I loved it from page one, you totally don't expect how it ends or how it keeps your attention the whole book. Totally recommend this book to everyone.

*Thank you so much to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

I was so surprised by how much I loved this book! I thought I would enjoy it, but it far exceeded my expectations. The banter between Rowan and Sloane is so good, it feels natural and is laugh out loud funny. I cannot wait for the other books in this series to come out. I will be reading them right away!

I didn’t expect to love this book quite as much as I did, but for me it absolutely lives up to the hype. Two serial killers who target other serial killers start a yearly tradition where they meet up to compete over who can eliminate a shared target first. Over the course of several years and targets, they fall for eachother in a surprisingly tender way, given their other predilections. These two characters who largely have to hide themselves from everyone else, get to be truly known, serial killing and all.

I’ve now read this twice, first as an ebook ARC (thanks Netgalley!) and then the audiobook, and I genuinely can’t decide what I loved more. I’ll say I normally find audio romance books to be to cringy to enjoy and this didn’t feel that way at all. Maybe something about the dual POV acting that worked terribly well.

I’m super excited about its sequel, Leather and Lark, which is coming out next year.

I’d recommend this story to anyone who enjoys morally grey characters, a slow burn love story, and spice. Trigger warnings should be obvious here, but there’s some murder and torture. Just a friendly little murder and torture. Five stars. :)

Serial killers need love, too.

What a wild, sexy, effed up ride.

Could Sloan and Rowan BE any more perfect for each other? What with all the murdering and the banter and the DIRTY DIRTY SEX?

I loved the settings, the side-characters, the blood thirst, the VIGELANTE JUSTICE.

I didn’t love Sloan’s descent into self-loathing, so I’m glad that didn’t last long.

I may never eat ice cream again, but I’ll definitely sign up for a second helping of Ruinous Love.

Thanks to NetGalley and Zando Publishing for this bestial ARC.

Wait because this was actually so good. I am a little skeptical sometimes when books blow up on BOOKSTAGRAM because I have been let down more than once. But this exceeded all expectations! I love the that this is a Romance about two serial killers, but it’s also cute and wholesome and smutty. It has a good plot, good dialogue, lovable characters, and fun side characters.

I saw someone suggest this if you liked The Mindf*ck Series, and I feel like that’s a fair suggestion. You get similar badass woman and almost golden retriever energy boyfriend vibes.

This was really good. I definitley want to read the second book!

When two serial killers seeking justice come together while also seeking justice hunting other serial killers… things go a little crazy. Sloane and Rowan are a wonderful unexpected couple here.

I already loved the idea and the plot line within these pages — when their psychopathic banter and manners are added in? They had me laughing, and shook when it came to those spicier scenes. Rowan, the Butcher, may have fallen first in the hardest way but his Blackbird? She couldn’t deny that he was a handsome man even though she did not want to give him the light of day.

I LOVED that Rowan had no interest in dulling her light and only wanted her to embrace her psychotic tendencies they both share.

I was wholeheartedly intrigued when I started seeing this book float around Booktok and Bookstagram because the genres of dark romance and romantic comedies are a weird mix.

If you like dark comedies in terms of movies and books, this one will be right up your alley. Fun. Gruesome. It checked all the boxes here.


Huge thank you to Zando, Netgalley and the author Brynne Weaver for the eARC.

I’ll be honest—when one of my friends told me they were reading a serial killer romance, I thought they were crazy. But Butcher and Blackbird won my heart and absolutely had me kicking my feet with glee at the banter within the first few pages. This was a fun and sarcastic and delightful romp that knows exactly what it’s doing. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f dark romance
-great banter
-serial killers falling in love
-he imprints on her
-she's in denial
-hurt/comfort

I had been hearing about this one all over BookTok and this was such a surprise in the best way. A tender, laugh out loud romance, as two serial killers play serial killer games with each other and yet somehow fall in love? Rowan just sees Sloane and gosh fated mates imprints on her, just gone no her. It's a slower burn for Sloane but I loved how these two slowly built up trust, let each other in on their lives, their hurts, and that sexual buildup. Somehow this book was a delicious slow burn. I cannot wait for the second book!

I enjoyed this book so much! I was less than 50% when I purchased the audiobook and pre-ordered the next book. I have heard about this book but have kept putting it off. I'm so sad I did. This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, and falling for another fictional man.

Rowan and Sloane are k!illers who only go after others who deserve it. After a chance meeting, the two enter a friendly competition that evolves into so much more. The banter between the two keeps you on your toes and will keep you entertained. The times they are together are always entertaining.

