What a feckin’ banger!

What does it say about me that my type is Brynne’s characters?

Though vastly different in personality and demeanor than Sloane, Lark was fierce, bold, hysterical, and badass in her own way. Lachlan was devoted, caring, and so delicious. It was such a joy to watch these two grow together as characters and as a couple.

While Leather & Lark contained darker themes than B&B, in my opinion, the violence was marginally less revolting. L&L was such a joy to read and I’m already frothing at the mouth for Book 3.

Thank you so much for approving me for this arc. I absolutely love Brynne.
2.75/5⭐️
Spoiler for my third reason pls be advised

Where can I start…I’m extremely sad. This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year and it felt very different from Butcher and Blackbird. First I will say everything I loved about Leather and Lark.
1. I love LACHLAN KANE
2. The banter—the banter between Lark and Lachlan was amazing. It is my favorite part of the book—the swooning conversations.
3. THE WEDDING 🥹🥹🥹
4. The sex scene 🥵🥵

Now about what I didn’t like.

1. I felt that the hate to love reason was invalid but also it felt dragged. More than half of the book Lark still held the first meeting against Lachlan. In my opinion I didn’t think he needed to apologize because he was there for a JOB. And he repeatedly explained what happened that night.
2. Chemistry/tension—I felt that the chemistry was lacking. In Larks point of views you don’t get much of her liking anything about Lachlan or really sympathizing with him. Sometimes throughout the book it seems forced between them. I love them individually but not as a couple.
3. The relationship between Sloane and Lark—-I mean I have to say this was the most disappointing to me. I felt like the relationship could’ve have been better. One thing I loved the most about BB&B was the relationship between the two. I don’t like that Lark couldn’t confide in Sloane to tell her what was going on but also how it involved her. Even towards the end no type of bonding or even acknowledgement that lark is also a multiple deleter.
4. The plot—I felt the plot was very lost in this process. Abe was completely forgotten about up until the last few pages of the book. The ending was rushed. I think there was so much focused on the back and forth and tension of them being together, that Abe showing up was resolved really quickly.

With that being said—I wish I could love this. I’m super excited for the next book as the end of the book did make me extremely excited for Rose and Fionn.

Leather and Lark is a worthy follow up to Weaver’s Butcher and Blackbird. The romance is a slow burn but the rest of the narrative is so tense readers might not even find that they’re waiting for the romance becoming so engrossed in the pace of the story itself. Much like Butcher and Blackbird this story might not be for certain readers but Weaver does an excellent job in the opening to highlight the various trigger warnings so the reader knows what they are getting! I found Leather and Lark faithful to the spirit of Butcher and Blackbird, fans of the first should doubtless be happy with this follow up!

And I thought Rowan was gonna be my fave but LACHLAN! Rowan and Lachlan are now tied for faves. Lark is hilarious and I love her sm! Leather daddy can get it any day🖤

✨𝕃𝕖𝕒𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 & 𝕃𝕒𝕣𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 ✨
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ʀᴇʟᴇᴀꜱɪɴɢ ᴏɴ 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟒
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I am going to try to not give spoilers 😅.
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This book gave me all the feels. I loved it. The witty banter, humor, and all the rom-com feels with darkness sprinkled on it. The slow burn between Lachlan and Lark had me sweating and just 🥵. I laughed. I cried. I raged. 🐕 I have a new found love for gold glitter. I still like pizza and smoothies 👀🤣 IYKYK.
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I loved everything about this read. It is right up there next to Butcher & Blackbird. 🔪🐦‍⬛ I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

I’ll keep it simple, this was phenomenal. If you loved B&B, you’re gonna love this one. Lark and Lachlan have my heart, and the slow burn through this story was so full of tension and angst 😍 Love me a good marriage of convenience.

So appreciative of the ARC I received for this, though my review is honest and unbiased.

I was very much looking forward to this book for MONTHS. I've been a Brynne fan for a couple of years now and this was very anticipated. Unfortunately, my fear of her being published (which don't get me wrong is a huge accomplishment) was a real fear. This book was not BRYNNE to me. Her last few books were amazing spice, cringe, humor and story.

This one felt like the beginning and end were written by one person and the middle another. I felt her creativeness was not here. The bad guy made little sense and was taken care of too quickly. He showed up too late and there was no real story behind that. Lots of missed opportunities with the Sloane/Lark relationship, the crafting hobby was not used as much as it should have and we were TOLD how Lachlan and Lark felt but not shown.

