Thanks to Netgalley, Berkley and Social Butterfly PR for the complimentary e-arc.

If you are looking for a good small town romance look no further than Butterfly Bayou by Lexi Blake. This book made me laugh, cry, and feel the full gamut of emotions. Blake delivers characters that you can’t help but love and want to get to know better.

Lila Daley is a nurse practioner fleeing Dallas after a tragedy. She seeks refuge in Papillon, Louisiana, a small town located along a bayou. In Papillon Lila meets a whole wacky cast of characters including a gator named Otis. Along the way she also meets Sheriff Armie LaVigne and the sparks fly.

This book would be perfect for lovers of small town romance. The town of Papillon is full of quirky eccentrics that I love to see in a small town romance.

If I had a criticism of the book it is that I really wanted to know Lila sister Lisa’s story! I can’t wait for the next installment of the Butterfly Bayou series.

Lexi Blake’s Butterfly Bayou is an irresistible small-town romance that sparkles with humor, heat and heart that is simply enchanting!

Lila Daley had worked hard for to have the life she had always wanted. Having had to raise herself and her siblings due to their mother’s lack of maternal instinct and total inability to stay out of trouble, Lila had never let the fact that she didn’t have the best start in life keep her back from making her goals a reality. With her siblings all settled with their new families and their own lives to lead, Lila could focus on throwing herself into the job she loves as a nurse practitioner in a busy Dallas hospital. Everything seems to be finally going Lila’s way – until one fateful day when she was held at gunpoint by a crazed ex of her colleague determined to cause maximum destruction. Unable to face returning to the place of work she loved so much, Lila sells up and heeds her therapist’s advice to make a fresh start elsewhere and when the opportunity comes to take over a medical practice in Butterfly Bayou, where one of her sisters lives, Lila think that this is the new beginning she has been searching for. Of course, on arrival, Lila soon realizes that the idyllic fantasy she had built in her mind isn’t quite as rosy as she had imagined: her new patients seem determined to keep her at arm’s length, the cheap furnished house she bought turns out to be a hoarder’s paradise and her worst nightmare and she butts heads with Sheriff Armie LaVigne from the very first moment she sets foot in Butterfly Bayou!

Single dad Armie might look like he has walked straight off a film set, but the sexy Sheriff has been keeping his heart firmly under lock and key for the last couple of years. Armie hasn’t met anybody who has made him want to shrug off his single dad status – until now. Lila may be a prickly fish out of water in small town Louisiana, but there is something about her that draws him to her like a moth to the flame. Yet, every time the two meet they invariably end up arguing and disagreeing! However, Armie will not be easily deterred. He has been unable to stop himself from thinking about Lila and the more time he spends in her company, the more he realizes he is falling for her. Armie is determined to prove to Lila that Butterfly Bayou is where she belongs and when their feelings for one another intensify, it looks like their second chance at happiness could be within reach – until the past rears its ugly head and threatens to jeopardise their relationship.

Is Lila and Armie’s love strong enough to triumph over all the obstacles standing in their way? Or will they end up falling at the last hurdle?

A charming romantic read that touches the heart and tickles the funny bone, Lexi Blake’s Butterfly Bayou is a warm-hearted, witty and enjoyable tale about healing from the past, new beginnings, taking chances and falling in love that is a joy to read from start to finish. Lexi Blake deftly blends pathos, drama, searing emotional conflict, small town eccentricity and uplifting romance in a spellbinding tale I couldn’t bear to put down.

Armie and Lila are two fantastic characters readers cannot help but fall in love with. Not only do they come alive on the page from the start, but they are wonderfully drawn, believable, relatable and so nuanced that readers will surely end up taking them to their hearts.

