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Cajun Magic Mystery #1

Voodoo on the Bayou

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From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elle James, the 1st book in the Cajun Magic Mystery Series

Don’t piss off the Voodoo Queen…

Craig Thibodeaux’s tangled with the wrong person. Cursed by Bayou Miste’s notorious Voodoo Queen, he’s destined to be a frog by day and a man by night. If he doesn’t find someone to love him by the next full moon, he’ll remain amphibious for the rest of his days.

Elaine Smith came to Bayou Miste to investigate the source of pollutants and finds herself in need of a bodyguard when she gets too close to revealing the source. Though suspiciously absent during the day, handsome local Craig Thibodaux offers to be that bodyguard in her forays into the swamp at night.

Together, they discover the culprits and a magical desire neither expected to find in the blackest waters of the bayou.


Note: This book was published by Dorchester Publishing as TO KISS A FROG in 2005 and by Entangled Publishing in 2013 as VOODOO ON THE BAYOU.

394 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 6, 2005

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About the author

Elle James

714 books1,201 followers
Award-winning author Elle James grew up as an air force military brat. She received her work ethic from her rock-solid father, her creative streak from her artistic mother and inspiration from her writing partner and sister, Delilah Devlin. As a former member of the army reserves and a current member of the air force reserves, she's traveled across the United States and to Germany, managed a full-time job, and raised three wonderful children. She and her husband have even tried their hands at ranching exotic birds (ostriches, emus and rheas) in the Texas hill country. Ask her, and she'll tell you what it's like to go toe-to-toe with an angry three-hundred-and-fifty-pound bird and live to tell about it!

Her adventures in the army and air force reserves, and the wild antics of her life on a small ranch in Texas give her fodder for mystery, suspense and humor in her writing. Elle writes gothic, paranormal mystery for the Harlequin Intrigue line and paranormal romantic comedy for Dorchester Publishing. A former manager of computer programming and project management professionals, Elle is happy she now has the opportunity to pursue her writing full time.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Profile Image for Susan.
4,806 reviews125 followers
August 10, 2021
Fun modern take on the fairy-tale "The Frog Prince." Craig is a high-powered New Orleans attorney on a working vacation in Bayou Miste. He spends part of his time helping out at his Uncle Joe's marina and bait shop, part of it recruiting a new client for the family law firm, and the rest indulging in his playboy ways. That is until he messes with the wrong girl and her voodoo queen granny puts a curse on him. Now Craig is a little green frog by day and a man by night, with just two weeks to find a woman who can love him and break the spell.

Elaine is a New Orleans scientist who receives an anonymous sample of contaminated bayou water from Bayou Miste. Ready for a break from the lab and her cheating ex-fiancé, she and her trusty microscope head for the bayou to figure out what is causing the contamination. She needs to gather specimens but is terrified of water, which is where Craig comes in. Uncle Joe asks Craig to take Elaine to get what she needs.

I loved the development of the relationship between Craig and Elaine. Their first meeting was hilarious, as Craig had just transformed back to a man from a frog - and frogs don't wear clothes. To say that Elaine got an eye-full would be putting it mildly and roused unfamiliar feelings in her. Just being around Craig short-circuits her brain and turns the ordinarily cool and articulate scientist tongue-tied and clumsy. While Craig may be an insensitive jerk to women at times, he's never deliberately cruel, and when he sees Elaine's genuine fear of the water, he comes through like a champ. I loved his care and understanding as he helped her into the boat and on their journey to the site of the dead fish. Craig's reactions to Elaine surprised him since she isn't his usual type. Craig earned extra points from me when he decided against making her fall in love with him because he didn't want her to get hurt.

The sparks that flew between Craig and Elaine were undeniable. Though determined to do the right thing and leave her alone, Craig found it impossible not to give in to those sparks. The more time they spend together, the more she gets under his skin. Elaine is well aware of his reputation and knows she should stay away from him, but she can't help being drawn to him. With Craig's help, Elaine overcomes her fears and blossoms under his attentions. When Elaine's insecurities make her question her actions, two new friends step up to help her fight for her man. I loved the makeover section and the effect it had on Craig. I loved seeing the commitment-phobic Craig experience changes in his outlook but still worry about hurting Elaine. In the end, danger opens their eyes to their true feelings, and love's true kiss comes through to break the spell.

