We’re already halfway through 2024, so I’m taking the time to reflect back on my 15 favorite books of the year so far. You’ll find my original review and some quotes from the book below!
When I told my husband that I was reading a serial killer romance, he gave me a side eye. When I started cackling while listening to the audiobook, I think he was a little bit concerned, lol. But the truth is that this series is kinda hysterical, even though it’s dark and gruesome in other ways. Weaver has such a skill for balancing the dark and the swoony, making me love these twisted characters. This one is a new spin on the beloved marriage of convenience trope, bringing together a “multiple deleter” and a contract killer. It’s also a best friend’s brother-in-law romance, with a banter-filled meet cute, tons of chemistry, and a boy obsessed. I loved the slow burn and how absolutely adorable the (anti)hero was – he was so completely gone for his girl. He knows he needs to put in the work to win over his wife after their disastrous first meeting, and he doesn’t hesitate to do so. The writing is just immensely bingeable, entertaining, and fun – I devoured this in a single day, and there was certainly never a dull moment. I loved it!
I think it goes without saying that there are some dark, potentially triggering elements to the series, but even more so with this installment. The story follows Lark, a woman whose experience with SA has shaped her into the woman she is today. Namely, that she hunts down sexual predators and makes sure they can never hurt anyone again – taking matters into her own hands. You’d never know by looking at Lark that such darkness lives inside her, which is why her first interaction with Lachlan goes so awry. He sees a pretty, sunshine, self-absorbed girl who doesn’t have a care in the world, and he couldn’t be more wrong. So when Lachlan discovers that Lark is his brother’s fiancée’s best friend, it’s a shock to the system. And when Lark realizes that she needs to marry Lachlan in order to keep her friends safe, it’s sure to change the dynamic of their relationship.
I remember having so much fun reading Butcher & Blackbird back when it first released, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting the next installment of the series. I love that the books truly feel one-of-a-kind, with a great mix of dark and comedic elements, as well as plenty of heat. I liked Lark quite a bit and how she gave as good as she got, but it’s truly the smitten Lachlan who steals the show here. He quickly realizes the error of his ways, and I loved watching him try to navigate unfamiliar territory. If I have one complaint, it’d be that I wanted to spend more time with the characters without days or weeks passing in between interactions. But maybe I’m just greedy – it’s really that I wanted even more time with these characters. The slow burn was perfect for them, and things did get pretty spicy towards the end. Maybe not my preferred type of spice, but it fit the couple and enhanced the relationship in its own way. All in all, I had a fantastic time – and now I cannot wait for the final book in the series.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WDzzEl
Audio Note:
Highly, highly recommended in audio! If you’re the type of reader who has never understood the appeal of audiobooks, this is the perfect one to try. It’s a true performance, told in duet-style. Samantha Brentmoor’s crisp, clear voice is exceedingly easy to listen to, and she even does some singing, which was great. Eric Nolan is new-to-me, but I would definitely seek him out in the future. He brings Lachlan’s Irish swoon and swagger to life, with a gruff and grumbly voice that was perfection. The runtime (12 hours) meant it was a full day binge, but it did not drag at all. Not sure I’d recommend listening at work, but there’s minimal spice in the first half. So glad I was able to listen to this one, it was an experience for sure.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/45goDyN
Blurb:
From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy—a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat.
Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her first.
And they can’t stand each other.
Indie singer-songwriter Lark is the sunshine and glitter that burns through every cloud and clings to every crevice that Lachlan Kane tries to hide inside. The surly older brother of her best friend’s soulmate, Lachlan thinks she’s just a privileged princess, but Lark has plenty of secrets hiding in the shadows of her bright light. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.
As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them.
There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep.
And this one has come for blood.
Tropes:
Hate-to-love
Marriage of convenience
Grumpy / sunshine
He falls first
Groveling, but make it psycho
Touch her/him and die
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3WDzzEl
Start the series today!
Yes, this will read as a standalone, but the series is definitely better when experienced in order. Plus, the first book was great.
The viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry—unlike anything you’ve read before—now available in all bookstores.
When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, they find something elusive—the friendship of two like-minded, pitch-black souls who just happen to enjoy killing other serial killers.
From small-town West Virginia to upscale California, and from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country.
But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love.
Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves?
Or have they finally met their match?
Tropes:
Golden retriever x black cat
He falls first
Touch him/her and die
Friends to lovers
Forced proximity
One bed
Read the audiobook review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QE2nch
About the Author:
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author and TikTok sensation with works sold worldwide in over fifteen languages to date, Brynne Weaver has traveled the world, taken in more stray animals than her husband would probably prefer, and nurtured her love for dark comedies, horror, and romance in both literature and film. During all her adventures, the constant thread in Brynne’s life has been writing. With eight published works and counting, Brynne has made her mark in the literary world by blending irreverent dark comedy, swoon-worthy romance, and riveting suspense to create genre-breaking, addictive stories for readers to escape into.
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