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Bayou Dreams #1
A Forever Kind of Love: Bayou Dreams, Book 1
In Gauthier, love isn’t just found. It’s forever.
Mya Dubois left Gauthier, Louisiana determined never to look back. Broadway gave her the career she dreamed of, but coming home means facing the one thing she cannot design her way around . . . the man who shattered her heart.
Corey Anderson was once the town’s reckless bad boy, the one everyone warned her about. He chased glory on the baseball field, became a professional, and has since returned to the bayou with scars, wisdom, and unfinished business. Seeing Mya again reignites the kind of passion neither time nor distance could dim.
In a town where family ties run deep and every neighbor has an opinion, Mya and Corey collide in a second chance romance that burns hotter than ever. But forever does not come easy, and this time it will take more than sparks to claim the love they both walked away from once before.
Mya Dubois left Gauthier, Louisiana determined never to look back. Broadway gave her the career she dreamed of, but coming home means facing the one thing she cannot design her way around . . . the man who shattered her heart.
Corey Anderson was once the town’s reckless bad boy, the one everyone warned her about. He chased glory on the baseball field, became a professional, and has since returned to the bayou with scars, wisdom, and unfinished business. Seeing Mya again reignites the kind of passion neither time nor distance could dim.
In a town where family ties run deep and every neighbor has an opinion, Mya and Corey collide in a second chance romance that burns hotter than ever. But forever does not come easy, and this time it will take more than sparks to claim the love they both walked away from once before.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 2012
60 people are currently reading
425 people want to read
About the author
Farrah Rochon
72 books2,580 followersA native of south Louisiana, Farrah Rochon officially began her writing career while waiting in between classes in the student lounge at Xavier University of Louisiana. After earning her Bachelors of Science degree and a Masters of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University, Farrah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist. She was named Shades of Romance Magazine's Best New Author of 2007. Her debut novel, Deliver Me, the first in her Holmes Brothers series, garnered rave reviews, earning Farrah several SORMAG Readers' Choice Awards.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
May 5, 2023
What nonsense is this, then? ⚠️SPOILERS⚠️
The usual:
1. Small town 17-year-old high school sweethearts break up and get back together 15 years later.
2. He drunk
3. Lots of predictable small-town stuff.
Then some deviation from the usual:
1. She she had places to go and a life to live away from the small town she grew up in.
2. She leaves for NY and becomes a strong successful career woman, who, even though she hasn't found the great love of her life there, did have relationships with other men. She slept with 4 other men during the 15 years apart.
SURPRISE! SURPRISE: she's not our usual failure of a heroine. Beeg, you know those down-and-out loaded with baggage, broke, trampled on by bad friends and evil om. etc. etc....heroine?
Not this one.
Then the cliched usual : (Because why get our hopes up...)
1. The 4 guys she slept with didn't come close to satisfying her the way the H did WHEN HE WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
2. He had other lovers (not loves) during their time apart. His longest relationship lasted just over a year.
3. Her body betrays her to the point that within 2 weeks of seeing each other she can't resist him.
4. Instead of groveling he inserts himself in her life; makes excuses: I only cheated once; I was drunk; sorry I hurt you but now we have another chance.
5. He, who shouldn't even have a high horse, gets on said high horse about the h keeping her a secret for the past 15 years.
6. SHE pleads with HIM (and she was doing so well...) to forgive her for keeping this secret from him and he WALKS AWAY (after insulting her and her likeness to her mother who couldn't care less about her) near the END OF THE BOOK.
7. She catches him
8. He didn’t follow her when she left town.
Barron's Second Chance: A Cheating Redemption Story is very similar to this book BUT the grovel is epic and the hero is worthy.
The usual:
1. Small town 17-year-old high school sweethearts break up and get back together 15 years later.
2. He drunk
3. Lots of predictable small-town stuff.
Then some deviation from the usual:
1. She she had places to go and a life to live away from the small town she grew up in.
2. She leaves for NY and becomes a strong successful career woman, who, even though she hasn't found the great love of her life there, did have relationships with other men. She slept with 4 other men during the 15 years apart.
SURPRISE! SURPRISE: she's not our usual failure of a heroine. Beeg, you know those down-and-out loaded with baggage, broke, trampled on by bad friends and evil om. etc. etc....heroine?
Not this one.
Then the cliched usual : (Because why get our hopes up...)
1. The 4 guys she slept with didn't come close to satisfying her the way the H did WHEN HE WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
2. He had other lovers (not loves) during their time apart. His longest relationship lasted just over a year.
3. Her body betrays her to the point that within 2 weeks of seeing each other she can't resist him.
4. Instead of groveling he inserts himself in her life; makes excuses: I only cheated once; I was drunk; sorry I hurt you but now we have another chance.
5. He, who shouldn't even have a high horse, gets on said high horse about the h keeping her a secret for the past 15 years.
6. SHE pleads with HIM (and she was doing so well...) to forgive her for keeping this secret from him and he WALKS AWAY (after insulting her and her likeness to her mother who couldn't care less about her) near the END OF THE BOOK.
7. She catches him
8. He didn’t follow her when she left town.
Barron's Second Chance: A Cheating Redemption Story is very similar to this book BUT the grovel is epic and the hero is worthy.
May 15, 2016
Damn...my second DNF within the same day.
I DNFed at the end of Chapter One right after it's revealed he'd cheated on her. I don't like Big Misunderstandings, but that's one situation in which I'd prefer it because legit cheating (unless it's some special circumstance) is a no-go for me. It should've been mentioned in the blurb that he cheated.
This is a second chance romance, so he cheated on her 15 years ago. I skimmed ahead to see what the reason was (and to decide whether or not I should DNF). Sorry, but I need a better reason than it being a "drunken mistake" for why he cheated on her with her RIVAL on graduation night! And, to top it all off, .
I DNFed, so I don't know if either moved on in those years, but if it's revealed that he did (or that she didn't), it'll piss me off even more. Sooo...I'm just quitting while I'm ahead.