The mystery of the contaminated bayou water was well done. Elaine's determination to uncover the truth put her and Craig in unexpected danger when one of their trips ran into opposition. If not for Craig's knowledge of the bayou waterways, Elaine's research might have come to an unfortunate end. Craig feared for Elaine's safety when her house was ransacked and her research stolen. I thought I had it all figured out when Elaine found out the only business likely responsible. But an unexpected twist put her in mortal danger. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was glued to the pages until it was all over.

I had a lot of fun watching Craig's antics as both man and frog. I laughed at his encounter with the voodoo queen and his skepticism about the curse - until he woke up as a frog. His descriptions of the world from a frog's-eye view were vivid, and I felt like I was right there with him. I liked his determination to watch over Elaine, even as a frog, and how he got Dawg to help him. Who would have expected a dog to have a pet bullfrog, right? Craig also tended to get caught in awkward places when it was time to transform from frog to man, leaving him "exposed." When in man-form, Craig had to deal with too-helpful friends, old girlfriends showing up at awkward times, and nosy neighbors seeing far too much.

The secondary characters were almost as great as Elaine and Craig. Craig's Uncle Joe had far too much fun giving him a hard time about being a frog, but he also was there when Craig needed him. Nosy neighbor Mozelle had a big heart, and I loved seeing her take Elaine under her wing. When Mozelle and the hairdresser, Josie, set out to help Elaine, she didn't know what hit her. Craig's friends Mo and Larry had me a little confused at first since they helped the voodoo queen and tried to help Craig break the curse.

I've been a fan of Elle James's romantic suspense books for a long time, so when I stumbled across this very different offering, I couldn't wait to read it. I was not disappointed!
Profile Image for Julie Miller.
Author 295 books368 followers
April 13, 2013
Funny, sexy and satisfying...
I've long been a fan of Elle James' romantic suspense books, but hadn't read books by her in other genres. And, while this one has a small dose of suspense in it, it's the relationship between two wonderfully engaging characters that drives the plot. Basically, it's a modern, sexy telling of the fairy tale, "The Frog Prince", and somehow, Ms. James made me believe the magic behind the "curse". The cast of supporting characters was rich and well-developed, too, creating an enjoyable, entertaining read.
Profile Image for Lily (Night Owl Book Cafe).
691 reviews495 followers
March 20, 2013
I received this book from a publicist in exchange of an honest review.

/squeal

I tried to savior this book for as long as I could and perhaps a little too long, but it was worth every page because Voodoo On The Bayou was an amazing read!

Craig Thibodeaux is a ladies man and a confirmed bachelor. When he choose to tango with the wrong woman while visiting his uncle in the Bayou Miste, the last thing he expected was for her to be related to the strange Madame LeBieu nor that her chant was a real voodoo curse. Now Craig is a small froggy by day and a human by night and he has two weeks to find a woman who will love him for who he is or he will stay the small green frog permanently.

After receiving an anonymous toxic water sample, Elaine Smith, a research scientist leaves New Orleans and travels to Bayou Miste to find the cause of the pollution. Leaving behind a fiancee who had just broken her heart with another woman, the last thing Elaine plans to encounter is a sexy Cajun that has her heart beating a mile an hour. Craig is a fine specimen and one who invoked feeling inside the intelligent but timid scientist that she never knew existed – but there is still one problem – the man refuses to commit.

Oh gosh I could just hug this book. I love the writing, it was so well done and it reminds me the story of the Frog Prince, except in this one, Elaine cannot know of Craig's curse. The book was funny, and endearing and crackled with a lot of fireworks between Craig and Elaine. I love finding books that are so well written that the chemistry between the two characters just falls into place like the pieces of a puzzle.

I was absolutely amused with their first meeting when Craig transformed into human after suffering his first day as a frog and appeared naked in front of Elaine. Her reaction was just priceless as their conversation that had me snickering. Throughout the book you cannot help but root for these two and hope that Craig would come to his bonehead senses and change his ways for the sweet Elaine as the two try to save Bayou Miste.