Feel-good, poignant and captivating, Lexi Blake’s Butterfly Bayou is a treat contemporary romance fans should not miss!

j'ai adoré le contexte et les personnages même si parfois on a aussi envie de les secouer, j'ai aimé les voir se battre pour ce qui compte pour eux et la pauvre Lila va devoir faire face à la méfiance des gens vis à vis de nouveaux arrivants dans leur petite communauté. Elle va pourtant arriver au fur et à mesure à faire sa place et sa relation avec Armie l'y aide un peu. Je ne me suis pas ennuyée une seule seconde en leur compagnie et j'ai adoré les voir aller de l'avant, choisir une voie et s'y tenir et ne jamais baisser les bras ou presque. Ils vont tous prendre conscience de ce qu'ils traversent et c'est avec un grand sourire aux lèvres qu'on les quitte ! Une très chouette aventure dans le bayou !

I loved this.! It was a well written contemporary romance filled with so many emotions.. I found myself laughing and crying throughout Butterfly Bayou. Once I started this I couldn't out it down!
Lila was frank but used that more like an armour. She didn't have the easiest childhood but didn't let that stop her.
Armie is a Sheriff in the small town raising his daughter. He's got a lot of guilty but means well.
As with many new relationships, they struggled a bit but I loved that neither backed down. I liked that they were older and willing to fight for what they wanted.

I received a copy of this book for a honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance

Lila is recovering from a tragedy where she felt helpless. But with that experience, she grew stronger. Now in a small town closer to one of her siblings, Lila is learning that sometimes, you can’t change those around you, you can only control your reaction to them.

This story made me laugh, cry, and feel frustrated. You can’t help but relate to Lila. She’s strong, tenacious, and sometimes so stubborn. But she also only knows one way to love – with her whole heart.

Sheriff Armie seems like a stand-up character at the beginning. As the story moves along, he becomes less and less the stand-up guy and more and more the scared, guilt ridden father. His daughter will charm you, but also has a stubborn streak that will drive you mad. Armie is clueless as a father and while he was a good sheriff, it made me very frustrated to watch his interactions and preconceived notions when it came to his parenting style.

You’ll fall in love with these two, despite being frustrated beyond measure. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book. I hope that we get to revisit some of these characters too.

Triggers: Domestic Abuse, attempted murder


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the first book in a new series, and I loved it. It has all the zany characters that one expects from a somewhat cut-off, independent kind of country town, all the animals and bad behaving residents of the Deep South, all the loyalty and family values that one could wish for, and also an acknowledgement that life is far from perfect and we do the best we can when faced with what we have.

I thought that Lila was a fascinating person from the beginning, and as we get to know her better and care more about her, one can only really wish her good things... even if she doesn't feel she deserves them, or that anyone is really inclined to offer them. So Armie is an interesting foil to her – he is all about keeping everyone else safe, or even cocooned, and that applies most strongly to his daughter.

There is plenty of chemistry, plenty of drama, and a happy ending... plus an abandoned dog called Peanuts – really, I do not need to tell you more. Grab a copy and thank me later! I am really looking forward to future installments.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
If you are after a book with a strong female lead, this is the book for you. Lila moves to small town Louisiana after watching one of her closest friends get shot and die right in front of her. She takes over the town's general practice but it doesn't go as she hoped as the townsfolk don't trust outsiders.

A whirlwind romance with Armie, the town's sheriff helps Lila adjust to life in a small town and more importantly, helps her deal with traumatic events of her past, giving her a safe space to let go of her emotions. But her relationship with Armie is turbulent and it is when things go wrong between them and Lila puts it all on the line for what she believes in, we really see how amazing she really is.

This story is an emotional rollercoaster and it had me crying my heart out. I never really cared much for Armie. He was a decent enough hero, sheriff, single dad, good looking, but I never really clicked with him. There are times he doesn't cover himself in glory and I didn't have much sympathy for him. But Lila loves him, so that is really what matters. For me, this story is all about Lila, she is my new hero.

I love small town romance and Butterfly Bayou is a lovely example. The town is full of crazy, interesting people, both good and bad, and made a great backdrop for romance. I recommend Butterfly Bayou to any romance reader.

