy, but then fitting in isn’t her goal per se.

Sheriff Armie LaVigne is a single dad trying to keep a small town peaceful. There is nothing peaceful about this town or the residents. Living in a big city came to a halt when his ex-wife is killed in an accident that has left his daughter in a wheelchair. Armie wants routine and he wants a woman to spend his life with, then he sees Lila. She’s crabby, broken, and in need of love, he wants to give her.

The author goes away with the heroine I wasn’t expecting. Lila is not a wilting angel. Her childhood was not the best, but she got through it to become a nurse. Watching her best friend die and not be able to help both wakes up Lila and causes her to run. Slowly we pull away the walls to find a solid foundation, but one that doesn’t know how to love because she had to push that away to survive. Relying on someone isn’t easy, but she learns to do so step by step with a town that is closed off, but when you become a member of their town, you become one for life.

Weaving Armie was just as tough. He’s a single father who wasn’t always the best dad until crisis hits. His law enforcement job in the big city often took up more of his time that he allowed for family. Divorced, he is forced to come home when his parent gets older and the only job he is qualified for is Sheriff. Then tragedy strikes and his ex-wife is killed and his daughter forced into a wheelchair. She is now a teenager, smart, funny, and ready to move on with her life, but her dad holds her back. He’s afraid she won’t be able to take care of herself with him. He’s a great father, just has a guilt complex that pushes his daughter to stay in place and dares anyone to tell him he is wrong.

Lila and Armie seem so wrong for each other, but in reality, they are perfect for each other. He pushes her to love while she pushes him to accept his daughter is growing up and can do more than he wants to admit. To be fair to him, his daughter does play him at times. She is a teenager, after all, being raised without a feminine influence that Lila fills a nurse if not as a future stepmom.

This wasn’t an easy story. It was tragic, heartbreaking, funny, and hard to sometimes wrap your head around. The characters are vibrant and real from the old men racing golf carts to the local restaurant and microbrewery her sister’s in-laws run. There are old families that can trace their roots far back who don’t want people putting their nose in their business. The gossip, the family feuds, business that shape the way of life all make this a good entry story for Butterfly Bayou.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

Butterfly Bayou is the first novel I have read by author Lexi Blake. Take note that it will most likely not be my last, which is good as there are more books in this series. There were interesting main characters with some depth to their personalities. The setting was described in such detail, I felt like I was living in Papillon, Louisiana myself.

The story begins with Lila Daley (nurse practitioner) moving to Papillon Bayou, Louisiana to start over (and be close to her sister Lisa) after her best friend and fellow nurse practitioner, Maryanne, was shot by her husband while at work in the hospital in Dallas – with Lila watching.

On the drive into the town of Papillon, Lila is waylaid by a gator in the middle of the road. Yup…you read correctly – a gator! And what does Lila’s sister Lisa say about Otis (the gator):

“He’s a sweetheart,” Lisa said breezily. “Don’t worry about him. He’s sunning himself, that’s all. …. It’s fine. Just get out and shoo Otis off.”

After I laughed very heartily, I realized with humour such as this, I was definitely going to enjoy this book.

As Lila drives off in a hurry (she is speeding away as quickly as possible), Lila gets pulled over for speeding by the very hunky local sheriff Armie LaVigne. The same man that she had met at her sister’s wedding the previous year, the one with the sensual smile. An auspicious beginning to her new life in Papillon, Lila is not deterred, even when she finally sees the “gem” of a home she bought for a “steal”. Needless to say, the transition to small town living is bumpy. But the ride is worth it – at least for this reader.

Not surprisingly, a romance evolved between Armie and Lila. Their road to happiness was cyclical (read tedious) and a tad bit boring at times. It seemed that they would go strong and when a conflict arose – they would just back off – not even try to work it out. What the heck!!!

I liked the progression of coming out, if you will, of Lila. She was a no nonsense woman with a narrow vision of how her life should play out. Most likely as a result of her childhood and what she had experienced in Dallas. As the town started to accept Lila for Lila, so did she. Her growth into the openly loving individual that she became was nice to watch. This most decidedly warmed my heart.

How Lila handled the physical therapy sessions with Armie’s daughter, Noelle, was interesting – as were many of the myriad of medical issues that Lila had to handle throughout her work day. I must say, that this aspect of the storyline is what got me to enjoy the book so much. Those issues were covered with professionalism and efficiency as well as a very buried heart. You could tell that Lila loved her work and truly cared about people, regardless of her stilted people skills (in the beginning).

