REAP (Scarred Souls #2) by Tillie Cole-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 10, 2015

Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva’s obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act, or live for himself; he’s his master’s perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six-foot-six, weighing two-hundred-and-fifty pounds, and unrivaled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, who rules the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.

Talia Tolstaia dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life. She dreams of another life–away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father and from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon, her criminal family’s underground death-match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family’s captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers. But sacrifices must be made–blood for blood…life for life…souls for scarred souls.

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REVIEW: REAP is the second installment in Tillie Cole’s contemporary, adult SCARRED SOULS erotic, dark romance series focusing on the Russian Mafia, Georgian Bratva criminal underground, cages fights to the death, and two families torn apart by power and greed. This is Zaal (aka 221), and Talia Tolstoi’s storyline. REAP can be read as a stand alone but I recommend reading the series in order for background history and cohesion.

Told from three first person perspectives (Zaal, Talia, Luka) REAP follows the imprisonment, torture and freedom of enslaved killer Zaal ‘221’ Kostava. Kidnapped as a young boy, 221 has known nothing but pain and poison for the past twenty years: trained to kill; drugged into obedience 221 remembers nothing of his previous life only that he is meant to kill both in and out of the arena; freedom is a distant memory. What ensues is the rescue of 221, and his slow rehabilitation where memories of the past begin to consume his entire world until he meets Talia-the woman who would eventually hold his heart and his soul, but a woman who is a member of the enemy family.

REAP is a violent storyline with graphic language; scenes of rape, vicious abuse and gladiator-style killings. The ‘killers’ are victims of kidnapping, abuse, drug-induced mind control, and a need to kill or be killed. Years living in the dark have left the fighters broken and feral, with no hope for freedom or a chance at a normal life. Trained from a young age, killing and torture is all they have ever known.

REAP is also a story about family. As an eight year old child, Zaal, along with his twin brother Anri, witnessed the execution of his entire family. Anri would become best friends with Luka in the pits of hell; Zaal would become the number one killer in the fighting ring. But the Tolstoi’s and Kostava’s are bitter enemies-murder and revenge but a heartbeat away. Ivan Tolstoi-Talia’s father-is the new king-a man who abhors everything the Kostava’s represent.

Tillie Cole writes a story about forbidden love; a second chance at life; and a broken man whose heart and soul have been shattered by years of torment and abuse. REAP is an emotional storyline that will break your heart for the childhood that never was; for the men that never will be; for the yearning of freedom and what is to come.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy