This review is going to be all over the place- because my feelings an opinions were all over the place.

First of all, when an opportunity for an advance copy came up, I was hesitant due to it being book two in a trilogy. I haven't read book one and I knew I wouldn't have the time to do so prior to reading this by the publication date. However, it said it was a stand alone- in multiple places. I trusted that and went with it. While technically a stand alone, I felt like I was missing a lot. I would not recommend reading this as a stand alone.

This started off really good. Really, really good. Then it kind of went flat. There were chapters and chapters, but nothing really happening.

Then, the audio. I always prefer when dual narrators are used for dual POV books. They went a step further and had the narrators read their own dialogue. (Samantha Brentmoor would read Lark's dialogue even if it was Lachlan's chapter narrated by Eric Nolan.) That alone didn't bother me. It was the laughing. Lark, especially, laughs a lot. And the forced fake laugh was annoying. And then it got even worse when they finally had sex. The moaning and panting was too much for me. I have read (or listened to an audiobook) with far more explicit scenes, but the noises were creepy.

Lastly, the word whore was thrown around quite a bit. I get dirty talk, but that just bothers me.

So, basically, I am going with 3 stars. The beginning deserves more. The sex noises deserve negative stars.

If you read book 1 and actually read book 2 as opposed to listening, I think you will love it. If you skipped book one and actually read it, you may feel like you are missing something, but you will still enjoy it. I don't recommend the audio version unless you can deal with a lot of fake laughing and the sex noises. The rest of the narration is fine, but the rest detracts so much, I cannot recommend the audio.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic second installment in the Ruinous love trilogy that left me wanting more! This dual POV, dark romantic comedy series has an Irish contract killer, Lachlan and serial killer/singer, Lark entering into a marriage of convenience and slowly falling in love.

STEAMY, a bit gory but oh so funny and swoony all at once. I laughed out loud, I cringed and I was left more than a little hot and bothered! I can't wait for Rose's story next! This was also great on audio narrated by Samantha Brentmore and Eric Nolan.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy courtesy of Zando. This series won't be for everyone but for I highly recommend it for fans of authors like Laurell Hamilton or Ana Huang.

CW: sexual abuse of minors, revenge killing

Y'all are NOT ready for this masterpiece of a book! This is a MUST LISTEN and I will not hear any arguments otherwise. If you thought Butcher & Blackbird was good, prepare to strap yourself in for this ride with Rowan's brother Lachlan and Sloane's best friend Lark. With the amazing voices of Samantha Brentmoor and Eric Nolan the narration was a true duet and an experience not to be missed. The sound effects during certain scenes were incredible. The spicy scenes were very spicy and will have you going back to relisten to those chapters.

Lachlan and Lark are a perfect enemies to lovers pairing with tension that will leave you wanting more. Be ready for a lot of swooning when you hear Lachlan Kane say anything with that Irish gravely voice. I absolutely melted every time he said Duchess.

Lark was an interesting character and exploring her past allowed you to immerse in her trauma and coping mechanisms. My favorite part was how Lachlan's past shaped his opinion of Lark and how it shifted after he started to truly get to know her. I fully enjoyed getting to know our main characters but oftentimes Lark's Aunt Ethel stole the show. Her spunky attitude and behind the scenes scheming had me laughing.

This book had the perfect balance of gore, unaliving, mystery, humor, emotions, trauma, tension and spice. And of course more food will be ruined for you. The trigger warnings are no joke and please heed them. This book is definitely not for the faint of heart and for seasoned dark readers only.

Hate-to-love
Marriage of convenience
FMC musician / serial unaliver
MMC contract k¡ller / leather worker
Grumpy / sunshine
He falls first
Groveling, but make it psycho
Crafting, but make it mvrdery
Feminine rage, but make it sparkly
Touch her / him and d!e
Spicy SPICE

The narrators did really well with this one. They were enjoyable to listen to. I will say it did remind me a bit of the first one. I like the marriage trope tho. So it was a solid one.

The MUCH-anticipated sequel to Butcher & Blackbird is finally here!

The first meeting between Lachlan Kane and Lark Montague is nothing short of a disaster, and ends with them not being able to stand each other. But due to certain circumstances they end up in a marriage of convenience, and things just spiral from there.

I can’t say I loved this book; the plot just didn’t live up to my expectations and felt more like an excuse for the mentioned marriage of convenience, rather than a plot by itself. With that being said, this book definitely had the same vibes I liked as those in Butcher and Blackbird. Though I do have to ask, how do these murderers keep finding each other???

If you liked Butcher and Blackbird, I can’t see why you wouldn’t like this one too, so do pick it up!

Big thanks to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select and the author Brynne Weaver for allowing me to read an audio arc of this novel.

I was incredibly excited to receive the ALC for Leather & Lark after absolutely loving Butcher and Blackbird! I didn’t even read the synopsis to know anything about the book, going in completely blind.