I DNFed at the end of Chapter One right after it's revealed he'd cheated on her. I don't like Big Misunderstandings, but that's one situation in which I'd prefer it because legit cheating (unless it's some special circumstance) is a no-go for me. It should've been mentioned in the blurb that he cheated.
This is a second chance romance, so he cheated on her 15 years ago. I skimmed ahead to see what the reason was (and to decide whether or not I should DNF). Sorry, but I need a better reason than it being a "drunken mistake" for why he cheated on her with her RIVAL on graduation night! And, to top it all off, .
I DNFed, so I don't know if either moved on in those years, but if it's revealed that he did (or that she didn't), it'll piss me off even more. Sooo...I'm just quitting while I'm ahead.
November 29, 2025
A Forever Kind of Love by Farrah Rochen
Bayou Dreams series #1. Diverse romance, own voices.
Mya Dubois returns to her small hometown in Louisiana because of a family tragedy. She left for career and from heartbreak. She’s keeping a secret still that she should share.
Corey Anderson doesn’t know if he is happy that Mya is back but now that she is, he’s not letting her go a second time.
Secrets, sorrow and heartbreak are the past. Can they get past it? Cheating, career goals, 17 vs 30 something. Family demands. Third act drama.
It’s a complicated set of circumstances. I liked the subsequent books in the series more.
Bayou Dreams series #1. Diverse romance, own voices.
Mya Dubois returns to her small hometown in Louisiana because of a family tragedy. She left for career and from heartbreak. She’s keeping a secret still that she should share.
Corey Anderson doesn’t know if he is happy that Mya is back but now that she is, he’s not letting her go a second time.
Secrets, sorrow and heartbreak are the past. Can they get past it? Cheating, career goals, 17 vs 30 something. Family demands. Third act drama.
It’s a complicated set of circumstances. I liked the subsequent books in the series more.
March 9, 2014
Small town romances can be the sweetest thing or the most painful tragedies ever, depending on how the author approaches it. After all, we need a reason for the city heroine to stay, and often, authors resort to forcing the heroine using all kinds of contrived reasons while, inexplicably, having the rest of the folks in town shame the heroine for having dared to venture outside the borders of the small town even as these people celebrate the hero for making it big in the city. In other words, small town romances can easily be throwbacks to the more annoying anti-feminist notions, and such stories should be approached with caution.
Farrah Rochon is normally an author whose plotting tend to be riddled with gaps in logic, but, to my pleasant surprise, A Forever Kind Of Love is a pretty decent small town romance. It is only in the last few chapters that the author loses control of her story and resorts to some unimaginative use of clichés that end up sabotaging her story. I'd be discussing this matter, so this means there would be major spoilers present in this review. You know what to do.
Mya Dubois and Corey Anderson were the classic good girl/bad boy pairing fifteen years ago, until she found him happily enjoying the cavorting of a half-naked hussy. In a pretty unusual twist to the usual "it's all a misunderstanding" scenario, this time around, the hero really did cheat on the heroine back then. They were teenage brats back then, so perhaps this can be chalked up to youthful stupidity on his part.
At any rate, she decided to leave Gauthier ASAP. Shortly after, she found out that she was pregnant, but she soon miscarried. Mya never told Corey, and given that he was cheating on her and planning to head out of town on his own, I don't blame her.
That was then. Today, Mya returns to the Louisiana small town after the death of her grandfather. Her grandmother collapses shortly after the funeral, and Mya can't help getting involved in some local small town drama subsequently, so Mya isn't going back to New York City anytime soon. She also learns that Corey has come home to stay, and even became close to her family in the recent months. Can they have a successful second chance this time around?
One thing that really stands out to me here is how well Mya stands out as a well-drawn character in her own right. Sure, she can be abrasive, but I can understand that. She didn't have many happy memories in Gauthier, and the few happy memories she had with Corey are tainted by the events leading up to the break-up. Mya's reasons for leaving and coming back feel real rather than contrived. I can certainly relate to the poor dear.
What is interesting here is that Mya may have issues, but she also comes off like a normal person. She isn't a case of walking baggage. Her career in the city isn't portrayed as a negative - she is not desperately unhappy living there. The people here don't treat her like dirt. In fact, there is a powerful scene where the heroine meets an old friend, who ended up working behind a pharmacy counter because she became pregnant young and ended up unable to make use of the scholarships she was offered. When Mya claims that she needed to leave Gauthier, or else she'd end up making compromises that she would regret for the rest of her life, she's not lying.
I like that the author can create scenes like this to make the heroine's issues resonate with me, and I especially appreciate how the author doesn't just pile on the heroine like many authors of small town romances tend to do. This isn't a "blame the ho for leaving the small town - how dare she spurns her duty to be a wife and mother to the hero!" story, that's for sure.
I'm not keen on the hero, however. He knows he was in the wrong back in those days, but instead of being remorseful or super romantic in order to win the heroine back - that would be too easy, I guess - he just prods and pokes and pushes at her hot buttons. I guess annoying one's way into the heroine's panties is the way to go if you are a romance hero? I don't see any hint of convincing maturity that would make me think of him as a suitable husband material.
And this is where I come to the real problem of this story - the part where the author loses the plot. Remember the miscarriage? Well, the heroine is conflicted about telling him, and I can understand her fear. By this point, the author has two choices: have the hero behave like a mature fellow and mourn with the heroine of what could have been, or be a colossal asshole and accuse the heroine of being all kinds of whore, putting her city career over her dead baby and other bizarre nonsense.
Perhaps the author believe that the hero behaving this way would create some fireworks for the obligatory conflict moment before the happy ending. Even if this is the case, the hero's behavior isn't just ridiculous, it's also predictable and clichéd. Despite my reservations about Corey up to that point, I thought this book was shaping up to be a pretty good read and it certainly deserved something better than this lame and overused late stage conflict. The author introduces this conflict shortly before the happy ending, so the hero doesn't even need a good grovel to back into the heroine's panties.
