Available at the following retailers:
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1DsDyRt
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1yYt1Rn
Nook: http://tinyurl.com/pljucpa
iBooks: http://tinyurl.com/pwfxzyj
The New York Times bestselling author of Reaper’s Stand is back in her “uber-alpha rough world of MCs”* as one woman’s future is rocked by the man whose hardcore past could destroy her…
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 want to watch a movie or something?” she asked, nodding toward the TV. I had a decent one, too. Giant-ass flat-screen—homecoming present from the club.
“Sure,” I said, reaching for the remote. I didn’t have cable, but Ruger had set up some kind of box thingie for me so I could stream shit. “Whatcha in the mood for?”
“Not horror,” she said quickly, and I laughed again, remembering that first evening I’d spent with her at Pic’s house. She’d been so young and scared and vulnerable . . . I’d wanted to eat her up.
I still wanted to eat her.
“I can’t believe that you and Puck were supposed to be watching over me, and then you put in a slasher movie. That’s not how you make a girl feel safe.”
“No horror,” I agreed, although the thought of holding her for a couple hours while she was scared shitless appealed way more than it should. Watch it, asshole. “How about Star Wars?”
“You like Star Wars?”
I shrugged. “Everyone likes Star Wars. You know, I’m pretty damned sure Han Solo was a biker.”
She giggled. “You mean, like a space biker?”
“See, when you say it like that it sounds stupid.”
“I wanted to be Princess Leia. She’s badass,” she said, taking a deep drink of her beer. I watched as her lips wrapped around the neck, her throat swallowing. Oh fuck, that was good. She set the beer down on the coffee table with a clink, then let loose with the biggest burp I’d ever heard.
“Fucking hell,” I said, stunned. “I didn’t think girls could burp like that. Shit. Impressive, Mel. Very impressive.”
She grinned at me.
“We’re friends,” she told me. “And friends don’t need to worry about stuff like that. Let me guess—you’ve never had a female friend before?”
“Not really,” I admitted. “I’m think I’m a little scared.”
Scared and turned on, which was weird.
“You should be. I can do the whole alphabet.”
Damn. I kinda wanted to see that.
I am a big fan of Joanna Wylde’s Reapers MC series and Reaper’s Fall didn’t disappoint. If you read Reapers and Bastards: A Reaper’s MC Anthology, Joanna gave the readers a little taste of Melanie and Painter’s story. Melanie meets “Painter” Levi Brooks at a time when her life was literally blown to shambles. Painter was assigned to keep an eye on Mel while other members of the Reapers took care of business. Painter is called away and the next thing Melanie knows, the woman who is like a mother to her and the Reapers MC president inform her that Painter won’t be home for a while because he is in prison. Melanie decides to be a friend to Painter and write to him while he is incarcerated. Fast-forward to when Painter returns home. Melanie is attracted to Painter but he tries to stay away from her, since he thinks she deserves someone better than himself. Unable to fight their attraction, Melanie and Painter eventually end up together. Their relationship is turbulent at best. Painter continues to disappoint Melanie, putting everything before their relationship which eventually implodes on him at the worst possible time.
You probably get tired of “bad boys” saying they are assholes, but though Joann’s writing, I thought Painter really was an asshole. Of course in the end, I still wanted my happily ever after but I wasn’t sure I wanted it for the dynamic that was Painter and Melanie. This is not a dig at the book but a praise for the writing. I love Reapers in any form I can get it and I really did enjoy Reaper’s Fall. Painter was redeemed by the end of the book, just making the over-all story that much better. I don’t think any Reaper groupies will be disappointed by Reaper’s Fall.