If you read Butcher, you know what to expect here - a bit of gore, the author ruining a food for us, some kinky open door spice, and plenty of touch her and die energy. The story builds using several of my favorite tropes (enemies to lovers with a fake marriage?! Yes please!), and revelations about Lachlan and Lark are playfully told as the pair get to know each other’s dark side.

The audio is done in duet style narration, a fabulous choice that makes the audio a whole experience. Lark’s playful giggles and haunting singing add layers to the book, and narrators Eric Nolan and Samantha Brentmoor do an incredible job playing off each other. Nolan’s gruff tone and accent work perfectly for the tough and closed off Lachlan, and I could easily listen to these two narrate anything.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select - Zando for the ALC. all opinions are my own.

I was fortunate enough to receive an audio arc of this book. These are my unbiased opinions.

The narrator’s were fabulous! They embodied the characters so well. I loved the accents. This is a really fun audiobook. My only negative I derived was how natural all the “laughs” and “cackles” sounded. It always made the character seem maniacal when they were literally just laughing at a joke.

The story did not disappoint!
I liked the Butcher & Blackbird a good bit.
I liked this one even more!
Lark and Kane were so much fun.
Their love was cute and hawtttt!

The humor continued from the first book into this one and I ate it up!
We get lots of scenes where we get Sloan and Rowan updates.

There’s still the disturbing (but honestly so disturbing it’s funny) bits.
I’ll never see pizza the same again.

This was a great sequel to the original and I’m excited for the final installment’s release in the future.

I finished Butcher & Blackbird within 24 hours and knew that I immediately needed the second. Thankfully I was able to get approval for Leather & Lark. Much like the first book, I was hooked. I have been seeing this book all over my feed, and all the reviews are so positive. It lived up to all the hype, and was such an amazing read. The banter was just as addictive, the chemistry was unbelievable, and the spice was everything. Reading this has me questioning so much about myself. If you need me, I'll be eating pizza and cookies & cream ice cream.

Check trigger warnings. Tropes: haters to lovers, marriage of convenience, grumpy /sunshine, he falls first (SWOON), touch her (or him) and dies, groveling.

Entering the world of the second book in the series was like diving headfirst into a whirlpool of passion and suspense, and I absolutely loved every moment of it. From the very start, the audio production swept me away, enveloping me in its spellbinding embrace and keeping me hooked until the very end.

The fake marriage plotline was a stroke of genius, adding an extra layer of intrigue and tension to the story. I found myself completely engrossed in the characters' web of deception and desire, eagerly devouring each twist and turn as the plot unfolded.

And the characters themselves! Oh, how I adored them. They felt so incredibly real, each one flawed and relatable in their own unique way. I laughed with them, cried with them, and cheered for them as they navigated the ups and downs of their tumultuous journey.

Thisis book is a captivating blend of romance and suspense, brought to life with impeccable audio production and unforgettable characters. If you're a fan of the genre, do yourself a favor and dive into this enthralling story—you won't be disappointed.

Book 2 in this trilogy has killer Lachlan fake marrying singer Lark. I love the fake marriage trope and though this story was dark and steamy (as per book one), it was also quite sweet! I was lucky enough to listen to this on audio and if you have the chance to do so, I highly recommend it because both narrators do a phenomenal job voicing over the characters.

This is one of the few instances where the audio version elevates the writing! Samantha Brentmorr as Lark went beyond my imagination on the page, especially in song.

The trigger warning excerpt alone is enough to continue turning the page. This story might be dark, but it isn’t at all distasteful or heavy. It is hot and hilarious though. And Lachlan uses one of my favorite nicknames — Duchess. Accent and all. Moral of the story, I need an Aunt Ethel in my life.

I was worried that this book wouldn’t be as good as the first book. I was wrong. I loved this fun, unique, well-written masterpiece. I loved the audiobook. It was very well done and the narrators were dynamite. The only thing that drove me a bit crazy is there was a lot of laughing with the characters. It was kind of extensive. lol
The story was funny at times and intense at other times. I loved the depth of the characters. I can’t wait to listen to more books by this author! Huge thanks to Dreamscape and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book!

The narrators of this audiobook were very good! I feel like the story and characters were very similar to the first book in the series. While I like them, I was hoping for something a little more different. It just felt like the same story, different font.

Leather & Lark is wickedly addicting! An amazing continuation to the series.

Contract killer Lachlan Kane just wanted a quiet life forgetting all about his past but when he messes up a job and he knows he's in deep trouble until Lark Montague offers him a deal to use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom but like all things. There is a catch, He has to marry her first. I loved their dynamic. It has hate to love, marriage of convenience, touch her and become not alive. It has grumpy sunshine, protective hero, and forced proximity. I think hearing the narrators added to the story. I got to feel the storyline and their emotions and the story felt like a movie. It felt like I was watching a horror film but comedic and yet romantic at the same time. Brynne Weaver has such a clever way of adding horror, gore and thrilling topics and still making it romantic. I loved Lachlan and Lark. I thought their relationship progression was deliciously steamy, sweet and fun.

