Leather & Lark: The Ruinous Love Trilogy (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, 2)

Leather & LarkBy Brynne WeaverIf you weren’t already knocked out of the park by Butcher & Blackbird, the first of this series, then you definitely will be with book two. Where Butcher & Blackbird jumps right into serial killers killing bad serial killers in a unique way and finding love in one another, Leather & Lark takes some of the side characters and forces them into a tense, high stakes relationship to protect their loved ones.Where the Butcher and Blackbird were a little demented, smart and pretty much open books, you’re met with mystery and lots of traumatic past secrets buried deep under the skin of our Leather & Lark main characters. Sloan’s(blackbird) best friend Lark is a professional musician who seemingly has become a little unhinged and found pleasure in ridding the world of those that would take advantage of the vulnerable and helpless as she once was. No one knows her secret, not her best friend or her extremely rich and well connected family. Lachlan Kane (Butcher’s brother) runs a leather workshop and is stuck in a contract as a cleaner/assassin for the psychopathic man responsible for bailing the Kane boys out of trouble at a young age when he helped cover up the murder of their father. He struggles daily to be free of his debt which Lark indirectly manages to increase.There is a ton of push and pull and lots of sexual tension between these two drastically different characters. Every chapter is different and you discover something new to learn who they really are at their core and watch as they slowly fall into a lust filled, possessive love. When Lark’s family starts getting picked off and her parents start to point fingers toward the Kane brothers, her matriarch aunt proposes she and Lachlan marry to protect their loved ones from her parent’s scrutiny. Little did they know they’d actually end up wanting to be with each other.As with anyone living in close proximity to one another you develop a familiar routine and start to get used to the presence of the other. Forced proximity, enemy to lovers, i’m not sure if those tropes cover the gist of this relationship. The spicy scenes are incredible but it takes a gradual build with bits and pieces of progress here and there before the earth shattering climax of these to debut.Weaver puts together some of the best developed and interesting characters in her novels. Lark, a sociopathic, glitter obsessed, broken and beautiful woman and Lachlan, a beast of a man with a stoic personality and a teddy bear heart is a dynamic I couldn’t have imagined on my own. Just like with Butcher & Blackbird, I finished Leather & Lark and I wanted more. I’m looking forward to the third book in this series.As a bonus, Weaver puts together a by chapter playlist for the reader that really enhances the reading experience. You get to put music to the emotions and scene being laid out before you and I’ve absolutely enjoyed every bit of it.Highly recommended read if you’re into books you won’t want to put down that might break your heart and make you gush by the end.

"Leather & Lark" is a dark, spicy ride that pulls you into a world where danger, humor, and steamy chemistry collide. Weaver has crafted a tale that’s not for the faint-hearted but perfect for those who love their romance with a twist of dark humor and a dash of murder vibes.The dynamic between Lark Montague, the vibrant indie singer-songwriter, and Lachlan Kane, the brooding contract killer, is electric. From their initial animosity to their undeniable attraction, the sparks fly in every interaction. The enemies-to-lovers trope is executed brilliantly, making their journey both thrilling and satisfying.What I loved:1. Lark + Lachlan 🔥🔥🔥🔥2. Ethel 😂3. "Feckin' catastrophe" ❤️‍🔥Weaver’s writing style is captivating, perfectly blending dark humor with intense scenes that keep you hooked. The spicy moments are truly eye-opening, adding depth to Lark and Lachlan’s evolving relationship. Let's just say that the spice was spice'n! (Is that a word?) The dark, edgy undertone throughout the book sets it apart, making it a standout read for those who appreciate a grittier yet glittery romance. 🤣However, the final showdown with the villain felt a bit rushed. The buildup was excellent, but the resolution happened too quickly for my taste. I would have loved to see that tension drawn out a bit more to match the story's overall intensity.Don't forget to read the trigger warnings before diving in! This book isn't for everyone, but if you have a dark sense of humor and a love for steamy, intense romance, "Leather & Lark" is definitely for you.

Ok, let me start this review off with saying, the first 25% of this book, I was a little unsure and not quite getting into it. I was expecting B&B 2, but it wasn't giving that. This book does not give the hilarious bursting out loud cackling laughing, that B&B gave me. But, when I started to let that go and focus on the story, I did really enjoy it a lot. And in the end, I do love the book. But I feel like you need to go in not expecting the full romcom aspect that B&B gave, which to be honest, is a little disappointing. With these two being, enemies to lovers, I would have LOVED more banter and humor.But, that being said. The plot was still good. Lark has depth, and we find that she wears a mask a lot, and we finally get to peak behind that mask. I'm a little confused as to why she shows Sloane that mask... to be that aspect just didn't really make much sense, but towards the world and her family, I got it. Lachlan, HE IS EVERYTHING. That man. His love language is acts of service and when I tell you how hot that is? I was drooling. AND HIS MOUTH? I simply about DIED.The spice was so good. Like so good. Brynne edged me so hard. And it paid off. I do wish we could have gotten more, me just being greedy. But that epilogue? HOLY. Again, I simply DIED.With how the epilogue went in B&B and the start of this book, I expected the phantom to have a bigger role. It was really minute, and the ending really wrapped up quickly. I would have liked to see that play out more.The tid bits we got of Rowan and Sloane, and Rose and Fionn, were perfection. Rowan crying at their wedding killed me. And then when Lachlan was texting Sloane? I was cackling. I cannot wait for Fionn and Rose's book. Literally salivating.In the end, great book. Wasn't exactly what I expected, and I do wish there were a few other things added or expanded upon, but still an excellent read!

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.