My Butcher & Blackbird Book Review - No Spoilers
Plot Summary
Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver is the first book in The Ruinous Love Trilogy. Sloane Sutherland, aka the Orb Weaver, and Rowan Kane, aka the Boston Butcher, are rival serial killers with one twisted thing in common: they both hunt other serial killers. Their paths cross in a most unexpected—and dangerous—way when Sloane becomes trapped with the corpse of her latest target. Rowan finds her, frees her, and an odd connection forms. Instead of killing each other, they agree to a game: every year, they’ll race to take out a notorious serial killer, with the winner earning bragging rights. As the years pass and the body count climbs, Sloane and Rowan’s partnership grows from banter and rivalry to something like friendship and then, reluctantly, to love. Their romance is slow-burn, laced with dark humor, danger, and lots of moral ambiguity. Behind their shared violence is a hint of real vulnerability and chemistry, all told through alternating points of view. The book is dark, gritty, and entirely unique, combining suspense, romance, and a touch of the macabre.
Why I Love This Book
I love that Butcher & Blackbird is willing to lean into the absurd. The idea of two serial killers hunting other serial killers—while flirting, fighting, and trying not to kill each other—is wild, but it works. I was hooked on the chemistry, the witty banter, and especially the snark between Sloane and Rowan. Their twisted annual game, filled with suspense and competition, kept things exciting but never overshadowed the moments of real connection between them. I appreciate the mix of dark themes and unexpected humor, and how even the grossest moments (yes, the ice cream scene is stuck in my brain) are weirdly entertaining. Watching their relationship move slowly from rivals to friends and then to lovers was genuinely satisfying—there’s a bit of enemies to lovers, a bit of friends to lovers, and a lot of playful chaos. Even with all the danger, the book never let me forget how damaged and complicated the main characters are, which made every soft or silly moment feel earned.
Who Will Like This Book
If you like your dark romance with serial killer protagonists, sharp humor, and deliciously offbeat chemistry, you’ll be into this. This is for readers who want a story that’s both brutal and oddly sweet, who appreciate unique premises, slow-burn romance, and morally gray characters that don’t pretend to be redeemable. If you enjoy stories with witty banter and a darkly comedic take on love, rivalry, and partnership—this will scratch the itch.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Butcher & Blackbird contains graphic violence, murder, psychological trauma, accidental cannibalism (yes, really), death of serial killer victims, explicit sexual content, dark humor, and lots of morally ambiguous behavior. Do not pick this up if you want a “safe,” tidy, or gentle romance. Check all trigger warnings before reading.
Tagged As
dark romance, dark romantic comedy, serial killer romance, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, golden retriever x black cat, rivals to lovers, dual pov, morally gray characters, anti-hero, forced proximity, he falls first, touch-her-and-die, one bed, banter, murder, psychological, slow burn, open-door romance, explicit, cliffhanger, series, indie romance, kindle unlimited
Steam Level
The sexual content is frequent and explicit, with scenes that are both steamy and sometimes absurd—there’s plenty of heat, but it’s never just there for show. The spice is matched by the emotional tension and kept me flipping pages well past midnight.
