I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver Series: The Ruinous Love Trilogy #2
Published by Zando on June 4, 2024
Genres: Fiction / Romance / New Adult
Pages: 416
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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“I don’t just want to hear her laugh, I need to earn it. Every time I gain a little ground, I want more. I want to break out of the shade and back into her light. Without even realizing it, I’ve become addicted to it. To her.”
From the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird comes the second book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy—a hate-to-love dark romantic comedy packed with danger, chaos, and heat.
Contract killer Lachlan Kane wants a quiet life working in his leather studio and forgetting all about his traumatic past. But when he botches a job for his boss’s biggest client, Lachlan knows he’ll never claw his way out of the underworld. At least, not until songbird Lark Montague offers him a deal: use his skills to hunt down a killer and she’ll find a way to secure his freedom. The catch? He has to marry her first.
And they can’t stand each other.
Indie singer-songwriter Lark is the sunshine and glitter that burns through every cloud and clings to every crevice that Lachlan Kane tries to hide inside. The surly older brother of her best friend’s soulmate, Lachlan thinks she’s just a privileged princess, but Lark has plenty of secrets hiding in the shadows of her bright light. With her formidable family in a tailspin and her best friend’s happiness on the line, she’s willing to make a vow to the man she’s determined to hate, no matter how tempting the broody assassin might be.
As Lachlan and Lark navigate the dark world that binds them together, it becomes impossible to discern their fake marriage from a real one. But it’s not just familiar dangers that haunt them.
There’s another phantom lurking on their doorstep.
And this one has come for blood.
Tropes:
Hate-to-love
Marriage of convenience
Grumpy / sunshine
He falls first
Groveling, but make it psycho
Touch her/him and die
This was a fun read! I loved Butcher & Blackbird and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the trilogy. I went into this book with fairly high expectations and I am happy to report that it did not disappoint. Lark & Lachlan were great characters and I wanted to see them figure out how to be happy with each other. The entire cast of characters were so well done, especially Lark’s grandmother. This was such an entertaining read.
Lark knows that Lachlan is in trouble and the only way to keep him safe is to add him to the family by marrying him. Lachlan agrees to the plan so they get married and move in together. The pair met once before when Lachlan was sent to clean up one of Lark’s mishaps. They have chemistry but they also have an unpleasant history with each other so they have lot to overcome to make their marriage work. The pair do grow closer as they spend more time together and before long they seem to know each other better than anyone else.
I would highly recommend this book to others. It’s a delightful romance with a nice dose of gore and murder. I grew to care a lot for these characters and wanted to see them beat the bad guys and fall in love. I love that this book is somehow romantic, violent, and funny at the same time. I can’t wait to read the next book in the trilogy.
I received a review copy of this book from Zando.
Glad this one didn’t disappoint. Sometimes second books in a series are the weakest and feel like filler between books 1 & 3.
It does sound like it would be good.
Romance with a dose of gore and murder. Lol. How weird