The pining that these two do for each other is everything. It really makes the moment they come together feel like a reward. The spice is so hot. Rowan's mouth will make you melt.

I'm excited to see what happens in the next book, and I am definitely going to check out more books by Brynne.

I would like to thank Brynne Weaver, Netgalley, and Zando Publishing for the opportunity to read this book for review.

Thank you to the publisher for the eArc!

I constantly kept hearing about this book online and needed to know what the hype was about and I’m so glad I did. This book is much darker than the romance I usually read so I was a bit hesitant during the first chapter, however the comedic tone really helped it not feel like too much and I really enjoyed the dark romance and rom-com crossover the author was able to accomplish. The relationship between Rowan and Sloane was so fun to read, from their banter to their more heartfelt moments.

Overall, I really enjoyed this and am really looking forward to the next book about Lark and Lachlan!

I am always a fan of dark romance but this book shook me. It is now my entire personality and I’m working my way through @brynne_weaver ‘s entire backlog. I never knew that I wanted snarky, sassy, laugh out loud dark ser!al k!ller romance but here we are. I AM OBSESSED

I loved every minute with Sloane and Rowan. I didn’t know you could write an MMC like Rowan and have it work but it did. I also loved Sloane all of her sass and her trauma. It pulled on my heartstrings at the same time it made me laugh and made me say out loud ‘Ohmygod Sloane! You can’t say that!’

P.S Brynne, I will never look at ice cream the same, so thanks for that 🤣

I will be shoving this book in all of my book friends hands, but please do check the triggers and content warnings because OMG SLOANE 😂

Hilarious, filthy, absolutely insane and surprisingly romantic. I love this so much. I don't often read dark contemporary romance but I'm so glad I gave this one a shot. It was so worth the read! I can't wait for the sequel!

This book was totally bonkers and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Was it often implausible and maybe not the best written book ever? Yep. Was it still a really fun read? Absolutely. The main characters have great chemistry which really helped to carry me through some of the silliness, and as someone who’s not really a dark romance reader I loved this more lighthearted take on dark romance.

Definitely check the trigger warnings before reading as there is a fair bit of gore among other triggering topics.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is an excellent read for those who love the darker and edgier reads. It is also perfect for YA fans. The characters are young and lived harsh lives that created the path that they both live by today. They have seen and witnessed the cruel darkness of what human beings can do to each other. They both pride themselves on getting rid of the world’s scumbags, murderers, and the darkest of the dark people. They each have their own system to riding the world of bad killers. In a twisted way, they are heroes. The writing was phenomenal. I felt like I was there experiencing the dark roller coaster ride along with the protagonists. The banter between the main characters is hilarious. I loved when they would bicker! There was also an emotionally charged tale that each character brought to this book. They made it come alive. If you love dark romances, dark thrillers, and dark suspense with humor added-this is the book to read!

Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Narrators: Joe Arden and Lucy Rivers
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 3 chilis

Well, this was not what I was expecting…but in a good way! It’s an edge-of-your-seat, dark romance that turned out to be a wildly entertaining ride from start to finish.

Sloane and Rowan are both serial killers, targeting only the worst types of people. The first time they cross paths, the attraction is instant, and in order to stay in each other’s lives, they come up with an idea for a yearly competition. Each year, they compete by hunting down a dangerous killer, and whoever gets to them first wins.

I’m usually more of a fluffy rom-com reader, but this turned out to be one of my favorite romances of the year! These two are gross, don’t get me wrong but in a super sweet way.

Rowan is the best part of this whole book and my favorite new book boyfriend. He’s charming, Irish, dangerous, and charismatic, and his attraction to Sloane is immediate and barely controllable. He somehow manages to be the sweetest cinnamon roll while also being a little insane. The things he says and does for Sloane made me melt, and his dirty talk is on point.

Sloane is a badass, and I loved her character. She’s fiercely loyal and protective of the people she loves, and luckily for Rowan, he’s one of them. This is a slow burn, but once things heat up, it gets VERY steamy. I loved the romance, the humor, the twists, and the suspense, and that ending had my heart pounding.

Joe Arden is the voice of Rowan and he KILLS this narration. I loved his accent, and I think it’s his best work to date. The dual narration is also a favorite of mine and enhanced my listening experience.

If you’re squeamish, you should check the trigger warnings before reading. The author lists them at the beginning of the book.