3.75 stars--BUTTERFLY BAYOU is the first instalment in the contemporary, adult BUTTERFLY BAYOU erotic, romance series focusing on the people who live and work in Papillon Bayou Louisiana. This is forty year old, single father and Sheriff Armie La Vigne, and practical nurse Lila Daley’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Armie and Lila) BUTTERFLY BAYOU follows three distinct paths: the building relationship between forty year old, single father and Sheriff Armie La Vigne, and practical nurse Lila Daley; a couple of cases of domestic abuse that place Lila in the direct line of fire; and the relationship between Lila, Armie and Armie’s sixteen year old daughter Noelle, a young woman confined to a wheelchair since the accident that claimed the life of her mother.

Eight months earlier Lila Daley’s life imploded when a gunman killed her co-worker taking Lila hostage in the process. Fast forward to present day wherein our heroine, struggling to move on from the past accepts a position as a practical nurse, moving from Dallas Texas to Papillon Bayou, Louisiana, a town that is unwilling to accept Lila as one of their own. Having to deal with the small-town mentality and discrimination that comes with the inability to change, Lila finds herself on the outside looking in when Papillon Bayou, Louisiana refuses to accept Lila into their arms. Enter Sheriff Armie LaVigne, the man with whom Lila will fall in love. What ensues is the building but acrimonious relationship between Lila and Armie, and the potential fall-out when Lila finds herself on the receiving end of death threats, anger and Armie’s inability to accept Lila’s methods and means of tough love towards his only daughter.

Lila Daley is a strong, independent, intelligent, practical nurse with attitude to spare; who gives as good as she gets, and who isn’t afraid to speak her mind but speaking her mind in Papillon Bayou, Louisiana means alienating the townies who struggle to accept Lila as their new primary care personnel. Used to the ways of the old doctor, the residents of Papillon Bayou begin to make Lila’s life miserable until an accident threatens the life of one of their own. Armie LaVigne is a single father who cares for his daughter, a young woman whose carefree attitude hides a darker fear but it is Armie’s personal battle with Lila’s stance that threatens his relationship with our story line heroine.

The relationship between Lila and Armie begins when Armie pulls over Lila Daley in an effort to get to know Papillon’s newest resident but everything backfires when Lila’s ego, demeanor, mindset and temperament continues to annoy the townsfolk, including the man with whom she will fall in love. Lila believes she is better than the people of Papillon Bayou, and it’s this philosophy and perspective that begins to push away any future relationships. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Armie’s daughter Noelle, Lila’s sister Lisa Guidry and her husband Remy, her brother Will and his wife Laurel, nurse Mabel; townies Rene Daron, Zep Guidry, Quaid Havery; town deputies Major and Roxie; real-estate agent Miranda Jossart; Carrie Petrie, her husband Bobby, his brother Donny , and their mother Lorna, as well as several other town folks who push in and out of our heroine’s life.

BUTTERFLY BAYOU is a story of family, friendships, acceptance and love; of struggle and betrayal; vengeance and drama. The premise is edgy and intense; the characters are spirited, sassy, judgemental and snobs; the romance is seductive and moving but struggles in the face of preconceived notions, issues of trust, misunderstanding, and spurious reactions to events and outcomes. BUTTERFLY BAYOU is a wonderful introduction to the people and town of Papillon Bayou, Louisiana but you have to set aside first, second and third impressions about our leading characters.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

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Butterfly Bayou by Lexi Blake is a sweet story about two people who get a second chance in life. If you have never been to the south, then you will get a sampling of how people are down there. Having grown up in the south I could relate to the small-town people featured in this book and the delightful dialogue and vernacular that was used. I have to say I laughed out loud at some of the scenes because it just reminded be so much of home. This is a steamy romance that is filled with lots drama, violence and some serious real-life subjects that make this book more genuine. 5-stars for Butterfly Bayou by Lexi Blake.
Lila Daley had suffered a major traumatic blow living in Dallas and decided that she needed a change. Picking up and moving to the small Louisiana town that her younger sister lived in was out of character for her, but she had to give it a try. Lila’s first day driving into town she gets to meet the gorgeous albeit law-abiding sheriff Armie LaVigne. Lila and Armie have a rocky relationship at best and as things and people in the town become hinky, Lila and Armie get pushed closer together. Somehow both Lila and Armie’s past have come back to haunt them and one of them might now make it through this time to tell the harrowing tale.

