REAPER'S FIRE – Joanna Wylde
Reapers Motorcycle Club , Book 7
Berkley
ISBN-13:  978-1-101-98896-1
August 2016
Contemporary Romantic Adventure

Hallies Falls, Washington State – Present Day

Eighteen months ago, Tinker Garrett called for her husband Brandon at his work, saying she was having a miscarriage and could he come get her.  Brandon's assistant said he was in court as the Prosecuting Attorney on a motorcycle gang case, and wouldn't leave court.  Her daughter Tricia died; she had two hours to hold her, and they took pictures of her in Tinker's arms.  Even Brandon's paralegal came to the hospital before her own husband did.  That was it.  The end.  She didn't care if Brandon was going to run for King County Prosecuting Attorney in two years, their marriage was done.

Tinker's mother died earlier in the year, so Tinker has moved to Hallies Falls to live with her father who seems to be getting more and more forgetful every day.  Tinker made designer candies in Seattle in her specially equipped room in her house, now she has to make do in the back of her mother's gift shop and try to the keep up the apartments in the building her father built years ago.  Now all she needs is a handyman to help with all the things she can't handle and she doesn't trust her father to do.

Cooper Romero is undercover in Hallies Falls, looking for a cover story to explain being in town.  Working as a handyman is a great reason for staying in town.  Is Cooper undercover for the CIA?  Nope.  FBI?  Nope.  Drug Enforcement Agency?  Nope.  Cooper is undercover for his motorcycle club the Reapers.  Another motorcycle club based in Hallies Falls recently changed presidents, and they aren't giving the Reapers the respect and cut of the profits for running drugs across their state up to Canada.  The best story is to ride his motorcycle into town like a newcomer and immediately start a relationship with Talia Jackson, sister of the Nighthawk Raiders president, Marsh.  Cooper usually manages the club's stripper club, and is used to the women there, but Talia scares even Cooper.  Despite being immediately attracted to Tinker, Cooper must keep his interest in Tinker a secret or who knows what Talia will do in one of her rages?

Cooper must flaunt Talia around while trying to keep Tinker interested, and Tinker definitely needs to stay away from Talia before she takes a machete to her.  Between trying to keep her business going, wildfires closing the town, and trying to get her father to the doctor to see what is wrong with him, Tinker is living on the edge, with her only friend Carrie to keep her sane.  If only the voices in her head would stop telling her to jump on Cooper while he's there.

Joanna Wylde has the delicate touch of writing about the Reapers Motorcycle Club as it really is.  Told from Tinker's and Cooper's points of view, Tinker is falling more and more into the small life of her work and taking care of her father.  Cooper, undercover, is just a guy who rides a motorcycle, has a crazy girlfriend, but her mind won't stop looking and fantasizing about him.  The Reapers are really in the background; Cooper is entrusted with this important job, but they are ready to step up if he finds out more about the Nighthawk Raiders and if the entire club has gone rogue or has any decent members left.  For Cooper, the Reapers are his family-end of story.

Secondary characters are Marsh and his sister Talia of the Nighthawk Raiders.  Tinker has her dad who sometimes seems to be completely lucid, and other times thinks her mother is still alive.  Tinker's best friends, Carrie and Margarita, are just waiting for Tinker to give them the OK to do whatever they can in their hatred for Brandon.  And Brandon, after eighteen months, still thinks Tinker wants to be with him as he runs for Prosecutor.

REAPER'S FIRE is a mad, bad, and dangerous story of what happens when a motorcycle club forgets whom its allegiance should be to.  Tinker still mourns her daughter, and Cooper can't believe he wants to make Tinker his number one and forget all about all the other women he usually has around him.  Cooper and Tinker go through mobs, prison, fires, and a crazy Talia before they can find their happily-ever-after.  The Reapers Motorcycle Club will prevail in this entrancing story this month.

Carolyn Crisher