BLOG TOUR REVIEW & EXCERPT: Shade's Lady (Reapers MC #6.5)

 Check out my review of Joanna Wylde's SHADE'S LADY, and then read the excerpt!

Shade's Lady (Reapers MC #6.5), by Joanna Wylde
Publish Date: March 14, 2017
Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts, Inc.
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and Inkslinger PR
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 5 STARS

(Synopsis) Looking back, none of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t dropped my phone in the toilet. I mean, I could’ve walked away from him if I’d had it with me. 

Or maybe not. 

Maybe it was all over the first time he saw me, and he would’ve found another way. Probably—if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that Shade always gets what he wants, and apparently he wanted me. 

Right from the first.

The thing about bad boys that we all love is not the fact that they're bad. It's that when they are good, it is so much more meaningful. Right? 

Shade is the baddest of the bad. He's the president of the Reapers. All of them in the entire world are expected to obey him. You know he has to be a pretty bad dude. Nothing phases him. Nothing scares him. And he always gets what he wants. Except... Mandy. 

Mandy knows losers. She was married to one. Her sister was married to one. She's casually dating one. And after he burns her in a really skeevy way, Shade makes his intentions to have her in his bed known. Although Mandy is super attracted to him, she turns him down flat. Men are trouble. Bad men are even worse. And Shade is the baddest of the bad.

Shade was all badass and sunglasses and hair that'd been swept in the wind. I was just small town white trash with a good push-up bra.

Shade's Lady is everything I love about the Reaper's MC series. There's a bunch of MC togetherness in the form of secret meetings, family barbecues and bonding over torture. Shade is like many of the members of his MC - he loves the perks of loose women, the open road and freedom from the law (since most of the cops are paid off). So, when Mandy turns him down, he thinks maybe he just wants  her for the challenge. That once he has her, he can move on. 

Except, he actually LIKED spending time with her. While fully clothed. Mind. Blown. And when Mandy and her sister need his help to fix some really bad problems, Shade and his club don't hesitate even for a second to help. And that's the good in Shade that made him SO. AWESOME.

If you're a fan of the Reaper's MC series, you've got to add this novella to your TBR. It includes a badass heroine, motorcycle club business and a hero that you will love to read about being bad. 

“You get to travel,” I told him, frustrated. “In a few weeks or a month or whatever you’ll leave this place. You’ll go see things and do things, and for some reason you seem to have enough money to live on without taking a shitty job waiting tables.”

Shade snorted. “Mandy, you don’t wanna know how I get my money.”

“Let me guess—it’s bad?” I asked, rolling my eyes. “I’m starting to think I’m genetically incapable of being attracted to a good guy. No offense.”

“None taken,” he replied, offering a slow smile. “I’m not a good man. But I’m not a man who’ll drag you down into the dirt, either. Or let you get caught up in club business. The Reapers have been around for a long time and we’re real good at taking care of our people. I’m not sayin’ I’ll never need a getaway car, but if I do, I sure as shit won’t trick my woman into driving it.”

God, how was he so sexy when he was saying such terrible things? And that knowing, naughty look in his eyes...it wasn’t fair.

“This is crazy,” I said, trying hard not to smile back at him. “I need to get to work and you need to go do whatever it is that you do that may or may not involve getaway cars"

Joanna Wylde started her writing career in journalism, working in two daily newspapers as both a reporter and editor. Her career has included many different jobs, from managing a homeless shelter to running her own freelance writing business, where she took on projects ranging from fundraising to ghostwriting for academics. During 2012 she got her first Kindle reader as a gift and discovered the indie writing revolution taking place online. Not long afterward she started cutting back her client list to work on Reaper’s Property, her breakout book. It was published in January 2013, marking the beginning of a new career writing fiction.

Joanna lives in the mountains of northern Idaho with her family.

Visit Joanna Wylde’s website and follow her on:  Website | Facebook | Twitter

APOLLYCON 2017 AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Joanna Wylde

Apollycon is getting closer and closer - are you as excited as I am?! I always get even more excited every time I think about the 75+ authors that will be there. I'm going to come face-to-face with authors that I never thought I'd get the chance to meet. Case-in-point... today's spotlight author:

Joanna Wylde

Joanna Wide is probably best known for her super sexy Reaper's MC series, where legit bad boys find their perfect matches amidst imperfect situations. I read Reaper's Property way back in the summer of 2013, and it was my first MC book. I had to read this book whose hero's name was Horse. And, as it turned out, Horse and Marie were my induction into this crazy awesome fandom.

