Warning: Some spoilers.
I’ve read three books in this series now and so far they’ve featured pretty much the same plot and pretty much the same characters over and over: Someone is murdered, Hero and Heroine are thrown together to investigate. Random nasty/evil couple are present to serve as red herrings and also have nasty/hot sex together and with other people. Hero and Heroine have conversations that are ostensibly about the murder, but also contain disjointed references to how much they would like to have sex with each other. Eventually, the murderer tips his/her hand by going all crazy and trying to kill the heroine. It turns out to be a character who the reader would not expect at all because there were absolutely no clues that this person might not be what they seem. The hero is a strong, straight-forward person who speaks his mind. Two of the three have young daughters they dote on. Two of the three are rich. These are not the same two. All three call the heroine “Cher” . A lot. The heroines are all “strong, independent” women, which means that they are likely to run headlong into dangerous situations even though there is an unidentified killer who seems to totally want to murder them. They are also unlikely to appreciate the hero telling them to be careful and let law enforcement handle the investigations. This is not about feminism or “alpha” heroes, it’s about not being a damn fool. Even though the “action” of the book only takes place over a week or two, the hero and heroine are absolutely in love and definitely getting married and have a lasting relationship built on trust and intimacy. Because they’ve been together a week. A WEEK. This happens a lot in romantic suspense and it annoys me every time.
They are all also connected to Father Cyrus who is a super-sexy priest who is totally attracted to his assistant, Madge, but even though he’s a really Good Man is struggling with his celibacy vows and his feelings for Madge. I assume they will eventually get together. This is a subplot that irritates me. Cyrus and Madge are the most well-developed and interesting characters in this series, mostly because they’ve been in all three books and the reader has been given time to get to know them and their particular foibles and characteristics. However, most readers would be likely as conflicted as I am, both rooting for the priest to maintain his vows and also for he and Madge to be happy and together. It is frustrating.
In addition, there are confusing and superfluous interactions between minor characters, myriad grammatical mistakes, and just plain crap writing.
There are 10 books in this series. I purchased all of them, having read another series by Stella Cameron that I remember enjoying, but I am giving up on this now. I just cannot waste any more of my time reading these books. ( )

First Line: Hay-ell.

....and, IMO, it went downhill from there.

Vivian Patin and her mother Charlotte have inherited a huge old estate house
and grounds named Rosebank in Louisiana, after Charlotte's husband (and
Vivian's father) David, perished in a fire at their very successful
restaurant in New Orleans. But (oddly enough) there was no insurance (yeah,
right!) and the two women are nearly broke. They have decided to turn
Rosebank into a hotel and restaurant, but will have to go slowly due to lack
of funds. Then they receive a mysterious phone call from David's attorney,
saying he is on his way to visit them and has something with him that will
change everything for the two ladies. But the attorney never arrives and is
found in his own car on the estate grounds, with his throat slashed, a kiss
mark on his cheek and a single white rose lying on his chest. His breifcase
is empty and the mystery deepens.

Well, it never got very deep for me, I have to tell you. A treasure map,
old enemies, voodoo women, this book was a hodge-podge of crap, IMO, poorly
written and barely readable. If I hadn't been nearly desparate I'd never
have finished it. Can I award a negative number? Probably not. So, this
one gets a ZERO from me. ( )

Bayou Book Touissant Spike Devol