Beauty and the Bayou (Boys of the Bayou #3) by Erin Nicholas-Review Tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 13, 2019
A sexy small town, beauty and the beast rom com!
Sawyer Landry knows he’s been beastly to be around for the past few months. But he can’t seem to remember how to be fun-loving and friendly. Until he sees Juliet Dawson on his boat dock… and realizes that hip waders are, apparently, one of his turn-ons. But despite the beauty in the boots, the last thing he needs right now is a city girl in his way for the next two weeks.
But he’s not really getting a vote. Juliet is determined that her little brother rebuild the dock he and his idiot friends smashed. She’s quirky, klutzy, independent… and possibly an even bigger pessimist than Sawyer is. He’s incredibly drawn to the cynical fish-out-of-water, who seems to be the one person who isn’t intimidated by his growling.
The big, gruff boat captain is the first person in a long time to want to watch out for her and Juliet finds that hotter than his grandma’s jambalaya. Well, that and his sexy scar, his emotional baggage, and the sense of humor and fun that is buried deep.
But Sawyer doesn’t need any more people to worry about long-term and the things that make him feel protective of Juliet aren’t going to go away. So, this two-week adventure can’t be anything more than a fling. With Juliet down on the bayou, there’s an even bigger threat than alligators and hurricanes. There’s the very good chance of someone ending up with a broken heart.
••••
REVIEW: BEAUTY AND THE BAYOU is the third instalment in Erin Nicholas’ contemporary, adult BOYS OF THE BAYOU erotic, romance series focusing on the Landry family. This is twenty-seven year old attorney Juliet Dawson, and tour boat operator Sawyer Landry’s story line. BEAUTY AND THE BAYOU can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Juliet and Sawyer) BEAUTY AND THE BAYOU follows the building relationship between twenty-seven year old attorney Juliet Dawson, and tour boat operator Sawyer Landry. Days earlier Juliet’s younger brother stole a boat and all but destroyed the Landry boat docks. Hoping to make amends without having her brother sent to prison for theft and damage, Juliet sets out to make reparations on her own. Enter Sawyer Landry, the man with whom Juliet will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Juliet and Sawyer, and the potential fall-out as Juliet’s fears come to the surface threatening to drown her relationship with the man that she loves.
Juliet Dawson struggles with the repercussions of a childhood illness that continues to affect her daily life. Over protective to the point of obsession, Juliet comes prepared to repair the dock but leaves her heart open to falling in love. Sawyer Landry has been lost since the death of his business partner Tommy Alain, a partner he considered a brother and a friend. Hurting and scarred both inside and out Sawyer battles between head and heart with his attraction to our story line heroine.
The relationship between Sawyer and Juliet is one of immediate attraction but Sawyer was unprepared for the steam-roller that was Juliet Dawson. Desperate to teach her brother a lesson, and keep him out of jail, Juliet all but takes over the dock reparations on her own, and in the process, pulls our hero closer to her heart. The $ex scenes are limited but erotic and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are reintroduced to the large extended Landry family including Josh and Tori (My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding #1), Owen and Madison (Sweethome Louisiana #2) , sister Kennedy, grandma Ellie, Aunt Cora and billionaire investor and new business partner Bennett Baxter. Bennett and Kennedy’s story is next in Crazy Rich Cajuns.
The world building continues to focus on the Landry family dynamics; their tour boat operations, and life in the Louisiana Bayou. Grandma Ellie’s bar is the local hang out for family and friends, as well as the local gossip about falling in love and life in Autre, Louisiana.
BEAUTY AND THE BAYOU is a story of family, friendships, acceptance and love. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is steamy and hot; the characters are sexy, sassy, and a little bit broken-there is plenty of back and forth snark, double entendre and witty interplay between our leading couple, as well as between the Landry clan.
Reading Order and Previous Reviews
My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding
Sweet Home Louisiana
Beauty and the Bayou
Copy supplied for review
Reviewed by Sandy
“Other things?”
It wasn’t so much that she needed to know other ways to keep cool. But she really liked the way he looked when he was mildly amused. It was a very good look on him.
“Lots of water and sweet tea,” he said.
She gave an involuntary shudder.
His amused smile grew. “No to sweet tea?”
“Not my favorite,” she admitted. “But don’t tell Ellie,” she added quickly.
He chuckled at that. “I would never.”
Yeah, the chuckling was nice, too. “I’ve got the water covered though,” she said.
“Good.”
“Anything else?”
“Well, when we get hot there area couple of other things we do,” he said.
Had he moved closer?
Juliet swallowed. “Like what?”
“We take clothes off,” he said.
Yeah, his voice was definitely deeper now.
“I gue—” She cleared her throat. “I guess that makes sense, but there are bugs and sunburn to consider.”
He gave her a nod. “Sunscreen and bug repellent are important. Cora makes bug repellent that’s amazing.”
Huh. Homemade bug repellent. She might have to give that a try. These people intrigued her, she had to admit. “What about the flying debris?”
Sawyer glanced at the boards behind her. “Yeah, well, I guess we do take some risks down here.”
Ah, ha. “I’d rather be a little hot than dealing with an infection from a piece of wood imbedding itself in my skin and muscle tissue.”
Sawyer paused, then shook his head, almost disbelievingly. “Okay, girl. Then that only leaves one other thing to do when you get too hot.”
“What’s that?”
“Swimming.”
For a moment, looking into Sawyer Landry’s eyes, for the first time since she’d been ten years old, Juliet wanted to take her clothes off and jump into a body of water.
That lasted about twelve seconds. But that was twelve seconds longer than she’d considered doing it to that point.
“I don’t have a swimming suit.”
“You don’t need one. The fewer clothes the cooler you get.”
“Skinny-dipping?” she asked.
“Skinny-dipping,” he confirmed.
“You actually skinny-dip?” she asked.
“Of course.”
Sawyer Landry naked.
She just took a few seconds to relish that thought…and the images that went with it. Skinny-dipping with Sawyer might be the one way she would ever even possibly consider any of that. “Do you have a private pool with lots of chlorine and a maximum depth of three feet?” she asked.
She wondered if being naked but with a life jacket on still counted as skinny-dipping.
“Don’t need a pool when I’ve got a whole bayou in my backyard.”
She shuddered. “There is no way I’m jumping in there. Clothes or not.”
“So, the naked part of skinny-dipping isn’t the problem?” Sawyer asked. “It’s the water?”
“It’s absolutely the water,” she said. It was actually all water, but water where she could see the bottom, touchthe bottom, and that was pumped through a filtration system was tolerable. Maybe. For a short period. With plenty of floatation devices within reach. “I mean, other than just the dirt, there are snakes and alligators and fish…and fish and alligator poopin there.” She frowned. “Do snakes poop? I mean, they probably do, right?”
Sawyer blinked at her. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
She nodded. “They almost have to. And they probably do it in that water, too.” She shuddered again. “No, thank you. There are just places I do notneed dirty bayou water.”
“It’s the poop that’s keeping you from skinny-dippin’?” Sawyer asked, clearly trying not to laugh. “You are really thinking about the wrong thing when it comes to bein’ wet and naked, darlin’.”
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.
Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).
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