Joanna, get your pens ready... I've got some books for you to sign!

I'm not the only huge Joanna Wylde fan - looks like there's LOTS of you out there! Because of that, Joanna's line at Apollycon is going to be one of 18 that are ticketed. Never fear - the tickets are free! They're simply for line control, because the organizers know these 18 authors lines are going to be pretty popular. To get your wristband for Joanna Wylde, fill out her form on the Apollycon Facebook page.

Check out the entire Apollycon Author Spotlight schedule and learn about all the authors and vendors that will be there. And today, learn more about Joanna Wylde and get ready to meet her - I know I am!

Thing you're most excited about for Apollycon 2017:
I’m the most excited to see my friends. Some of my favorite people will be there, both authors and readers. Orlando also holds a lot of nostalgia for me, because that’s where I did my first book signing and where I first met so many of those who make up my world in the book community in person. All my best friends will be there. I just can’t wait to see everyone!

Last book you read:
I’m in the middle of an advanced copy of Royally Screwed by Emma Chase. I love her sense of humor! I also recently finished Anti-Stepbrother, by Tijan. It was so good I read it in one sitting.

Favorite quote:
“To love another person is to see the face of God.” from Les Miserables

Best moment as an author:
I’m a big reader, and every time I start a book, I’m just hoping and praying that it’ll be The One. The next book that sweeps me off my feet and keeps me reading through night breathlessly. The one that will give me the book hangover to end all hangovers. The best moments I’ve ever had as an author are when readers tell me one of my books was like that for them.

Joanna Wylde started her writing career in journalism, working in two daily newspapers as both a reporter and editor. Her career has included many different jobs, from managing a homeless shelter to running her own freelance writing business, where she took on projects ranging from fundraising to ghostwriting for academics. During 2012 she got her first Kindle reader as a gift and discovered the indie writing revolution taking place online. Not long afterward she started cutting back her client list to work on Reaper's Property, her breakout book. It was published in January 2013, marking the beginning of a new career writing fiction.

Joanna lives in the mountains of northern Idaho with her family.

Learn more about Joanna --> Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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RELEASE DAY REVIEW: Reaper's Fire (Reaper's MC #6)

Reaper's Fire (Reaper's MC #6), by Joanna Wylde
Publish Date: August 9, 2016
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) The club comes first. 

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.

Reaper's Fire opens on an incredibly intense and emotionally-charged event in Tinker Garrett's life, and it never lets up from there. For sure, Tinker and Gage's relationship doesn't start in any way that remotely resembles "normal," but then, how many of these Reaper's MC men's relationships do? 

If you've been reading the Reaper's MC series in order, you'll realize early on that the events taking place in Reaper's Fire overlap with the events that took place in the beginning of the previous book in the series, Reaper's Fall. Gage is Tinker's small town in order to scope out a rogue club that is being run by a truly horrible man. The best way for him to do that is to get inside, and to do that, he has to hook up with the man's equally horrible sister. 

I've been in Tinker's place before - having to watch the man she wants be with someone else - and it sucks so much. To make matters even worse for her, she's still dealing with the emotional aftermath of the events in the beginning of the book, and to top it all off, her dad's health is declining. This woman is crazy strong, and I loved her so much. I wanted Gage to be so much better for her, and he did too. 

But, Gage is bound by his duty to his club. On one hand, I admire his dedication and loyalty. On the other, I wanted him to say screw it - Tinker and my potential future with her is more important than anything else in my life. It's a hard balance, and you can tell he's feeling it through most of the book. 

Like the other books in the Reaper's MC series, Reaper's Fire isn't a touchy-feely romance book. Gage doesn't have pretty words or a white picket fence for Tinker. But, once he's free of his obligations, he does have a sexy, dirty mouth and the support of an entire club to offer her, and after everything Tinker went through, that's just fine with her. And with me too. Although I do love my grand gestures and declarations of love and devotion, sometimes it's nice to break those books up with one that's gritty and dirty and imperfectly perfect. And Reaper's Fire definitely fits the bill. 

COVER REVEAL: Reaper's Fire (Reaper's MC #6)

You familiar with Joanna Wylde's Reapers MC series covers? Lots of leather, steel and... abs. Best. Covers. Ever. And the stories... the bikers... they are so good. Joanna Wylde is getting ready to release the sixth book in the Reapers MC series, REAPER'S FIRE. And its cover is absolutely worthy to stand next to the others.