Worse, the author has the heroine's family bludgeoning her with the fact that she "belongs" to the small town, so the heroine ends up staying, her realistic reservations about everything else all swept under the rug for this convenient happy ending. I don't know why the author took the pains to create a heroine with realistic insecurities if she's just going to have Mya run like Mary Poppins on crack for the happy ending, shrieking that she is finally home or something like that.
At any rate, A Forever Kind Of Love is a pretty unexpected kind of good read, one I never suspected that the author is capable of delivering, until somehow the last dozen or so pages got switched with those from a more cliché-addled "small town is best if you are the heroine - BEST, YOU HEAR ME, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE WILL NOT DO - SMALL TOWN OR DEATH!" story.
Farrah Rochon is normally an author whose plotting tend to be riddled with gaps in logic, but, to my pleasant surprise, A Forever Kind Of Love is a pretty decent small town romance. It is only in the last few chapters that the author loses control of her story and resorts to some unimaginative use of clichés that end up sabotaging her story. I'd be discussing this matter, so this means there would be major spoilers present in this review. You know what to do.
Mya Dubois and Corey Anderson were the classic good girl/bad boy pairing fifteen years ago, until she found him happily enjoying the cavorting of a half-naked hussy. In a pretty unusual twist to the usual "it's all a misunderstanding" scenario, this time around, the hero really did cheat on the heroine back then. They were teenage brats back then, so perhaps this can be chalked up to youthful stupidity on his part.
At any rate, she decided to leave Gauthier ASAP. Shortly after, she found out that she was pregnant, but she soon miscarried. Mya never told Corey, and given that he was cheating on her and planning to head out of town on his own, I don't blame her.
That was then. Today, Mya returns to the Louisiana small town after the death of her grandfather. Her grandmother collapses shortly after the funeral, and Mya can't help getting involved in some local small town drama subsequently, so Mya isn't going back to New York City anytime soon. She also learns that Corey has come home to stay, and even became close to her family in the recent months. Can they have a successful second chance this time around?
One thing that really stands out to me here is how well Mya stands out as a well-drawn character in her own right. Sure, she can be abrasive, but I can understand that. She didn't have many happy memories in Gauthier, and the few happy memories she had with Corey are tainted by the events leading up to the break-up. Mya's reasons for leaving and coming back feel real rather than contrived. I can certainly relate to the poor dear.
What is interesting here is that Mya may have issues, but she also comes off like a normal person. She isn't a case of walking baggage. Her career in the city isn't portrayed as a negative - she is not desperately unhappy living there. The people here don't treat her like dirt. In fact, there is a powerful scene where the heroine meets an old friend, who ended up working behind a pharmacy counter because she became pregnant young and ended up unable to make use of the scholarships she was offered. When Mya claims that she needed to leave Gauthier, or else she'd end up making compromises that she would regret for the rest of her life, she's not lying.
I like that the author can create scenes like this to make the heroine's issues resonate with me, and I especially appreciate how the author doesn't just pile on the heroine like many authors of small town romances tend to do. This isn't a "blame the ho for leaving the small town - how dare she spurns her duty to be a wife and mother to the hero!" story, that's for sure.
I'm not keen on the hero, however. He knows he was in the wrong back in those days, but instead of being remorseful or super romantic in order to win the heroine back - that would be too easy, I guess - he just prods and pokes and pushes at her hot buttons. I guess annoying one's way into the heroine's panties is the way to go if you are a romance hero? I don't see any hint of convincing maturity that would make me think of him as a suitable husband material.
And this is where I come to the real problem of this story - the part where the author loses the plot. Remember the miscarriage? Well, the heroine is conflicted about telling him, and I can understand her fear. By this point, the author has two choices: have the hero behave like a mature fellow and mourn with the heroine of what could have been, or be a colossal asshole and accuse the heroine of being all kinds of whore, putting her city career over her dead baby and other bizarre nonsense.
Perhaps the author believe that the hero behaving this way would create some fireworks for the obligatory conflict moment before the happy ending. Even if this is the case, the hero's behavior isn't just ridiculous, it's also predictable and clichéd. Despite my reservations about Corey up to that point, I thought this book was shaping up to be a pretty good read and it certainly deserved something better than this lame and overused late stage conflict. The author introduces this conflict shortly before the happy ending, so the hero doesn't even need a good grovel to back into the heroine's panties.
Worse, the author has the heroine's family bludgeoning her with the fact that she "belongs" to the small town, so the heroine ends up staying, her realistic reservations about everything else all swept under the rug for this convenient happy ending. I don't know why the author took the pains to create a heroine with realistic insecurities if she's just going to have Mya run like Mary Poppins on crack for the happy ending, shrieking that she is finally home or something like that.
At any rate, A Forever Kind Of Love is a pretty unexpected kind of good read, one I never suspected that the author is capable of delivering, until somehow the last dozen or so pages got switched with those from a more cliché-addled "small town is best if you are the heroine - BEST, YOU HEAR ME, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE WILL NOT DO - SMALL TOWN OR DEATH!" story.
August 22, 2012
This book was seriously lacking in the romance department. The whole book was essentially about the revitalization of this small town. Every book needs a good backdrop for the romance to build upon, but in this book the backdrop was basically the whole story. I was really waiting and waiting for something, anything to happen between Mya and Corey, other than thinking about the past and what could have been. When they finally got going it was just a little too late for me. I felt like I knew more about the town than about Mya and Corey. Their whole relationship was really about the past, because they didn't build any type of foundation in this book. This is the first book that I really didn't enjoy from Farrah. I am though looking forward to reading a story between Philicia & Jamal. It seems like they can have a really great storyline. Hopefully it is an improvement one.
February 10, 2026
3.25 stars
This started out pretty slow but it grew on me. I definitely don't prefer cheating second chances stories but not everyone meets their future as teenagers. I enjoyed the story, especially how the small town had such feelings of home and family for Mia.
I liked Cory, he seems to be a great father figure for the boys on his team.
This started out pretty slow but it grew on me. I definitely don't prefer cheating second chances stories but not everyone meets their future as teenagers. I enjoyed the story, especially how the small town had such feelings of home and family for Mia.
