The Ruinous Love Trilogy (3 book series) - Brynne Weaver

by Brynne Weaver

The Ruinous Love Trilogy by Brynne Weaver, featuring the three Butcher & Blackbird, Leather & Lark, and Scythe & Sparrow.

1. Butcher & Blackbird

A chilling and darkly comedic friends‑to‑lovers romance about two rival serial killers, Sloane and Rowan. They bond in a deadly game, tracking and killing other killers across cities from West Virginia to Texas.

2. Leather & Lark

Contract killer Lachlan Kane desires a peaceful life crafting leather goods, but after failing a hit, he’s indebted to his boss.

3. Scythe & Sparrow 

Dr. Fionn Kane retreats to a quiet Nebraska town after personal and professional heartbreak. He seeks a safe, romance-free life—until Rose Evans, a daring motorcycle performer from the Silveria Circus with a violent streak, enters his life. 

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Smut, Horror, Audiobook, Anthologies

1200 pages, Paperback

Published June 30, 2025

About the author

Brynne Weaver is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and international sensation with over 4 million copies sold in over twenty-five countries to date.  She has traveled the world, taken in more stray animals than her husband would probably prefer, and nurtured her love for dark comedies, horror, and romance in both literature and film. During all her adventures, the constant thread in Brynne’s life has been writing. With thirteen published works and counting, Brynne has made her mark in the literary world by blending irreverent dark comedy, swoon-worthy romance, and riveting suspense to create genre-breaking, addictive stories for readers to escape into. Known as the “Queen of Dark Romcom,” Brynne Weaver aspires to write female-focused stories about resilient characters navigating the darker edges of love.

Reviews

[Vernette Goza]

Serial killers killing serial killers. Justice at its finest!

[Maddie Mullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this series! It would have been a 5-star read for me, but I think the order of the books could have been better. Butcher & Blackbird set the bar incredibly high—it’s honestly one of my favorite books. Going into the next books, I felt a little let down, not because they weren’t good (they were amazing in their own right), but because Butcher & Blackbird was such a tough act to follow. I almost feel like it should have been the last book in the series, as it would have ended everything on the strongest possible note. Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed the entire series and would definitely recommend it!

[Nikki Ressler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I’d give the series two thumbs up. I’d say it’s a good break read/series. Each story is different yet the same — I would say Fione is my favorite brother I believe but Leather and Lark is my favorite book. No offense to Butcher and the Blackbird because their story is cute as well. They are the ones who paved the way for the rest of the books. All of them are slow burns some smut but not all consuming in the story. I was not offended or grossed out in any way. I listened to the audio books so if you listen to the trigger warnings they are pretty good about telling you what it talks about and if it’s in detail or not something’s are just brought up but not depicted.

[Christy Peach · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s very important you read or listen to the trigger warnings first.

The Ruinous Love Trilogy by Brynne Weaver is a dark romantic comedy series blending high-stakes suspense, visceral thriller elements, and explicit romance with absurd humor. The series follows the Kane brothers and the dangerous women they fall for across three interconnected books: Butcher & Blackbird, Leather & Lark, and Scythe & Sparrow. A unique "Dexter-meets-rom-com" style story line with strong character dynamics, though it requires a high suspension of disbelief regarding the plot logistics and features severe gore and explicit content.

[Karyn Eng · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book: 3/5 was good but compared to the other 2 was not that great. I LOVED THE PART WHERE HE HELPED HER ESCAPE AND TOOK CARE OF HER. ❤
The second book: 4/5 I LOVE LACHAN SO MUCH. Fake marriage?? YES. The part where she was on stage? I DIED.
The third book:4.5/5 I LOVE FION SO MUCH HE'S THE BEST OUT OF THE 3 . ROSE IS ALSO SUCH A BADDIE. Loved the part where he helped her with her injuries. ❤❤

[Cait’s Porchlight Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give this trilogy more than 5 stars I would!
Brynne Weaver has created three perfectly imperfect pairings in each of these three books. The banter between the main female and main male characters is so enjoyable and makes me wish I knew them all in person.

[Wendy Kasky · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favorite trilogy. listened on Audible after I read all three. the brothers... with the Irish accents...o my. this series was fun, entertaining, interesting twists. I just loved it. I really enjoyed how the timelines wove together to make the story complete.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

If serial killers could ever be considered cute and quirky, the ones in this series are them. Talk about having a common interest and your partner bringing out the best in you! I found every couple of this series to be enjoyable and really just fun to read.

[Adriana Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series had my absolutely hooked and FERAL for all of these MMCs and I will be re-listening to all of these on audible. If you are a sucker for an Irish accent, mystery/suspense, great banter and found family this is a great Trilogy to get into ASAP.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ruinous Love Trilogy (Butcher & Blackbird, Leather & Lark and Scythe & Sparrow) by Brynne Weaver – Everyone in this series needs therapy including the reader for not putting this down when Brynne Weaver decided to let her imagination run rampant! Happy Reading!

[Natalie Langford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never wanted this serious to end! Dark romance girlies who love banter and delicious spice - these are for YOU! Every MMC is drool worthy and every FMC is a badass. The plot is amazing and the dialogue had me cackling.

[David DiFilippo · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this series and the bouns book

[Amy Toet · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of these books is captivating. I mean come on serial killers, killing serial killers do I need to say more?

[Christine Eminhizer · Rating 5 out of 5]

my absolute favorite trilogy of all the books I read in prison

[Dessy M. Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved every single one of these books. Ate them all up and left no crumbs

[Katie Cord · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this series - it was dark, funny, and had all the great romantic elements I love.

[Alexandria Michelle Newberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved these books!! They are so good!!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes yes and yes!

[Sadie Hallums · Rating 3 out of 5]

i though they all followed the same formula gave slight variations between books boring at the end

[Valerie Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

The trilogy is interwoven stories but each stand alone. Sadistic, dark and soft porn. Who can resist?

[Tay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great audiobook option! Kept me on the edge of my seat through the entire series.

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books will have you laughing and cringing over and over again. I love Barbara

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

All 3 books are amazing! I love how they all come together. All main characters we love! definitely would recommend this series to anyone who wants a good laugh and some dark humor.

[Randi Brooke Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

You need to listen on audible it’s so good

[Chloe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible story telling, very fantasy adjacent. Reads like a horror skit. and editing of the book. Good smut
I did enjoy it but it was crap so guilty pleasure??

[By.Katherinereads · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

I did like this better than butcher and blackbird but nothing really stood out to me. I thought the FMC was fairly interesting but the mmc was just ok.

[Amber Brackney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing trilogy beginners introduction to dark romance

[NikkiLucci · Rating 1.5 out of 5]

BLEHHHH

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Ruinous Love Trilogy served equal parts morbidity + gore with tender + sweet and my time with these books, the characters, and their stories was such an enjoyably fun and riveting experience. The emotional depth and complexity Weaver crafts in her twisted, sweet, dark, yet lovable characters is both captivating and unparalleled, capturing the murder & mayhem aspects as well as the ways in which these characters saw pieces of themselves reflected in each other, and bonded in a way that wouldn’t have happened with anyone else. I found myself rooting for these brilliantly broken, vigilante, anti-heroes because, for me, at the heart of The Ruinous Love Trilogy is this deep human need to share the innermost parts of ourselves that make us feel insecure, being fully seen by someone else, being loved by someone else, and having space made not just for our light but our darkness as well. The plots were unpredictable, absurd, and joyfully suspenseful in all the right ways. I enjoyed every bit of this unputdownable, horrifying yet hilarious, twisted yet tender, dark, disturbing, mesmerizing, & all around, unforgettable trilogy.

[Maggie Bryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolute favorite series to ever read and listen to it honestly is one of my go to series that I wouldn’t mind rereading at least once a year