Reaper's Fire (Reaper's MC #6), by Joanna Wylde
Publish Date: June 28, 2016
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) The club comes first.

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

EXCERPT REVEAL: Reaper's Fall (Reapers MC #5)

We are down to less than a week now until the next Reapers MC book - REAPER'S FALL - by Joanna Wylde is here. Are you ready for Painter? I promise you - you aren't. But, maybe this excerpt will help a little.

Reaper's Fall (Reapers MC #5), by Joanna Wylde
Publish Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(From Goodreads) He never meant to hurt her.

Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.

Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.

Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.

“You’re not going back to the party.”

She cocked her head, and I saw the confusion in her alcohol- glazed eyes as she wrinkled her nose at me. All cute, like a rabbit.

“You look like a bunny.”

“You look like an ax murder,” she said, frowning. “And I thought London was looking for me. Aren’t we going the wrong way?”

“I lied. I do that a lot,” I told her, staring at her lips. I reached out, catching her chin in my hand, running my thumb across her lips. Our eyes locked, and I don’t know if her pulse started to rise but mine sure as fuck did. What the hell had I been thinking, writing to this girl? She was so pretty and perfect and had this amazing, magical life just waiting for her and all I could think about was dragging her down into the dirt and shoving my cock into every hole she had.

She’d scream while I did it, too, the same sweet screams that played in my head every night while I jacked off.

I hated myself.


“Why did you lie?” she asked, her voice a whisper.


“To get you away from Taz. It’s not safe with him.”


Mel’s forehead creased in confusion, her brain moving so slowly I could practically see the wheels turning behind her eyes. She might be smart as fuck most of the time, but she’d transitioned to drunker than fuck tonight. Kit. Kit and Em. They’d done this to her.

I leaned in closer, catching her scent. For an instant I swayed, so tempted . . .

“They told me all about you,” she whispered.


“Who?”


“The other girls. Kit, Em. Jessica. I know how you operate,” she continued. One of her hands rose, touching my chest. Fire burst through me, because if I’d wanted her before I was desperate for her now. She was so soft, so sweet . . . so perfect.

Then her words sank in.


“What did you just say?”


“They told me all about you,” she said, eyes dropping to stare at my lips. “They told me you have a Madonna-whore complex.” I froze.

“A what?”

“A Madonna-whore complex,” she repeated, her voice earnest. “You like to screw dirty girls and you put clean girls on pedestals, where they can stay perfect and pure. That’s pretty messed up, Painter. There’s no such thing as Madonnas and whores. We’re all just people.”

The words stunned me. What the hell was she talking about? Just because I didn’t want her dragged down in the drama and bullshit of this life didn’t mean I had some sort of fucking complex. And who the hell were the Hayes sisters to have an opinion? I couldn’t tell what pissed me off more—the fact that they’d talked to Mel about me or that they hadn’t done a better job of scaring her off.

She wasn’t supposed to be here.

“Kit and Em are crazy, and that friend of yours—Jessica? She’s like a car crash. You don’t belong here, Mel.”

“And where do I belong?”

“With some nice kid who’ll treat you like a queen and work his ass off to give you everything perfect for the rest of your life.” The words were practically a growl.

Her eyes widened.


“What if I don’t want perfect?”


“Too fucking bad, because that’s what you’re getting.”

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.


Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

COVER REVEAL: Reaper's Fall (Reaper's MC #5)

Surprise! I have an extra special cover reveal for you today. I'm a huge fan of Joanna Wylde's Reaper's MC series, and I've been looking forward to Painter and Melanie's book so much. And now... it's time!

Reaper's Fall (Reaper's MC #5), by Joanna Wylde
To Be Published November 10, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Genre: adult contemporary romance

(Synopsis) He never meant to hurt her.

Levi “Painter” Brooks was nothing before he joined the Reapers motorcycle club. The day he patched in, they became his brothers and his life. All they asked in return was a strong arm and unconditional loyalty—a loyalty that’s tested when he’s caught and sentenced to prison for a crime committed on their behalf.

Melanie Tucker may have had a rough start, but along the way she’s learned to fight for her future. She’s escaped from hell and started a new life, yet every night she dreams of a biker whose touch she can’t forget. It all started out so innocently—just a series of letters to a lonely man in prison. Friendly. Harmless. Safe.

