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Broken Bayou
After the tragic and untimely death of her parents, Cheyenne Douglas hopes to escape overwhelming depression by fleeing Oklahoma and relocating to a small Louisiana town. In an attempt to help Cheyenne start fresh, a charming professor, Cal Gage, eases the transition by introducing her to the area. However, an unanticipated event occurs when touring an antebellum plantation home. Cheyenne is plagued by horrific visions of a grisly murder that took place over thirty years prior! The visions continue long after the tour is over, and they grow more vivid, harrowing, and intense with each new recollection. A disturbing past collides with the tumultuous present when nearly everyone’s lives are turned upside down by the revelations that come forth. Welcome to Broken Bayou, where the secrets are plentiful and skeletons fill everyone’s closets.
278 pages, Paperback
First published June 17, 2015
67 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 17, 2015
Romance, shivers, cold sweat, new life, horror, nightmares make for a solid 5 star read
She does it again. Rhonda Dennis has this way of crafting a story in such a way that you’re kept on the edge of your seat. You wanna look away because you know something or the other is going to happen and you know it’s gonna be epically disastrous but you just cannot blink let alone look away. To say I loved this story would be an understatement.
The story starts off with Cheyenne starting over her new life. She moves to a small town in Louisiana to teach, away from everything that she used to love. Away from her happy existence which was shattered beyond repair. It had to make the difficult decision to move but if she wanted a future with some semblance of happiness she needed the change. Little did she know that moving to the small town would change her life forever!
While settling into work she meets witty and charming history professor, Cal who takes her under his wings to help her settle in her new southern life quickly. Cal introduces her to Cajun cooking and Louisiana hospitality. Chey is very happy in her new life, not only is she getting the fresh start she had hoped for from the heartache of her past but now she feels more with the beautiful new blossoms that Cal brings into her life. One day while sightseeing with her beau to explore an old antebellum plantation home which has a long history of darkness, Chey first has her gruesome visions. What she sees seems very real and brutal which leaves her in an almost catatonic way but no one can corroborate the existence of such heinous activities. Thus starts Chey’s struggle to accept the new and to her ‘very real’ visions.
Cal tries very hard to comfort her when she struggles with her nightmares but he himself is helpless to do any good. While investigating the visions, they discover secrets and fight unknown assailants. Cal’s friends and family try to help as much as they are able and just when Chey realizes where the real problem lies, the truth behind the vision will blow Chey’s and Cal’s new life to pieces. Will the revelations be able to tear their bonds, destroy the foundation of their life or will they strong enough to fight the unknown enemy and start over like they had hoped for.
Broken Bayou was fast paced, scary, spooky and at the same time with the inclusion of charming Cal Gage added the right amount of spice and romance to make me wanna sit and finish this book in one go. So I would totally urge you to read this baby, it was different from Rhonda’s usual type of writing but boy does it make you heart stumble and your breath hitch with fright.
She does it again. Rhonda Dennis has this way of crafting a story in such a way that you’re kept on the edge of your seat. You wanna look away because you know something or the other is going to happen and you know it’s gonna be epically disastrous but you just cannot blink let alone look away. To say I loved this story would be an understatement.
The story starts off with Cheyenne starting over her new life. She moves to a small town in Louisiana to teach, away from everything that she used to love. Away from her happy existence which was shattered beyond repair. It had to make the difficult decision to move but if she wanted a future with some semblance of happiness she needed the change. Little did she know that moving to the small town would change her life forever!
While settling into work she meets witty and charming history professor, Cal who takes her under his wings to help her settle in her new southern life quickly. Cal introduces her to Cajun cooking and Louisiana hospitality. Chey is very happy in her new life, not only is she getting the fresh start she had hoped for from the heartache of her past but now she feels more with the beautiful new blossoms that Cal brings into her life. One day while sightseeing with her beau to explore an old antebellum plantation home which has a long history of darkness, Chey first has her gruesome visions. What she sees seems very real and brutal which leaves her in an almost catatonic way but no one can corroborate the existence of such heinous activities. Thus starts Chey’s struggle to accept the new and to her ‘very real’ visions.
Cal tries very hard to comfort her when she struggles with her nightmares but he himself is helpless to do any good. While investigating the visions, they discover secrets and fight unknown assailants. Cal’s friends and family try to help as much as they are able and just when Chey realizes where the real problem lies, the truth behind the vision will blow Chey’s and Cal’s new life to pieces. Will the revelations be able to tear their bonds, destroy the foundation of their life or will they strong enough to fight the unknown enemy and start over like they had hoped for.
Broken Bayou was fast paced, scary, spooky and at the same time with the inclusion of charming Cal Gage added the right amount of spice and romance to make me wanna sit and finish this book in one go. So I would totally urge you to read this baby, it was different from Rhonda’s usual type of writing but boy does it make you heart stumble and your breath hitch with fright.
July 23, 2015
Broken Bayou is set in Louisiana and it is a perfect combination of suspense and romance. Cheyenne embarks on a new life in a new town where she hopes to run away from painful memories to start fresh new ones. She moves to the bayou in Cane, Louisiana to begin her new life and takes a position as a professor in a University. Her new apartment is located on property assumed to be haunted where Cheyenne immediately finds herself immersed in many crazy antics. Her only solace in all the craziness is her new found friend and co worker Cal. It is crazy how she moves to find herself and what she actually finds is way more than she could have ever imagined. This book is just filled with suspense and intrigue so mysterious that you will be anxious to find answers to such a crazy turn of events. I want to live in Cane, Louisiana or anywhere in Louisana- the people, the food, the mystery and intriguing ghost stories are just to tempting to resist. Rhonda Dennis wrote a great book that gives you just the right amount of mystery to keep you reading thru the night!
For more indie book reviews: Myindieauthorfix.comy
For more indie book reviews: Myindieauthorfix.comy
August 12, 2015
WOW! I finished this in the middle of the night, simply because I couldn't put it down! This was a fantastic book that has everything in it you could want. Mystery, nail biting suspense, romance, etc...
Broken Bayou kept me guessing from one chapter to the next and kept me turning page after page.
I 100% recommend!
Broken Bayou kept me guessing from one chapter to the next and kept me turning page after page.
I 100% recommend!
November 25, 2018
Broken Bayou by Rhonda L. Dennis was exceptional. Written with an extraordinary talent which pulls the readers in immediately. Reminds me a great deal of a Sharon Sala style murder mystery suspense.
Cheyenne has recently moved to Louisiana to start her new teaching job.
Not only is she renting from an elderly couple whose property is known to be haunted, she starts having very strange encounters happening around her rental.
After visiting a Plantation where a massacre happened in the 1960’s, dreams start happening that Cheyenne can’t explain.
The conclusion to this book was stocking, one I never would of seen coming, much less figured out.
A shocking thriller that truly satisfied my love for this genre.
Cheyenne has recently moved to Louisiana to start her new teaching job.
Not only is she renting from an elderly couple whose property is known to be haunted, she starts having very strange encounters happening around her rental.
After visiting a Plantation where a massacre happened in the 1960’s, dreams start happening that Cheyenne can’t explain.
The conclusion to this book was stocking, one I never would of seen coming, much less figured out.
A shocking thriller that truly satisfied my love for this genre.
August 21, 2015
I CAN NOT say enough about this book! I was on edge from the prologue until the very last page. Rhonda Dennis is a brilliant author. This book is a book of starting over, second chance love, suspense & mystery! It will definitely have you going
After Cheyenne loses the only family she has, she decides to start over in the deep south of Louisiana. She meets Cal, who is also a professor at the college she's teaching at. I just love these two. They are both strong personalities that hit it off from the start. I love Cal's sense of humor. He had me LOL several times! I just wanted to jump in the book & have some gumbo with him!
As the book moves along, we meet lots of locals & things get really weird & crazy! I bit off all of my nails! Even reading Broken Bayou for a second time, I was STILL on edge!
This book is jammed packed with twists & turns at every page! Just when you think you have figured it out, Mrs. Dennis throws in huge plot twist & your mind is blown!!
Amazing romantic suspense!!
After Cheyenne loses the only family she has, she decides to start over in the deep south of Louisiana. She meets Cal, who is also a professor at the college she's teaching at. I just love these two. They are both strong personalities that hit it off from the start. I love Cal's sense of humor. He had me LOL several times! I just wanted to jump in the book & have some gumbo with him!
As the book moves along, we meet lots of locals & things get really weird & crazy! I bit off all of my nails! Even reading Broken Bayou for a second time, I was STILL on edge!
This book is jammed packed with twists & turns at every page! Just when you think you have figured it out, Mrs. Dennis throws in huge plot twist & your mind is blown!!
Amazing romantic suspense!!
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November 4, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (11/4/2018)! 💝
Blurb:
After the tragic and untimely death of her parents, Cheyenne Douglas hopes to escape overwhelming depression by fleeing Oklahoma and relocating to a small Louisiana town. In an attempt to help Cheyenne start fresh, a charming professor, Cal Gage, eases the transition by introducing her to the area. However, an unanticipated event occurs when touring an antebellum plantation home. Cheyenne is plagued by horrific visions of a grisly murder that took place over thirty years prior!
