The Reluctant Reaper

From bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson comes The Reluctant Reaper, a delightful romantasy—with a twist—featuring Death’s daughter.

What’s a death god to do …

A lot of twentysomethings might look forward to inheriting the family business. Amara Morrigan’s got zero interest in hers. The mantle she stands to assume is currently worn by her father, Death.

Amara’s childhood included helplessly watching as her best friend and her favorite teacher were taken away. She knows her dad didn’t do it on purpose … it was just their time. But Amara refuses to accept the job. It’s bad enough that she can sense when the final moment will be for anybody she meets—including her best (and only) friend, Gray. He knows who she is, and he’s cool with it. And though he’s the funniest, kindest, most understanding guy she’s ever met, she can’t allow him to get any closer (however much she might want to), because his moment is coming all too soon.

But now her father is dying. Ominous portents she can’t ignore pull Amara home to Minot, North Dakota, where Death is comatose—something that shouldn’t be possible. Thank all the gods that Gray refuses to be left behind. Amara’s mother is a mess, and Gray gives her somebody to cook for while the other death gods are gathering.

Alas, there’s not enough lefse in all of North Dakota to fix the situation. With their options waning, Amara agrees to (temporarily!) take up her father’s mantle—but she has to figure things out, and fast, because there is no way she’s doing this forever.

© 2026 Blackstone Publishing (Audiobook): 9798228000704
© 2025 Blackstone Publishing (Ebook): 9798228003446

Release date

Audiobook: 10 January 2026
Ebook: 11 November 2025