Leather & Lark: The Ruinous Love, Book 2

When I told my husband that I was reading a serial k!ller romance, he gave me a side eye. When I started cackling while listening to the audiobook, I think he was a little bit concerned, lol. But the truth is that this series is kinda hysterical, even though it’s dark and gruesome in other ways. Weaver has such a skill for balancing the dark and the swoony, making me love these twisted characters. This one is a new spin on the beloved marriage of convenience trope, bringing together a “multiple deleter” and a contract k!ller. It’s also a best friend’s brother-in-law romance, with a banter-filled meet cute, tons of chemistry, and a boy obsessed. I loved the slow burn and how absolutely adorable the (anti)hero was - he was so completely gone for his girl. He knows he needs to put in the work to win over his wife after their disastrous first meeting, and he doesn’t hesitate to do so. The writing is just immensely bingeable, entertaining, and fun - I devoured this in a single day, and there was certainly never a dull moment. I loved it!I think it goes without saying that there are some dark, potentially triggering elements to the series, but even more so with this installment. The story follows Lark, a woman whose experience with SA has shaped her into the woman she is today. Namely, that she hunts down sexual predators and makes sure they can never hurt anyone again - taking matters into her own hands. You’d never know by looking at Lark that such darkness lives inside her, which is why her first interaction with Lachlan goes so awry. He sees a pretty, sunshine, self-absorbed girl who doesn’t have a care in the world, and he couldn’t be more wrong. So when Lachlan discovers that Lark is his brother’s fiancée’s best friend, it’s a shock to the system. And when Lark realizes that she needs to marry Lachlan in order to keep her friends safe, it’s sure to change the dynamic of their relationship.I remember having so much fun reading Butcher & Blackbird back when it first released, so I’ve been eagerly awaiting the next installment of the series. I love that the books truly feel one-of-a-kind, with a great mix of dark and comedic elements, as well as plenty of heat. I liked Lark quite a bit and how she gave as good as she got, but it’s truly the smitten Lachlan who steals the show here. He quickly realizes the error of his ways, and I loved watching him try to navigate unfamiliar territory. If I have one complaint, it’d be that I wanted to spend more time with the characters without days or weeks passing in between interactions. But maybe I’m just greedy - it’s really that I wanted even more time with these characters. The slow burn was perfect for them, and things did get pretty spicy towards the end. Maybe not my preferred type of spice, but it fit the couple and enhanced the relationship in its own way. All in all, I had a fantastic time - and now I cannot wait for the final book in the series.Audio note: Highly, highly recommended in audio! If you’re the type of reader who has never understood the appeal of audiobooks, this is the perfect one to try. It’s a true performance, told in duet-style. Samantha Brentmoor’s crisp, clear voice is exceedingly easy to listen to, and she even does some singing, which was great. Eric Nolan is new-to-me, but I would definitely seek him out in the future. He brings Lachlan’s Irish swoon and swagger to life, with a gruff and grumbly voice that was perfection. The runtime (12 hours) meant it was a full day binge, but it did not drag at all. Not sure I’d recommend listening at work, but there’s minimal spice in the first half. So glad I was able to listen to this one, it was an experience for sure.

So Butcher & Blackbird should be read before Leather & Lark.Lachlan Kane is ready to retire from contract killing, to having a quiet life in his leather shop.But when his boss sends him on a job meeting a woman who is a walking catastrophe - Lachlan's grumpy attitude gets the best of him. And screwing up that job means his boss will never get his claws out of him. Not until Lark Montague offers him a deal.Lark is sunshine and glitter, but she has dark secrets hiding beneath her bright exterior. So when her loved ones are threatened - she makes a hard decision. They may not be able to stand one another, but they are getting married in hopes to help them both.They must both navigate the dark world where they are bound together, it becomes impossible to distinguish their fake marriage for a real one. But negotiating their newfound marriage isn't the only challenge they have to face, when danger comes knocking.So, I loved Butcher & Blackbird, and couldn't wait to get a hold of Leather and Lark. I needed this book - thanks to that little teasing chapter in B&B.Plus, I love grumpy/sunshine & marriage of convenience so I was dying to see how this played out. Dark romances are my jam, & I loved how B&B was a dark rom-com.And while this also falls under the dark rom-com category... I wouldn't really call it dark. It was a bit slower paced, and had a lot of fluff to it, with just little crumbs of things making me want to read more. There wasn't as much danger and suspense as I would have hoped given the circumstances, and when we got it, it felt a bit rushed. And some of the relationship felt less "show" and more "tell". (Not all, there was some parts that SHOWED it too, but there were some parts where we were TOLD what happened with the characters).It did have great banter, great side characters, & some steamy scenes within. It was overall a good read. I loved the characters and their relationship. I loved the slow burn and tension. And overall enjoyed the story. & I'm excited for the next book in the series!4⭐ out of 5⭐.

