In Reap & Sow by Charlotte B. Plumb, Eda Shaw and her older brothers, Ben and Lawrie, have been carrying on the family business(es) in Blackbridge since their parents 
passed away years ago. That includes legitimate Shaws’ Antiques & Curiosities shop on the first floor of their building and their illegitimate endeavors in the basement. In the dimly lit depths lies a large mirror, a portal to another realm where a demon the siblings have dubbed Mr. Night appears when they bring mortals wishing to make a Pact with him to get what their heart wishes. Eda and her brothers’ lives depend on keeping humans interested in making more deals with Mr. Night–thanks to a Pact from their own family’s past. And creeping ever so much closer to the end of the deal, they can almost taste their freedom. Until a cruel twist adds more danger to their already harried lives.
“Lack of experience or education does not equal lack of ability. You can be whatever you wish, Eda. The world is yours. You need only to seek it out.”
The arrest of her annoying but beloved brothers has Eda making choices she knows she will likely regret later on. But with no other options available, she makes a Pact of her own with a very different demon than Mr. Night–with charming and mysterious Kit’rath, aka: Kit. Eda has known you should never trust a demon since she was a babe. They deal in trading favors for the souls or years of life from humans. But there is something different about Kit that unnerves Eda in a way that has her not only guarding herself and her family but also her heart. Because Kit might have an abundance of swagger and elegant manners, but she wonders if it’s all a front. If the demon could be disguising his true nature and the wish for something closer to a mortal life. Something Eda, with her stifled, meager existence, understands all too well.
‘For all his blood and bluster, he was not cruel. He was not heartless. His curse, she suspected, was a heart that felt too much.’
A Gothic Romantasy that was every bit as captivating as it was adventurous, REAP & SOW was a debut by Charlotte B. Plumb that held me in its clutches the whole way through. Even with that final ominous paragraph that set my pulse pounding. In it, Plumb touched upon everything you could think of, such as the disparity between social classes, friendship, good vs. evil, double-dealings, personal growth, even family loyalty. Because of these elements, this mashup of fantasy and historical romance worked in every way for this reader.
Kit said slowly, “Just when I think it impossible, I continue to be surprised.”
“By the foolishness of mortals?”
“By the bravery of you.”
First, can we just take a moment to admire that book cover? The colors, the Gothic feel…it perfectly captures the vibe of this story and the world Plumb created. Told from the POV of scrappy heroine Eda Shaw, it was oh so satisfying to watch her blossom from a naive twenty-year-old woman with little life experience outside of her family’s antique shop to go on and not only wow her two older brothers with her bravery but to also fall in love with the most unexpected of people–er, beings: a demon. And what a gloriously angsty slow burn of a romance it was.
TROPES/VIBES:
🕯️ Gothic Romantasy
🔥 Slow-Burn Romance
⚔️ Enemies to Lovers
🖤 Mortal x Demon
😈 Morally Gray Characters
🥀 Forbidden Love
⛓️ Bargain with a Demon
💋 Opposites Attract
🗝️ Touches of Found Family
❤️🔥 Love That Comes at a Cost
One thing I truly appreciated in Plumb’s writing–aside from her vivid prose that made me feel like I was walking down the cobblestoned streets of Blackbridge–was that she let the characters make mistakes and (eventually) learn as they went. Eda certainly wasn’t perfect. Neither was her love interest Kit’rath, aka Kit, nor Eda’s older brothers Ben and Lawrie. But that made them all the more interesting and real. Even the dialogue seemed to fit their personalities. From Kit’s (delightful) swagger and charm to Lawrie’s curious nature and Ben’s gruff, responsible demeanor, the conversations will have readers laughing, gasping, and on the verge of tears. Okay, or actually crying like I did, particularly toward the end.
From acts of selflessness to the selfish greed of others, like so many romantasy stories, REAP & SOW explored the intricacies of all types of relationships which culminated in some well-thought-out action scenes and tender moments that will take your breath away. Whether you’re already a fan of the genre or trying it for the first time, I think Charlotte B. Plumb’s imaginative debut is definitely worth reading.
QOTD: Do you prefer characters who learn and grow as the story progresses or self-assured characters who already know themselves and their own worth?
Book Info:
Publication: Published: October 6th, 2026 | Berkley XO | Reap & Sow #1
A young woman bargains with a demon to save her brothers, only to lose her heart in this slow-burn romantasy about dark magic, unlikely love, and the imperfect beauty of mortality.
The penniless in Blackbridge have only two choices: sell the body or sell the soul. And thanks to Eda Shaw, business is booming.
Indentured to a capricious demon known as Mr. Night, Eda and her brothers arrange illicit Pacts on his behalf, luring the city’s most desperate into trading years of their lives for their deepest desires. When a Pact goes awry and her brothers are arrested, Eda realizes she’ll need an infernal ally of her Kit’rath, a demon with a curious penchant for humanity, an infuriating wit, and is the only being in Blackbridge Mr. Night seems to fear. As they race to rescue her family and save the city from ruin, an undeniable connection sparks between mortal and demon.
But Kit’s help doesn’t come cheap. Now, Eda risks losing her heart to the one who claims her years—and saving herself may prove the steepest cost of all.
Rich with gothic atmosphere, sharp wit, and simmering romantic tension, Reap & Sow is a fantasy debut perfect for fans of Rachel Gillig, Hannah Whitten, and Heather Fawcett.
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