YES!
the DEFINITION of a dark romcom. Authors take note. This is how it's done.

I couldn't put this down. I was giggling from the FIRST page. And audibly laughing by the ninth. I adored these two characters.

I only wish it hadn't been insta love on Rowan's part, and I wished there was more gore. Is that bad? I guess I was expecting something a little darker, maybe something along the lines of H.D. Carlton? But damn. That banter. Some of the best I've read. This book is rare for me where I am genuinely excited to read the next book in this stand alone series.

B&B would appeal to so many readers. I could genuinely see thriller and horror readers liking this. And obviously us romance girlies will eat this up.

Solid 4.5 for me. If there wasn't insta love and maybe more gore, this would have been a 5. I cannot wait to handsell the hell out of this at my Barnes.

Please read content warnings before reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and Zando for the e-arc.

Brynne Weaver's thrilling novel, "Butcher & Blackbird," readers are taken on a dark and twisted journey into the minds of two rival murderers, Sloane and Rowan. What begins as a chance encounter soon evolves into an unlikely friendship between these two individuals, both possessing a shared fascination with darkness and a thirst for blood. Set against the backdrop of various locations, from small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the story follows the duo as they engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game, pitted against the most dangerous monsters in the country. Weaver expertly crafts a narrative that delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring the complexities of friendship and the blurred lines between love and destruction. As Sloane and Rowan's connection deepens, so too does the haunting presence of their past actions. Restless ghosts linger in their wake, threatening to unravel their newfound bond and exact a toll greater than they could have ever anticipated. The author skillfully weaves together elements of suspense, mystery, and horror, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. With each turn of the page, the tension mounts, leaving us wondering if Sloane and Rowan can escape the game of graves they find themselves entangled in. Will they be able to outwit their pursuers, or have they finally met their match? "Butcher & Blackbird" is a gripping and atmospheric novel that explores the depths of human darkness and the consequences of embracing one's darkest desires. Weaver's vivid descriptions transport readers to each distinct location, immersing them in the chilling atmosphere that permeates the story. The characters are complex and flawed, yet undeniably intriguing, making it impossible not to become invested in their harrowing journey. In conclusion, "Butcher & Blackbird" is a must-read for fans of dark and thrilling fiction. Brynne Weaver's exceptional storytelling prowess and captivating narrative leave a lasting impact, turning this tale of rival murderers into so much more. Prepare to be enthralled, disturbed, and left pondering the thin line between good and evil.

"Butcher & Blackbird" took me on a wild ride through a gripping narrative, skillfully weaving a connection between our two main characters. The slow-burn romance added depth to the story, leaving me eagerly anticipating each unfolding moment. However, for those with a low tolerance for gore, be warned—the narrative leans heavily into visceral scenes that may not suit everyone's taste.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I'm excited to continue the series!

Rounded up from 4.5 stars.

This book was a disturbingly good time!

Two serial killers, lots of gore, and some spice. This was a slower burn than I anticipated and took me a bit to get into it. Until about 40% of the way in I picked it up and put it down several times because it felt a bit repetitive. After that, I didn't want to put it down.

All darkness aside, the way these two love each other for who they are and support them to be their best versions is lovely!

Can't wait for book 2 in this trilogy.

<b>Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver was interesting but not a novelty.. not at least for me , for someone like me who has been reading darkest romances for last few years. This book was not even that dark. It was entertaining. It was full of action and witty suspense. The unique thing about this is the combination of somehow dark romance with comedy and I don't think I have ever read dark rom com .</b>

This story tells a love story between two serial killers who hunt other serial killers. So does it make any sense? Their paths cross when Rowan saves Sloane from a tricky situation and then he falls in love with her instantly but Sloane is very closed off and she really isn't in the market for love. Rowan proposes annual competition where they try to kill a killer together. Through this gory competition, their connection grows and they become friends & then becomes lovers.