The visions continue long after the tour is over, and they grow more vivid, harrowing, and intense with each new recollection. A disturbing past collides with the tumultuous present when nearly everyone’s lives are turned upside down by the revelations that come forth. Welcome to Broken Bayou, where the secrets are plentiful and skeletons fill everyone’s closets.
Blurb:
After the tragic and untimely death of her parents, Cheyenne Douglas hopes to escape overwhelming depression by fleeing Oklahoma and relocating to a small Louisiana town. In an attempt to help Cheyenne start fresh, a charming professor, Cal Gage, eases the transition by introducing her to the area. However, an unanticipated event occurs when touring an antebellum plantation home. Cheyenne is plagued by horrific visions of a grisly murder that took place over thirty years prior!
The visions continue long after the tour is over, and they grow more vivid, harrowing, and intense with each new recollection. A disturbing past collides with the tumultuous present when nearly everyone’s lives are turned upside down by the revelations that come forth. Welcome to Broken Bayou, where the secrets are plentiful and skeletons fill everyone’s closets.
July 23, 2015
As with all of Rhonda's books, Broken Bayou will have you laughing as well as crying. Just when you think you may have things figured out, Rhonda takes you in a whole new direction and you have to rethink what you thought you had figured out! I love books that cater to all of my emotions and this is definitely one of those books! This book will keep you guessing all the way until the end! Well done Rhonda!!!
July 21, 2015
Exceptional writing paired with an incredibly addictive story that captures your every thought keeping you enthralled from the very beginning equals pure perfection.
June 12, 2024
Hard to Rate
It's difficult for me to rate this one. I did enjoy the light humor. The first half had quite a bit going on, and I wasn't sure where it was heading. A little romance, paranormal experience, haunting, murder mystery, stalker ?? I just didn't know. Then, when it began to unravel, ugh...... After quite a few eye rolls and disappointment at how it played out, I made it to the closing chapters. I did enjoy the end, but I wish the "mysteries" had been wrapped up differently.
It's difficult for me to rate this one. I did enjoy the light humor. The first half had quite a bit going on, and I wasn't sure where it was heading. A little romance, paranormal experience, haunting, murder mystery, stalker ?? I just didn't know. Then, when it began to unravel, ugh...... After quite a few eye rolls and disappointment at how it played out, I made it to the closing chapters. I did enjoy the end, but I wish the "mysteries" had been wrapped up differently.
July 12, 2022
- paranormal
- mystery
- falling in love fast
- there were no breaks in between scenes so it was hard to decipher
Cheyenne moved to Louisiana to start over and live a peaceful life. However, strange things start happening around her that cannot be explained. She keeps having visions of last murders.
- mystery
- falling in love fast
- there were no breaks in between scenes so it was hard to decipher
Cheyenne moved to Louisiana to start over and live a peaceful life. However, strange things start happening around her that cannot be explained. She keeps having visions of last murders.
February 10, 2023
Broken Bayou
By: Rhonda Dennis
This is such an outstanding book. I definitely recommend it. I have read it now twice and will more then likely read it all over again at a later date. Yes, it is that good. You definitely need to read this book.
By: Rhonda Dennis
This is such an outstanding book. I definitely recommend it. I have read it now twice and will more then likely read it all over again at a later date. Yes, it is that good. You definitely need to read this book.
March 15, 2018
Mystery leads to the future
This story tell a very intriguingly tale of family lost but most of all love!! Look forward to reading more like this one!!
This story tell a very intriguingly tale of family lost but most of all love!! Look forward to reading more like this one!!
May 29, 2022
I loved the way this book tied everything up at the end. It was a quick weekend read. Great imagery of the south. I'd likely read more from this author. A great vacation book.
March 21, 2017
I loved this book!
This book is definitely a page turner! If you love a good mystery set in Louisiana this is the book for you. This book is for sure filled with twist and turns .
This book is definitely a page turner! If you love a good mystery set in Louisiana this is the book for you. This book is for sure filled with twist and turns .
August 5, 2015
Broken Bayou is the second book I have read by Rhonda R. Dennis and once again I loved her book. This book is an incredible blend of romance mystery, and starts out in Oklahoma and ends up in Louisiana, or as Cheyenne, the main character states, "from red dirt to black dirt".
