Where did you get the book: Bought
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Release Date: Out now
Marie doesn’t need a complication like Horse. The massive, tattooed, badass biker who shows up at her brother’s house one afternoon doesn’t agree. He wants Marie on his bike and in his bed. Now.
But Marie just left her abusive jerk of an ex-husband and she’s not looking for a new man. Especially one like Horse—she doesn’t know his real name or where he lives, she’s ninety percent certain he’s a criminal and that the “business” he talks with her brother isn’t website design. She needs him out of her life, which would be a snap if he’d just stop giving her mind-blowing orgasms.
Horse is part of the Reapers Motorcycle Club, and when he wants something, he takes it. What he wants is Marie, but she’s not interested in becoming “property of”.
Then her brother steals from the club. Marie can save him by giving Horse what he wants—at home, in public, on his bike… If she’s a very, very good girl, she’ll get lots more of those orgasms only he can offer, and he’ll let her brother live.
Maybe.
Blurb taken from Goodreads
Has: I’m in the midst of a mini Kristen Ashley glomfest which has helped to kickstart my current addiction of biker heroes that fulfils my love of the bad boy hero. A couple of weeks ago, I came across REAPER’S PROPERTY by Joanna Wylde. It has a similar premise of Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley, but whilst I enjoyed that book for its crackilicious alphaholic glory hero, REAPER’S PROPERTY was a much tighter and well edited book. It was the better story because it had a more authentic feel and tone on the Motorcycle Club life and the people who inhabit and live in that lifestyle.
It also didn’t shy away from the darker, seedier and unpalatable elements–such as misogynistic and sexist views of women. There were also factors that balance these factors. Such as humour, strong female characters who didn’t take no shit from anyone and a strong core romance which was fun and heartfelt. This made the romance real and gritty.
Lou: I loved Motorcycle Man for its over the top characters. I enjoyed Reaper’s Property but the darker and edgier side of the characters and their lifestyle made me not get too invested. Horse is a sexist pig hero. He’s a sexist pig hero, and the heroine knows it. That made the book easier to read. If the heroine blindly followed the hero, unaware he was a sexist pig hero, then I don’t think I could have read the story. Marie met Horse when she moved in with her brother. Her brother is a computer brainiac and he does ‘work’ for the Reapers, the name of the MC gang. Marie and Horse’s first meeting is not love at first sight; more like sexist pig at first sight. Marie was understandably nervous, but she was instantly attracted to Horse. If Marie wasn’t a heroine that followed her own gut, I don’t think I could have read this book.
Has: I totally agree! I don’t think I would have enjoyed the book so much if Marie wasn’t stubborn and strong against Horse’s alphaholeness. It was this dynamic that helped to really make the romance come alive because it created a delicious tension and conflict. I also loved the fact that despite the rocky start in the beginning, and the misunderstanding because he basically came from a different culture with norms and mores that were alien to what she was accustomed to, Horse was totally head over heels in love with Marie. But because of his background and the machismo that came with being in the Reapers, it was fun to see him floundering and it did cause some real sparks between them.
I loved that Joanna Wylde didn’t shy away from not painting Horse and the Reaper MC in a lighter way. it made the book much more authentic and realistic, and I think it did add a real layer of gritty realism. It made the romance feel real. And while I won’t be dating anyone from a MC like the Reapers, I did enjoy the insight of their world. I got a real sense that Joanna Wylde did her research in what a club like this entails. But I also loved she counteracted the sexist and machismo attitudes with strong female characters, such as the MC’s Old Ladies who were not subservient in any way, and with humour. It was a fine balance, but she made it work.
Lou: This book definitely gave an insight to the MC world. It has its own rules, morals and ethical codes. The Reapers are involved with guns and murder, and that’s why I wasn’t that engaged with the characters. You fuck with them and then they fuck you back 10x harder–and you most likely won’t be getting back up. Marie and Horse’s relationship was very lustful. Horse was aptly named for a reason. Horse was a sexist pig, but he loved Marie in his own sexist pig way. When Marie’s brother screws them over, that was Horse’s chance to have Marie after she turned him down previously. Marie turned down the chance to be his old woman, and Horse sulked by being an asshole. This book is definitely not a romance for everyone, but it works in its own way.
Has: I especially agree. This is definitely not going to appeal to readers, especially if they are squeamish on dark elements like we mentioned above. But I think that despite this the romance between Horse and Marie was sweet, funny and tender. Horse was a totally different man when he was alone with her and he was very protective, and I liked the fact he was encouraging her to find her own independence in getting an education and a job after her abusive marriage. But I also loved the fact they had real conflict which gave the romance a real frisson of sexual tension and the make-up angry smex scene on the stairs was one of the best love scenes I’ve read recently.
Lou: There were a lot of scenes in the book that made me wince. One was the gang banging of women they deem not to be respectful of the old woman status. I still don’t know what to make of that scene. The character was fully informed of her decision and fully consented to it. There’s no compassion or tenderness in many scenes in this book and I’m used to that in my romances. Other secondary characters were set up with other Reaper members. One thing that came across without any issue was the loyalty that these members have for one another. Horse wouldn’t allow Marie to issue a word about the club (sexist pig hero!), and in the end I found it hard to stomach that Marie would have to do everything Horse told her.
I also want to mention the pacing and narrative structure of the book. The beginning was quite confusing as it kept going back and forth in time sequences and I didn’t know if I was in the present or past.
Has: I also felt the narrative structure of the book in the beginning was confusing, especially since we got the both POVs of Marie and Horse rehashing the same scenes. Although I did think this helped gain a real insight to his character and his real thoughts and feelings about Marie which helped to illustrate his real depth of love for her. But I definitely agree it bogged down the pacing of the book in the beginning of the story.
I also agree the depiction of that character was very uncomfortable, and It was also hard to read and accept. I think if the romance and the humour were not so strong or well written – I think I would loathed the book. But on the other hand, I am glad that the darker side was not glossed over or romanticised because it did give an authentic feel.
Lou: Overall, Reaper’s Property is a gritty romance that doesn’t shy away or try to domestic or tone down a lifestyle that is violent. Marie and Horse’s romance is not very calming or full of tenderness. It’s raw, lusty and the characters don’t change overnight for each other. I enjoyed it, but MM still remains my go to MC romance. I give Reaper’s Property a B.
Has: I liked Reaper’s Property slightly more than MM because it was a much more authentic feel on MC life, as well as the fact it was a much tighter book. I could have lived without the overt sexism and the misogynistic depictions of several of the female characters in the book, but it was more realistic. I was actually taken by surprise by how much I enjoyed this book because usually this would put me off the book, but the romance between Horse and Marie made this book come alive along with the sex scenes which was smokin’! And although Horse was a sexist pig, I did enjoy his sense of humour which helped to lighten his alphaholic tendencies.
Reaper’s Property is the definition of a crack read; you just can’t not stop reading, and I was left with a contented sigh with the last click of the button on my ereader.
I give Reaper’s Property a B+
Ebook Purchase Links
Just to be clear, was there anything about Horse’s character that would make you think he was a sexist pig? 😉