The book is filled with memorable characters ranging from a bunch of nutcase women that use to be a part of Craig's life, to Larry and Mo two of Craigs amusing friends. And the storyline kept me entertained as well. Elaine is afraid of water, but she is passionate enough to set aside her fears and get into the boat with a man that made her blood boil so she could find who and what is contaminating the waters of the Bayou and making the animals die. I definitely recommend this read.
Profile Image for Beckey.
1,466 reviews115 followers
February 17, 2013
By day a frog, by night a man, ‘til de next full moon...”
When I saw that tagline the first thing that came to my mind was

Meets
The Frog Princess Pic
Sorry, if that offended anyone.

The book starts off with Craig being tied up and meeting Madame LeBieu. As I started reading this section my mind wondered again, thinking about thinking about the following song (links):
Man with a Hex by Atomic Fireballs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSlNTw...)

Craig is cursed by Madame LeBieu. He has two weeks to find true love or be sentenced to be a bullfrog.

Elaine is makes a trip up to Bayou Miste after she receives an anonymous toxic water sample. It’s the perfect excuse to get away from the lab and her cheating ex-fiancé.
HOLD-UP for a second, there is more to this story and Bayou Miste. It is a mystery of who’s polluting the waters that is causing a mess and it is one that Craig and Elaine will solve…

A whirl of laugh out loud, oh my goodness, and holy heck moments with a sweet awe moment at the very end. The book I received was an ARC and I can honestly say this book had it all and it was an enjoyable contemporary romance to read from cover to cover.

Quotes I enjoyed from the book:
“Once a geek, always a geek”
The following is ones from the last chapter.
519 reviews83 followers
November 27, 2018
How often do you come across a Frog Prince retelling? Where the hero actually turns into a frog?! 🐸🤴🏻 This was a cute, light hearted read which was exactly what I needed.
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Our hero is cursed by a voodoo priestess to live as a frog by day and man by night, and unless he finds a woman to fall in love with him by the next full moon he will stay a frog forever. Enter our heroine who has come to test the waters in the bayou for pollution. She needs a guide and guess who steps in? You guessed it! Our hero!
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I loved that we actually got to see his little frog adventures and even though he was a bit arrogant (which can drive me nuts) you saw enough growth in his character to satisfy me. The heroine was a little bit dorky and nerdy and had some self esteem issues but learnt to come into her own! If you want a cute little romance with a touch of the paranormal- check this one out.
Profile Image for Donna.
4,129 reviews58 followers
August 18, 2019

Voodoo on the Bayou is a delightful romp in the swamp! Confirmed bachelor Craig Thibodaux gets cursed to be a frog during the day man at night unless he can find someone to love. Dr. Elaine Smith came to Bayou Miste to investigate the source of pollutants and to get away from her cheating ex. Neither is looking for love but there is magic in the bayou. I loved this sweet and sexy mystery.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,169 reviews43 followers
March 20, 2018
Fun read. Light mystery and lots of romance.
Profile Image for Anna Marie.
1,389 reviews2 followers
April 22, 2013
The cover was... corny. The title was unimaginative. And while I'm on our faerie tale kick, I thought I would go for it, although I was not expecting much. And I was pleasantly surprised.

Elaine is a scientist. She got her degree while others her age were still in high school, was done with her masters by age twenty. She doesn't know how to have a good time - she knows how to analyze biology samples. And when her boyfriend dumps her, claiming she's already dating her laboratory and married to her microscope, Elaine realizes that she has to break out of her little box. So when a sample of bayou water is sent to her laced with chemicals that would poison an entire ecosystem, she decides it's time for some field work... to broaden her horizons, and try to stop a disaster from happening.

Craig is a hot-shot lawyer from N'Orleans who spends summers with his uncle on the bayou. He turns down the voodoo woman's daughter, and gets cursed - frog by day, man by night. He's got til the next full moon to find true love, but Craig has never been one to do the commitment scene. Which is WHY this particular curse: he's a playboy.

Until Elaine hires him to take her on night trips into the bayou for samples. The scientist gets under his skin but good, and when you throw in some cajun craziness, a dog named... 'Dawg', and a dangerous chemical-dumping bad guy, you have a fun story.

