5 stars

There are those books that the reviews are easy to write. And then there are books like Butcher & Blackbird that are difficult. Not because I didn't love it, but because I loved it so much I just want to gush about every aspect. Every interaction. Every time I swooned. I cheered this two on so hard and I tried to savor my reading because I didn't want the book to end.

For a book about two serial killers, this book was so much more romantic than it had any right to be. I was prepared for the darker aspects because I read the trigger warnings. But I was not prepared for how much swooning I would do or how much I would love both main characters. Rowan was so much more sunshine than I anticipated. Sloane was so relatable (somehow). I loved their "meet-cute". The development of their game and ensuing friendship was so effortless. The tension between them was perfect and so was the banter. I rooted for them from the beginning to be in love immediately, but they also made me root for them to be good at their "hobby". I loved the ending of this story and every step that led to it.

This book was an easy five stars for me. The story was unique- it made me laugh, it made me happy, and it made me swoon. You get enough of the side characters to understand them and peak interest (yes, I need the next book now) without overtaking the main characters.

I urge everyone to check the trigger warnings. BUT I still highly recommend this book.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for the early read. Definitely a new favorite!

As someone who loves dark comedies, a dark comedey with a romance at the heart is perfect for me. One of the greatest things for me - besides Rowan and Sloane's chemistry which has sparks flying from the jump - is the laugh out loud humor throughout the story. I audibly laughed many times. And even with Rowan and Sloane's particular extracurricular activities, they are still such well developed characters with ambitions, drive, goals, passions, communities. And I can't speak highly enough about the audiobook - the true duet style narration was fabulous, and it really helped me be engaged the whole book. I'm definintely looking forward to the rest of the series!

While I wanted in on the action for this book - it has become extremely popular - I found myself increasingly disturbed by the romanticization of serial killers. This has been unfolding for a few years, and it is absolutely not okay. While I like my villains to be dark, serial killers should not be idolized. No thank you.

Two serial killers turning into lovers alone caught my eye and I had to read this book right away. This book was hilarious and thrilling all at once. A bit of a slow burn, but SPICY. HOT. FIRE. These two lovers bring forth intense chemistry and banter that causes you to laugh out loud.

I wish the rest of the series was out already. The only downside to reading such a great start of a new series is the waiting game. BUT its worth the wait!

Warning - the ending will grip your heart a bit.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Truth I heard about this book on Tiktok. Let me tell you though!! This was such a good book! I can't wait to read the second book. I didn't think i would like it but it was so awesome!! Will be recommending this book to others. it had a little of everything in it.

4.25 Stars - I loved this book! It's an amazing dark romance that had me thoroughly entertained throughout. The storyline is about two serial killers who enjoy hunting and killing other serial killers. I found Rowan and Sloane's chemistry fantastic, and their flirty banter was delightful. While it was a slow burn, the romance had plenty of spice. I also loved the supporting characters, including the family and friends, and I'm eagerly looking forward to the second book in the series featuring Lachlan and Lark.

Unpopular opinion: I did not like this one.

Sloane and Rowan fall hard and fast in love, each independently tackling serial killers across the country and then together. Their adventures were interesting in the least to read about. I did not mind some gore/bloody scenes.

Hear me out. The pinning on Rowans end was not cute. It was as if he fell in love with her for the sole reason of her being a serial killer. I did not feel any romance development or interesting storyline. The side characters were alarmingly annoying and how were so many people in on this without getting caught? Ugh, maybe just coming off reading the Mindf*ck series did me dirty for this one. I was hoping it was going to give me those vibes and it did not. I was incredibly bored throughout the book and skimmed the entire second half of it.

I am sorry, not for me. It seems like the general consciences of this book is that everyone really liked it. I don't know one person I've talked to that didn't. Netgalley and publisher, please forgive me for this "negative" but honest review of Butcher and Blackbird. And as always, thank you for the advanced readers copy publishing on 01/09/2024!

Oh, my. (She says, clutching her pearls and looking for the next book in the series.) It was spicy...and I'm a fan of spice, but dare I say, learned a few new things? And the piercings. My, my, my. It was hot in all the right ways, great dialogue and an intriguing story. There were all shades of gray...I mean, are they really bad? It hooked me and I read it in one sitting. Can't wait for the next one!

🖤Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 🩷
The Ruinous Love Trilogy, Book 1
Interconnected standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️
Adult • Romance
NetGalley review
360 pages

🔪 dark romcom
🐦‍⬛ morally gray MCs
🔪 slow burn
🐦‍⬛ friends to lovers
🔪 he falls first
🐦‍⬛ touch her/him and 💀
🔪 forced proximity
🐦‍⬛ annual murdeckery

📍“No one competes with Sloane. She just hasn’t realized it yet.”

Some of you might look at the blurb saying “dark romcom where one serial unliver falls for another serial unliver while they unlive serial unlivers” and have reservations. Meanwhile, I just throw a “say less” and immediately request a copy. If that makes me a ps$cho, fine. But I’m their ps$cho 😜

📍“Sloane, I can’t lose you.”
“Then you’d better kiss me.”

Rowan and Sloane were two masterpieces of characters created with the sole purpose of making me happy. It’s like mindfck but make it a romcom and I don’t think my heart can cope. Too much blissful joy inside of it. I think it might actually self combust.

📍“Before you came along, something was missing. You, Rowan. You were missing.”

In the sea of so many lookalike romances, Brynne Weaver (what a last name *wink*) gifted us something as unique as entertaining. If this isn’t on your radar, do you even read?! Because… must 👏🏼

Sorry, 2024. You really started off with a 💥 and I feel like you either bring your A game or this will go downhill from here. 🙈

This was so much fun!! This book will have you giggling and kicking your feet, while also rooting for two serial killers to get their happy ending!