Butterfly Bayou is a new series by Lexi Blake. I will admit, the cover totally won me over. I mean, a cute dog, in boat? Adorable! Small town romance? Great! My actual feelings on the story are much more mixed however.

Let's start with what worked! The heroine, Lila, makes some real personal growth and I love that in a character. She was kind of rude in the beginning, but I think I was able to see that as a defense mechanism. The hero is a sheriff, single dad, and a little wary of letting any woman in his life. Totally understandable given that his daughter is disabled. He pursues Lila though, which is great! There is a scruffy dog that worms it way into Lila's life and I love books with dogs that help a character soften.

So, where did it lose me? The book is WAY heavier than I expected. I mean, I looked at the cover and thought "bright, sunny, small town romance". WRONG. Seriously, Lila has baggage, Armie has baggage, there is a lot of angst and nothing is light. Maybe because I went into this expecting something less angsty I am being more critical. I just know that the longer the book went on, the less I was enjoying it. Armie changes and does some really dumb things; this seemed totally out of character from the beginning of the book. Lila actually becomes more likable as the story progresses (which I expected), but I was so mad at Armie, I kind of wanted her to leave him.

Butterfly Bayou left me confused. There were several things I really enjoyed about the story; but there were just as many things that I didn't love. It's been awhile since I read a book that left me this on the fence. I decided to check goodreads. Most of the reviews are 5 stars! Maybe it was because I went into the story with a preconceived idea and the book didn't match that. So, take my review as perhaps a cautionary tale to not judge a book by its cover! As a side note, I do think I will read the next books in the series! They sound interesting and now I know not to expect light hearted just because there is a puppy on the cover.

Review: BUTTERFLY BAYOU by Lexi Blake https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-bts
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4.5 Stars

I enjoyed this introduction to Butterfly Bayou. It had all the tension, romance and sexiness that I like in a story. It’s listed as a contemporary romance, but it has enough suspense to go either way. I didn’t connect with Lila for a while, wondering what Armie saw in her. Thankfully that changed soon enough, helping me understand her past and present so I could become invested in them both, as well as Armie’s daughter. Then of course he did something stupid and I wanted to shake some sense into him. All part of the story arc and I was in there for it all. This book was nicely written without a ton of back info on the town to bog it down. I look forward to reading book two.

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

~*~*~*~

Kindle https://amzn.to/35s0XZf

In this first book of a new series by Ms. Blake, we meet Lila Daley. Where does she live? What does she do? Who are Will, Laura, and Lisa? I loved Noelle, had mixed thoughts on Armie and Zeb. I frowned bout the locals for the most part. What experiences brought Lila to her new home from her time in Dallas? Where does she go? What do we learn about her childhood? How does that help her now? Who is Carrie? What does Lila do when Carrie shows up for the second time? While Lila is in New Orleans, what phonecall does Armie get that has her running home? This story had me in tears several times! I really enjoyed the read and look forward to more of the series!

RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin' With M. Brennan.

Lexi Blake just rocked my reading world with Butterfly Bayou.
Lila has moved to the small town of Papillon, Louisiana(also known as butterfly bayou) to restart her life after a tragic Incident. She learns fast that small town folk do not like change and for her to take over the clinic in more than just ownership she has to earn the respect of the locals. Her big city ways may prove to be a bit much. Lila comes off a bit gruff at the beginning yet as we get to know her we learned that she takes her job more than seriously and is willing to put it all on the line for the safety and care of other. She’s as loyal and deep as they come. Even those moments when she may seem high and mighty, Lila is truly one of those really really good people.
Armie is the town sheriff and a single father who is dedicated to his daughter in every way. Armie’s I wonderful man who is kind and gentle yet strong and stern when he needs to be. He too, has some tragedy in his past that keeps the guilt right in front of his face. His guilt makes him look at things differently or not always see what’s right in front of his face. Like most men he is stubborn but truly his heart is in the right place.
Butterfly Bayou was just what I needed in my reading world. This small town is filled with colorful characters with a lot of personality and pizzazz. Ms. Blake touches on a many different issues that may not be pretty yet does it with a grace and elegance. We see Lila at her lowest of lows, fight through it and find a partner worth fighting for. Armie and Lila see things very differently yet when they figured out how to communicate with each other they learn the things aren’t always as they perceived. Butterfly Bayou is A fantastic beginning to what I’m sure is going to be an emotional and heartwarming series. I would like to add and I absolutely loved the scene at the end where the readers learn how Butterfly Bayou got its name.

