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Beasts of Barbeaux Bayou #1
Shroud of Exile
When Cady’s boss unexpectedly died, she thought the worst that would happen to her was extra paperwork. Instead, she ended up stuffed in a trunk, driving down a no-name road in the middle of the bayou with two thugs that want their stolen money.
Just as she’s about to become gator food, Cady is rescued by one of the notorious Barbeaux boys.
As Cady and Eli Barbeaux join forces to find out exactly who is looking for this missing money and putting them both in danger, they realize their lives are becoming entangled by more than an unsolved mystery.
But the bayou is full of secrets and Eli is supposed to keep them.
The Barbeaux line is old—ancient. Eli and his brothers are the last living descendants of The Beast of Gévaudan. Time isn’t kind to those with preternaturally long lives and the burden of that violent family history is slowly killing them.
Now Eli has been given a second chance at living, but only if he can figure out who is after Cady and protect her from the fallout of bonding with a beast.
Perfect for fans of T.S. Joyce, Kelley Armstrong, and Suzanne Wright, Shroud of Exile is a slow burn werewolf romance that can be read as a stand-alone. There are no cliffhangers and always, always a happily ever after.
Just as she’s about to become gator food, Cady is rescued by one of the notorious Barbeaux boys.
As Cady and Eli Barbeaux join forces to find out exactly who is looking for this missing money and putting them both in danger, they realize their lives are becoming entangled by more than an unsolved mystery.
But the bayou is full of secrets and Eli is supposed to keep them.
The Barbeaux line is old—ancient. Eli and his brothers are the last living descendants of The Beast of Gévaudan. Time isn’t kind to those with preternaturally long lives and the burden of that violent family history is slowly killing them.
Now Eli has been given a second chance at living, but only if he can figure out who is after Cady and protect her from the fallout of bonding with a beast.
Perfect for fans of T.S. Joyce, Kelley Armstrong, and Suzanne Wright, Shroud of Exile is a slow burn werewolf romance that can be read as a stand-alone. There are no cliffhangers and always, always a happily ever after.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 24, 2022
971 people are currently reading
2644 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
December 11, 2022
Dnf @38%
I had high hopes for this one but sadly my expectations weren’t met. It felt like there’s something off about the writing style, like the real meaning of the sentences is hidden behind some dark curtains made of try-hard poetic writing.
I had high hopes for this one but sadly my expectations weren’t met. It felt like there’s something off about the writing style, like the real meaning of the sentences is hidden behind some dark curtains made of try-hard poetic writing.
December 20, 2024
I’m blaming BookTok for this read
May 2, 2025
DNF @43%
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2024
2.5 ⭐️ Not it for me.
May 15, 2025
DNF @ 26%/ 10 chapters read
It isn't horrible and part of me does want to keep reading on, but I'm complaining so much haha.
The story feels a little disjointed, I don't really understand what is going on, the massive descriptions of the rundown town are getting annoying, and the characters... UGH.
Just because Cady recognizes that she is making stupid decisions, doesn't mean she isn't being stupid. Also, who wakes up, goes outside, talks to someone, and has an orgasm, and still wonder "am I still sleeping??" Bitch, no, obviously you aren't.
And let's not forget Eli whose personality keeps changing. Who can never actually talk to this woman in the daylight, making it seem like he is so mysterious and dangerous woooo. And yes, I know he just invited her to meet up in the daylight, all his prior stalking in the dark is just ridiculous. He goes from being grumpy and aloof to "wicked grins" and flirting. Don't even get me started on how the whole werewolf thing isn't making sense to me. Like, how the fuck he was born if only the original werewolf had a bonded. Now, maybe I'm misunderstand and that was their father, but I'm pretty fucking sure it was his grandfather? So... his father still had kids with a human, okay... that would answer that question... but like why are the brothers keeping away from women? Why didn't a centuries old man realize he was feeling attraction???
And you know what, maybe these are the questions that are supposed to keep me reading, but all of it combined with no answers in sight has me throwing in the towel.