Many chuckles abounded from various antics of the Papillon townsfolks. But what I liked best was how they stuck up for each other. A true sense of community. I enjoyed the many facets and layers of this book and cannot wait to get started with the second book in the series, Bayou Baby.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Butterfly Bayou is the first book in the Butterfly Bayou series by Lexi Blake. It's stand-alone and quite different in some ways from her other books. There is a bad guy, but the book, for me at least, is more fitted for women's fiction rather than suspense. It focuses on the relationships Lila and Armie have not only with each other but with many other people.

If you have a Lexi Blake fan and have read some of her other books, you might remember Lila. She appeared as a secondary character in Close cover and she was not very likable to some readers. Heck, she might even not be likable to some people in this book. She is not the warmest person to have around and she belongs in the tough love crowd. Armie on the other hand was very likable in the beginning and you couldn't help, but feel many things for him especially knowing the kind of relationship he has with his disabled daughter.

The funny thing is, that at least my views, changed as I began knowing better these characters as they were facing their problems. Armie's behavior was problematic In my opinion and I hated the way he treated Lila. She deserved better than that and I was very happy to see her asking for what she deserved and not whatever bones Armie was throwing her way. Armie was burying his issues for far too long and when Lila came with a shovel, he lashed out. I lost some of my fictional respect for him during those parts.

The rest of the book was good and I found Lila's journey very interesting and fun to read. I liked the secondary characters and there was some suspense that made things even better in my opinion. In this story the characters deal with so many issues and problems which I don't want to spoil and each one made this book more and more compelling. Noelle is a character that gave me mixed feelings, but I will give her the benefit of the doubt and come to a proper conclusion about her in the next book(s).

Overall, the book was good, I had a good time reading it and I would recommend it!

I have read all of this author's books and she never disappoints. This book had a really good story, characters and chemistry. This book also touched me in many different ways.

In this sweet romance we start with Lila, who is the last person standing in a particularly violent domestic encounter in the emergency room she worked at. She watched her friend die and she realizes she needs a fresh start to move forward in her life. She leaves Dallas and heads to Papillon, Louisana where her sister lives with her new husband. (This is where it felt like there was a book before this one featuring that couple, but it says this is the first in the series, so I don't know. Regardless, its OK and you won't be confused during this one.)

Her adventure starts with meeting Otis the alligator in the middle of the road and consequently being ticketed for speeding by Sheriff Armie. Incidentally, they saw each other at Lisa (sister) and Remy's wedding but Lila was in no position to do anything so she avoided him despite the obvious chemistry. Once in town she starts her work at the clinic she has taken over from Doc Hamet, who we discover was rather lazy, and faces the uphill battle of winning over Papillon despite being a nurse practitioner versus a doctor. Her abrupt and sometimes off putting personality doesn't help her case either.

After awhile she finds her groove, starts seeing Armie, tries to make friends, and comes across a patient she suspects is a victim of domestic violence. In her attempt to help her she basically stirs up a hornets nest and while she helps someone, she puts herself in danger. Things in small Cajun communities aren't like big city Dallas. In the middle of all of this, her and Armie have some major disagreements over the role of women, he's a bit unintentionally and unknowingly sexist and she isn't here for it, but his teenage daughter Noelle (disabled and in a wheelchair) becomes a bone of contention. Lila's good intentions are read differently and that ends up being our second conflict.

Overall? I really liked this one. It's sweet and it wasn't overly sexy (I mean, we know they have sex but we don't have detailed scenes) so if that's your jam this is right up your alley.

Review originally published: https://www.strandedinchaos.com/2020/05/book-review-butterfly-bayou.html

5 Stars

Lila Daley has not had an easy path in life. Stepping into a role as a mother at just 10 years of age turned her into a woman who was always practical and made sure everything was perfect, on the surface. Watching this strong and intelligent woman grow into an even stronger and more well rounded version of herself is a ride through so many emotions. She heads to Papillon as a way to start new, and run away from the nightmare she survived, and she found the family and life she never knew she needed or wanted. Armie, the town sheriff, is the driving force, along with his daughter Noelle. The fire between Armie and Lila cannot be denied and eventually they embark on a relationship that is full of passion, beauty and love. Unfortunately, no relationships is without its complications and pitfalls. As these two strong minded people push up against each other over an issue that has become important to them both, things get messy, and painful and your heart will break for them both! Of course, we have some fantastic suspense thrown in with our love story, as can be expected from Ms. Blake, and in the end this beautiful couple will learn a half life, is not really a life at all...and boy isn’t this something we all should remember as well!