Overall, this was amazing. I loved every second of it (well, maybe not the Orzo pasta part), and I can’t wait for Weaver’s next book in the series!

Read if you like:
*dark romance
*serial killers
*he falls first
*Irish accents
*reverse grumpy/sunshine

I asked for this ARC for two reasons: bonkers premise and the hype this book already gathered on bookstagram. I wanted to see for myself if this mix of dark and com is for me. And let me tell you — it delivered.

I’m never the one to be too grossed out by gory details in the darker books or movies, so the serial-killer aspect did not bother me but instead thrilled me. Our heroes are the Dexter types — killing other serial killers to help bring some justice into this world and rid it of the worst specimens of (in)humanity. But of course, since it’s a romcom, there should be a whimsical aspect to it. And this is why Rowan is a chef, a.k.a. Butcher, and Sloane has a charming gimmick of plucking her victims’ eyes out. The two become acquainted over a dead body and form an instant connection, which leads them to compete in a serial-killer-killing competition once every year. Don’t think about it too much, it works 😉

My angst-loving soul latched onto this story and didn’t let go until the end. With the added value of danger, every aspect of the romantic relationship became heightened, when at times the stakes were raised from will-they/won’t-they to will-they-survive. The third act ripped my heart out, even though I knew it would end well. That’s a good story.

Rowan is such a dream, the way he cared about Sloane, almost to the point of obsession. I can’t wait to read about his brothers, I bet they are all possessive and protective over their women 🫠🫠

The twist wasn’t much of a twist to be honest, but I didn’t mind that. There was enough excitement in the story for me as it was.

On brand with the darkness of the plot, the steam was dark but oh-so-steamy. Some scenes, especially at the end, surprised me with new kinks that I apparently now have 😅😅 Not every kink was for me, but I’m not the one to yuck someone’s yum 😋

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️🌶️
❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received this advanced copy from #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is probably one of the most outrageous books I have ever read and I loved every second of it. It was hilarious, goofy, the right amount of gore and drama, and the romance! Don't even get me started on what a perfect romance this was. I genuinely can't wait to read more! I need the next two books immediately please!

Butcher and Blackbird- 3.75⭐️ 4🌶️

Contemporary romance
Dark romcom
Dark romance
Dual POV
He falls first
Slow burn
Open door spice


If you ignore the trigger warnings, that on you… cause they aren’t satire.

This was surprisingly a good read. I mean it was out there, with serial killing serial killers falling in love. But it followed the normal contemporary romance formulas. The flirty banter was good. The tongue in cheek silliness was really what made this story stand out. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and I appreciate that.

I find it interesting how actual little we know about the pasts of the main characters. We got brief overviews, and the internal dialogue just lets us assume their histories or “SK origin stories” were bad, and moves on. I don’t know if that is enough for such defined characters or not. It was a little flippant, like an offhand remark, only it was both characters “why”.

Other than that, this was a great funny, messed up, dark romcom. The similarities to the show “Dexter” is obvious.

Thank you NetGalley and Zando for an Advanced eReader Copy of this book in exchange for their honest review.

This book was funny and had a few unexpected things in it. It definitely had spicy sense and I loved how they bantered together. I can’t wait for the next book!

4.5/5 stars - This is a friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy about Sloane and Rowan. A chance encounter puts two serial killers together and sparks a rivalry that spans four years. The two killers meet up once a year, for a challenge. As their friendship develops, a spark shines and they start to feel more. They must decide if they can trust each other, and themselves enough to fall in love.

I never thought I would like a romance about serial killers, but I did. These are serial killers with morals, they kill people who "deserve" to be killed. Think, similar to Dexter Morgan. This was an amazing dark romance that featured a lot of triggers. The author tells you all potential triggers at the beginning of this book, please heed them!

Rowan, though a serial killer, was an absolute gem. He is dark and mysterious but with golden retriever energy. Not only is he a serial killer, he is a successful businessman and chef, and is completely in love with Sloane. Sloane is smart, funny and a little bit crazy. She has a dark history that has made her who she is, which has also made it difficult to let anyone in.

I loved the interaction between Rowan and Sloane. Their banter was perfect, and I loved the dynamic between the two of them. I loved that Rowan was able to build trust with Sloane, while he was head over heels for her.

I ate this book up so quickly, and I was amazed. I cannot wait to read the other two books (about Rowan's brothers) when they come out! Thank you to NetGalley and Zando for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

Read if you like: friends to lovers, he falls first, dark romance, touch her and die vibes