I had four qualms with this thing: First, the author had Craig nekkid WAY too often. I get that he turns from frog into guy and is stuck wherever he was last in his birthday suit, but it had to have happened like eight times. Elle James likes her nudie man, apparently. It was kind of overdone, by a lot. I would've liked more froggie interaction, and less Craig-in-the-buff.

Second, there's mention of snakes and gators all thru the book, but the author has NO snake encounters whatsoever, and while we see gator eyes once, there's no gator encounters, either. Meanwhile, there are three or four instances where Elaine or Craig or his uncle are falling into the bayou and flailing around, nearly drowning, some of the time bleeding into the water. She had SO much opportunity to do something with it, and was afraid to. Why on EARTH would you set the story in the bayou if the biggest living thing we get to see back in the swamp is a skeeter?

Third, the whole 'she's uptight, dresses like a prude, and suddenly gets the mutha of all makeovers and is HAWT' thing is WAY overdone in novels, and just as obnoxious, here. If you don't like your heroine stodgy, make her a babe from moment one. But the pymalion bit is trite and kind of sucks. FYI.

And lastly, it ended WAY too abruptly. True love on the last page, end of froggy problem. And she NEVER finds out that he even HAD an issue. Never even suspects! What the heck!? How could you not explore that angle at all? Kind of a cop-out, in a story like this.

But I still liked the description, the storyline, the characterization, and the voice. So I still have to give it some stars.
Profile Image for Lady Allison.
336 reviews60 followers
April 11, 2013
This review & others also found on Red Hot Books

This book was very intriguing. Think "The Frog Prince" mixed with some Voodoo magic, shifting, & a dash of N'Awlins charm.

Craig Thibodeaux is a lawyer from New Orleans who came to help out his uncle on a "business vacation" to the small town of Bayou Miste. When he goes out with and turns down the wrong girl, her grandma, Madame LeBieu, comes a looking for him. While she has him tied down and chants over him he thinks it's all a joke his buddies are playing on him... until he wakes up a frog!

"By day a frog, by night a man, 'til de next full moon, dis cunja will span... A woman will answer Ezill's call, one who'll love him, warts, and all... He'll watch by day and woo by night, to gain her love, he mus fight, to break de cunja, be whole again, transformed into a caring man"

When he transforms back into his human form, he realizes that he needs to find a girl to fall in love with him, stat. However, Bayou Miste being a small town, the pickings are slim! That is until Elaine Smith comes to town. A scientist from the city, freshly dumped by her jerk of a fiance, she's on a mission to find out why the Bayou is becoming toxic and be an environmental hero. If only she could get over her fear of water...

Although the timeline was a bit quick for my taste, it was fun to see Craig and Elaine drawn together, no matter how hard they fought it. I loved to see the commitment phobes fall so hard! Each night that Craig took Elaine out to hunt frogs was another chance they could get to know each other, so that by the next full moon, they were both head over heels for each other. I think the mystery could've been fleshed out more, because it was actually pretty interesting and relevant. It was a gripping twist that would've been really fun to follow further. I also would've enjoyed seeing the couple after the curse was over to see how they fared back in the big city together.

All in all, it was an sexy and compelling interpretation of a popular fairy tale and a happy ever after I was delighted to read!

Grade: B+

*ARC provided by Entangled
Profile Image for Traceys.
1,481 reviews71 followers
February 18, 2013
3.75 stars

I loved the princess and the frog film from Disney, and this book is a retelling of this story in adult language, and was very enjoyable.

Craig an attorney in New Orleans, he is visiting his uncle, he is known as a womaniser but he crosses the wrong girl, her grandma is a voodoo priestess.....so his cursed to live as a frog by day and to try to woo someone enough to love him by night.

Elaine a slightly nerdy looking girl hiding her beauty behind closed doors, with the most amazing green eyes and naturally wavy hair that frames her face.....well she has come to find out what is causing pollution in the bayou waters.

It's down to Craig to take her out in the water and they get to know each other, could she be the one - you can't force love, and as he disappears in the day that can't help.