Cara - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog

I knew from the blurb this was my jam, but also I was hooked because the words single dad romance. I'm so glad that I read this one. If you start this late in the day be prepared to reading long into the night. Only reason I put this book down was because my kindle ran out of juice and to charge. I fell in love with this little bayou town. I love quirky characters and this book is filled with them. I can tell you this book has left me wanting more from this series already. It's going to be so hard waiting for the next book. I loved Lila ad Armie. They're first meeting is quite memorable and sets up great tension. My heart breaks for Lila with the reason she needs a fresh start. This book has everything I want in a book. It has so much heart and feels, but it also delivers on the heat, humor, and a touch of suspense. This is a must read that I highly recommend. The characters are going to make you fall i love with them.

I contributed this review to Really Into This

Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!

Special thanks to Berkley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

So, this one started out with super-strong VIRGIN RIVER vibes. Honestly, maybe a little too much like VIRGIN RIVER for a super fan like me. The heroine is a FNP heading to a small town after a traumatic event. From here, we meet the love interest, the clinic and townspeople are not very accepting of her. She tries her best to regain her footing in this new environment.

For me, this one vacillates between cutesy & sorrowful trauma. A bit too much trauma for me. The synopsis does try to warn readers of a tragic accident in the heroine's past. Honestly, I'm calling this one up to the pandemic as the back & forth between new place and constant reminders fo the past was so saddening to me. That being said, had I read this at another time, I may have really liked it.

5 Reshaping Her Life Stars!!!

I’m a huge fan of all things Lexi Blake so when I heard we were getting a new series that revolves around a small town and second chances I was giddy with happiness. And I’m happy to say this book is everything and so much more than I was expecting. It’s a story that is intense at times, angsty at times, sizzling with passion and overall a fabulous a second chance love story!

Lila is a woman that’s experienced a life changing event that had me on the edge of my seat because holy moly talk about having my heart beating out of my chest. Because of this tragedy, Lila decides she needs a change of pace and moves to Papillion, Louisiana which is the exact opposite of Dallas!

Upon arriving in Papillion, she meets the Sherriff Armie and it wasn’t a happy occasion. While this man enforces the laws of his town, he’s also the best dad to his little girl Noelle which just had my heart melting! I loved how Lila and Armie traversed their relationship. It’s a bumpy ride to say the least, but their chemistry and connection can be felt coming off the pages!

Overall, this is a great start to this new series and I was left with a smile on my face when I turned the last page. I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series!!

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

I really enjoyed Lila and Armie.

I think it's the cover, but I went into this thinking it was going to be more of a sweet romance that leaned a bit toward women's fiction.

Nope. While definitely not erotic romance, there is a lot of heat and a great connection with the characters that you were not only engaged with, but interested in. There was also an interesting dimension added by the secondary characters that not only moved the story but added depth to the characterization of the lead characters, which is how it's supposed to work and worked perfectly in this book.

The small town in Louisiana is practically a character on it's own, which added a definite element of quirky fun to the story. And alligators. It also added alligators. Who have names. And, are apparently on the payroll of the local sheriff...but, you are going to have to read this one to figure out what I mean by that.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

I want to preface this review that I had read 30+ Lexi Blake's book. I love her take on romantic suspense, BDSM, Ian Taggart is my favorite character. Reading Butterfly Bayou was a bit of a let down. I have read all of the siblings (Daley's story) and they are so immersed in Sanctum that I was hoping for Lila's story to be like that, i loved Remy and Lisa's book which had enough action that kept me engaged. Knowing what I know about this world, i felt this small town romance a bit of a let down. I wished this world didn't collide with the Masters and Mercenary world. I wished we just had a brand new set of characters where we didn't know the backstory.

It's a Lexi Blake novel so what's not to love? Lila Daley life changed in an instant. A friend is attacked and she is taken hostage leaving her with a new outlook. One that includes not being able to enter the hospital she works at any longer. So to be closer to her sister she moves to Papillion, Louisiana taking over the small town clinic there.

Lila meets local sheriff Armie LeVeigne when he gives her a ticket and asks her out. Armie takes a lot to warm up to him, at least he did for me. He seemed a bit flippant until Lila is in danger again. Maybe it was just me that thought him that way. By the end of the book I had warmed up to him and liked him.

This was a good read and I enjoyed it, maybe not as much as I as did some previous books from Lexi Blake but hey, not every hero can be Ian.

Butterfly Bayou is a small-town, enemies to lovers, single dad romance.

Lila and Armie meet-cute was funny, but then you'll never expect how emotional their relationship turned into. I'm not saying emotional as in bad emotional. But both of them had their own issues to deal with. Armie with his daughter, Lila with the town people not accepting her. But I found myself disliking and disagreeing some of Armie's ways of dealing with things. But I guess it needed to go that way for their relationship to strengthen.

And Armie's daughter, my heart broke for her.. I totally enjoyed and highly recommend Butterfly Bayou if you're a fan of the tropes it consist of