Now Painter Brooks is coming home… and Melanie’s about to learn that there’s no room for innocence in the Reapers MC.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW, EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1)

I'm a huge fan of Joanna Wylde's Reapers MC series, so when I heard she was going to be writing a spin-off series, I was ecstatic! That means we'll get twice as many hot bikers twice as often as we do now! SILVER BASTARD is the first in her Silver Valley series, and she really kicked it off the right way. Read on for my review and an excerpt. Then enter to win a signed copy of Silver Bastard!

Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1), by Joanna Wylde
Published April 7, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author and TRSOR Promotions
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Fourteen months. For fourteen months, Puck Redhouse sat in a cell and kept his mouth shut, protecting the Silver Bastards MC from their enemies. Then he was free and it was time for his reward—full membership in the club, along with a party to celebrate. That’s when he saw Becca Jones for the first time and set everything in motion. Before the night ended he’d violated his parole and stolen her away from everything she knew.

Five years. It was five years ago that Puck destroyed Becca and saved her all in one night. She’s been terrified of him ever since, but she’s even more terrified of the monsters he still protects her from... But Becca refuses to let fear control her. She’s living her life and moving forward, until she gets a phone call from the past she can't ignore. She has to go back, and there’s only one man she can trust to go with her—the ex-con biker who rescued her once before.

Puck will help her again, but this time it’ll be on his terms. No more lies, no more tears, and no more holding back what he really wants...

I really loved Puck and Becca and their special brand of crazy. They really were kind of perfect for each other, and I loved reading about them discovering that too. 

Puck and Becca met on a night five years earlier that was supposed to be a night of celebration for Puck.It ended up changing everything for both him and 16-year-old Becca. Five years later, neither of them has forgotten the other, despite their best efforts. Moving on when someone had such a profound affect on your life is hard. And, there comes a point when you just need to give in and admit that you're better together.  

If any couple had to wade through some deep crap to be together if was these two. But, both Puck and Becca were strong. Becca didn't always seem like it. Honestly, sometimes she seemed completely nuts. But, when you think about where she came from - what Puck saved her from - it's understandable. Her stepfather and mother regularly passed her around to keep his MC members happy. She was repeatedly raped, while her mom did nothing. And when she was saved, it was by an equally scary MC. So, yeah - a little crazy is to be expected. 

Puck lives the MC lifestyle to the fullest. Among the Silver Bastards, he's the one who takes care of the "problems." He's an ex-con. He's not great with words. But, he's absolutely loyal and as protective as they come. He was so drawn to Becca when he first met her that, even after saving her and bringing her hundreds of miles away, he couldn't leave her. He had to stay nearby to keep an eye on her and make sure she was okay. But, he almost never spoke to her, much less touched her. You wouldn't think a guy like him could feel guilt, but Puck had it in spades. He hated how things had gone down with Becca when they first met and that he had had a hand in it all. And, Puck just wanted to make sure she lived a good life, even if he couldn't be part of it. 

Puck both scared Becca and made her feel incredibly safe all at the same time. I get that too. She associates him with a really awful time in her life. And, yet, he also represents the beginning of her new, better, safe life too. Becca's constantly at war with herself when it comes to Puck. She wants him, but she wants him to leave her alone. She doesn't want to be with him, but she doesn't want him with anyone else either. The prospect of talking to him terrifies her, but once she gets started, she doesn't want to leave his presence. 

There comes a time when Puck seems to decide for himself that he's done trying to deny himself what he's wanted for so long. He knows Becca has some hangups when it comes to him. And, although he's not always very tactful, he is patient. Once Becca opens herself up to the possibility of a life with him, she too seems to come out of her shell and become a new person. Puck and Becca apart was interesting. Puck and Becca together was fascinating. 

Despite the crappy life Becca led until she was 16, it didn't damage her heart. She was always trying to save her mother, and Becca's constant attempts to do so land her in trouble more than once. Becca doesn't always make the right choices. In fact, there are a few times, when I wish I could've bitch slapped some sense into her for how stupid she was being. But, no matter what Becca did, she did it for someone she loved. I can respect that. 

Silver Bastard is a fantastic start to the new Silver Valley series. It doesn't focus as closely on MC life, but it does involve an MC, so the bikers and the biker life is there. It's just not the main attraction. There were some glimpses into what could be characters in the next book, and they are TOTALLY different from Puck and Becca. I'm really excited to see where Joanna Wylde will take us next.

Ignoring him, I settled back on my stool and surveyed the room. We sat in Becca’s section, and what I saw wasn’t making me happy. I knew she was a good waitress, but she’d just started here and it showed. Not only had she fucked up several orders, she didn’t quite seem to get the rhythm of the bar. That wasn’t my problem, though.