I liked Cory, he seems to be a great father figure for the boys on his team.
January 5, 2026
DNF after ch 1, 22 minutes (7%) into the audiobook. Second chance romance where he cheated on her in the past. Lol NOPE no thanks fuck him.
August 27, 2012
This is first book I've read by this author...it's an OK read...just NOT quite what I expected...there is TOO much focus on the small made-up town of Gauthier...even though I like the WHOLE idea of the small close-knit community...I wish the author focused more on the REKINDLED romance between Mya and Corey because it was EXTREMELY slow in developing...many times I wanted to skip ahead...and the BIG secret Mya kept from Corey is UNEXPECTED, maybe...but not so SHOCKING in the whole scheme of things...I also felt like the ending was bit RUSHED...I ENJOYED most of the cast...and DEFINITELY hope to read more about Jamal and Phylicia.
November 5, 2025
In Farrah Rochon’s A Forever Kind of Love (Bayou Dreams #1), Broadway costume designer Mya Dubois returns to her hometown, Gauthier, Louisiana, that she left intending never to return, for her grandfather’s funeral. She’s unprepared to face retired professional baseball player Corey Anderson, her first love, who broke her heart. Unlike Mya, Corey’s excited to see Mya again. But neither expects the depth of passion that being close ignites between them after all these years. Can they overcome their fears and the past for a second chance together?
Mya’s mother abandoned her as a baby, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents. Beautiful, stubborn, and audacious, Mya left Gauthier 15 yrs ago desperate to escape the town as soon as she could, determined not to become stuck there for the rest of her life. Mya never returned because she still feared that, and now she fears heartbreak/heartache because her attraction to Corey is as strong as ever. Because of their past, her feelings for him are complicated. A macho, pretty, reckless bad boy, Corey Anderson, proved himself on the baseball field to become a professional athlete and not follow in his twin brothers’ criminal footsteps. Corey moved back to Gauthier wiser, scarred with unfinished business and unresolved feelings for Mya. He became the high-school baseball team coach.
I love Rochon’s authentic, lively, and emotional portrayal of small-town Southern life via Gauthier, Corey, Mya’s Family, and the town’s citizens. Scenic, emotional, and filled with nostalgia, it draws you in and keeps you reading until the end. The snarky banter, humorous, and emotional interactions between the characters are my favorite part of the novel. So, many scenes made me think about past times with my family as a child. I love the interactions between the characters, which contribute to the characters’ development, strengthen their relationships, and evolve the story. My favorites, however, are between Mya and Corey, Mya and Phyl, Mya and her family, and Corey and his young mentees/team. Rochon’s writing, storytelling, and world-building are down-to-earth and descriptive, incorporating the character’s senses to make you feel present in each scene with the characters. Her dialogue and language use are colorful, authentic, and fit her character, setting, and theme perfectly.
Corey and Mya’s attraction and connection are still as strong as before, but secrets and years stand between them. She develops Mya and Corey’s relationship by alternating between the present and their memories of the past and steamy, humorous, passionate, intimate interactions and love scenes. Other than secrets that characters are keeping from each other, unresolved issues, and secondary character conflict, the novel is fairly free of unnecessary drama and conflict.
I love Phyl and hope she gets a book because I’m looking forward to her story. A Forever Kind of Love (Bayou Dreams #1) is a sweet, steamy, humorous, sexy, emotional, nostalgic, melancholy, and fast-paced romance recommended for second-chance romance, Black love, forced proximity, family-centered, childhood friends, first love, friends-to-lovers, steamy rom-com, small-town romance fans.
3.5 stars
Thanks to Farrah Rochon and Grey’s Promotions for the ARC.
Mya’s mother abandoned her as a baby, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents. Beautiful, stubborn, and audacious, Mya left Gauthier 15 yrs ago desperate to escape the town as soon as she could, determined not to become stuck there for the rest of her life. Mya never returned because she still feared that, and now she fears heartbreak/heartache because her attraction to Corey is as strong as ever. Because of their past, her feelings for him are complicated. A macho, pretty, reckless bad boy, Corey Anderson, proved himself on the baseball field to become a professional athlete and not follow in his twin brothers’ criminal footsteps. Corey moved back to Gauthier wiser, scarred with unfinished business and unresolved feelings for Mya. He became the high-school baseball team coach.
I love Rochon’s authentic, lively, and emotional portrayal of small-town Southern life via Gauthier, Corey, Mya’s Family, and the town’s citizens. Scenic, emotional, and filled with nostalgia, it draws you in and keeps you reading until the end. The snarky banter, humorous, and emotional interactions between the characters are my favorite part of the novel. So, many scenes made me think about past times with my family as a child. I love the interactions between the characters, which contribute to the characters’ development, strengthen their relationships, and evolve the story. My favorites, however, are between Mya and Corey, Mya and Phyl, Mya and her family, and Corey and his young mentees/team. Rochon’s writing, storytelling, and world-building are down-to-earth and descriptive, incorporating the character’s senses to make you feel present in each scene with the characters. Her dialogue and language use are colorful, authentic, and fit her character, setting, and theme perfectly.
Corey and Mya’s attraction and connection are still as strong as before, but secrets and years stand between them. She develops Mya and Corey’s relationship by alternating between the present and their memories of the past and steamy, humorous, passionate, intimate interactions and love scenes. Other than secrets that characters are keeping from each other, unresolved issues, and secondary character conflict, the novel is fairly free of unnecessary drama and conflict.
I love Phyl and hope she gets a book because I’m looking forward to her story. A Forever Kind of Love (Bayou Dreams #1) is a sweet, steamy, humorous, sexy, emotional, nostalgic, melancholy, and fast-paced romance recommended for second-chance romance, Black love, forced proximity, family-centered, childhood friends, first love, friends-to-lovers, steamy rom-com, small-town romance fans.
3.5 stars
Thanks to Farrah Rochon and Grey’s Promotions for the ARC.
