Bayou With Benefits (Badges of the Bayou)

Erin Nicholas

Sep 2022 · EN Fiction, Inc.

About this ebook

They are friends. Without benefits. Unfortunately.

Michael LeClaire is small-town Louisiana. A firefighter. A single dad.

And Amelia Landry is New York City. A social media influencer. A model.

Sure, she’s his son’s favorite person on the planet.

And yeah, their families spend so much time together it’s hard to remember who shares DNA and who just shares secrets, inside jokes, and a sincere lack of boundaries.

And okay, he’s seen her nerdy side. Her sweet side. Her funny, self-deprecating side. 

Fine, yes, resisting this woman has taken a saint’s share of willpower.

But he has to. He just cannot do long-distance. And he can’t have a casual fling with someone he’s known–and will know–forever.

Thankfully, he only has to hide his feelings a few times a year when she visits.

And then, he slips. One time. One spontaneous I-knew-it-would-be-everything kiss and he’s a goner.

Now every time they see each other it's harder and harder to ignore the heat.

And when she shows up on his doorstep after a car accident changes her entire life, there’s no way he can resist the chance to see if this can last…or if they’ll finally flame out.  

Ratings and reviews

This was such a great read! I LOVED Michael and Ami together, and they had great chemistry. I knew there was going to be some difficulties with them getting together, but it was so great to see them overcome everything and make it work. Ami was an awesome heroine! I loved how strong she was, but she was always willing to see the other side of things. Michael was a great hero, and even though he always wanted to fix things, it was nice to see him realize he didn't always have to.

I was blown away by the beauty and depth to this story and wasn’t sure what to say to help other readers. Ami has been in love with Michael for years but the age difference and the fact she lives in a different city has given Michael a reason to avoid admitting his attraction to her. What a great tap dance these two do around each other. When Ami is in a car accident, this really is a pivotal moment for Ami and her future but also for Michael and his realization that life can change in a moment.

This author writes the best romantic comedy small town stories. These last couple of books have been a little more serious than I’m used to from this author but just as good. “Grown men do stupid things that aren’t about relationships sometimes,” Michael has been in love with Ami forever and everybody knows it but her. This is a super slow burn romance. Just when there seems to be to much standing between them and there HEA everything works out. “Of course not. But new is fresh. Different.

About the author

Erin Nicholas is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty sexy contemporary romances. Her stories have been described as toe-curling, enchanting, steamy and fun. She loves to write about reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines and happily ever afters. She lives in the Midwest 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 family and friends who say they’re shocked by the sex scenes in her books (yeah, right!).

You can find Erin at ErinNicholas.com