My problem was that despite these fuckups, nobody seemed to mind. I had a nasty suspicion this was due to her perky tits, friendly smile, and tight little ass that seriously just needed a bite taken right out of it.

She really, really needed to get a new job—every man in the place wanted her. Including me. Especially me. I hated them. All of them. I shifted uncomfortably, because just like every time I shared a room with her, my pants had gotten tight.

Torture. Becca was just so fucking fine on every level, and not just her looks. There was something about the way she carried herself . . . I couldn’t put my finger on it. Like she was dancing through life to some song nobody else could hear. Never met another woman like her—she wasn’t just sexy, she was a survivor and I admired that.

She’d grown up so much since the first time I’d met her. Bigger boobs, a nice fullness to her ass that was nowhere close to fat but would be perfect to hold tight while I fucked her. Her lips had plumped, too, and over the years she’d gained a sparkle in her eyes that turned her from pretty to 100 percent spectacular.

Not to mention how she’d tasted.

Nearly blew in my pants when I’d taken that mouth. Just the memory got me hard. Make that harder. Fucking basket case.

When I’d pulled up to find her sitting outside with Collins, a thousand murder scenarios ran through my mind. And yeah, I know I covered that already, but if anything ever deserved empha- sis, this was it. Collins needed to die. I didn’t care how nice he was. After that I’d throw Becca on the back of my bike and make a run for the hills . . .

Okay, so there were a few problems with the plan, the top one being she hated me. Or she should—I’d certainly given her cause. Boonie nudged me.

“Did I mention you’re pathetic? You want her, take her. Other- wise let it go because you’re an embarrassment to all men in general and to the Silver Bastards in particular.”

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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PRE-RELEASE BLITZ: Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1)

It's almost time for Joanna Wylde's new Reaper's spin-off series, Silver Valley to kick off. SILVER BASTARD (Silver Valley #1) hits stores next week, and trust me when I say you do not want to pass this one up. I've read it, and it is goooooooood. Check out the excerpt, then add it to your TBR!

Silver Bastard (Silver Valley #1), by Joanna Wylde
To Be Published April 7, 2015
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Genre: adult MC romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

(Synopsis) Fourteen months. For fourteen months, Puck Redhouse sat in a cell and kept his mouth shut, protecting the Silver Bastards MC from their enemies. Then he was free and it was time for his reward—full membership in the club, along with a party to celebrate. That’s when he saw Becca Jones for the first time and set everything in motion. Before the night ended he’d violated his parole and stolen her away from everything she knew.

Five years. It was five years ago that Puck destroyed Becca and saved her all in one night. She’s been terrified of him ever since, but she’s even more terrified of the monsters he still protects her from... But Becca refuses to let fear control her. She’s living her life and moving forward, until she gets a phone call from the past she can't ignore. She has to go back, and there’s only one man she can trust to go with her—the ex-con biker who rescued her once before.

Puck will help her again, but this time it’ll be on his terms. No more lies, no more tears, and no more holding back what he really wants...

“The Longnecks—they’re the MC my stepdad hung around with—they kept a lot of club whores around. Do the Silver Bastards do that, too?”

“Yup,” she replied. “It’s a free country and the brothers bring guests here all the time. Some of them stick around, some of them don’t. Some find they aren’t as welcome as they thought.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Boonie’s dick is the only one that matters to me,” she replied, her voice matter-of-fact. “As for the women, I care less about who they’re sleeping with than how they act the rest of the time. Like I said, fuck with the sisters and you won’t last. Bridget won’t be back if she keeps this shit up.”

“Old ladies didn’t get to make those decisions in the Long- necks.”

Darcy smiled sweetly. “We don’t get to make those decisions in the Silver Bastards, either. Yet the right decisions still magically happen. Nobody knows how, really. Guess it’s just all our good karma coming back to us.”

My mouth dropped. Darcy winked.

“You think those men don’t need us?” she asked. “Boonie likes sleeping next to me. Gets cold and lonely when all the old ladies take a girls’ weekend in Seattle. Would be even colder and lonelier if we didn’t come back, and one time we forgot to for nearly a week. Fortunately things worked out and we found our way home again. Now things tend to work out faster.”

My eyes went wide.

“You serious?”

“Do I look like a woman who will eat shit?”

Point taken.

“Let’s get this trash out. I’m sure Puck will be looking for you  soon, and I want to make sure all the girls meet you first. That boy’s crazy about you—it’s cute. Like a pit bull crushing on a kitten.” 