This book was just pure FUN! I know that’s a weird thing to say about a serial killer story, but I’m sorry, it just was 😂

This book was gory, silly, SEXY, and so adorably romantic! I think the target audience of this book is smut readers who romanticized the show Dexter, and I am very much within that demographic.

I loved the characters, I loved their chemistry and banter, and I loved the way they bonded over their common hobby! I thought it was hilarious that these two serial killers fell in love while murdering people.

I will say that I was a bit nervous going in because I don’t like dark romance, but the fact that this was a romantic comedy made it perfect! Highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the rest of the trilogy!

How is it possible to have this much fun while reading about two serial killers? Idk what is in this book but I simply COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.

The characters, the banter, the spice!!! It had everything! PLUS the MMC is named ROWAN? AND HE FALLS FIRST?

Might as well string me up with some fishing line and pluck out my eyeballs bc I am dead.

So so good. I wasn't sure how it would be because there is so much hype, but the hype is real and so deserved! I annotated at least one quote from every chapter. The banter was witty and a lot of fun, and the writing was quick. I also enjoyed the movie quote references that Brynne snuck in (“Did we just become best friends? Should we go do karate in the garage?”).

Butcher & Blackbird is so dirty and full of questionable morals, but the writing is amazing so you aren't even phased by it. It was more like being serial killers was just this fun hobby the MCs had in common but was not a huge deal.

Rowan was a great MMC. If a competitive, morally grey, dirty talking, cinnamon roll is your dream book boyfriend then the Butcher is your guy.

Sloane was such a strong FMC. She went toe-to-toe with Rowan on more than one occasion and was written as his equal in every way, which I loved so much.

I will be reading every book in this series and absolutely cannot wait for Leather & Lark to come next.

Bonus: check it out on audio! The narrators Joe Arden and Lucy Rivers were amazing and I really enjoyed the shared narration within the designated POV of each chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley, Zando Projects and Brynne Weaver for an advance copy. These are my honest thoughts.

This was so much fun to read and definitely deserves most of the hype it has been getting! If you think you want to read it just for the spice, just know that you're not going to get any true spicy scenes until about two thirds of the way through the book. My favorite scene is probably the accidental cannibalism scene (not a spoiler, it's listed in the trigger warnings in the beginning). I definitely laughed out loud several times!

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up Butcher & Blackbird but I was definitely surprised with what I got. This is one of the most graphic books I have ever read in both murder and sex scenes.

We get both main character's point of view in this book which I typically love. Both Butcher & Blackbird are serial killers who hunt serial killers. Each year they are brought together by a competition when they hunt the same killer.

On one hand, I couldn't look away from this book. Brynne Weaver's writing is uninhibited. The pages turned quickly and my jaw dropped multiple times.

On the other hand, I didn't like the insta-love in this book. I also felt like the flow had 3 separate parts that didn't necessarily flow together easily. Part 1: Lots of murdering. Part 2: Lots of sex but also the murdering takes the back burner while they open a restaurant? Part 3: A predictable plot twist that leads to a resolution.

Ultimately I think there is an audience for this book but I am not part of that audience.

I love this books. It’s got the darker aspects you expect and yet I was laughing SO HARD. This is easily one of my favorite books now. If you’re into dark romances but want something a little lighter this is good! As always check trigger warnings cause there is a lot. This is a book I see myself recommending to many friends.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Publication date: January 9,
2024

Butcher and Blackbird is a slow burn romance between morally grey serial killers. This is also the first book in a trilogy. This is my first book by Brynne Weaver and I can’t wait for the rest of this series!

Sloane is a serial killer in North Carolina. Not just your average serial killer, but one that only kills other serial killers. Sloane is known as the orb weaver, her signature plucking the eyeballs out of her victims.

Rowan is also a serial killer is Boston. He also only kills other series killers, balancing the scales of good and evil. Rowan runs into Sloane at the home of one such victim and saves her from her own untimely death.

This begins their annual competition where they meet up and try and chase a killer. The first one to kill wins. Over the years, Sloane and Rowan realize their connection is deeper than their annual competitions and eventually become lovers.

This is a slowwww burn but once they DO get together, it is worth the wait! I loved this relationship, the witty banter and pure adoration that Rowan has for Sloane is amazing. This is a 4 star for me but I encourage you to read the trigger warnings. This is a serial killer love story so if you’re squeamish, be aware there are many serial killery details throughout the story!

#NetGalley #brynneweaver #butcherandblackbird

Wow. This was definitely a dark romance and I’m not one for the gore and violence but the romance far outweighed any of that and certainly elevated this from a typical romance.

I liked the characters a lot. I really would’ve liked some more details about both of the characters’ backstories, especially Sloane’s. Something really awful must’ve happened and I didn’t feel as though the reader really found out what it was. Maybe we’ll hear more about this in the next book since Lark was with Sloane during those experiences.

I absolutely will read the next book in this series and I’m really looking forward to it. I’m recommending this to all my friends who want a spicy read but something a little darker than they’re used to in the main stream romance section.

This book is not for the squeamish. It takes some dark dark turns but it is amazing nonetheless. I can wait to see how the rest of the series and characters unfold.

Consider this my official entry into the genre that is Dark Romance. While this isn’t my first time reading it, this is the one that’s going to convince me to give it a proper try.

This was such a fun, twisted and messed up book that had me hungry for more (Get it? You only will if you’ve read it 😭) and I loved every minute of it.

Going into this, I admit I was ready to read surface-level characters that didn’t have much depth to them, however, I am so glad I was proven wrong and I discovered characters that I love. Also, the found family (And real family) aspect of this book also made it even more chef’s kiss (Another related joke, look at me go)

I am so excited to read what comes next for these characters. I am anxiously waiting for the next release so I can see what happens next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for providing me with this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.