3.5 stars. Butterfly Bayou is the first book in the new Butterfly Bayou series by Lexi Blake, a spin off series of the Masters and Mercenaries. This is Lila and Armie's book. We were introduced to the town of Papillon in a previous book. Papillon is a quirky small town in Louisiana and is home to Lisa, Lila's younger sister. Lila decides she needs to change her life after a traumatic event, so she leaves her fast paced job as a nurse practitioner in the ER. She moves to Papillon to be closer to her sister and to take over the town's family practice from it's retiring doctor. But things start off on a bad foot, when on her way into town she gets a speeding ticket from the sheriff of Papillion, hot cop Armie. Sparks fly between them, but Lila soon finds she has her work cut out for her getting the townspeople to trust her so that she can do her job and things keep getting harder as time go on when it becomes obvious someone has it out for her. Armie is interested in Lila, but he has a disabled teenage daughter and isn't sure he will ever be able to take time for himself to have a relationship. Still, the two have a chemistry that can't be denied, which leads to a complicated relationship, some heartache and finally an HEA.

This was a good story. It had a small town, quirky feel with fun characters and a little mystery. I liked Lila a lot. I kept picturing her as a Meredith Gray type doctor. Kind but no nonsense and take no bull. She was strong but she deserved someone to take care of her finally. As for Armie, I should mention that I hated the name Armie (short for Armand). It reminded me of smarmy. Anyway, I liked his character more in the beginning, but I didn't like the way he treated Lila for much of the book. He convinced her to give him a chance for a relationship, only to be the one to break up with her. Twice he jumped to conclusions, fought with her and dumped her, without trying to understand her point of view. He hurt her a lot, though she still wanted to work things out with him. They got together in the book relatively quickly, but were broken up and fighting for the last quarter of the book and only got back together at the very end. I did not trust him to not break up with her again next time they had a disagreement. It was a shame because the book was really good other than Armie's behavior, which left a bad taste in my mouth. It would have been a 4 star read for me. Still, the story was interesting and the writing good. I really liked Lila and was glad she found a place where she belonged in the charming town of Papillon.

Overall, I liked this book, even if I didn't love it. I think this is going to be a really fun series and I look forward to more from Ms. Blake in the future!

Lila is tough, she has fought her way out of poverty while raising her siblings but a traumatic event has pushed her to change the path her life is on. Moving to Papillon to take over the local clinic is culture shock. In her quest to find success, she closed herself off from emotion but moving to a small town where everyone finds their way into everyone’s business, has her questioning all her decisions. Meeting the local sheriff, Armie, is frustrating and exhilarating all at the same time. He becomes someone she can lean on as she navigates the locals to win them over and trust her as their medical professional. Armie’s world flipped when his daughter is in an accident that leaves her in a wheel chair. He had traded in big city law enforcement for the slower pace of his hometown. Now his goal is to make sure Noelle has a great life. Meeting Lila opens him up in a way he never expected. Each of them has their own ghosts and demons to face but will they be willing to open themselves up to love and possible heartache. I fell in love with Papillon and all it’s crazy, wonderful characters. The journey that Lila and Armie each face provided hope and inspiration along the way. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

After enduring a tragedy, Lila has left her career as a Practical Nurse in a fast paced hospital and purchased a medical practice in small town Butterfly Bayou to be near her sister. She was expecting to be welcomed into the community, but she is finding that her personality is rubbing some of the locals the wrong way.