<b>Sloane is definitely more twisted than Rowan. I love to see a reverse grumpy sunshine. Sloane has so much darkness inside her & she has this killing has an avenue of expressing her darkness that was born from her own trauma and anger. The same goes for Rowan but he has some amazing brothers. Rowan literally pursues and stalks Slaone .over the years. There are long time jumps where they just talk over text and the only place to meet is to execute a murder . So there is differently gore & this is not for soft hearted people. The author did an excellent job of injecting humor and banter in those violent situations. Rowan is a total charmer. he has a great sense of humour. His dedication for Sloan is amazing. I absolutely love how protective and loyal and possessive he is and he kind of takes everything to extremes but not in a creepy way. Sloane is the harder nut to crack and I feel she still has a lot of vulnerabilities inside her, even though Rowan tries constantly to give her validation and affirmation. It was also spicy , not over the top. You can read it for palate cleanser if you were tired of reading sweet romance but don't want something super dark and I think this is an excellent choice for introducing someone into datk romance.You can easily skip the glory and violent details and still enjoy the story .I think I wanna read his brothers' story more ..so maybe stay tuned!</b>

Thanks to Netgalley & Zando for the early copy

I am deeply grateful to NetGalley and Zando Projects for providing me with the opportunity to read Butcher & Blackbird. Honestly, this read was so incredibly fun. The banter = chefs kiss! It was well balanced read and so easy to enjoy. Definitely have to enjoy a dark sense of humor. And don’t worry, there is only a bit of accidental cannibalism.

Requested this after seeing recommendations sir it on tiktok abd having customers at work request it. But it was a DNF. I read the trigger warnings at the beginning (which I appreciate). Based on these it’s a nope for me.

I was so excited to receive this ARC, we had already been discussing the upcoming release in my book club and I was more than ready to get my hands on it! It did not disappoint.

Who doesn’t love a he-fell-first cinnamon roll (albeit still morally gray) MMC?! All the best attributes in one place? I’m in! And he can cook? And let’s not forget his “mine” thing he had going on here. Yep, I like this one!

So the book is an adorably cute, quirky, and seriously morbid love story. It’s got the appeal of the Addams Family spinoff “Wednesday” but it also has some high level spice. It’s not all my taste, but it’s still pretty freakin’ hot. And it was well written, I didn’t have to keep flipping back and forth to understand the flow and connections which sometimes happens in quick reads.

This book best fits into the category of a palate cleanser. It’s a quick read, it hits some good dopamine releases, but it’s not too serious either. I absolutely recommend it for anyone who enjoys romcoms but dabbles in the dark romances as well. Can’t wait to read Lachlan and Lark’s story next!

As someone that gets squeamish when I get a hangnail, I was shockingly into this book. What a wild ride it was lol.

🔪💓B o o k 🔪💓 R e v i e w🔪💓

If you don't listen to this on Audio you are absolutely doing yourself a disservice . Because that was phenomenal and I didn't want it to end. 👏👏👏

𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5
🌶🌶🌶3

This book made me laugh out loud ,it broke my heart ,and it made me vom a little in my mouth.
But it was excellent I would 1000% recommend it to anyone who can handle the triggers .

Kick your feet and giggle swoony moments quickly followed up by a dinner party to put hannibal lector to shame 🤣

The overall premise of two serial killers falling in love and having a yearly competition was so refreshing and hilarious and I feel like I need more of this immediately.

🔪Every serial killer needs a friend.🔪
🔪Every game must have a winner.🔪

🖤 Dark romance
🖤Friends to lovers
🖤Only one bed
🖤Mutual pining
🖤He falls first and hard
🖤Touch him/her and die
🖤Dark Romcom
🖤Gory
🖤Extensive Piercings on her 🐱

💓“I didn’t gouge them out, Butcher. I plucked them. Delicately. Like a lady.”💓

5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

This was my first Brynne book and I’m hooked. I loved every moment of this depraved story from beginning to end! I felt all the emotions reading it. I was laughing, cringing, and surprised for so many different parts of the story.

It’s the accidental cannibalism for me and the cookie dough ice cream 🤣🫠

Sloane is such a baddie and I legitimately couldn’t get enough of her character. I loved how confident and fierce she is. I loved that even with her insecurities she had her beside cheering her on and I thoroughly enjoyed when she realized Rowan liked her too.