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

Stalk Her: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

REVIEW: Reaper's Stand (Reaper's MC #4)

Reaper's Stand (Reaper's MC #4), by Joanna Wylde
To Be Published October 7, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: ARC, provided by the publisher
Genre: adult erotic romance/suspense
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) As Reapers Motorcycle Club president, Reese “Picnic” Hayes has given his entire life to the club. After losing his wife, he knew he’d never love another woman. And with two daughters to raise and a club to manage, that was just fine with him. These days, Reese keeps his relationships free and easy—he definitely doesn’t want to waste his time on a glorified cleaning lady like London Armstrong.

Too bad he’s completely obsessed with her.

Besides running her own business, London’s got her junkie cousin’s daughter to look after—a more reckless than average eighteen-year-old. Sure she’s attracted to the Reapers’ president, but she’s not stupid. Reese Hayes is a criminal and a thug. But when her young cousin gets caught up with a ruthless drug cartel, Reese might be the only man who can help her. Now London has to make the hardest decision of her life—how far will she go to save her family?

Sexy, dangerous books are fun for me because they take me away from my normal, humdrum life and put me in the shoes of people who are much more interesting, more daring, and more attractive than I am in real life. The problem I am finding myself facing more and more, though, is an increasing difficulty being able to relate in any way with these hot, young people. I'm 38 and dealing with encroaching wrinkles, stray gray hairs and steadily sagging body parts (I'm depressing myself more and more with every word I type!).

So, for me, REAPER'S STAND was the best book so far in the Reaper's MC series because Joanna Wylde, goddess that she is, decided that it was time that Picnic get his own story. Picnic - the leader of the Idaho Reapers chapter. The one with the grown daughter. The guy who is 43-years-old.

Things are heating up with the Mexican drug cartel that is slowly encroaching on the various MC clubs' territories along the west coast. The Reapers and a few other clubs get together and decide to band together to do something about it. Around the same time, through a very circuitous route, Picnic enters into a relationship with local businesswoman London. Though no one - especially not London and Picnic - could've ever guessed it, that relationship ends up threatening all the clubs' efforts, and even their lives.

The overarching theme in Reaper's Stand is all about second chances. All of the main characters have an opportunity to seek out a second chance, but different things hold them back. For Pic, London is his second chance at love. He lost his wife to cancer six years earlier, and he had resolved to never take another one again. But, as he learns more about her - both her life and her body - he can't help feeling things about her that scare the crap out of him. And, who could blame him? The moments when he has quiet conversations with his wife were so bittersweet. It was like she continued being his sounding board, even when it came to another woman.

London is 38, has never been married or had children of her own, and yet, she's spent the past six years raising her junky cousin's daughter with special needs. She owns her own cleaning business. She has no life. Pic has a way of drawing her out of her shell and having her ask for things she never imagined, including a life with him. London has a second chance to live her life to the fullest, but her committment to giving Jessica the best life she can has prevented her from doing that in the past.

Jessie was absolutely infuriating. I get that her actions are not entirely intentional. Yet, her lack of accountability made me want to throw something. Jessie makes bad choice after bad choice after bad choice. She's given second, third, and fourth chances, and blows them all. And, then, because of that, she puts her life and London's in jeaopardy. It's hard to forgive a character when they do stuff like that (but, we better try, since it seems like Jessie will get her own book soon...).

The passion between London and Pic was absolutely nuclear. These "older" characters are just as sexy, just as virile and just as adventurous as their younger counterparts. The explosive sex was tempered by sweet moments between these two, especially as Pic comes to terms with letting the memory of his wife fade a bit.

As with the other Reapers we've met, Pic has his moments. You know what I mean - those times when he acts like a complete and utter asshole, and you want to absolutely strangle him for it. Wisdom and good judgement doesn't necessarily come with age, and thank goodness. Where would be the fun in that? London makes some equally stupid decisions, which causes Pic to make some really hard choices, and in the aftermath, I was so proud of both of them.

The action and danger in Reaper's Stand is ramped up as the various MCs (Reapers, Devil's Jacks, Silver Bastards) engage the cartel in a turf war. There's a lot more violence in this book than in the other books in the Reaper's MC series. We meet some new characters and new MCs that I think we'll be seeing a lot more of in the future (*cough*thenextbook*cough*).

Joanna Wylde is doing some incredible things with the relationships featured in her Reapers MC series. I can't wait to see what comes next.

