Butcher & Blackbird: The Ruinous Love Trilogy

AMAZING Audiobook. FINALLY two narrators have read a book how it should be - only reading their own parts! I loved that. It always bugs me when there is a man and woman narrator and they BOTH read each other's parts. Dumb. Anyway. This book is dark and funny and adorable and romantic. I loved it. Very romantic. Lots of XXX rated scenes... some of the sex is a little much, but you can skim or skip if you need to. The romance is so good. And the murdering is good. Just lots of fun. Did I mention the romance? I also bought this on Kindle and read it after I listened to it. The audiobook just comes to life with the narrators. I just love the Irish accent and their fun banter. I’d recommend to anyone to listen to it. You will fall in love with Rowan. Oh I will say one thing. I was hoping these 2 narrators read the next book in the series but unfortunately they do not. I listened to a sample, and I can't. I am already used to Lark's voice from this book done by this narrator, just a sweet sunshine-y voice, and the sample in the 2nd book the voice isn't like that, so I can't listen to it. Bummer. Will read it though. Looking forward to it.

4⭐️ brynne weaver is looking like the next ali hazelwood for me – a consistent 4-star romance that serves great as a palate cleanser/slump buster. brynne just goes much, much darker than ali. that said, if you love serial killers, spicy BDSM romance, and a healthy dose of comedy, brynne weaver is for you! this book had an excellent balance of humor, romance, tension, banter, mystery, and gross factor (necessary for this type of book imho). if you like to eat while reading, approach this book with caution; there are a few scenes that can definitely turn your stomach. it was still a great way to pass the time, and i intend to keep reading brynne weaver in the future. as a dark romance, some of the elements of this book might not be for everyone, so check the tags at the beginning to be sure this works for you; the tags are a dead dove do not eat situation – take them seriously. tropes: serial killer romance, rom-com, dark romance, friends to lovers, he falls first, touch him/her and die, dual POV, dark humor similar titles: great for readers who have a dark sense of humor and love spicy, k!nky romances. this book is near keri lake levels of darkness, but make it comedy instead. 4🌶️ another high spice rating for brynne. truthfully, some elements of the explicit sexual conduct in this book mandate a higher spice rating. THIS IS NOT FOR EVERYONE – CHECK THE TAGS!!! while some of the k!nky stuff isn't for everyone, the scenes are well-written and have a good amount of detail and length without feeling gratuitous or overpowering the story. they definitely pick up in the second half/final third of the novel, and those who want to skip the spice should be able to without missing any plot. cw: genital piercings, rough sex, warming, all holes used, toys, choking, & dom-sub interactions.

Butcher & Blackbird is book one of the Ruinous Love Trilogy. I’ll admit that I was a bit hesitant to read this book due to all the hype that it has received on social media. Turns out, it was well-deserved! I can’t say that I’ve ever read a book quite like this before. There was laughter, suspense, mayhem and spice. I’ll even admit that I cried twice. Don’t judge me! Also, I would like to point out that I didn’t physically read the book – I listened to it via Audible. I never listen to audiobooks so this was unusual for me. The narrators crushed it! Honestly, it’s the best I’ve listened to. I quit listening because there were times that I didn’t get the right vibes between the narrators and the characters (if that makes sense) but this was on point! Please read the following tropes and triggers. If the tropes don’t get your attention, the triggers absolutely will. Please read on to find out why I’m giving this book FIVE STARS and FIVE SPICE! Tropes include: serial unalivers, grumpy sunshine, he falls first, rivals to friends to lovers, dark romcom, touch her/him and die, forced proximity, one bed, hurt/care, dual POV, spice. Triggers: eyeballs and eye sockets, amateur surgery, skin ornaments, chainsaws, axes, knives, scalpels, accidental cannibalism, not-so-accidental cannibalism, questionable use of mummified corpse, lobotomized manservant, ill-advised use of kitchen implements, detailed smexy scenes, with roughness, praise, butt stuff, toys, hand necklaces, spitting, dom/sub, piercings, references to parental neglect and child abuse, parental loss (not depicted), references to child smexual assault (not in detail), and due to the nature of the serial unalivers, unaliving and general chaos. When I read, I am interested in the point of view (POV), the plot, and the spice. I prefer dual POV, I don’t want a predictable or bland plot, and I like my books HOT! This story is told from first-person dual POV by the female main character (Sloane) and main male character (Rowan). There isn’t a single element of their personalities that you miss here. These two are very well-written and their chemistry and banter is fantastic! The story is suspenseful, fun, and quite emotional at times. It really is the embodiment of a dark romantic comedy. The plot was in no way predictable. Even with the evolving relationship between Sloane and Rowan, from rivals to friends to lovers. . . I was always guessing. That relationship is also to blame for the tears I shed! I’m not going to dive into a plot summary because I feel that the blurb/synopsis does a great job of conveying what you need to know. I’m also not into spoilers! THE SPICE! I’m going to just say it – all the emotional twists and turns were 100% worth it to get to the spice. I loathe a slow burn, but this was such a good book I don’t even know that I noticed I was being consumed by the flames until I was on fire. I would do it all again. This book as the hottest spitting scene that I’ve read to date – in case anyone is interested – and everything else is perfection. If it’s on your tbr – move it on up!!!