Armie is the sexy Sheriff who is a single father to his teenage daughter, and she has been the only woman that he has allowed in his life for years. He is drawn to Lila and she brings out all his protective instincts and a relationship begins but things are about to become complicated when they both want what is best for his daughter but they can’t agree on what that is.

Lila is a woman who believes every strongly in her convictions while Armie is dealing with guilt from his past so when it comes to his daughter he doesn’t always see clearly. They are great for each other as she challenges him unlike any other while he shows her that she doesn’t always have to be the warrior she thinks she needs to be. I enjoyed my visit to this town and look forward to reading more about the quirky townspeople.

Butterfly Bayou by Lexi Blake is book 1 in the Butterfly Bayou series. This is Armand (Armie) LaVigne and Lila Daley's story.
Lila was a ER nurse from a big city whose moved to Butterfly Bayou to take over the clinic. Why would she do this after living in the city? The story tells why. The hero in the story is the single dad sexy sheriff and woo-hoo is the chemistry between the new nurse and the sheriff sizzling.
I will say, at first, Lila the nurse was a little hard to connect with because she came off as standoffish, cold. Yet slowly as I learned more about her and as she gets warming up to Armie, she becomes more relatable. I found her likable and found her as someone who I'd want to be friends with. Armie, single dad sheriff was totally lovable. He came off as relatable and his feelings were out front. He put his feelings for Lila out front and wasn't afraid to act up.
Now there was some actions that confused me with Armie. He did something and acted totally wrong...when reading the story, you'll know. So I went from totally be in love with him to just not knowing what to think.
This story had alot of great moments to some roadblocks. Overall, if you like small town romances with sexy sheriffs and sassy nurses then you'll like this book. I think that it could have been even better but still, this was still very good. I look forward to book 2.

My Rating: 4.4 stars *******

This was a awesome story of loving, courage and finding you way. The story takes a horrible accident and turns it into an amazing opportunity for Lila to help Noelle and Remy overcome the tragedy. Lila is just what they need to show them that hard work will get what both Noelle and Remy the understanding that they need. Remy is the town sheriff and is overly protective of Noelle since she was hurt so badly in a car accident and Lila a nurse practitioner takes them out of there comfort zone to help Noelle. Will love and courage win? The story will make you laugh and shed a few tears.

Going into this story I was expecting a small town romance, which I did get, but I usually associate them with a lighter romance and this was WAY heavier than I expected. Maybe my perception of small town romances is wrong but I can only go on what I have read in the past and this one was very different.

Lila is a nurse practitioner in Dallas Texas and after a HORRIBLE event takes place she moves to the small town of Papillon Louisiana to be closer to her sister and take over the medical practice in town. I think the only funny part of the story is the way the people in town initially treated her, the city slicker, and honestly it wasn't that funny.

Armie is the town's sheriff and a single father to a sixteen year old daughter who is in a wheelchair. I really liked his daughter, even tough there were a couple of times where I didn't agree with what she was doing.

Armie and Lila were interesting together, they definitely had the chemistry but they each had so much baggage I think it was hard for them to really connect as a couple for a while.

While I liked this story, I didn't love it and that is because of the mind frame I had going in. When you expect something light and you're hit with a heavy subject that doesn't just go away after the first couple of chapters I like to be prepared for it. I think I would have probably rated this book higher if I had gone in knowing that it was based around a subject that is a trigger warning for some.

I don't normally put spoilers in my reviews and I really don't consider this a spoiler since it happens in the first chapter but be warned. If you have been in a domestic abuse relationship this book might hit some triggers for you, it did for me and I wasn't prepared so I am putting it out there so you are prepared.

I loved the secondary characters and I added all of the books to my TBR shelf that are listed already. I cannot wait for Roxie and Zep's book!

Happy Reading!!!