REVIEW: Devil's Game (Reaper's MC #3)

Devil's Game (Reaper's MC #3), by Joanna Wylde
To Be Published June 3, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-ARC, obtained from the publisher
Genre: adult erotic romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 4 STARS 

(From Goodreads) Liam “Hunter” Blake hates the Reapers MC. Born and raised a Devil’s Jack, he knows his duty. He’ll defend his club from their oldest enemies—the Reapers—using whatever weapons he can find. But why use force when the Reapers’ president has a daughter who’s alone and vulnerable? Hunter has wanted her from the minute he saw her, and now he has an excuse to take her.

Em has lived her entire life in the shadow of the Reapers. Her overprotective father, Picnic, is the club’s president. The last time she had a boyfriend, Picnic shot him. Now the men in her life are far more interested in keeping her daddy happy than showing her a good time. Then she meets a handsome stranger—a man who isn't afraid to treat her like a real woman. One who isn't afraid of her father. His name is Liam, and he’s The One.

Or so she thinks.

I just can't get enough of The Reapers MC series. It's gritty and dirty and incredibly hot. These guys take the term "alpha male" to a whole new level of sexy.

Em fell for Liam online, but her first in-person meeting with him left a lot to be desired. It turns out he's a Devil's Jack, an bitter rival club to the Reapers, and he was tasked with using whatever means necessary to get inside info. Liam wasn't counting on falling for Em too, though, and after that first meeting went so very, very badly, he was convinced there was no way on Earth he'd have a shot at her. But, situations soon call for the Jacks and the Reapers to work together, and it seems the best place to start is with Liam and Em.

At the end of Reaper's Legacy (Reapers MC #2), there was an exchange between two members of the Devil's Jacks (a rival MC) and Marie and Em after the two girls had been kidnapped. As the scene was being told from Marie's POV (it WAS hers and Ruger's story, afterall), there were aspects from Em's POV that weren't known, until now. The reader knew something had happened between she and Hunter (Liam's club name), but the details didn't come out until now. They showed Liam in a bit of a different light and made me question my opinion of him.

Because, let me tell you, my opinion was not a good one. He may be hot an sexy, but the way he treated Em was absolutely deplorable. He used his online persona to woo her, knowing the entire time what he was doing to her. Then, although he made extra sure not to physically hurt Em and to protect her from the other Jacks members involved, just the fact that he kidnapped her, held her prisoner, and used her to get more info made my blood boil.

That may be part of the reason why Devil's Game is my least favorite of the Reapers series to date. After everything Hunter did, I was really mad at Em when she forgave him of all of it. I get that he's hot and you want to screw him every time you look at him. That's not a good enough reason to excuse his actions. Em seems to be a really strong girl. She has had to be, having grown up the daughter of Picnic, the leader of the Reapers' local chapter. But, just by the sheer fact that she forgave Hunter so easily tells me she's not as strong as I think we're supposed to think she is, and I don't have much respect for her at all.

I missed the club aspect of this series, since most of the book took place in Portland, away from Reaper's property. Em shared an apartment with Cookie, who we met in the previous two Reaper's books, and Liam had his own apartment with other Jacks. There weren't any club gatherings like we saw in previous books - I missed those.

All that being said, there was a lot going on in Devil's Game. There was a lot of set-up of the story arc involving the Reapers, Jacks and the Mexican drug cartel, and all that was done really, really well. The posturing and campaigning between the two MCs was really cool to read about, and was the best part of the book, IMO.

And the last chapter was from Picnic's POV and set up the next book, which will be about him finding a new love. That last chapter was AWESOME. It absolutely left me panting for the next book.

Although neither Liam nor Em really impressed me individually, the chemistry between the two when they were together was undeniable. Wylde really knows how to bring the sexy. I've come to expect it from her and I've never been let down. Devil's Game was a great set-up for future installments in the Reaper's MC series.

REVIEW: Reaper's Legacy (Reaper's MC #2)

Reaper's Legacy (Reaper's MC #2), by Joanna Wylde
Published January 28, 2014
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: trade paperback, provided by the publisher
Genre:  adult contemporary romance/contemporary erotic romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Eight years ago, Sophie gave her heart—and her virginity—to Zach Barrett on a night that couldn’t have been less romantic or more embarrassing. Zach’s step-brother, a steely-muscled, tattooed biker named Ruger, caught them in the act, getting a peep show of Sophie he’s never forgotten.