It isn't horrible and part of me does want to keep reading on, but I'm complaining so much haha.
The story feels a little disjointed, I don't really understand what is going on, the massive descriptions of the rundown town are getting annoying, and the characters... UGH.
Just because Cady recognizes that she is making stupid decisions, doesn't mean she isn't being stupid. Also, who wakes up, goes outside, talks to someone, and has an orgasm, and still wonder "am I still sleeping??" Bitch, no, obviously you aren't.
And let's not forget Eli whose personality keeps changing. Who can never actually talk to this woman in the daylight, making it seem like he is so mysterious and dangerous woooo. And yes, I know he just invited her to meet up in the daylight, all his prior stalking in the dark is just ridiculous. He goes from being grumpy and aloof to "wicked grins" and flirting. Don't even get me started on how the whole werewolf thing isn't making sense to me. Like, how the fuck he was born if only the original werewolf had a bonded. Now, maybe I'm misunderstand and that was their father, but I'm pretty fucking sure it was his grandfather? So... his father still had kids with a human, okay... that would answer that question... but like why are the brothers keeping away from women? Why didn't a centuries old man realize he was feeling attraction???
And you know what, maybe these are the questions that are supposed to keep me reading, but all of it combined with no answers in sight has me throwing in the towel.
May 19, 2025
Finished this in maybe a day? Saw the author on booktok, sounded fabulous, and here we are! Love werewolf shifter books, especially with some spice thrown in. Loved the storyline- would love to read about the other brothers 🖤
May 25, 2025
Meh. The only great thing about this is that the MMC’s character’s identity was a secret to the FMC for so long.
August 19, 2025
I finished it because of obligation, the begging was good but the plot was failing to keep me interested as the book developed
May 23, 2025
Honestly
I ate this up to be so frl. I thought I would dnf at like 30% but it got so good I couldn’t put it down lmao
I ate this up to be so frl. I thought I would dnf at like 30% but it got so good I couldn’t put it down lmao
Read
June 3, 2025Ended up DNF around 48%
April 29, 2025
this sucked me in
I love a good shifter book. The mystery and suspense was exactly what I needed after to many super dark romance books. There are still struggles but Eli and Cady work through it. Their relationship takes time and I enjoyed the ride.
I love a good shifter book. The mystery and suspense was exactly what I needed after to many super dark romance books. There are still struggles but Eli and Cady work through it. Their relationship takes time and I enjoyed the ride.
September 24, 2022
This book was amazing. We follow Cady after she has been kidnapped and when she is freed she sees something that doesn’t make sense. And when no one believes her, she has to take matters into her own hands. Eli just wants to stay under the radar, until he rescues a girl who was about to be fed to some alligators. But what he doesn’t expect is to fall for her and constantly search for her.
Cady is kidnapped because of who she worked for, unknown to her a dangerous man. A man who has many secrets and money that others want. When she is rescued and no one believes her she decides to find out what’s really going on. All she has to do is befriend a guy who doesn’t leave the bayou.
Eli has a secret and can’t tell anyone, until he is forced to help a girl who is in way too much trouble. After saving her he becomes infatuated with her, needing to know she is safe and just wanting to be with her. But how long can they be together if he has this massive secret.
I loved Eli and Cady! Eli just wants to protect Cady, while Cady just wants answers. She drags him around into dangerous situations and shouldn’t be surprised when her life is in danger again. I love the mystery and love that Cady is somewhat clueless at times. While I wish Eli would have told Cady his secret sooner I love how it was done. I can’t wait for more from this series and this author.
I received this as an arc for an honest review.
Cady is kidnapped because of who she worked for, unknown to her a dangerous man. A man who has many secrets and money that others want. When she is rescued and no one believes her she decides to find out what’s really going on. All she has to do is befriend a guy who doesn’t leave the bayou.
Eli has a secret and can’t tell anyone, until he is forced to help a girl who is in way too much trouble. After saving her he becomes infatuated with her, needing to know she is safe and just wanting to be with her. But how long can they be together if he has this massive secret.