February 9, 2026
I really wanted to give this book a chance. FMC leaves her small town because she doesn’t want to be stuck in said small town. She later revealed while she always planned to leave, having a miscarriage 2 weeks before high school graduation really pushes her out of the town faster.
We then learn the Mmc cheated on FMC very early in the book, and it basically makes me hate him as a character. He is very arrogant and makes it clear that he loves her/wants to sleep with her but doesn’t actually apologize or gravel for her love or forgiveness.
He constantly inserts himself in her life when she decides to stick around to help her sick grandmother. I genuinely start to hate the mmc around 40% of the book. I kept reading but found myself getting more and more frustrated.
I skimmed the last 20 percent of the book and he NEVER takes responsibility for cheating, never puts effort into winning her back (just keeps popping up and inserting himself in her life, then gets upset with her for not telling him about the miscarriage. He even goes as far an to accuse her of having an abortion. From what I read he is rude and nasty and did not deserve the FMC. It makes me even more upset that she’s the one apologizing. She’s sorry for not telling him but he’s not really sorry for cheating. He classifies her not sharing the miscarriage as a monumental fuck up but him cheating was a small mistake. I really wish the book ended with her leaving that small town and never looking back.
DNF @55% Skimmed the last 20ish percent.
We then learn the Mmc cheated on FMC very early in the book, and it basically makes me hate him as a character. He is very arrogant and makes it clear that he loves her/wants to sleep with her but doesn’t actually apologize or gravel for her love or forgiveness.
He constantly inserts himself in her life when she decides to stick around to help her sick grandmother. I genuinely start to hate the mmc around 40% of the book. I kept reading but found myself getting more and more frustrated.
I skimmed the last 20 percent of the book and he NEVER takes responsibility for cheating, never puts effort into winning her back (just keeps popping up and inserting himself in her life, then gets upset with her for not telling him about the miscarriage. He even goes as far an to accuse her of having an abortion. From what I read he is rude and nasty and did not deserve the FMC. It makes me even more upset that she’s the one apologizing. She’s sorry for not telling him but he’s not really sorry for cheating. He classifies her not sharing the miscarriage as a monumental fuck up but him cheating was a small mistake. I really wish the book ended with her leaving that small town and never looking back.
DNF @55% Skimmed the last 20ish percent.
October 30, 2025
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Dreamscape Media for the alc!
I didn't know Farah Rochon had such an extensive backlist! I believe this is a rerelease, with a few updates.
Mya returns home for her grandfather's funeral, and after a health scare from her grandmother, she decides to stay. A run in with the woman who ran off to New York with his heart leaves former badboy Corey wanting to get under her skin again.
This was short and sweet and a little spicy. It packs a lot of punch between emotional revelations and discoveries and the heat between the two MCs. I would recommend this if you enjoy contemporary romance, and I intend to check out more of Rochon's previously released books.
The narrator also did a great job, bringing life to the characters.
I didn't know Farah Rochon had such an extensive backlist! I believe this is a rerelease, with a few updates.
Mya returns home for her grandfather's funeral, and after a health scare from her grandmother, she decides to stay. A run in with the woman who ran off to New York with his heart leaves former badboy Corey wanting to get under her skin again.
This was short and sweet and a little spicy. It packs a lot of punch between emotional revelations and discoveries and the heat between the two MCs. I would recommend this if you enjoy contemporary romance, and I intend to check out more of Rochon's previously released books.
The narrator also did a great job, bringing life to the characters.
November 5, 2025
Second chance • small town • black history • reformed bad boy • high school sweethearts
"Everything I learned about seduction I learned from you"... "I taught you well"
Thank you for Farrah Rochon and Grey promo. This is on the shorter side for a romance book, but rest assured this still packs in all of the small town feels. As soon as you meet the FMC and MMC you can feel the lingering tension... I will say even though Corey is a reformed bad boy... he is still bad in all the right ways. This book was the perfect mix of spice and small-town sweetness. I also love the mix of hometown history weaved into the storyline. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and continue to fall in love with Gauthier. If you don't mind spice and are looking for a quick read that is the perfect palate cleanser... definitely add this on to your tbr.
"Everything I learned about seduction I learned from you"... "I taught you well"
Thank you for Farrah Rochon and Grey promo. This is on the shorter side for a romance book, but rest assured this still packs in all of the small town feels. As soon as you meet the FMC and MMC you can feel the lingering tension... I will say even though Corey is a reformed bad boy... he is still bad in all the right ways. This book was the perfect mix of spice and small-town sweetness. I also love the mix of hometown history weaved into the storyline. I cannot wait to read the rest of the series and continue to fall in love with Gauthier. If you don't mind spice and are looking for a quick read that is the perfect palate cleanser... definitely add this on to your tbr.
November 11, 2025
✨Arc Review✨
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I was expecting a love story full of connection and emotion and got a lame excuse for cheating, secrets being kept and more story about the town than the actual main characters. I didn’t felt connected to them, Mya didn’t love herself enough, it doesn’t make sense to be with someone who cheated on you with your rival because he was drunk just two weeks after you miscarried his baby. And Corey? He cheated on her and then 15 years later and had the nerve to judge her for leaving and the audacity to not grovel even a little for her forgiveness and being mad at her. He’s right that she should’ve told him about the baby but what right he had to treat her bad after everything he’s done? Nope I didn’t like it at all. They should’ve just stayed both single or gotten with someone else.
Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I was expecting a love story full of connection and emotion and got a lame excuse for cheating, secrets being kept and more story about the town than the actual main characters. I didn’t felt connected to them, Mya didn’t love herself enough, it doesn’t make sense to be with someone who cheated on you with your rival because he was drunk just two weeks after you miscarried his baby. And Corey? He cheated on her and then 15 years later and had the nerve to judge her for leaving and the audacity to not grovel even a little for her forgiveness and being mad at her. He’s right that she should’ve told him about the baby but what right he had to treat her bad after everything he’s done? Nope I didn’t like it at all. They should’ve just stayed both single or gotten with someone else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2025
ARC review
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m always grateful for the books I get to ARC read. However, this one simply didn’t do it for me.