Honestly, it was a ok story. It was cute and funny but I could have lived without buying it or reading it.

I received the book, in amazing condition! And im almost done reading it. Thank you!

*Trigger Warning* The author effectively outlines potentially sensitive topics and content in the book. However, considering the theme of killers targeting killers, it's clear this story isn't for everyone. This dark romance novel was unlike any I've ever read! To be honest, I'm not even sure if there's another romance like it out there. It was a thrilling journey, and I was hooked from start to finish! Brynne Weaver's "Butcher & Blackbird" was truly captivating. Sloane, known as the Orb Weaver, is a killer who targets other serial killers. Unexpectedly, her path crosses with Rowan, the Boston Butcher, in a dangerous situation. Coincidentally, Rowan is also a killer of serial killers - what are the odds!? When these two meet, they discover an unexpected bond, a friendship that sees them for who they truly are, darkness and all. After their initial encounter, they meet annually for a deadly game where the first to kill a killer wins. But as they realize their feelings might run deeper than friendship, where does that leave them? Can these two dark souls find love? The smut scenes in this book are delicious. Our main characters are a little kinky, just enough to really make things interesting and steamy. Yet, also vanilla enough to be enjoyable to a broad audience. I hope this is the kind of content we continue to see through the other two books in this series. I love that Brynne also put a play list for each chapter!! I enjoyed that aspect and I normally a quiet reader but it really set the scenes!

★★★★★ Brynne Weaver's Butcher and Blackbird is a captivating dark fantasy that completely swept me away! 🖤 The world-building is richly detailed and immersive, creating a truly unique and atmospheric setting 🏰 The characters are complex and compelling, with believable motivations and relationships 💕 Weaver masterfully blends elements of romance 💖, murder✨, and mystery 🕵️‍♀️, creating a truly engaging and suspenseful read. The plot is cleverly crafted, with unexpected twists and turns 🤯 that kept me guessing until the very end. Highly recommended for fans of dark fantasy, especially those who enjoy strong female leads 💪 and morally gray characters 🤔!

Excuse me BUT, what in the murderous rom-com fever dream did I just read?? I went into Butcher and Blackbird thinking, “Oh, cute title, probably a little stabby, a little spicy.” FRIENDS… THIS BOOK GRABBED ME BY THE THROAT, LAUGHED IN MY FACE, AND THEN WHISPERED, “You’re mine now.” Slone and Rowan?? Literal MENACES. Picture if Wednesday Addams and a golden-retriever-turned-serial-killer accidentally got stuck in a dark alley together—and instead of killing each other, they made murder and mayhem look SEXY. Their banter?? Chef’s kiss. Their chemistry?? So 🔥 I’m surprised my Kindle didn’t file for workers’ comp. I knew I was in trouble when Slone, our hot mess queen, came in swinging with sarcastic one-liners, and Rowan just... stood there being 6'4" of emotionally constipated murder dreamboat. You know that TikTok audio, “You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires”? Yeah, slap that on a bloodstained T-shirt and give it to these two. Let’s get into the plot: This was Dexter meets Enemies to Lovers meets a Pinterest board labeled "murder date night goals." I kept thinking, “Okay, surely it can’t get more unhinged than this,” and Brynne Weaver kept proving me dead wrong. Every. Single. Chapter. I was either cackling like a lunatic or blushing so hard I looked sunburned. And THE SPICE??? LORD HELP US. I had to set my Kindle down multiple times and just stare into space questioning if I’d accidentally wandered into the X-rated section of my brain. Honestly, it was criminally good. (Pun 1000% intended.) This book had me rethinking my entire moral compass like: “Murder is bad… but... is it? 👀” By the end of this book, I was: Emotionally wrecked Horny Googling “how to date a fictional serial killer” (no luck, sadly) Final verdict: If you love your romance bloody, bantery, and hotter than a crematorium oven, Butcher and Blackbird will have you absolutely feral. 10/10, would join their murder club in a heartbeat. 💀🖤

I love Sloane and Rowan! My top 5 couple of all time! I love Sloane’s character so much. Such a badass. And Rowan… he’s just perfect.