Leather and lark was a great read. It had a different feel to it than B&B, I not only expected that but was all for it. I loved the banter and chemistry between Lachlan and Lark. This is definitely a slow burn but totally worth it.Lachlan is grumpy and broody with a soft spot for his wife. Loved his character and how he treated Lark once he realized his mistake from when they first met. Laughed every time her called her a feckin’ catastrophe. Swooned when he read Constantine to her.Lark is sparkly with her own darkness. Past trauma leads her to become a multiple deleter but has a huge heart for the ones she loves. Her calling Lachlan the budget Batman is the best.Aunt Ethel was a great and hilarious side character.Can’t wait to continue this series and read about the doily making doctor and the brash motorcycle circus performer.

Leather and Lark is the second book in Brynne's The Ruinous Love Trilogy. I have adored this book. I loved Butcher and Blackbird, but somehow Lark and Lachlan have stolen an even bigger piece of my heart. The coffee table had me laughing so hard, blaming the smell on the dog!! And not forgetting the snow globes😅😅I love standalones in a series, when there is snippets of crossover and/or mentions of each other. Sloane and Rowan's appearances made me so happy too. So much funny banter at times, that had me giggling.Lark is completely unhinged, and more so for hiding a certain part of her life. Well she thought it was hidden, but those close to her know and only show her love. She has such a big heart and chose marriage to ensure her friends safety, even though she thought she couldn't stand Lachlan. I love their nicknames for each other too. Marriage of convenience is becoming one of my favourite tropes!Such a fun and humourous read, but with a lot of angst and mystery too. I loved it and it has made me even more excited for the release of Scythe and Sparrow next year.

I loved this book.I love BW sense of humour.I love the characters—I relate in many ways to Lark (not in the multiple deleter skills).I will read the third book in this trilogy as soon as it comes out. Whatever she writes I’ll buy because her storytelling and writing is excellent

Leather & Lark was an incredibly fun read, full of unhinged crafts and excellent banter.It is, as butcher & blackbird, a dark romcom, but this one focus a bit less on the serial… deleting, and more on two unhinged people falling in love, despite starting out hating each other’s guts.Let’s just say I am glad I am not a pizza or smoothie lover, nor am I a beer drinker. IYKYK.I was not expecting Lachlan to be such a sweetie, but he made me swoon more than once, and the “my wife” were all perfectly placed, which made me love him even more. Marriage of convenience will always be superior for the use of these two words. Our man fell first and hard for his wife, and I was here for it.Lark on the other side, made me cackle like an old lady with her crafting habits. She is simply hilarious. And the snow globe scene? PHENOMENAL.Once again, part of my heart was taken by side characters. Ethel was such a nice addition to this book, made me laugh more times than I can count, and stayed hilarious until the very end. I absolutely loved the part she played into getting Lachlan and Lark together.This book is a slowburn, so don’t expect to see any smut for a while. But man, once it gets here? The smut is SMUTTING.The gift at the concert is a gift that keeps giving.And the bonus smut at the end, in true Brynne fashion, was unexpected and hot.

This was seriously lacking compared to the first one. It was 300 pages of nothing and then another 80 of blah… it had it’s moments but not enough.