I didn’t love the writing, but the main thing was, I simply was not rooting for the characters to get together. They both messed up so badly that they really shouldn’t have. There was also absolutely no grovelling on either of their parts to try to make up for past mistakes, and neither of them really grew much as characters.
Also, all the characters were SO stereotypical. Listen, while it doesn’t bother me that every single character is a person of colour, it does bother me that at least 3 characters got pregnant in high school and all they ate was grits and fried food and every stereotypical thing they could’ve done, they did.🫣
1,5🫖
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m always grateful for the books I get to ARC read. However, this one simply didn’t do it for me.
I didn’t love the writing, but the main thing was, I simply was not rooting for the characters to get together. They both messed up so badly that they really shouldn’t have. There was also absolutely no grovelling on either of their parts to try to make up for past mistakes, and neither of them really grew much as characters.
Also, all the characters were SO stereotypical. Listen, while it doesn’t bother me that every single character is a person of colour, it does bother me that at least 3 characters got pregnant in high school and all they ate was grits and fried food and every stereotypical thing they could’ve done, they did.🫣
1,5🫖
January 31, 2026
Hoopla bonus borrow, typical romance, high school romance rekindled, a bit too spicy for me (which would be anything more than closed door though I could do without graphic making out as well…). It’s set in a Louisiana small town fighting back against big box stores coming to town and instead trying to become a tourist destination because they discovered a stop on the Underground Railroad. Be aware the relationship first ended after secret miscarriage (FMC) and drunken cheating (MMC), plus the FMC not wanting to get stuck in a small town and the MMC going off to be a baseball star. Also some family drama with dying grandpa, sick grandma, long-suffering aunt, and deadbeat mom.
February 15, 2026
3.5 stars for this one.
The story is good, overall.
It kept me interested the entire way through.
I enjoyed the feel of a wholesome kind of small town, second chance romance with successful, but down to Earth characters.
This story had just enough tension to get me invested in the outcome of Mya and Cory's love story, the town of Gotye, and Mrs. Eloise. It also provided a full background for the main characters, which helped keep things interesting and makes me want to read the next story about Mya and Cory's best friends linking up.
It didn't get a 4 or 5 because in my humble opinion, it's basic and I don't think I'll hold on to it nearly as close as I've hung to other novels that I could compare it to.
It was cute though.
The story is good, overall.
It kept me interested the entire way through.
I enjoyed the feel of a wholesome kind of small town, second chance romance with successful, but down to Earth characters.
This story had just enough tension to get me invested in the outcome of Mya and Cory's love story, the town of Gotye, and Mrs. Eloise. It also provided a full background for the main characters, which helped keep things interesting and makes me want to read the next story about Mya and Cory's best friends linking up.
It didn't get a 4 or 5 because in my humble opinion, it's basic and I don't think I'll hold on to it nearly as close as I've hung to other novels that I could compare it to.
It was cute though.
January 31, 2026
Damn, she looks light and fluffy but these characters have gone through it…all their break up circumstances, cheating, secret miscarried babies, woa woa woa. Honestly, I did not vibe with Cory, I just don’t trust him and his POV gave me the ick and the way he reacted to Maya’s miscarriage, helllllll nah. Nostalgia and naivety kept me reading. 💙
December 11, 2025
3.5⭐️ This was a cute little second chance romance.
February 13, 2026
I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t my favorite. It was kind of hallmarky in that she lives in the city, visits a small hometown and falls back in love. But it had some cute moments.
February 16, 2026
3.25 ⭐️
January 9, 2026
I’ve realized it’s not small town romance as a sub genre that I don’t like, it’s a specific type of small town romance. I don’t like the type where the FMC has left the small town to go to a larger city and follow her dreams, but is guilted by family members for leaving, and then she gives up those dreams to live in the small town for a man. You know, the basic plot line to almost every Hallmark movie. That’s exactly what this book was.
Mya has left the small town of Gauthier, La and has made it as a Tony award nominated costume designer on Broadway in NYC. She returns to her small hometown to attend her grandfather’s funeral, and from there is a whole lot of gaslighting by both her family and the MMC Corey. They convince her that she was selfish for leaving town, that she thinks she’s better than everyone else, and that she didn’t find success in New York (She’s a Tony award nominee! That’s a big deal! What are they talking about?).
Corey goes on and on about how if she loved him she would stay in town. Never once does he consider if he really loved her, he would move to New York. Never mind that Corey left town to follow his dreams and no one is calling him selfish. The only reason he’s back in town is because his MLB career has ended.
I’m so glad this wasn’t my first Farah Rochon novel, because this would’ve completely turned me off her writing.
Mya has left the small town of Gauthier, La and has made it as a Tony award nominated costume designer on Broadway in NYC. She returns to her small hometown to attend her grandfather’s funeral, and from there is a whole lot of gaslighting by both her family and the MMC Corey. They convince her that she was selfish for leaving town, that she thinks she’s better than everyone else, and that she didn’t find success in New York (She’s a Tony award nominee! That’s a big deal! What are they talking about?).
Corey goes on and on about how if she loved him she would stay in town. Never once does he consider if he really loved her, he would move to New York. Never mind that Corey left town to follow his dreams and no one is calling him selfish. The only reason he’s back in town is because his MLB career has ended.
I’m so glad this wasn’t my first Farah Rochon novel, because this would’ve completely turned me off her writing.
did-not-finish
January 28, 2026DNF @ 45%
June 29, 2015
This book was a good, solid read. It's the first in Rochon's
Bayou Dreams
series, and I liked both the characters and the setting. The story centers on Mya Dubois, a woman who grew up in Gauthier, Louisiana, and got out as soon as she possibly could. Having been away 15 years, she is now home for the funeral of the grandfather who raised her. Before you roll your eyes, though, I'll point out that this is definitely NOT a "good girl comes back to small town and decides to repent of her big city ways" type of story.
Mya starts to appreciate Gauthier in a whole new way throughout the book, but that doesn't mean she stops loving her life and successful New York career. It just gets more complicated.
The chief complication? Corey Anderson, Mya's high school boyfriend who has experienced success in his own right before returning to teach and coach in Gauthier. Mya and Corey never forgot each other, and given the circumstances laid out in Rochon's novel, I found it believable that they would still be unable to completely move on, despite each of them having had other relationships since becoming adults. The unfinished business between Mya and Corey provides instant tension, and even though it takes a little time, it does spark into a hot and quite satisfying romance.
I thought Mya was a little quick to forgive Corey given what happened between them and given that there wasn't too much explanation for why he did what he did all those years ago. However, even with that quibble, I loved this story and have already bought the next in the series.
Mya starts to appreciate Gauthier in a whole new way throughout the book, but that doesn't mean she stops loving her life and successful New York career. It just gets more complicated.
The chief complication? Corey Anderson, Mya's high school boyfriend who has experienced success in his own right before returning to teach and coach in Gauthier. Mya and Corey never forgot each other, and given the circumstances laid out in Rochon's novel, I found it believable that they would still be unable to completely move on, despite each of them having had other relationships since becoming adults. The unfinished business between Mya and Corey provides instant tension, and even though it takes a little time, it does spark into a hot and quite satisfying romance.
I thought Mya was a little quick to forgive Corey given what happened between them and given that there wasn't too much explanation for why he did what he did all those years ago. However, even with that quibble, I loved this story and have already bought the next in the series.
Read
August 30, 2012A Forever Kind of Love was the first installment to Farrah Rochon's Bayou Dreams series. Mya Dubois returns home to Gauthier, LA after 15 years to attend her grandfather's funeral. While there she is reunited with an old flame retired baseball player Corey Anderson. Sparks are still explosive between these two and there are unresolved issues and a secret that need to be addressed. Corey realizes he has a second chance and pursues Mya but not without overcoming some challenges and Mya's urgency to flee the small town life and her fears. With trying to revitalize the community will these two lovebird rekindle a long lost love or will fear and secrets continue to keep them apart.
Good start to the series and cannot wait for book 2.
Good start to the series and cannot wait for book 2.
August 29, 2012
I just finished reading "A Forever Kind of Love". I loved it!!!!! It was sooooo gooooood!!!!!!
December 10, 2012
It was the perfect love story.. it was the bomb diggity.. Maybe because I live in a small town like Gauthier, La. Can't wait to read the next upcoming story.. Loved it.. Bravo..
January 28, 2026
Okay… Corey cheating on her a little over a week after she got out of the hospital from having a miscarriage AT SEVENTEEN where he “didn’t leave her side” and how she was the love of his life then and now and using getting drunk as an excuse?? lol HELL NO 🤮
Granted he didn’t know she was pregnant at the time but even with what he did know… your girlfriend just got out of the hospital the week prior and you’re cheating on her with her enemy on the night of graduation? HA may that “love” never find me 👎
Also, I don’t see this talked about in the reviews I’ve seen but his behavior towards her when he was trying to win her back made me extremely uncomfortable. She said “no we can’t do this” and he ultimately guilt tripped her into kissing him again. It went past the “you love me and you’re scared to admit it.” This man cheated on her after she was pregnant with his child and he just gave her “it was a bad judgement. It was forever ago. My bad” and expected her to put herself out there with him all over again(including moving from New York to Louisiana). Then whenever she had some pushback to his advances or he found out about the miscarriage he would throw her mommy issues in her face AND SHE AGREED WITH HIM AND SHE WAS THE ONE GROVELING. OH YUCK. What an asshole. Also her family blaming her for all their unresolved problems with her mom and acting like her wanting a career in fashion(which she couldn’t get in a small town) was her being like her mom. Yes she should have told him about the baby, but she was a child that went through something traumatic and maybe she wasn’t at the point where she could talk about it yet and less than two weeks later he had sex with her enemy in his car. I wouldn’t have told him after that either because if he truly loved her he would have never betrayed her like that. Do you realize how embarrassing that conversation would be? Like “hey I know I just caught you having sex with my enemy because of your “lapse of judgement”, but when I was in the hospital a week ago it’s because I was pregnant with your baby.” Ugh. I only count books I complete towards my reading goal, so I stuck it out for my time to not be wasted. The only save for this book was the side characters.
Granted he didn’t know she was pregnant at the time but even with what he did know… your girlfriend just got out of the hospital the week prior and you’re cheating on her with her enemy on the night of graduation? HA may that “love” never find me 👎
Also, I don’t see this talked about in the reviews I’ve seen but his behavior towards her when he was trying to win her back made me extremely uncomfortable. She said “no we can’t do this” and he ultimately guilt tripped her into kissing him again. It went past the “you love me and you’re scared to admit it.” This man cheated on her after she was pregnant with his child and he just gave her “it was a bad judgement. It was forever ago. My bad” and expected her to put herself out there with him all over again(including moving from New York to Louisiana). Then whenever she had some pushback to his advances or he found out about the miscarriage he would throw her mommy issues in her face AND SHE AGREED WITH HIM AND SHE WAS THE ONE GROVELING. OH YUCK. What an asshole. Also her family blaming her for all their unresolved problems with her mom and acting like her wanting a career in fashion(which she couldn’t get in a small town) was her being like her mom. Yes she should have told him about the baby, but she was a child that went through something traumatic and maybe she wasn’t at the point where she could talk about it yet and less than two weeks later he had sex with her enemy in his car. I wouldn’t have told him after that either because if he truly loved her he would have never betrayed her like that. Do you realize how embarrassing that conversation would be? Like “hey I know I just caught you having sex with my enemy because of your “lapse of judgement”, but when I was in the hospital a week ago it’s because I was pregnant with your baby.” Ugh. I only count books I complete towards my reading goal, so I stuck it out for my time to not be wasted. The only save for this book was the side characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2026
I think it is time this author and I part ways and that saddens me. But I’m in my villain era and will not tolerate sexist, gaslighting drivel that is supposed to cosplay as romance. Small towns are already my least favorite settings in romances and this book reminded me why. While some of us who grew up in small towns love it, some of us don’t. And that’s ok! It seems that everyone in this book’s community, including the MMC, wanted to vilify the FMC for her desire to get out and see the world.