Lark came across at the end of B&B and in the beginning as a glittery, good kind of crazy girl and I didn't feel that throughout. Her personality didn't shine. Lachlan didn't even HAVE much of a personality besides a "grump" he was not the same man that was in B&B. He went from forgive me and I won't touch you to a complete 180. There was no chemistry or tension. The slow burn was just slow....for a GOOD slow burn you need to actually feel the tension....and we didn't.

I love Brynne and will continue to support her, but this book didn't feel like the Brynne I know and love.

I loved this as much as 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 & 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥. I love hate to love, and this is a great example 🙌🏻 Lark is such a great character. I loved her in 𝘉𝘶𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳 & 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘣𝘪𝘳𝘥, and loved getting to learn more about her. Also, her aunt Ethel is life goals 🤣 Lachlan is just as delicious as Rowan, but in his own way. I felt every single emotion while reading this! Highly recommend!!!

Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction set it free. While I was deeply disturbed by the first book, I am too invested in this series to not continue it. This was just as dark and twisted as the first. Defiantly out of my comfort zone but totally worth the read.

Leather & Lark was a great followup to B&B.

Lacklan and Lark are your typical grumpy/sunshine, Lachlan turning out to be a big sweetheart and and Lark showing us more under the surface.

I don't read a lot of marriage of convenience, but I had a hard time believing this one. I think it's because I had a hard time believing who the bad guy was and why he was a bad guy. I think there was too much going on there. You can be a religious nut job without having to seek vengeance, especially when the brother he's seeking vengeance for acted entirely against the religion this guy was preaching? It just didn't convince me.

I want more gore! L&L arguably had the same amount of gore, but I loved that Lark took trophies. And her trophies were incredible.

Weaver is quickly becoming an iconic author when it comes to tension and banter, which is so important for romances. She's got it 100%

Thank you to Netgalley and Zando for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

What a fantastic fantastic book! Leather and Lark by Brynne Weaver does not disappoint! Is it often I love the second book in a series more or as much as I loved the first? Not often, but this stands up and is just as incredible as Butcher and Blackbird. I love Lachlans and Larks story!

Minor spoilers: The marriage of convenience in this story is so good and one of my favorite tropes. I love we still got to see Rowan and Sloanes story continue. Did this book make me cry? Yes, several times.

Does this book make me love Brynne Weaver more? Also yes.

I will own several copies when it’s released, and can’t wait to share this book with everyone!

I really enjoyed this book, it was fun and the perfect amount of dark and humor intertwined. I do feel like it was missing something, mostly connection with the characters. I feel like i already loved them so much because of the first book but i wish there was a little bit more in this one to make me as a reader feel connected to them.

I quickly fell in love with the first one and was SO excited for this one. This did not disappoint. I think I might love it more than the first? Lark and Lachlan are just pure fucking perfection.


I cannot wait until the next one, with this ending idk what they are going to do but I know I’ll absolutely love it.

This book was amazing! The characters, the pacing, the build up, it was all perfect. I could not put this book down and am so happy I got to spend the time with Lachlan and Lark. I had so many thoughts while reading, the biggest one being I don't know if I'll ever look at a smoothie the same way while also laughing maniacally that I will never look at one the same way. This book really had it all. Brynne did such an amazing job with these characters and this storyline. I cannot wait for the next one.

Thank you to Netgalley, Zando, and Brynne for an ARC of this book.

I had high hopes for this book, and every one of them was exceeded!

I've been a fan of Brynne's work for a couple of years now, and she never fails to impress and awe with each new book.

First things first: Lachlan. I have no words to adequately describe this man. Incoherent screaming would probably do a better job of describing my feelings for him. He comes across as cold-hearted and aloof, but in reality, he is a super loyal, fiercely protective, warm, sarcastic, loving, and overly caring individual. He is now at the top of my book boyfriend list.

Next up, Lark. I'm used to Brynne writing really strong, badass female main characters. Lark is no exception, but there was an extra layer to her that I was surprised with and loved. Whilst still a sparkly badass, Lark is a very relatable character who is easy to root for from the get-go. She was quite different from the characters I'm used to from Brynne's books, but I loved Lark in all of her Keanu loving, sparkly ways.

The plot was slow, but definitely not in a bad way. The hate to love trope was done the right way with a great focus on the hate before the love. The development of Lachlan and Lark's relationship was delicious.

I loved the dual POV. We got amazing insight into each of our main characters' thoughts throughout the story, and Lachlan's feelings towards Lark were just *chef's kiss*.

