Joel Burcat

Riveting road trip during a massive and unexpected hurricane-force storm.

Reap the Wind is the new climate-fiction road trip thriller by veteran author Joel Burcat, and from its edge-of-your-seat opening to the final pages, the suspense never lets up. This book made me stay up half the night just to find out what was going to happen, and it was worth it!

Although the road trip from Houston involves three people, the story focuses on the young couple, Josh Goldberg and Keisha Jones, who are expecting a baby sometime in the next six weeks. They love each other and are fun and sweet together; their anxiety is palpable when apart. Both have reservations about their futures, and their tense situations have them thinking and rethinking their actions. Josh is an environmental attorney who feels like a sell-out working for his large corporate clients, who are the antithesis of all he believes. While he fights through the massive storm, he also struggles with his ethical dilemma. Along for the ride is a senior associate coworker, Geoff Roberts, and Josh’s selfish and manipulative boss, Diane Scanlon, a villain who is easy to despise. Keisha, confined to the hospital in Florence, has time on her hands for reflection as well, and that includes thinking about Dr. Anthony Sudor, her ex-boyfriend who just happens to be the attending OB/GYN at St. Elizabeth’s.

Coincidentally, the initial stage of Josh’s drive from Houston was certainly déjà vu for me. I drive to Houston along parts of his route a couple of times a year, and one leg of the trip is ALWAYS through a major storm, without fail. (It has become a joke with my family.) While the storms are not in the same league as this fictional one (except for that one time outrunning an actual hurricane), the trip becomes exponentially longer and more difficult with the smaller highways, winding terrain, and tall, encroaching treelines, all contributing to the experience. Throw in an unfamiliar vehicle (my husband’s pickup rather than my daily driver), and I could absolutely relate. And, yes, there are some odd little towns along the way should you have to make a stop.

I was definitely on the edge of my seat and actively guessing the whole time as to how the story would work out. I was not disappointed. This is the first book by this author I’ve read, and I will check out his Mike Jacobs series as soon as I have the chance.

I recommend REAP THE WIND to readers who enjoy exciting climate-related thrillers, stories featuring attorney protagonists, and tense road trip tales.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Book Blog Tours.… (altro)