We’re in the middle of a Bookish Renaissance thanks to the rise of BookTok, meaning books are a mile a dozen right now. That means there is a lot of regurgitated content, and rehashed plotlines (honestly, how many more misunderstood shadow daddies are we going to read about?). However, in a sea of overstated tropes, Brynne Weaver comes right through with a fresh unexpected fusion—rom-coms and dark romance…or is it thriller?
In this Butcher and Blackbird synopsis, let’s explore what I like to call ‘competitive vigilante justice.’ Butcher and Blackbird, first of the Ruinous Love trilogy, follows two serial killers who find themselves playing a deadly(!) game of hunting serial killers for sport and begin falling in love in the process.
Trigger Warnings
First things first, with no understatement, you have to read the trigger warnings. Although it’s “lighthearted,” the Ruinous Love trilogy is definitely not for the faint of heart. You can find all trigger warnings on Brynne Weaver’s website.
Summary
Sloane Sutherland (aka the Orb Weaver) is a serial killer who kills other serial killers. The story begins with her being trapped with the body of her latest victim, Albert Briscoe. Her plans went awry, and she’s stuck in the trap she set for Albert. Rowan Kane, a handsome Irishman (aka the Boston Butcher), who also planned to kill Albert, arrives at the scene to find Sloane trapped. Immediately, they’re drawn to one another, with Rowan nicknaming Sloane “Blackbird” and releasing her from the trap.
They grab dinner together, and Rowan is very interested in Sloane, but she’s withdrawn and skittish. So Rowan devises a plan to see her again and proposes a game: once a year, they hunt a serial killer, and whoever kills them first wins that year’s competition.
A year later, Sloane is hunting another man and is unsure about seeing Rowan again, but her best friend, Lark Montague, encourages her. Lachlan, Rowan’s brother, is in charge of putting the game together for them, and he sends them their first clue.
Sloane and Rowan meet at an inn, where the innkeeper, Francis, warns them off a trail where people go missing. Sloane interviews Francis to get information about this but fails. She goes back to her room, which shares a wall with Rowan’s. Rowan listens in on her using a sex toy, but while he does, he notices a painting’s eyes moving—someone is in the walls watching Sloane.
They realize it’s Francis, who they deduce is the killer. Rowan kills Francis, they get rid of the evidence, and go home. Sloane takes Francis’s cat, Winston, with her.
Lark pushes Sloane to explore her attraction to Rowan. Sloane, hesitantly, decides to and flies out to Boston to see Rowan’s restaurant. Before she can explore it further, she gets skittish again and leaves quickly after talking to Rowan, claiming she has a business trip. But she leaves a drawing of a raven behind.
Rowan then visits Raleigh to see Sloane unannounced, but to avoid making Sloane run away again, he sends groceries to her house and gives her cooking instructions over the phone.
They begin getting to know each other, with Rowan revealing that Lachlan killed their father because he was abusive. Rowan started cooking for his brothers first and later became a chef.
Their next victim is Thorsten Harris, a cannibal. They get invited to his house, where they’re attended by his nonverbal servant, David. Sloane doesn’t eat much, and they assume David is lobotomized.
Thorsten drugs Rowan, confesses his love for Sloane, eats some human meat accidentally, and then passes out.
When Rowan regains consciousness, he finds Sloane has Thorsten tied to his chair and is setting up the scene in her particular murder signature (the Orb Weaver). Sloane then confesses her first victim was a professor who took advantage of her best friend, Lark. She now hunts other evil men.
Sloane takes care of Rowan and kills Thorsten. They realize David regularly consumes flesh and food laced with other human excrements (this is the famous ice cream scene—look this up at your own discretion). Sloane doesn’t want to leave David behind and suggests Rowan offer him a job in his restaurant.
Eight months later, Rowan invites Sloane to a gala. Sloane thinks this is a date. Rowan, however—believing Sloane is too skittish and would need a “reason” to be at the gala—has planned for them to kill a doctor there who murders his patients. Sloane, however, takes this as proof Rowan does not have a romantic interest in her. Before they can hunt the man, Rowan receives an emergency call and has to return to his restaurant.
Four months later, they meet up for their next target: Harvey Mead, the chainsaw killer. When they split up to search the house, Harvey and Sloane clash, and Sloane is injured. Rowan rescues her, and they find the mummified corpse of Harvey’s mom, which Sloane uses to taunt Harvey. Harvey dies from a heart attack in the process.
Since they can’t really go to a hospital, they drive out to Nebraska, where Rowan’s brother Fionn lives. Fionn—who currently has a house guest named Rose—invites them in and tends to Sloane’s injuries. Rowan takes care of Sloane, helps her bathe, and eventually they have sex. Rowan reveals he tattooed the raven drawing Sloane left at his restaurant on his back.
Sloane moves to Boston to be with Rowan. Rowan is working on his new restaurant, named Butcher & Blackbird. They confess their love for one another.
The opening of the restaurant is a success, despite a lot of unexplained equipment problems in both restaurants. Rowan is stressed out by this and asks Sloane if they can work together during their next game instead of against each other. Another emergency arises, and Rowan has to rush back to the restaurant.
When Rowan returns, it’s revealed that “Lobotomy David” has been behind the unexpected problems. He traps Rowan and threatens to kill Sloane unless Rowan abandons her—then he’ll just kill Rowan anyway.
Rowan calls Sloane and breaks up with her. Sloane is at first upset, but then realizes something’s amiss. She goes back through her text conversations with Rowan and discovers suspicious clues about David. Checking the secret cameras she installed in the restaurant, she finds David torturing Rowan.
Sloane rushes to the restaurant and kills David.
Lark moves to Boston.
Sloane covers Rowan’s injuries from his squabble with David with colorful tattoos. The two of them finally hunt the doctor from the gala, after which Rowan proposes.
The epilogue ends with the two engaged, being watched by a mysterious stranger—an unnamed sibling of one of Rowan’s unnamed victims—who plots to take revenge on Rowan in the next book.
Ready to take a stab at the borderline unhinged romance of Butcher & Blackbird? 🖤🔪
I strongly recommend the audiobook versions of these books, they’re duet style, and you’ll die for the men’s accents!
Finished Butcher & Blackbird and ready to dive into Lachlan and Lark’s story? 🎤🐕 Continue with Leather & Lark!
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