I have loved this series from the very beginning, from the introduction of Josh and Tori, through Maddie’s return to the Bayou (and Owen), and Sawyer’s rediscovery of life (with the help of Juliet). The Autre universe and its inhabitants, the crazy Landry clan, is one of my favorite places in all of the books I have read. I have patiently waited for Kennedy’s story, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed.
Crazy Rich Cajuns is hands down my favorite of the series. But I do have a love/hate relationship with it (more on that later).
First up, all of the good stuff. I know I am going to forget some because there was so much to love about this book. The chemistry between Bennett and Kennedy has grown throughout the series, and it bursts into flame in this book. The balancing act they do as they explore each other and come to individual realizations is both hot and touching.
(Yeah, that’s a fine line to walk, and the author does it masterfully).
Kennedy has been a spitfire all along, but she has another side that Bennett (and his family) bring out, and it is beautiful to see. Her scenes at Bennett’s house are some of my favorites I have ever read. It’s easy to say that something was funny, but the Flip Cup episode (dude, vanilla vodka) had tears running down my face. And Kennedy’s tales of treasure hunting were simply fantastic.
I loved the exploration of relationship roles. Kennedy’s interpretation of Leo and Ellie’s relationship and the recognition that both she and Bennett come to puts the convention of the Bayou on its ear, and it totally works for the story. The scene where Leo guides Bennett is priceless because it happens in typical Landry style.
I mentioned the chemistry was explosive, and that is mainly due to the juxtaposition of Bennett’s outer and inner character. On the surface, he seems very straightlaced and proper (at least in Kennedy’s eyes). But once he gets her alone and opens his mouth? Holy hell is it hot – and totally unexpected!
I know I am missing some parts, but honestly, I just loved the entire book. I devoured it in one sitting because I didn’t want to leave them, which brings me to the “hate” part of the love/hate relationship.
I hate that it’s pretty much the end of the Boys of the Bayou series. I like that we will be getting another installment with Chase (Juliet’s brother), so we will still get to visit Autre and the Landry clan, but I am so disappointed that the Landry family will no longer be central (as far as I can tell).
Oh well, I guess that’s what re-reads are for, right? And this is definitely a series that I will return to again and again. Do yourself a huge favor and pick up this entire series right now. You’ll find yourself wanting to book a trip to the Bayou.
Crazy Rich Cajuns by Erin NicholasMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
No point in beating around the bush: this is by far my favorite book in the Boys of the Bayou series. Not only does it feature Kennedy, whose story I have been waiting for since her introduction, but the author turns convention on its head and takes the story out of the Bayou. One would think it would be a fish-out-of-water, but that’s not necessarily the case. The journey that both Kennedy and Bennett undertake as they explore their feelings is typical Erin Nicholas but with a hint of something else (no spoilers). This is one of the first books in a while that I was sad to see end because I wanted more of their chemistry. For a more detailed review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks Fiction Reviews. This review was written based on a complimentary, digital, pre-release ARC of the book.
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