Afrodyt's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews 
 Reap is the follow up to the raw, brutal and incredibly passionate story Raze. Read it before cracking open this story. 
 This part of the Volkov Bratvas story centers on Talia, sister to Luka and best friend of Kisa. Luka and Kisa feature prominently in this story, as well, because Luka/Raze is intent on fulfilling his promise to 362, to exact revenge on his captors. Upon finding out 362's true identity the story really takes off. 
 Talia is weary of the gilded cage she exists inside. Scrambling to get away from the mafia lifestyle and feel normal for a change, she moves into the family's summer home in the dead of winter. Unfortunately, mafia business finds her there, too, and she is confronted with a situation that causes something to snap within her. 
 221/Zaal has only known torture and agony at the hands of his Master who orders him to kill on command. After his reluctant liberation, he finds himself chained in a basement, cold turkey detoxing from the experimental rage/obedience drugs that have been pumped into his system for as long as he can remember. His suffering knows no end until he has a brief encounter with Talia. 
 This is another grimy, yet romantic love story in the Scarred Souls series. The characters are anti-heroes in a way because of the violent lifestyle they lead and are positioned to inherit. One of the things I love about this series is that there is no moral dilemma to the tragedy that unfolds. This is just what happens in the in the upper echelons of the Russian Mafia. Everyone accepts their role and are loyal to the family, no matter what. It makes for two very strong female characters in Kisa and Talia. They have lived with these hard and brutal men in their family and it's no surprise they end up with these heroes that are only one step up from barbaric gladiators. Somehow their scarred humanity is brought to the fore and an honest love story follows. 
 The beauty of Tillie Cole's writing is that she makes me believe these characters and the horrors they've experienced and the damaged, yet innocent, souls they are. It pushed all my caretaker buttons and I rooted for love to conquer all. At times it felt like a comic book-like alternate universe. At other times a soft-focus Hallmark Channel love story. But it worked for me and it all balanced out in the end. Loved this story and couldn't put it down. Five stars. 
 Review copy provided for an honest review.