I loved Eli and Cady! Eli just wants to protect Cady, while Cady just wants answers. She drags him around into dangerous situations and shouldn’t be surprised when her life is in danger again. I love the mystery and love that Cady is somewhat clueless at times. While I wish Eli would have told Cady his secret sooner I love how it was done. I can’t wait for more from this series and this author.
I received this as an arc for an honest review.
December 10, 2022
This was so amazing 😭😭😭 a perfect introduction to this universe and I cannot wait for more
June 24, 2025
I think I finished this out of spite, to be completely honest.
We follow Cady when she gets kidnapped and brought to the bayou after her now-deceased boss has stolen money from some not so great people. She knows nothing, of course, and is ultimately saved by a man who may not be completely human. As her recollection of her kidnapping comes back, she bakes some cookies and decides to think the man who saved her life - Eli Barbeaux - who has a less than stellar reputation in their small town of Port O'Henry. He brushes off her attempts at gratitude, but he is ultimately dragged into her need to know where the money is, what her boss' history is, and why she became a pawn in a game much bigger than she is.
I also found Cady to be an absolute moron with little to no clear direction for why she did what she did. For the money? She lost her job, so sure. Because she got kidnapped? The MMC made sure they were dead and no one else showed up to try it again until well after any investigative work was done. Just Because? Sure, why not. Secondarily, when you (the writer) state that the FMC understands and recognizes she's making ignorant decisions and continues to make such decisions, you're doing nothing but exacerbating my dislike of this character.
Eli was fine. Standard growly werewolf with a secret bond to this woman he absolutely has no reason to want besides saving her life.
I will not be continuing this series due to my overwhelming disappointment for both the storytelling and the writing. More often than not, one sentence to the next didn't quite jive, the author's grammar regarding dialogue is more wrong than correct, and the overall plot came across as confusing and contrived.
We follow Cady when she gets kidnapped and brought to the bayou after her now-deceased boss has stolen money from some not so great people. She knows nothing, of course, and is ultimately saved by a man who may not be completely human. As her recollection of her kidnapping comes back, she bakes some cookies and decides to think the man who saved her life - Eli Barbeaux - who has a less than stellar reputation in their small town of Port O'Henry. He brushes off her attempts at gratitude, but he is ultimately dragged into her need to know where the money is, what her boss' history is, and why she became a pawn in a game much bigger than she is.
I also found Cady to be an absolute moron with little to no clear direction for why she did what she did. For the money? She lost her job, so sure. Because she got kidnapped? The MMC made sure they were dead and no one else showed up to try it again until well after any investigative work was done. Just Because? Sure, why not. Secondarily, when you (the writer) state that the FMC understands and recognizes she's making ignorant decisions and continues to make such decisions, you're doing nothing but exacerbating my dislike of this character.
Eli was fine. Standard growly werewolf with a secret bond to this woman he absolutely has no reason to want besides saving her life.
I will not be continuing this series due to my overwhelming disappointment for both the storytelling and the writing. More often than not, one sentence to the next didn't quite jive, the author's grammar regarding dialogue is more wrong than correct, and the overall plot came across as confusing and contrived.
May 21, 2025
I am getting into werewolf books as I like the bond aspect as it is mainly he falls first and then boy obsessed 2 of my favourite tropes.
Eli is a werewolf he and his twin brother Isaac and his older brother Saul live on the bayou. They are slowly going mad and becoming more like wolves due to not being able to bond as they thought.
Cady was abandoned by her drug addict mother with her grandparents and when it was time for her to leave for collage her grandmother got sick and she gave up her dream to become a published poet to care for her grandmother. Both of her grandparents are now dead and her boss had just died and she had been kidnapped. Eli saves her unbeknownst to them both that she is his mate and he is now bonded to her.
Eli keeps what he is a secret from Cady as he knows she will reject him. Cady is frightened for her life having been kidnapped accused of having money that her boss stole and now having to try and work out who wants her dead. Eli is keeping lots of secrets as he thinks the person behind all of this is his cousin who Saul claims he killed but is still alive. Isaac has been missing for a month and returns near the end to help save Cady.
Once Eli reveals his secret Cady does except him and they are both now bonded. This was a little slow but a good first book I will probably read the rest in the series I do want to know if Saul is bonded with a secret someone who we haven't met and he is staying away from her to keep her safe...
Eli is a werewolf he and his twin brother Isaac and his older brother Saul live on the bayou. They are slowly going mad and becoming more like wolves due to not being able to bond as they thought.
Cady was abandoned by her drug addict mother with her grandparents and when it was time for her to leave for collage her grandmother got sick and she gave up her dream to become a published poet to care for her grandmother. Both of her grandparents are now dead and her boss had just died and she had been kidnapped. Eli saves her unbeknownst to them both that she is his mate and he is now bonded to her.
Eli keeps what he is a secret from Cady as he knows she will reject him. Cady is frightened for her life having been kidnapped accused of having money that her boss stole and now having to try and work out who wants her dead. Eli is keeping lots of secrets as he thinks the person behind all of this is his cousin who Saul claims he killed but is still alive. Isaac has been missing for a month and returns near the end to help save Cady.
Once Eli reveals his secret Cady does except him and they are both now bonded. This was a little slow but a good first book I will probably read the rest in the series I do want to know if Saul is bonded with a secret someone who we haven't met and he is staying away from her to keep her safe...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2025
This was a mixed bag for me. I was not super super invested in the whole backwater town with a seedy underbelly mystery plot, and I found Cady to be annoying for much of the story in a kind of "I'm a hick and I'm proud of it" way. I mean, she refuses point blank to eat vegetables? Come on. I would give the the first maybe 60% of the book a 2/5
HOWEVER, Moira delivered where it counted for me in a big way. My absolute FAVORITE part in any kind of paranormal romance is how the couple deals with the reveal. And when I tell you that book had one of my top 10 favorite "he tells her he's a monster" reveals of all time, that means a lot. I thought that the relationship between Cady and Eli in the second half of the book was the right blend of emotionally poignant, angsty, and spicy. I was genuinely taken aback by how well the spice scenes in this were done. I find that a lot of spicy books are a miss for me because it's really hard to describe acts in words. I saw this in an ad on Tiktok or Insta and I didn't intend to even really hold myself to finishing it, let alone read the rest of the series, but if Moira comes out with a romance for the other two brothers, I will be reading.
5/5 for the last 30% of the book so I round to a 4.
HOWEVER, Moira delivered where it counted for me in a big way. My absolute FAVORITE part in any kind of paranormal romance is how the couple deals with the reveal. And when I tell you that book had one of my top 10 favorite "he tells her he's a monster" reveals of all time, that means a lot. I thought that the relationship between Cady and Eli in the second half of the book was the right blend of emotionally poignant, angsty, and spicy. I was genuinely taken aback by how well the spice scenes in this were done. I find that a lot of spicy books are a miss for me because it's really hard to describe acts in words. I saw this in an ad on Tiktok or Insta and I didn't intend to even really hold myself to finishing it, let alone read the rest of the series, but if Moira comes out with a romance for the other two brothers, I will be reading.
5/5 for the last 30% of the book so I round to a 4.
June 7, 2025
3.5 🌟 3.0🌶
After reading the following "your going to get yourself serial killed" it became a game to see how stupid it could get. Then it hit the red flags. Rape type vibes on thier second interaction was crazy.
some of my favourite bits from the first chapter:
"your going to get yourself serial killed"
"no one would hear me screaming. Speaking of screaming - "hey someone help me Help""
"get gone" "just get gone" (Leave is the word we were really looking for here)
"I've been kidnapped" (while actively not being kidnapped)
now for the rest of it:
so while the weird English quotes above didn't keep coming through the entire book. the book did give me some huge red flags.
the second interaction the MC's really had, he basically went all rape and exhibitionist on her then claimed he was "sleep walking"
it was super freaky.
the story itself was okay, I have a feeling if I read more wolf based books I would probably not like this anywhere near as much. Given this is among my first 2 or 3 I think it's okay. Will I read the second one, yes only because I kinda like the MMC.