Overall, Brynne has delivered another winner, and I'm already desperate for the third instalment of the series!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

OMG PLEASE write Fionn and Rose's story quick. Like FAST! I love this series. Perhaps I was waiting for the shock value the first held. Not quiet. I mean, it was plenty, but it didn't put me off pizza, unlike cookies and cream. (I still get a bit green when I walk by the ice cream case.) There wasn't a thing about this book I didn't love, including Ethel. Wonderful series and Weaver has GOT to keep writing...to finish this series and give me much, much more!

I love when the second book in the series is just as good as the first but in a entirely different way. What is better than two serial killers hating, but not, each other and being forced to marry.

I loved Lark she just had a way about her with her sass and take no crap attitude and her quirky comebacks while concealing all the pain she has. Let’s NOT FORGET that she is the glitter MASTERMIND. Lachlan and is grunts and broody ways who sees right though her façade. The banter/slow build/lust between these two is electric. The extended epilogue dang you will need some ice.

I enjoyed the cameos of my favorite characters from the previous book as well as the new side characters that we meet here. Aunt Ethel deserves her own recognition from one instigator to another.

Brynne is a master at taking dark romance with descriptive graphic k!ll!ng and blending it with humor and sarcasm that keeps me coming back for more. I will be over here waiting on Rose and Fionn story next. It lives up to the hype and is a 5/5

Oh my FECKING GOD!!!

Brynne Weaver said hold my drink and then popped tf OFF!!

What’s better than two serial killers falling in love? Two serial killers who hate each other, are forced to marry one another to save the people they love, AND THEN falling in love with one another.

It should come as a surprise to no one that this book was chock full of bits that had me blushing, laughing, and gagging.

I’m hopelessly in love with Lachlan “Asshat” Kane, I desperately want to be BFF’s with Lark, and I can only envision Ethel and I smoking cigars in a convertible spraying the cameraman down with a money gun.

Easy 5 star review.

(PS. I’M FERAL OVER THAT FUCKING BONUS SCENE JESUS CHRIST I NEED A GLASS OF MILK & A BUCKET OF ICE)

I just want to thank Brynne and the publishers Zando for providing me with an E-arc of Leather & Lark.

Leather & Lark is the 2nd book in The Ruinous Love Trilogy and follows the "enemies to lovers" story of Lachlan Kane and Lark Montague...

If you enjoyed Butcher & Blackbird then you should love this, don't worry though Lachlan and Lark aren't Rowan & Sloane 2.0, they are very much their own characters with entirely different personalities that we only glimpsed in Butcher & Blackbird.

Leather & Lark has the same humour and sarcasm that you would expect from Brynne, the spice is Spicing- and very much a slow burn; but my god is it worth it!
The development of Lark & Lachlans relationship feels so real, Brynne really does have a way of making you connect to her characters, you honestly end up feeling like you *know* these characters and you just want the best for them.
You feel their pain, their trauma, their joy, their love, their humour, I'm still chuckling at "Budget Batman" among maaaany other things.

This is primarily told through Lark and Lachlans POV but we do also have a phantom POV sprinkled throughout (sprinkled like glitter... get it? Hopefully you'll get that terrible pun when you are lucky enough to read L&L)

I honestly can't wait for the official publication of L&L.

🌟 4.25/5

🛑 Look at the author's trigger warning!!!

‼️ While this book could be read as a standalone, this is book 2 of the Ruinous Love Trilogy series.

ℙ𝕆𝕍: first person, dual perspectives

𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕣𝕪:
Contract *unaliver* Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life. But when he botches a job for his boss’s client, Lachlan knows he’ll never get out of the underworld. At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: 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. Lark is the sunshine and glitter that clings to every crevice that Lachlan tries to hide inside. Lachlan thinks she’s just a princess, but Lark has plenty of secrets hiding in the shadows of her bright light. With her 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 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.

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
Wow, not to brag or anything, but I'm ecstatic that I'm a part of Brynne's ARC team. Not only did she manage to include us in her publishing deal, but we got it 3 whole months early!🤩❤️

Lachlan and Lark... I'm not sure where to even start with this review, so I'll just put out random thoughts! Will you still hang with me??? If you're still reading, then you must not mind!

Be like Lachlan, who steals his wife's glitter, just to gift it to her for a "special occasion." IYKYK 🤣 The eyeball scene will forever be my favorite! I keeled over laughing!!!!👀 Lark... Girl, I'm FULLY supportive of you being a "multiple deleter.”🤭

Auntie Ethel was one of the best parts of this book. I love the instigator in her! I also loved getting to see more of Rowan and Sloane! The OG babies still made my heart swell!🥺😍

Brynne, thank you once again for gifting us with this masterpiece! THAT ENDING!🤯