A really nice story, i enjoyed the writing, Elaine is a great character very warm and real with insecurities, Craig is rather delicious too. There are quite a few characters that speak in southern drawl (is that the right term??), there is a mystery and danger, and an amusing uncle all thrown in the story too. Hot bedroom and shower scenes are there too, and yes I think I may well have fell for Craig myself he was rather yummy, even cute as a frog!!


**i received this book from netgalley for an honest review**
Profile Image for Porchia.
439 reviews4 followers
January 11, 2016
Craig Thibodeaux just wanted to get away for awhile and spend some time with his uncle. Being a gentlemen on a date never crossed his mind would back fire and get him cursed. Now he is a frog by day and a man by night. Elaine Smith is a scientist first and a women second. When she walks in on her fiance banging another women she is at a lost what to do. So when she receives a sample of swamp water with radioactive chemicals in it, she decides getting out of the lab is a good idea. When these two cross paths the adventure begins. I highly recommend this book to all shifter lovers. It is a stand alone story with an HEA.
Profile Image for Madison Vessels.
397 reviews1 follower
February 16, 2019
although a little away from my normal genres of choice, I love the magic that was sprinkled throughout the book. I dont usually go for straight up romance novels but I actually enjoyed this one. I love the interactions between the characters and I like that its a strange slightly modern take on an old tale. I also like that the characters grow and develop throughout the book and still have flaws. Neither of the main characters are breathtakingly amazing people that books usually cast for one of the main characters. They both feel real and they grow as their relationship deepens.
Profile Image for Beth  Buswell.
726 reviews6 followers
July 30, 2018
Love love love.

The ending.....Gah! More please. I read this book in one day.The be ok came alive in my head, each character felt so real. I loved the slow burn lust to love of Elaine and Greg. He is such a typical man....... getting stuff all muddled and making things way more complicated. I rolled my eyes at him a lot. Elaine.... I loved her inside out and backwards. She is every women just wanting love and happily ever after.
Profile Image for Angie.
2,447 reviews3 followers
January 29, 2020
This was an interesting book! Craig makes a Voodoo Queen mad and has to find love before the next full moon. Craig isn't looking for love and is trying to find a way around the curse. Elaine shows up to test the water for high pollution rates and Craig is her guide in the bayou. These two try to fight their attraction, but have a really hard time. Elaine and Craig were cute together and they worked really good together!
Profile Image for Tree Schwartz.
898 reviews2 followers
October 20, 2024
Great read!

From the first chapter I was hooked! I always loved the Princess and the Frog and this book did not disappoint. No it is not a retelling - it is different - Craig is the only frog. But I laughed, I got scared and I loved - everything these characters go thru. Not normally a fan of PRN, but I could not resist this one. So glad I gave it a chance. My first read by Elle James and not my last! Loved it!
2,656 reviews2 followers
November 14, 2024
That was crazy!! There is a few unanswered questions I have but other wise I loved it. Even though the voodoo queen got involved with him can his life change 4 the better or worse? I think it was good 4 a shy woman 2 branch out and face her fears but can she when she needs it the most? Read and find out.
Profile Image for Janet Miller.
901 reviews3 followers
January 31, 2018
This was a fun book to read. Frog by day, man by night. It makes for some funny situations. Looking forward to book 2. Highly recommended.
Profile Image for Elisa.
3,227 reviews40 followers
August 20, 2018
A new spin on a fairytale story.

Voodoo on the Bayou was a funny and delightful read.

I love the characters flaws and all the storyline was wonderful there really wasn't anything I didn't like.
4,416 reviews28 followers
February 16, 2019
Voodoo on the Bayou review

Voodoo on the Bayou is the first very funny romantic comedy in the Cajun Magic Mystery series written by author Elle James.
562 reviews3 followers
February 25, 2025
I normally like Elle James. But this book was not to my liking. The whole premise was silly.

A waste of time to read.
Profile Image for Grace Fonseca.
240 reviews23 followers
June 9, 2013
A very unique spin on the Frog and Princess fairy tale retelling for adults that I really enjoyed immensely. Everything about the characters interactions was really interesting and different than I thought since the setting is in the Bayou or a swamp which leads to many interesting developments.

Craig is very much paying for his womanizing ways when a curse has been placed on him. I found that this is a way to make him be more cautious of other’s feelings and that sometimes women need to be cherished, just not himself as well. I also found that the way he reacts to things and the women is not always the correct way. Yet when he meets Elaine, things change for him in a way that he doesn’t expect.

Elaine was an interesting love interest. I found that she conveys a lot of what the modern women is, intelligent, but sometimes is too driven by her career and some men can’t handle that. Yet when she breaks up with her boyfriend in the beginning, it becomes an opportunity for her to do something else and wants to examine the water that has been contaminated and thus leads to something she never expected to find.

When Elaine and Craig meet for the first time, he is nude to say the least. Elaine definitely feels intense feelings of desire for him to say the least. Craig is intrigued by her and doesn’t understand why at least, but then realizes that there’s more to Elaine than meets the eye. Yet what happens is something neither of them expects. They start to get to know each other and really learn that love and attraction sometimes isn’t about what we think we need, but what we want instead.

Yet the subplot of this book with the toxins being spilled/dumped into the water I think pushes our two main characters into some interesting places. I mean Craig has complications with being a frog and a lawyer. Elaine being the scientist has reasons to be suspicious of the main Craig is representing. So this obviously puts Elaine and Craig at odds over what to do. Plus there are some trust issues that are severely put to the test, yet we find out sometimes things are not always what we think they are going to be.

I also found Craig’s interactions with Elaine when he was the frog to be hilarious at times. I found that this was one of the more funny and had some interesting moments. Also the fact that all these women try to bully and make Elaine give up on Craig were things that most women deal with when they end up dating a man that all the women want badly.

The other characters are charming as well. Plus they give both Elaine and Craig a big sometimes good swift kick in their butts because sometimes their doubts rise up if it’s a good idea to pursue and fight for a relationship. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “When the right one comes along, you will do anything” I thought what a true genuine moment that was.

Elaine and Craig’s sex scenes were intense and smoking hot as their chemistry through out the book was leading to this moment. Everything was right between these two characters as they both realize they want each other in the worst way and finally they can both satisfy their needs. Everything Craig and Elaine do in this scene was incredibly well thought out and paced. I really loved the sweetness of their love making as Craig and Elaine find satisfaction in each other when before it was empty. They both feel complete in a way.

Also the real interesting thing is that when Elaine is about to leave town, we find out who the real culprit is behind the dumping of toxins and chemicals and it really is rather surprising because it’s not who you think it is at all. Yet Craig transforms and finds Elaine in the nick of time to save her, because he realizes almost too late how much Elaine means to him. Craig and Elaine also realize how much they really love each other and confess their feelings to one another. It was like that perfect moment and I love happy endings.

Rating: 4.5 Hearts
Profile Image for Romancing the Book.
4,420 reviews221 followers
June 15, 2013
Reviewed by: Robin
Book provided by: book provided by the publisher for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

I am delighted to know that this is the first in what looks to be a rather fun series. Just the idea of the magic of the bayou, Cajun folklore, frog princes or in this case frog lawyers, intrigue (to a point), and nerdy female scientist in a bad need of a makeover. This is a story with a twist or rather a cross between ‘The Frog Prince’ and the movie ‘Shrek’.

When I first read the line… “By day a frog, by night a man, ‘til de next full moon…” I have to admit I thought of Shrek as I had just watched it recently on TV. Also a big fan of Disney I had just seen the ‘Princess and the Frog’ also. So how do you want to know do you mix the two? Easy you have Ms. Elle James write Voodoo on the Bayou. It is a contemporary take on a classic fairytale.

Craig Thibodeaux a lawyer in New Orleans has been coming to Bayou Miste to spend the summers with his Uncle is in town for business. That is until this womanizer (who wants no commitment from anyone) ends up crossing the paths of the wrong girl. After spurning the unwanted advances of said girl she runs to her grand maw who just so happens to be Voodoo Queen Madame LeBieu. So that is where we find ourselves or should I say Craig as he is tied to a tree in the Bayou while he listen as Madame LeBieu puts a ‘Gree-Gree’/curse for non- Cajun’s on him. What is this extremely hot man to do? With the help of bayou magic Elaine Smith, a scientist in New Orleans receives an anonymous sample of the Bayou Miste water and heads down there as she needs a break from the lab and her cheating ex fiancé. When first Elaine encounters Craig he is, shall we shall in his full glory as he has just changed from frog to man. She is of course quite attracted to him. Who wouldn’t be? A handsome man/frog right up her alley… the one is anyway.

Ms. James had such a warm way of bringing this classic fairytale into the modern world. The characters were so warm and real I even enjoyed the secondary characters almost more than Craig and Elaine. The way she wrote the dialect put you write in the center of the bayou where you could imagine the local people out there frogging for a living. With the moss hanging and the alligators swimming, she actually brought the bayou to life. Even Madame LeBieu who is a legend was real. Making her someone’s grand maw made her a fierce and loving person one not to be reckoned with.

Elaine has her own transformation as she tries to solve the contamination of the bayou along with the feelings for Craig. She is helped along by some locals by changing from nerdy scientist to sexy woman. As the ever elusive Craig changes from frog to man to frog he finds himself falling fast for Elaine. Can she be the one to break this voodoo curse?

I loved the quirkiness of the people of the bayou. The warmth and loyalty of the characters made each person seem more real as if they were your neighbors. I could visualize the bayou, from the dumping of toxic waste to the frogs and alligators from the descriptions. Even the people, the buildings, the boats, the bar, the salon it was as if I were there. Such a fun infectious story that captures you and won’t let you go even at the end. I can’t wait for the next story of the Cajun Magic Series…I hope we get to follow Uncle Joe’s story.
Profile Image for Sarah.
3,358 reviews1,236 followers
March 18, 2013
Ladies man Craig is a confirmed bachelor, happy to love women and leave them before moving on to the next one. His womanising ways get him into trouble when one of his dates gets revenge by asking a voodoo queen to curse him. Now Craig spends his days as a frog and his nights as a man and he only has until the next full moon to find someone to love him or he will be forced to live out the rest of his days as a frog. Elaine is a scientist who was sent an anonymous toxic water sample from someone in the bayou. She normally spends her days in the lab but she has a very good reason to want to get away for a bit so she decides to investigate the source of the pollution herself rather than send someone else to do it. Craig is Elaine's night time guide to the bayou and although they have an intense physical attraction will Craig really be able to win her heart in such a short amount of time?

I absolutely love fairytale retellings so as soon as I read the blurb for Voodoo on the Bayou I knew I had to read the book. I'm glad I did because this turned out to be such a fun story and it was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I was excited to learn that this is the first book in Elle James's Cajun Magic series and I can't wait to get my hands on the next instalment. I loved the setting for this story, as someone who has always wanted to visit New Orleans and the bayou I really enjoy reading books set there, especially ones that make it so easy to picture the scenery and the colourful characters who live there.

The best thing about this book was the characters though, Elaine is a highly intelligent and compassionate woman but she has spent most of her life buried in her studies or lab work which makes her quite innocent when it comes to interacting with people. She isn't a naive little virgin but she has never really explored her sexuality or her passionate side. Craig works as a high powered lawyer and his goals in life revolve around making partner in the family firm while avoiding commitment when it comes to women. He is happy to play the field but he does always make it clear upfront that he isn't interested in a long term relationship. Elaine turns his life upside down, she makes him question his way of life and she makes him want to be a better person. At the same time he brings out a more playful and fun side to Elaine and helps her let her hair down. They are complete opposites but they work really well together and their chemistry was hot enough to blow the roof off!