Cheyenne, a young woman has left Oklahoma to get a new start in life, after her parents die in a fire, and after months of severe depression decides to throw her resume around on the internet and receives an offer for a teaching job at a high school in Cane, Louisiana. Cheyenne decides this is the right thing to do and off she goes.
Once she starts the job, she meets Cal Gage, the history teacher, and they start going out and he shows her around New Orleans and different places, also introducing her to cajun food, which she finds mouthwatering!
While there a fortune teller grabs her hand and tells her all kinds of things that scare her, and she runs back to the car, scared out of her wits. After this happens, the next day when visiting an antebellum mansion with Cal, she enters and starts getting all kinds of flashbacks, one after the other and even sees what happened there on a terrible day when several people were murdered, 30 years ago and remembers all kinds of details even how many rooms there were, a closet, and where the murderers killed the people inside the house. The visions get more intense as she starts dreaming about them and each dream shows her something else.
All kinds of weird things start happening and the mystery deepens, and Cal is just as confused as she is about all of it. I do not want to say too much except that the mystery builds and the author writes it brilliantly, and then adds an element of ghosts, a secret admirer, and other mysteries that all make up for a great read. The suspense is epic and even Cal has something going on he did not see coming that is tied up with Cheyenne as well.
But there is more than that to this story, and when it is all spelled out at the end of the book, I was shocked at the turns the plot took, there was never a dull moment, the characters were great, and the supporting characters were as well developed as the main characters, Cheyenne and Cal. I would have never guessed the outcome of this story at all, and neither will you! I found myself holding my breath towards the end seeing what was coming and it was like watching something in slow motion and wanting to stop it but you are frozen to the spot, and are hopeless to do anything!
Most of all I loved how this author set up the scenes in the book with a lot of atmospheric feelings, and things like ghosts and other things that gave me the chills. It was truly well written!
I gave this book 5***** stars and look forward to the next book I read by this author.
Cheyenne, a young woman has left Oklahoma to get a new start in life, after her parents die in a fire, and after months of severe depression decides to throw her resume around on the internet and receives an offer for a teaching job at a high school in Cane, Louisiana. Cheyenne decides this is the right thing to do and off she goes.
Once she starts the job, she meets Cal Gage, the history teacher, and they start going out and he shows her around New Orleans and different places, also introducing her to cajun food, which she finds mouthwatering!
While there a fortune teller grabs her hand and tells her all kinds of things that scare her, and she runs back to the car, scared out of her wits. After this happens, the next day when visiting an antebellum mansion with Cal, she enters and starts getting all kinds of flashbacks, one after the other and even sees what happened there on a terrible day when several people were murdered, 30 years ago and remembers all kinds of details even how many rooms there were, a closet, and where the murderers killed the people inside the house. The visions get more intense as she starts dreaming about them and each dream shows her something else.
All kinds of weird things start happening and the mystery deepens, and Cal is just as confused as she is about all of it. I do not want to say too much except that the mystery builds and the author writes it brilliantly, and then adds an element of ghosts, a secret admirer, and other mysteries that all make up for a great read. The suspense is epic and even Cal has something going on he did not see coming that is tied up with Cheyenne as well.
But there is more than that to this story, and when it is all spelled out at the end of the book, I was shocked at the turns the plot took, there was never a dull moment, the characters were great, and the supporting characters were as well developed as the main characters, Cheyenne and Cal. I would have never guessed the outcome of this story at all, and neither will you! I found myself holding my breath towards the end seeing what was coming and it was like watching something in slow motion and wanting to stop it but you are frozen to the spot, and are hopeless to do anything!
Most of all I loved how this author set up the scenes in the book with a lot of atmospheric feelings, and things like ghosts and other things that gave me the chills. It was truly well written!
I gave this book 5***** stars and look forward to the next book I read by this author.
July 26, 2015
This is one book I have picked off my reading list, and what an amazing book it was.
OMG don't even try and guess what you think is happening in this book because you are wrong. The twists and turns are so well structured that you are left mind boggled on how the hell you didn't see it coming. That's how well written this book is.
Broken Bayou is a lot of mystery, suspense and with add romance. The main characters are so well matched but add in the other characters and you are reading one hell of a story.
This is one must read book I'm so glad I read it and I'm definitely going to be looking into other books by Rhonda R Dennis.
OMG don't even try and guess what you think is happening in this book because you are wrong. The twists and turns are so well structured that you are left mind boggled on how the hell you didn't see it coming. That's how well written this book is.
Broken Bayou is a lot of mystery, suspense and with add romance. The main characters are so well matched but add in the other characters and you are reading one hell of a story.