Not only that, the MCs were high school sweethearts until the MMC cheated on her with her arch nemesis. He didn’t know it at the time, but the FMC had just miscarried their child when she witnessed his infidelity. Who wouldn’t want to leave town after that?! Instead of the MMC taking accountability for his actions, he passed it off as one drunken mistake and throughout the book professed how much he loved her back then. He never really expressed contrition for his horrible behavior and repeatedly refers to it as a mistake. He spends the book inserting himself into the FMC’s life against her will while guilt tripping her for staying away from their hometown.
At the end, he insists she gives them another chance and then proceeds to refuse her the time and space to make her own decision. He finds out about the miscarriage (from someone else, of course) and in a scathing rebuke, insists she was happy about losing the baby or even destroyed the baby herself. And the cherry on top was comparing her to her mother who doesn’t care about either of them or that town.
So how did we go through all of that to end with the FMC begging for HIS forgiveness?!! This story sends so many messages that I will not support: Women must work overtime to please those around them. Women who dare to live their dreams and engage in self determination are selfish. Women are responsible for men’s emotions. And the age old: men’s poor decisions should automatically be forgiven, but women must suffer and BEG forgiveness for theirs.
Absolutely not.
Not only that, the MCs were high school sweethearts until the MMC cheated on her with her arch nemesis. He didn’t know it at the time, but the FMC had just miscarried their child when she witnessed his infidelity. Who wouldn’t want to leave town after that?! Instead of the MMC taking accountability for his actions, he passed it off as one drunken mistake and throughout the book professed how much he loved her back then. He never really expressed contrition for his horrible behavior and repeatedly refers to it as a mistake. He spends the book inserting himself into the FMC’s life against her will while guilt tripping her for staying away from their hometown.
At the end, he insists she gives them another chance and then proceeds to refuse her the time and space to make her own decision. He finds out about the miscarriage (from someone else, of course) and in a scathing rebuke, insists she was happy about losing the baby or even destroyed the baby herself. And the cherry on top was comparing her to her mother who doesn’t care about either of them or that town.
So how did we go through all of that to end with the FMC begging for HIS forgiveness?!! This story sends so many messages that I will not support: Women must work overtime to please those around them. Women who dare to live their dreams and engage in self determination are selfish. Women are responsible for men’s emotions. And the age old: men’s poor decisions should automatically be forgiven, but women must suffer and BEG forgiveness for theirs.
Absolutely not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2026
This one hurts to write because I always go into a second-chance romance ready to fall in love.
I wanted big emotions, hard conversations, and a reunion that felt earned. The setup had so much promise: complicated history, years apart, and a heroine who built a full, successful life outside of the small town that once broke her heart. I was excited to see that strength celebrated.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.
Instead of watching two people grow and truly reckon with the past, I felt like I kept running into the same frustrations on repeat. There was a lot of revisiting old wounds, a lot of explanations, and not enough real accountability to make the romance feel satisfying. Every time I thought we were about to get the moment that would make it all click… we pivoted somewhere else.
I never doubted there was history or chemistry between them. I just struggled to believe in the future.
And that’s the part that matters most to me in a love story.
I kept wanting more for the heroine — more recognition of who she’d become, more care with her heart, more balance in the emotional give and take.
By the end, I wasn’t swooning — I was tired. Tired of the push-pull, tired of the emotional math not adding up, and tired of wanting more for a heroine who deserved better than what she was being offered.
If second-chance romances where history outweighs accountability are your jam, you might have a better time than I did.
For me, it was a pass — and I’ll be the one walking away this time.
I wanted big emotions, hard conversations, and a reunion that felt earned. The setup had so much promise: complicated history, years apart, and a heroine who built a full, successful life outside of the small town that once broke her heart. I was excited to see that strength celebrated.
Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me.
Instead of watching two people grow and truly reckon with the past, I felt like I kept running into the same frustrations on repeat. There was a lot of revisiting old wounds, a lot of explanations, and not enough real accountability to make the romance feel satisfying. Every time I thought we were about to get the moment that would make it all click… we pivoted somewhere else.
I never doubted there was history or chemistry between them. I just struggled to believe in the future.
And that’s the part that matters most to me in a love story.
I kept wanting more for the heroine — more recognition of who she’d become, more care with her heart, more balance in the emotional give and take.
By the end, I wasn’t swooning — I was tired. Tired of the push-pull, tired of the emotional math not adding up, and tired of wanting more for a heroine who deserved better than what she was being offered.
If second-chance romances where history outweighs accountability are your jam, you might have a better time than I did.
For me, it was a pass — and I’ll be the one walking away this time.
October 23, 2025
I really only have one major issue with this book-- I wasn't ready for it to end! Mya returns to her hometown after 15 years of chasing her dreams in New York for her grandfather's funeral. She runs into her first love, Corey, and it kicks up old betrayals, secrets, family drama, and feelings she thought she was over. She gets roped into helping with her town's restoration project which forces her to work with Corey even though she's trying to avoid that man like the plague the entire time. And while we are on the subject of Corey, that's a MAN! He's a reformed bad boy so he's made some mistakes but I really loved the banter between he and Mya. He ain't playing with her. She comes back to town and he knows right away, he's gotta get her back! Mya's fear of being trapped in her hometown often gets in the way of an easy second chance at love for her and Corey but I appreciated that she wasn't willing to completely drop her dreams and aspirations for a man she clearly still loves. It speaks to the very real and very complicated dance many women do in the name of decentering men while also trying to be up under one! While the ending did feel a little rushed, I say that as someone who wants to see the "happily ever after"-- I'm talking give me several epilogues and I want them like 5 and 10 years out-- and I get mad when the movie goes dark right as they get together so take that "critique" with a grain of salt. I really enjoyed this one!
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