I also loved the humor within the dark themes and fans of the first book will love this next one. I cannot wait for the next one in the series. if you have a chance to listen on audiobook, I highly recommend it.

The much-anticipated follow-up to Butcher & Blackbird, this takes on the stories of Sloane’s best friend Lark and Rowan’s brother Lachlan…and it’s just as violent and spicy. A contract killer, Lachlan wants to move on to a quiet life but after botching a big job for his boss, getting out seems impossible, until Lark—with her own dark secrets—comes in with a proposition: getting married in order to secure his freedom. The problem? They hate each other and it’ll take a lot to make it believable, otherwise it could mean life or death.
While I thought this was a little less violent than its predecessor, the story still found a way to bring the main characters together in a way beyond their mutual connections. The high-stakes thriller, combined with romance, really captures the reader. Samantha Brentmoor and Eric Nolan brought all of the characters to life, from the gruff “Batman” Irish accent of one to the creepy southern drawl of another.
Thank you to Dreamscape Select for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have so much fun reading these books.

I think I liked the relationship in B&B better personally, but I'm a sucker for characters who hate each other and have to form an alliance so this was a super fun read.

The duet narration was sublime. The giggling had me cringing a bit but otherwise it was perfect. It's a bit less stabby than the first book and had more of a mystery/mafia style plot. Those are some of my faves.

Expect:

✨marriage of convenience
✨slow burn --> 70-% then supersonic
✨trophy collection
✨my wife
✨character cameos from first book

The scene where she's on stage singing 🥵🥵🥵

I listened between 1.75x and 2x and that was perfect with the Irish accents. Excellent narration. Minus the singing.

Thank you for the advanced audio copy !

Oh. My. God. I didn’t think this could out-do “Butcher and Blackbird”, but I’ll be damned!!!! Lachlan is so 🔥🔥🔥 the amount of times this book has my jaw dropping is absolutely insane. Weaver has done it again!!

4.5 stars rounded to 5 on Goodreads. Thank you NetGalley for providing me this audio ARC for my honest review.

I didn't think it was possible to like the second more than the first, but I did.

I loved the name calling between the three brothers. Lark and Lachlan's chemistry was everything. Ethel, oh my, nothing but amazing things to say about that woman. Her hell-raiser attitude and her take zero crap mentality, everything one could want with someone by your side. Right amount of spice mixed with right amount of mischief.

Enemies to lovers
Unaliver romance
He falls first
Marriage of convenience

However, why? Why the pizza scene? As always check the trigger warnings before reading.

I was excited to get the audiobook of book 2: Leather and Lark in Brynne Weavers The Ruinous Love Trilogy.

What to expect from this book:
* grumpy sunshine
* he falls first
* tough her or him and die
* marriage of convenience
* hate to love
* murderous crafting (GLITTER!)
* spicy scenes
* musician serial un-aliver and a leatherwork contract un-aliver

What I enjoyed about this book:
* narration was 5/5. Samantha Brentmoor and Eric Nolan were FANTASTIC! I have never heard a book by Eric Nolan and he did not disappoint!
* When Lachlan and Lark first kiss- it was both sweet and hilarious
* their nicknames for each other when they were in their hate stage- she calls him Budget Batman and he calls her Blunder Barbie
* Lachlan and Lark's banter is fabulous!

I really liked the progression of their relationship and their connection. The narrators brought to life these characters so well and I could feel the tension, the connection and the pull they had toward one another. Lachlan says "without even realizing it, I've become addicted to her."

I really enjoyed both Lachlan and Lark's characters. Lachlan was softer then I was expecting him to be and I loved that. Lark was a badass but also incredible vulnerable and working through some trauma and I liked her "glittery" personality.

Please check trigger warnings. If you enjoyed Butcher and Blackbird and the marriage of convenience troupe then I highly recommend this book and especially recommend the audiobook.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Select (Zando) for an ALC of this audiobook. I voluntarily read it and gave an honest review.

Audio: 5⭐️ on audio quality/production! It had dual narration by Samantha Brentmoor (for Lark) & Eric Nolan (for Lachlan). I loved that both narrators spoke only for their own words in the story. The woman narrator didn’t try to make a man voice in her POV, or vice versa. That always enhances an audiobook for me!

Review: 3⭐️ - Story wise, I liked this book! It had marriage of convenience, some found family, serial unalivers, characters with traumatic pasts, and fun banter. I will say that the conflict that the whole book led up to was a bit uneventful and got over with quickly. All in all, I enjoyed it.