Review: Butcher and Blackbird (The Ruinous Love Trilogy #1)

Butcher and Blackbird, Book 1 in The Ruinous Love Trilogy by Brynne Weaver

Published By: Piatkus
Publication Date: August 15, 2023
Date Read: February 14, 2025
Genre: Adult – Dark Romance
Source: Bought
Format: Audiobook
Pages: 351

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Every serial killer needs a friend.
Every game must have a winner.

When a chance encounter sparks an unlikely bond between rival murderers Sloane and Rowan, the two find something elusive—the friendship of a like-minded, pitch-black soul. From small town West Virginia to upscale California, from downtown Boston to rural Texas, the two hunters collide in an annual game of blood and suffering, one that pits them against the most dangerous monsters in the country. But as their friendship develops into something more, the restless ghosts left in their wake are only a few steps behind, ready to claim more than just their newfound love. Can Rowan and Sloane dig themselves out of a game of graves? Or have they finally met their match?

Butcher & Blackbird is the first book in the Ruinous Love Dark Romance trilogy of interconnected stand-alone dark romantic comedies. This dual POV novel ends on a HEA.

“There’s art in our scars. There’s wonder in the way we can heal.”

Butcher and Blackbird is a book that I’ve been really curious about since it first released. I am not a lover of dark romance books at all, but I love a good story about serial killers. After reading and loving the Mindfuck series by ST Abby, it has made me desperate to read similar things, which made me think of this book. However, I’ve heard so much about the content warnings that it made me super apprehensive. However, when my good friend Jess recommended me it for my ‘Read 12 Books Recommended by 12 Friends’ challenge and it came out as a book club read, I decided it was time to put my nervousness surrounding dark romance to the back of my mind and finally give it a go. I am so glad that I did, as I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.

Butcher and Blackbird follows the story of Sloane and Rowan, two serial killers who only kill bad people. Sparks fly when they first meet and Rowan is desperate to keep Sloane in his life. So he proposes that they meet each year for a competition… who can kill the bad guy before the other. I really liked this concept. It’s fun and hilarious. I personally listened to the audiobook of this one and I highly, highly recommend it. The two narrators make Rowan and Sloane so likeable and funny. I was honestly giddy at their budding romance, and laughing hysterically at the darker parts. Something I never thought I would. I honestly don’t know if I’d have enjoyed this book quite as much as I did if I had read it physically. The audiobook is absolutely superb.

I really liked Butcher and Blackbird. Considering it’s a dark romance, it’s actually quite light and comical. It was so much fun to read. Before I started I was really apprehensive about all the content warnings, but honestly they weren’t as bad as I thought they were going to be. I was just cackling all the way through it. I don’t know what it says about me that I didn’t find the ice cream thing as gross as everyone made out. I just laughed! If you know you know.

This was such a fun read and I really did enjoy it. Will I re-read it? No! But am I glad I read it? Absolutely and I probably will continue the trilogy. If you don’t take it too seriously I think this is a really great book. I enjoyed it, and it’s made me realise I can read dark romance if it’s done in a comedic way rather than a serious way.

“Maybe I was right. We’re not normal people. We are monsters. But if we’re monsters, we’ll thrive in the dark. Together.”