After reading the following "your going to get yourself serial killed" it became a game to see how stupid it could get. Then it hit the red flags. Rape type vibes on thier second interaction was crazy.
some of my favourite bits from the first chapter:
"your going to get yourself serial killed"
"no one would hear me screaming. Speaking of screaming - "hey someone help me Help""
"get gone" "just get gone" (Leave is the word we were really looking for here)
"I've been kidnapped" (while actively not being kidnapped)
now for the rest of it:
so while the weird English quotes above didn't keep coming through the entire book. the book did give me some huge red flags.
the second interaction the MC's really had, he basically went all rape and exhibitionist on her then claimed he was "sleep walking"
it was super freaky.
the story itself was okay, I have a feeling if I read more wolf based books I would probably not like this anywhere near as much. Given this is among my first 2 or 3 I think it's okay. Will I read the second one, yes only because I kinda like the MMC.
April 23, 2023
Paranormal Romance/Romantic Suspense
This isn't my usual go to for paranormal romance but it hit so many of my other favorite tropes and themes to read that I couldn't help but enjoy it!
The story has secrets and mystery, family feuds, and old magic existing just under the surface of the normal world.
I enjoyed the writing style and didn't feel like the action dragged at any point. There are some typos that jumped out at me but nothing too distracting. Overall, I had a good time reading it and will probably reread some day.
Great for fans of the nightmare trope, "who did this to you", and protective heroes.
This isn't my usual go to for paranormal romance but it hit so many of my other favorite tropes and themes to read that I couldn't help but enjoy it!
The story has secrets and mystery, family feuds, and old magic existing just under the surface of the normal world.
I enjoyed the writing style and didn't feel like the action dragged at any point. There are some typos that jumped out at me but nothing too distracting. Overall, I had a good time reading it and will probably reread some day.
Great for fans of the nightmare trope, "who did this to you", and protective heroes.
January 6, 2023
me reading this book is a prime example of instagram reels and their influence on my tbr 😭
In Shroud of Exile, we follow the story of Cady's kidnapping by random goons and how she was about to become some alligator's dinner when Eli notices what's going on and rescues her. Funny thing is that he rescues her, send her on her way and unknowingly sends his heart with her too.
Eli and Cady were the cutest couple ever, especially with how they suited each other. Eli teasing her and being protective of her had me swooning.
Overall, this was short, sweet read and perfect for someone who's in a book slump. I look forward to reading more books by the author.
In Shroud of Exile, we follow the story of Cady's kidnapping by random goons and how she was about to become some alligator's dinner when Eli notices what's going on and rescues her. Funny thing is that he rescues her, send her on her way and unknowingly sends his heart with her too.
Eli and Cady were the cutest couple ever, especially with how they suited each other. Eli teasing her and being protective of her had me swooning.
Overall, this was short, sweet read and perfect for someone who's in a book slump. I look forward to reading more books by the author.
August 22, 2023
read this book
If you like Agatha Christie style whodunnit murder mysteries and werewolves? This is for you! It has a great build up and leaves you wanting more. Set in the bayous of East Texas, this book will have you sweating like you are really there.
The characters are engaging and well written. Cady and Eli’s story builds and by the end I was looking for the next in the series. I will be keeping an eye out for the installment of the Beasts of Barbeaux Bayou!
If you like Agatha Christie style whodunnit murder mysteries and werewolves? This is for you! It has a great build up and leaves you wanting more. Set in the bayous of East Texas, this book will have you sweating like you are really there.
The characters are engaging and well written. Cady and Eli’s story builds and by the end I was looking for the next in the series. I will be keeping an eye out for the installment of the Beasts of Barbeaux Bayou!
Read
September 22, 2025In the beginning it was kinda giving True Blood but with werewolves, which was fun, and I really liked the setting as well as the more humanoid werewolf form. However, the crime/mystery side of it fell a little flat to me. There wasn’t really much to it, and what was there felt a bit random and boring. I got about 50% through, which took a few days (longer than usual for my reading habits), and I had a couple of days left on KU — but I just couldn’t be bothered to finish it.