She may have lost her dignity that fateful night, but Sophie also gained something precious—her son Noah. Unfortunately, Zach’s a deadbeat dad, leaving Ruger to be Noah’s only male role model. When he discovers Sophie and his nephew living in near poverty, Ruger takes matters into his own hands—with the help of the Reapers Motorcycle Club—to give them a better life.

Living with outlaw bikers wasn’t Sophie’s plan for her son, but Ruger isn’t giving her a choice. He’ll be there for Noah, whether she wants him or not. But Sophie does want him, has always wanted him. Now she’ll learn that taking a biker to bed can get a girl dirty in every way…

Perhaps it was my recent exposure to the super cool show that is Sons of Anarchy (thank you, Netflix), but I have to say, I really enjoyed Reaper's Legacy much more than the first book in the Reaper's MC series, Reaper's Property. 

Or, maybe it's just that, after the first book, I might have gotten used to girls being called "old ladies" and "sweetbutts" and "property." Or, perhaps it was all in Ruger's delivery. I mean, this guy is just as rough around the edges as Horse was from Reaper's Property. But, for some reason, when Ruger practiced his extreme alpha male assertiveness, it seemed much more endearing. In any case, I think I'm now solidly in the MC fangirl club. 

Ruger decides to move his nephew and his nephew's mother to his house after it's made clear to him that they are living in less than ideal conditions. It's a difficult situation for everyone except for 7-year-old Noah, who adores his uncle. Sophie has been in love with Ruger for years, and Ruger's been attracted for Sophie for just as long. Yet, they both resolved to never act upon their feelings. But, now that they're living under the same roof, that's becoming infinitely more difficult. 

I really felt for Sophie. She's been trying to make a good life for her son, but his dad is a total deadbeat and her waitressing job can only go so far toward providing for them. She's trying to be a good mom, yet still maintain a shred of dignity. Ruger does not make that easy, either. 

In the beginning, there were several times when I was really pissed at him for railing on her about her choices. Things don't always work out the way we want them to, but in Sophie's case, it certainly wasn't for lack of trying. I think part of the reason Ruger was so hard on her was that, even in the beginning, he was fighting his feelings for her, and that was the only way he knew how. I guess I can't entirely fault him for that, but he was pretty harsh sometimes. I'm not quite sure how Sophie tolerated being called a bitch so many times by him. 

Sophie's other problem with living with Ruger has to do with her feelings about the Reapers. In her mind, motorcycle clubs are comprised of thugs that engage in illegal activities and hang out in dens of iniquity. Although that might be true to a much lesser extent than what she's created in her mind, there's an entirely other side to it that she's never experienced - the family. 

I have to admit, I'd probably be scared witless to hang out with a motorcycle club. But, the family aspect as described wonderfully by Joanna Wylde, sounds wonderful. It sounds like growing up a part of such an environment ensures that you're constantly surrounded by people who will love and protect you. You will always have friends and others to play with and hang out with. Girls that will stick with you closer than a sister will always be available to help when you need it or lend a shoulder to cry on. 

For a long time, Sophie has a hard time reconciling these two sides of the same coin in her mind. There's the community, which she loves and could see herself a part of. But, then there's the seedy and scary parts - the bikers who are less than trustworthy, the dangerous situations they sometimes get themselves into and the man whoring that always seems to go on at the clubhouse. Sophie has a son to think about. Does she give Ruger her heart knowing that both the best and the worst parts of the club go along with it? She struggles with that decision for the majority of the book, and I can understand why. 

Biker politics play a major part in Reaper's Legacy, and they result in some sticky and dangerous situations in which Sophie finds herself toward the end of the book. They shake her to the core and threaten to destroy all the positive feelings she had developed for Ruger and the female members of the club. It's only when Ruger, Horse, Picnic and others come through for her in ways that no one else could've that she starts to see things in a different light. 

The Reapers MC series is not a romantic story. I'm sorry, but it's not. These boys don't have pretty words and grand gestures like you're used to seeing in romance novels. They're gritty and dirty and rough around the edges. You'd never see Ruger standing outside Sophie's window holding a boom box over his head. But, you know what? That's okay. Because the club members have other ways to woo the women they love. They fix things, they fight bad guys for them, they protect them with their lives. It might not be sweet in the traditional sense, but I dare any woman to not swoon and fall completely in love with hot alpha males who would die for them. 

It took me a little while to get fully on board, but I'm there now. Ruger sold the MC for me, and I'm now fully along for the ride.