That Voodoo That You Do (Chateau Rouge Book #1) by Jolie St. Amant – Review by Angela Hayes
That Voodoo That You Do by Jolie St. Amant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars
That Voodoo that You Do is Book #1 in The Chateau Rouge Series by Jolie St. Amant. It contains the three books of the series in this one fantastic edition. I have really enjoyed this series and exploring New Orleans and the stories through the eyes of the characters and Ms. St. Amant’s exquisite writing. Her attention to detail, rich descriptions, and original storylines bring everything to life and kept me engrossed the whole way through. This is a great way to familiarize yourself with Ms. St Amant’s style and The Chateau Rouge series- getting three books for the price of one means you are able to flow directly from one story right into the next. “That Voodoo That You do” contains:
-Dream A Little Dream of Me (Book #1)
-Hard Hearted Hannah (Book #2)
-A Kiss to Build A Dream On (Book #3)
Dream a Little Dream of Me is the first book in the Chateau Rouge Series by Jolie St. Amant. It is an incredibly clever, unique and engaging paranormal romance that captivated me from the very first page. Ms. St. Amant’s vivid imagery and descriptive details painted a picture of New Orleans that brought all the sights and sounds of this colourful city to life right before my eyes. The story had a mysteriousness about it, it captured my attention and enticed me further into the book. I couldn’t put it down till I had finished every word.
Josey Jacobson owns Chateau Rouge, a hotel steeped in history on a busy street in New Orleans. The story is set in the lead up to Halloween which ads an extra air of excitement to the story. Josie and the Chateau are not what they appear. There is so much more to Josie and her lovely old hotel and as the story unfolds there are quite a few surprises to be found.
Archer is in the city for a music festival and is a guest at the Chateau. He is the sexy and charismatic lead singer of a well-known band, who finds himself drawn to the Chateau and its beautiful owner, Josie. There is also more to his attraction than first comes to light and discovering all the details was such a fantastic ride.
The story is a short, quick and easy read. It is told form several POV’S, which allows the reader to get a much bigger picture of what’s happening, as well as extra elements to the intriguing backstory.
Hard Hearted Hannah is the second book in the Chateau Rouge series by Jolie St. Amant. It is a wonderful paranormal romance set once more against the backdrop of a city steeped in rich history that is New Orleans. Ms. St. Amant is a talented writer whose attention to detail and vivid descriptions transported me into the story to see all the sights and sounds as the story unfolded.
Hannah Montgomery works for the Charleston Lifestyle Magazine, but she’s also the boss’s daughter. She has a reputation for being a heartless Ice Queen- but she hadn’t always been so hard hearted. Having your heart broken can do that to a girl. After enduring the pain of heartbreak Hannah vows to never let it happen again, and so she builds a hard, cold barrier around her heart.
With plans to attend the Voodoo Festival in New Orleans to hear her favourite band perform, Hannah is not impressed when her father insists on the magazines photographer accompanying her on the trip. She is concerned because he’s the only one who has made her heart flutter for a very long time.
Julien isn’t any more impressed with their situation than Hannah is. She is so a snippy, dismissive and cold. Julien could remember a time when she was happy, kind and caring. Those days are long gone. It’s going to be a torturous trip
And so, their mysterious weekend begins. What happens in New Orleans? With supernatural forces drawing them together, will these two find a connection? Can Julien melt the ice around Hannah heart? Will Hannah let down her defences and take a chance on love again?
This story was cleverly woven through the same time frame as the first book, so we get to see characters we know and love- as well as meeting new ones. This is a sensual story and having New Orleans as the backdrop really added an extra element of intrigue and interest.
This is a novella length book, so it’s a very quick and easy read. It’s a sweet and captivating read. The paranormal elements are really well done- subtle, but memorable.
A Kiss to Build a Dream On is the third book in the Chateau Rouge series by Jolie St. Amant. It is a charming and captivating paranormal romance set in New Orleans. This series is fast becoming a favourite of mine, and even though the books are short novella sized stories, they pack a lot in a short amount of space and feel like a much longer novel.
In this book we meet Chloe Deveraux who accepts a new job interstate and leaves her unhappy marriage, husband, home, and life behind- to start fresh in New Orleans, a city she’s long held a fascination for. Her new job is at the Chateau Rouge- where she’s the new P.R manager and Chloe will be staying at the hotel while she settles into the job and city. She is so excited about exploring the city, wanting to experience everything the New Orleans has to offer. Her new beginning really kicks off when she has a drink spilt on her in the bar on her first night in town.
Jared Peterson is an IT and computer guru with his own software firm. He’s in town on business, which happens to be at the Chateau Rouge, where he is also staying. When he accidentally spills a drink on a gorgeous woman at the hotel bar he is surprised to recognise his high school crush. Chloe hasn’t changed in the years since he saw her last, but she doesn’t immediately recognise him. He’s been crazy about her in high school and he’s determined not to waste this opportunity to reacquaint himself with her, and hopefully it will develop into more. But Chloe is ready for a fresh start and to enjoy her freedom- not get tied down a man again. But as they spend time together, Chloe can’t help but feel drawn to Jared. Will she lower her guard and let him in, or will she allow her fears to prevent her taking a chance on love?
This is a great addition to the series and I love how each book reveals a little more about New Orleans, and the history of the recurring characters and Chateau Rouge. Everything is so intricately connected. Small details that all blend together to produce the larger picture. I loved that with this story we got a bit more of Alcide’s story- he’s such a mysterious character, I loved uncovering those details about him.
A story rich in history- with wonderful characters, an intriguing storyline, suspense, drama, mystery, tension, new beginnings, the paranormal, and a touch of Fate….. makes this a sweet and memorable read!
If you love a great paranormal romance set in a rich and exotic location, with endearing characters, and beautifully written & captivating story- then this is definitely the book for you!
Thank you, Ms. St. Amant!
Reviewed by @angelahayes