November 14, 2023
lovely read
4.5!! I ate this up! It was a wonderful story line and I’m hoping for more from the brothers 👀
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!
I LOVE fated mates and this was beautifully done! Enough caution and slight hatred to counter the immediate attraction. The brother stories aligned really well with Eli‘s and Cadys and was an overall good story!!! Highly recommend
4.5!! I ate this up! It was a wonderful story line and I’m hoping for more from the brothers 👀
POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!
I LOVE fated mates and this was beautifully done! Enough caution and slight hatred to counter the immediate attraction. The brother stories aligned really well with Eli‘s and Cadys and was an overall good story!!! Highly recommend
March 1, 2024
Ready for the next round!
Perfect blend of mystery, action, & romance. Eli & Cady really are perfect together. Closed off but letting each other in. I hope the bad guys get what’s coming sooner than later. It’s the least the deserving especially after all they’ve done to Cady. Looking forward to the next book
Perfect blend of mystery, action, & romance. Eli & Cady really are perfect together. Closed off but letting each other in. I hope the bad guys get what’s coming sooner than later. It’s the least the deserving especially after all they’ve done to Cady. Looking forward to the next book
May 20, 2024
I kinda went into this thinking I’d DNF but needed a cheesy palate cleanser book- by no means was this cheesy! It had suspense, mystery, “ancient” misunderstood lore, murder and something a little darker than the grumpy sunshine trope. Something a little more murder-y. It was a good quick solid read!
December 22, 2024
It was a good book. I wish we had gotten a ur more backstory about the villain but Cady and Eli were so sweet. We love a man who simply CANNOT and WILL NOT hide his affections from anyone. Their banter at the beginning when Cady couldn’t figure out if she actually liked him or if he was just bringing her food was hilarious. Loved their relationship!
March 23, 2025
Stumbled across this book and really glad I gave it a try. It keeps you on your toes for the whole mystery element which I wasn’t expecting. The characters were developed and I loved that it was a wolf book but different from so many others. Not sure if we’re getting the rest of the series or not which is annoying. But hopefully she writes the books for the two brothers!
April 23, 2025
A really good slow burn and had me hooked in the first two paragraphs. Cady being amateur detectives without any knowledge besides tv shows is hilarious but also GIRL I KNOW YOU ARE SCARED BECAUSE YOU GOT KIDNAPPED BUT YOU NEED A PLAN NOT TO JUST USE ELI AS A SHEILD! I know this is set in Texas but my brain kept imaging New Orleans. Eli learning that his brothers has checked out and ready to kick their arses into gear was a good perspective to read.
August 6, 2025
What an introduction!
Spice: 4/5
First book from this author that I've read and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! Eli was exactly the shifter MMC that I love and Cady was the sweet yet fiery FMC to match. This story was fast paced, cute, funny, and spicy. Cant wait for the next story!
Spice: 4/5
First book from this author that I've read and I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! Eli was exactly the shifter MMC that I love and Cady was the sweet yet fiery FMC to match. This story was fast paced, cute, funny, and spicy. Cant wait for the next story!
February 6, 2023
DNF I'm sorry, it just wasn't for me.
I'm jaded, I read a lot and want main characters in PNR to know they (monsters/mates) exist.
I'm over the guessing and shock for main ladies discovering that monsters are in their world.
I'm jaded, I read a lot and want main characters in PNR to know they (monsters/mates) exist.
I'm over the guessing and shock for main ladies discovering that monsters are in their world.
Want to read
December 17, 2024HOOK: when everybody comes terrified of him and his brother, because the rumors claim they are monsters and criminals.
But she drives to the Bayou to his house just to hand him a Tupperware of cookies as a thank you for killing two people for her, and he becomes instantly obsessed
But she drives to the Bayou to his house just to hand him a Tupperware of cookies as a thank you for killing two people for her, and he becomes instantly obsessed
Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews