Bayou Brides: Four Generations of Couples Are Bound by Love, Faith, and Land

by Janet Spaeth, Lynette Sowell, Janet Lee Barton

Historical Four generations return to a cabin in Cajun country to discover their family's secrets of love and redemption. After Capucine Louet is exiled from Nova Scotia and heads for Bayou Teche, she's given a journal while passing through New York City and reconciles with God as she writes. Josee Broussard continues fifty years later, discovering the journal while struggling with her husband's love. Nic LeBlanc returns home looking for familiarity, but the journal broadens his horizons. Justin LeBlanc brings an exclamation point to its last pages, scrawling a proposal that sets the stage for future generations.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Romance

344 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2006

About the author

In first grade, Janet Spaeth was asked to write a summary of a story about a family making maple syrup. She wrote all during class, through morning recess, lunch, and afternoon recess, and asked to stay after school. When the teacher pointed out that a summary was supposed to be shorter than the original story, Janet explained that she didn’t feel the readers knew the characters well enough, so she was expanding on what was in the first-grade reader. Thus a writer was born. She lives in the Midwest and loves to travel, but to her, the happiest word in the English language is home.

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Four novellas and four authors in one book. When I found Bayou Brides on the shelf at the thrift bookstore I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did as romance is not my first go to. I was drawn to it because the setting was on the Bayou in South Louisiana. Secondly it was family lineage from 1700s to 2000s.

The book is fast paced. Before I realized it I was over halfway on the first night of reading. It starts with Capucine and Michel LeBlanc with the next three novellas being the generations of LeBlancs.
Each one of these could have easily been full novels.

I was definitely pulled in to the bayou setting. I feel as I lived with each generation watching how times have changed.
Joie de Vivre would have to be my favorite one of the four.

This is a Christian Fiction book that references faith and prayer with clean romance.

[Debby Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading Barbour novella collections, and this one is a treasure. I loved learning about Cajun history and culture. I loved the Louisiana setting and reading about the geography and culture of that part of the country. The characters in all four novellas were well developed and realistic. Some were quite colorful. The story lines were believable and had me turning pages late into the night, and the happy ever after's made me smile.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed watching the progress of this family. The story started in the 1700's and ended in 2006. The last three stories covered the grandchildren of the previous story. Very interesting. I liked how the history was kept alive.

[Patrick Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bayou's Brides by Janet Lee Barton is a novel that points out the need of involving God in our affairs irrespective of how dicey the situation might be. These four generations found happiness where they never thought it would be. With time and Prayer, things will work out fine. My favorite part is Capucine: Home to my heart; but trust me, the entire book is captivating.

[Kristy Trauzzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the novel more than the novel itself. Things moved very very fast. Barely speaking to getting married within 20 pages. I felt a little let down by the stories. However, I loved the thread between them and the history of the family. It just should have been longer. And a bit more story.

[Lynette Lark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once you read the first chapter (story), the rest is predictable-- only the names and eras change. But I did like the descriptions of the Bayou and I now want to learn more about the Acadians (Cajuns) who were forced to leave Canada. Why?

[Trisha Wojcik · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I liked the idea of the story, I found the writing too vague without a lot of character development.

[Christine Bowles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second time I have read this book, and yet again I am amazed by how much I loved reading it. The four authors do such a good job of weaving their different stories to gether and bringing the history of the LeBlanc family and their cabin to life throughout the novel.

I love this book and think everyone should take the time to read it.

[Jencey/ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. 4 great stories in one book.

[Ashley Zander · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this story

[Dianne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been better if it wasn't so gratuituously preachy.