**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books**

Pain and heartache are the only things waiting for Lila Daley in Dallas. Determined to put it all behind her, Lila packs up everything and heads to Papillon, Louisiana. The bayou is the perfect place for Lila to find a new lease on life. What wasn’t expected was that ‘new lease’ would come in the shape of the local Sherriff.

Thanks to the local gator in town, Sherriff Armie LaVigne found the woman who has been haunting his dreams. Lila was the fish out of water that tempted this Sherriff with each snarky comment that came out of her mouth. Now all Armie can think about is finding a way to keep the woman of his dreams from fleeing the bayou.

Butterfly Bayou is the first book in a brand new series by Lexi Blake. The small town feel of living in the bayou shines through each chapter of the book. Starting over in Papillon was an interesting concept to this book. Lila wasn’t exactly looking for love, but it certainly found her. The first half of the book was very good. I found myself rooting for Lila and Armie. Then things began to become too ‘hard’ for either to work on building the foundation of a relationship. There came a point in the story where I didn’t really care for Lila or Armie.

As the ending approached, I found there was a huge push for a ‘happily ever after’ that didn’t really jive with the push and pull in the plot of the novel. So – this one ended up landing in the middle of the road for me. I liked the story, but at the same time I found myself annoyed. I will definitely try again with the second book in the series to see if things improve!!

WOW!! LOVED!! Butterfly Bayou by Lexi Blake, book one in Butterfly Bayou series is an amazing story that I just could not put down. After being involved in a tragic, deadly, hostage situation nurse practitioner Lila Daley was desperately in need of a fresh start. Deciding to leave Dallas, she relocates in Papillon, Louisiana, a little town on the bayou, to be closer to her sister and run the town’s medical clinic. She doesn’t find the nice, calm she expected. Lila is greeted by a gator that roams the town, adopts a scruffy dog that used to live in the house she bought, and finds herself in the middle of golf cart wars. No matter what, Lila is still an outsider and finds it more difficult to fit into this quirky community than she imagined. Single dad Sheriff Armie LaVigne thrives on routine in order to make it through each day. There is nothing routine about the new resident and town “doc”, Lila. Lila checks all of Armie’s boxes and he’s ready to help her adapt to the town. In no time he knows Lila is the one for him and he sets out to make her his. When the past threatens their happiness, Armie will need to decide if he has the courage to trust Lila enough for them to have a true happily ever after.

I loved the way the town came around after seeing Lila in action, saving three town people involved in an accident. She gained the trust of these people as well as more clients. Armie and Lila were the perfect match, fitting together like puzzle pieces; yin to yang. Armie holds on tight to his daughter, Nicole, who is in a wheel chair after a car accident; killing her mother. Nicole needed normal instead of protectiveness. Lila getting along with and loving Nicole was icing on the cake for this couple; until it wasn’t. Lila is a survivor; especially after all she had been through. It is because of her diligence growing up that she and her siblings became the strong, successful people they are today. The secondary characters were such fun and a welcome addition to this story, especially Lila’s sister’s in-laws.

Ms. Blake wrote an emotional, sexy, and amazing story, with a touch of humor that should definitely not be missed. She provided a tale that sizzled with magnetism, scorch the sheets chemistry, witty banter, and endearing characters kept me flipping the pages of this intense and emotional romance. I totally enjoyed and highly recommend Butterfly Bayou to other readers and look forward to reading the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I enjoyed getting lost with Lila, Armie, and the town they lived in! Lila had a trauma in her life that brought her to Papillon, LA. She needed a change and she also wanted to move to a place where her sister lived. While her family embraced her arrival to town and her new job, the rest of the town wasn't on board. So Lila had an entire town not ready to embrace the newcomer. But she did have Armie on her side. She didn't move to find love, but it definitely found her. And they were old enough not to let fear rule their lives. Armie had had his own fear and trauma rule his life but Lila gave him a new purpose and helped him see things more clearly. I enjoyed the twists and turns this book took me on. I thought it was a good start to the series and I can't wait to go back to Butterfly Bayou with Lexi!