Alongside the romance you also have the mystery about who is poisoning the bayou which added a nice extra element to the story. It doesn't take long before Elaine and Craig attract the wrong kind of attention during their investigation and they soon find their lives at risk. Voodoo on the Bayou is a fairly light hearted paranormal romance and it was a book I found incredibly easy to devour. This was the first book I've read by Elle James but it definitely won't be the last and I'm already looking forward to Voodoo for Two which is published in April. If you like fairytale retellings and you like the sound of an adult version of The Frog Prince then you're going to love this book.
Profile Image for DelAnne Frazee.
2,027 reviews25 followers
March 15, 2016
Title: Voodoo on the Bayou - Cajun Magic Mystery 2
Author: Elle James
Published: 1-12-16
Publisher: Twisted Page Inc
Pages: 362
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Romance; Magic, Voodoo; Humor & Satire
ISBN: 97811626950443
ASIN: B016CIOT9Q
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley

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Craig Thibodeaux has trifled with the affections of famed Bayou Voodoo Queen Madame LeBieu. She has decided the time has come for Craig to learn not to use women to his own amusement. She hexes him so that he shall be a frog from sunup to sundown and a man from sundown to sunup. He has until the next full moon (which is just over two weeks away) to have a women to truly fall in love with him. Enter Doctor Elaine Smith who has come to the Bayou to investigate the high level of toxins in the Bayou Miste waters and the animal and marine life that live in and around it. Still smarting from the betrayal of finding her fiancé in the stairwell of the university making out with a secretary she has decided to get the samples and investigate herself rather than sending an undergraduate. she has no interest in the local lothario no matter how sexy his smile is and how he uses his Cajun charm. He may be sin on two legs and think he can have any woman he wants fall at his feet, but she is a scientist first and foremost and doesn't trust him even though she does need him to guide her to gather specimens and samples. When she starts getting threats Craig scrambles to find a way to keep her safe during the day and keep her close during the night.



I open the book, read the first page and then began to chuckle out loud as I read. Not bad at home, but I was sitting in a waiting room waiting for my sister to finish with her doctor and received some strange looks from the others in the room. I did not care, I wanted to read more so I did and chuckled some more. The interactions between Craig and Elaine are electric. From the moment she meets him, he is stark naked trying to hide behind the display case, she is trying not to ogle. No matter how hard each tries to remain proper circumstances conspire against them much to reader's delight. Not to minimize the suspense of the book, because there is plenty, but I was captivated by the humor was threaded throughout the story. I enjoyed it so much I could not wait to open Voodoo for Two - Cajun Magic Mystery Book 2. I think you will too. I have finished book two in the series and am now awaiting the release of book three, Déjà Voodoo next week. I hope you come to love this series as much as I do.



Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

Barnes and Noble link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/voodo...

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

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7,046 reviews870 followers
February 19, 2013
KcLu‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 Stars

Being a Louisiana gal this title drew me from the moment DiDi told me about it, and then I read the description!! I had to read this book. I mean it’s The Frog Prince meets Cajun folklore!! What could be better?? Then I read this GREAT book!!! LAWD!

Craig Thibodeaux is the ultimate ladies man. He likes to love ‘em and leave ‘em. He doesn’t believe in commitment, and tries his best not to get caught by someone that wants it. Then lord love a duck he goes on the date with the wrong woman, and things go really bad after he turns down her offer of slutty sex! Her grandmaw is The Voodoo lady of Bayou Miste, Madame Leblieu!! To say that is the wrong grandmaw to piss off is an understatement! She puts the gree gree on him (or a curse to you non-Cajuns .. hehehe) causing him to spend his days as a frog and nights as a man. He has until the next full moon to find a woman that loves him for him warts and all, or spend the rest of his life as a frog.

Elaine Smith has spent her life in books or doing her research, but when she catches her slime ball fiancé in a lip-lock with the department’s secretary he blames her!!! He tells her she spends to much time in her lab, and loved her science more than she ever loved him. Taken back by this she decides to do the hands on research for the mysterious samples of Bayou Miste’s water. But this research trip puts her in trouble in more than one way. She keeps running into a nekid Craig and has to use him as her night time swamp guide, she has a big fear of water, and the peeps that are polluting the water don’t mind using violence to try and stop her. Can she figure out this mystery and resist Craig’s charms???

I absolutely love love love this book! It is a fantastic quick read!! And LAWD is Craig smoking hot!!! BUT I have to say if any of my peeps ever get turned into a frog they better stay away from me!! Don’t wanna accidentally kill them with spider spray.. lol.. This is a fun little mystery! I can’t recommend it enough!

Review copy provided for an honest review.
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