Rowan is such a bad MFer. I love that he would literally unalive people for her. I love how obsessed he was with her and I was here for the smüt in this book. The audio book had to be my favorite of the year. The duet narration just brought the story to life! Joe Arden is my favorite male narrator and the female narrator did a fantastic job as well. I cannot wait to read the rest of Brynnes book because this was a top read of 2023 for me hands down.

Haha omg this was a fun read. I really enjoyed it!

I loved how Sloane and Rowan meet. I loved the build up of their relationship and that he falls first! It was a bit of a slow burn l, but when that spark ignites, hot damn! They have some amazing effed up chemistry. I was here for it!

I laughed a lot. The serial killer aspect of it was so great. The banter phenomenal. The twist, I did not see coming! So good!

I especially loved the bonus scene 🤣

This is an awesome read if you want something a bit different!

This was a fun mash-up between dark romance, rom-com, and thriller genres! Personally, I'm not sure if this series is for me, but I can totally see why so many readers are loving it and why it's been getting so much hype. It's a quick and entertaining read.

okay this was so different and wonderful I was engaged the whole time. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it exceeded anything I could have thought of. the romance was well developed and believable. I also truly appreciated the the content warnings so I knew what to expect. two morally grey characters together just makes sense

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for this ARC! I requested this book after hearing about it non stop on bookstagram and booktok. I thought the plot was clever and unique, serial killers who fall in love? Sign me up!

I did enjoy this read, but I wasn’t a fan of the dark romance or the sex scenes. I don’t normally read dark romance so most of those scenes I skimmed over.

Overall, I thought this was a clever and interesting read, just not completely for me.

This book is fantastic!
I knew I was in for a wild ride with a romance about two serial killers, but after reading the trigger warnings (accidental cannibalism?!) and hesitantly starting this book, I was completely sucked into the story.
Brynne Weaver's writing is immediately captivating, intriguing the reader from the very first page, absolutely hilarious at times and heartwarming at others, and not allowing for any lull to the story.
You very quickly fall in love with our two main characters, who are interesting individually, but who's chemistry together makes fireworks escape off the page.
Our main characters are flawed people, but they're written with such care that those flaws become why the reader falls in love with them as individual characters and as a romantic pairing.
The pining of our male main character? I couldn't get enough of it! The hesitancy of our female main character? Completely believable and so rewarding when she pushes herself to be brave.
And the spice? Absolutely impeccably done!
I can't wait for the next book in this series or anything else that Weaver puts out!
Pick up this book immediately! You won't regret it!

I was excited to get this book based off of tiktok but I was a little disappointed! The concept is fun but maybe the plot line just wasn’t for me.

I have heard a lot of excitement about this book but unfortunately it was not for me. I thought the pacing was a little messy, I did not connect with the characters and I felt their romance completely unbelievable. The banter between them felt forced and a bit try-hard and the “plot” was sprinkled in with no explanation and seemed to only exist to put the characters together

THIS BOOK IS A MASTERPIECE. The humor. The chemistry. The spice. The subject matter. The writing, All of it. I laughed and.i cried. I devoured it and was angry at myself for being such a speed reader, I immediately got a tattoo dedicated to this book the same day I finished it and plan to be buried with a copy of it (that’s how in love I am with this story). Every single thing I look for in a book, this checks the boxes. Will be posting on goodreads and doing a highlighted feature on my bookclub insta.

Butcher and Blackbird was a sweet, spicy and HILARIOUS romance. Definitely not for the squeamish, but also don’t let the trigger warnings scare you away TOO much because it truly isn’t THAT bad.

This book follows the lives of two serial killers who take out other serial killers. After a chance encounter, they agree to start a game between each other as competition. Year after year they show up for this game and over time, feelings develop as both Rowan and Sloane finally feel seen and loved for who they truly are at their core.

Filled with deep conversations, hilarious banter, steamy sex scenes and possessive yet protective vibes, this book has absolutely everything I didn’t know I wanted and then some. I absolutely cannot wait to continue with this series!!!