This is one must read book I'm so glad I read it and I'm definitely going to be looking into other books by Rhonda R Dennis.
November 10, 2015
Loved!
This book was very different from the typical romance novels I've been reading. I actually enjoyed the mystery and thrill of the ghost factor, but the love story played out throughout the pages made this a very interesting and great story. Loved this story!! Like the other books Rhonda Dennis has written, this story is well written and an excellent read!!!
This book was very different from the typical romance novels I've been reading. I actually enjoyed the mystery and thrill of the ghost factor, but the love story played out throughout the pages made this a very interesting and great story. Loved this story!! Like the other books Rhonda Dennis has written, this story is well written and an excellent read!!!
August 8, 2015
Another wonderful book!
Loved this book! It started out a little slow, but by 30% I couldn't put it down! Loved the mystery, loved the suspense and all the twists and turns. Being from South Louisiana I love that I can relate with everything! Awesome job once again Rhonda Dennis, you never disappoint!
Loved this book! It started out a little slow, but by 30% I couldn't put it down! Loved the mystery, loved the suspense and all the twists and turns. Being from South Louisiana I love that I can relate with everything! Awesome job once again Rhonda Dennis, you never disappoint!
December 24, 2017
Oh man- this book was soooo good!
Can you figure out what will happen and why things have been happening ! Read this book if you love mystery , romance filled with unexpected things happening.
Great book by Rhonda Dennis!
Also I recommend the green bayou series as well if you haven’t read them by her
Can you figure out what will happen and why things have been happening ! Read this book if you love mystery , romance filled with unexpected things happening.
Great book by Rhonda Dennis!
Also I recommend the green bayou series as well if you haven’t read them by her
August 19, 2015
Great job, Rhonda!!!!Love reading a good love and mystery book..Kept me on edge.....A kind of reading you think you can figure it out, don't even try....I never would have thought a monkey in red...LoL...Amazing book.5+ Stars
October 20, 2015
Very very good read! Deserving a 5 star in my opinion. And u know I don't give 5's very often. Most endings you have to use your imagination & make up your own ending. (I hate those!) Not this one! Ending was great! I highly recommend this one!
February 6, 2016
Great Read
I just want to start off by saying how much I love Rhonda Dennis. She has never disappointed. Broken Bayou is a 5 star read. I loved the characters. This story was full of mystery & suspense. I can't wait to read more from Rhonda.
I just want to start off by saying how much I love Rhonda Dennis. She has never disappointed. Broken Bayou is a 5 star read. I loved the characters. This story was full of mystery & suspense. I can't wait to read more from Rhonda.
January 22, 2016
The first half is an intriguing story with interesting characters. The last quarter is beyond bizarre, a quagmire of what not to do to a story. SPOILER! A wild chimpanzee in a red dress? I'm from Louisiana and I've never seen a wild chimp, with or without a red dress.
March 6, 2016
Loved it!
The beginning started off slow as I debated just not reading it, but then it picked up and I found myself becoming addicted to the story; its characters and the mysteries. The aha moments, and the revelations as the story unwound. A must read!
The beginning started off slow as I debated just not reading it, but then it picked up and I found myself becoming addicted to the story; its characters and the mysteries. The aha moments, and the revelations as the story unwound. A must read!
January 1, 2019
Wow! I didn’t see that coming!
I’m a huge fan ( and friend) of this author. I’ve read everything she’s written. This book, however, got me! A huge twist after several smaller twists! Good job, Rhonda!!
I’m a huge fan ( and friend) of this author. I’ve read everything she’s written. This book, however, got me! A huge twist after several smaller twists! Good job, Rhonda!!
July 24, 2015
Broken Bayou
Always love her books. You always are surprised who the bad guys are in the story. She always leaves you wanting another book.
Always love her books. You always are surprised who the bad guys are in the story. She always leaves you wanting another book.
September 10, 2015
Great Read
I really liked the character development. They had great interaction and were funny. Definitely the kind of people I would want to hang out with..
I really liked the character development. They had great interaction and were funny. Definitely the kind of people I would want to hang out with..
September 25, 2015
Yet another great book by Rhonda Dennis. I couldn't put it down once I got started. Love it!
February 27, 2016
Great
I chose this rating because I loved this book. It was very suspenseful. I love the characters. So glad I read this book.
I chose this rating because I loved this book. It was very suspenseful. I love the characters. So glad I read this book.
November 4, 2018
❤️❤️
Love this book! I love all of her novels. I have read them all at least twice. The writing is great!
Love this book! I love all of her novels. I have read them all at least twice. The writing is great!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews