Just the Trouble I Needed: A Bayou Sabine Novella (The Bayou Sabine Series),

by Lauren Faulkenberry

Publication: Blue Crow Books; 1 edition; September 5, 2017

trouble

About the book:

Sometimes a little trouble—and a lot of Louisiana heat—can help you find your way…
Kate McDonnell has a problem: a problem with four legs and a howl loud enough to wake the whole Bayou. She can’t remember why she agreed to dogsit her best friend’s Catahoula until sexy Sheriff Andre Dufresne stops by and her memories come right back. But Kate can’t get seriously involved with anyone right now—she just got cheated on by her scoundrel fiancé, and besides, Bayou Sabine is just a temporary refuge. Maybe Andre would be interested in a light-hearted fling?
When Andre Dufresne first met Kate, she was naked as a jaybird and tried to brain him with her hairdryer. But that was months ago. Now, all he wants is to get to know her better. After all, they don’t make girls like her where he comes from—whip-smart, fast-talking, straight-shooting, and foxy as all get out. He has his work cut out for him though—Kate is no country girl. She might like him all right, but she can’t stop talking about going home.

Kate can’t resist a short-lived affair with Andre, and Andre isn’t about to tell Kate no. Can he convince her that he’s worth the trouble? Or will her fear of being hurt again ruin any chance they have of love?

My Review:

Once again, I have fallen in love with Bayou Sabine and this fantastic series from author Lauren Faulkenberry. I am hoping that by now you have read the earlier novels in this series and know all about Enza, Jack, and their Catahoula named Bella. When Kate faces unwelcome news at work, she gets a call from Enza and decides to vacation at Jack and Enza’s place for a week (and dog sit) so that she can regroup and clear her head. But as soon as she comes face to face with sexy Sherriff Andre Dufresne, her vacation starts getting a bit more complicated.

I loved the chemistry between Andre and Kate in the last novel so I was so excited to read this novella that focused on these two seemingly unlike people. Andre is rugged, straightforward, and lives a quiet life in Bayou Sabine. Kate is a suits and heels type woman that works as a researcher in a lab in Raleigh. yet, he beat her at Scrabble back in December and she is still intrigued…

My only criticism of this novel is that I did not pay attention prior to reading that it is a novella! I wanted so much more from this amazing couple and when it ended I was like, “really? I’m going to need more Kate and Andre!” Despite my need for me, Lauren Faulkenberry managed to pack a ton of emotion, feeling, and real-world situations into a novella that I was unable to put down.

Faulkenberry always wows me with her characterization and vivid imagery which allow the reader to feel the humidity in Bayou Sabine, see the muddy mess that Bella made on her latest adventure and feel the heat between Kate and Andre. Even when they have an argument, it feels so incredibly realistic and “normal,” as if you and your significant other had the same argument the other day.

Just the Trouble I Needed, like the others in this series, is an addictive, fast-paced, romantic, yet true-to-life story that should be next on your TBR. If you haven’t read the others in this series – do that first, but this novella is just further evidence of what an outstanding writer Lauren Faulkenberry is and what compelling characters she creates!

*Thanks to Lauren Faulkenberry for providing a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.