Leather & Lark

The Ruinous Love, Book 2

By: Brynne Weaver

Narrated by: Samantha Brentmoor, Eric Nolan

“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 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

©2024 Brynne Weaver (P)2024 Zando

wow!!!!

OVERALL: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5
•Storyline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
▪︎Spice Level:  🌶🌶🌶/ 5
•Narration: 🎧🎧🎧 🎧🎧/5 (Duet Style)
•Swoon level: 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠/5
•Bookshelf Worthy: 📚📚📚📚📚/5
•Platform: Audio and E-book
•Recommend: Yep
▪︎Re-read/re-listen: Sure will
•Trope: Grumpy-sunshine, Enimies to lovers, marraige of Convince, Serial Unaliver.

• Thoughts:
I have no words! Okay, first off. If you are not an audio person.. you should become one for this book! I will talk more about the narrators below..back to our review of the book. Now, I feel this was slightly different than B&B. And not in a bad way. If you are expecting the same thing. You will be disappointed. This has a different vibe and feel. I went into this book excited, and I left the book just as excited! I love that Lachlan is this grumpy gus, but man, does he have a gooey center when you are in his inner circle. Lark is this sunshine and happy go lucky person. (or is she??) Lark is a natural caregiver and wants to take care of everyone around her! I absolutely adore that about her character. She is an incredible character with a heart of gold until she isn't. (Cackling laugh here) Lachlan and her, I feel compliment one another perfectly. This is a slow burn! The Enimies to lovers in this book is strong! They get under one another's skin. There is zero trust, and it is so fun to watch. But I tell ya, once that spice hit, oh my lanta, that Spice hit.(The crawl moment..... oh my gaawwwddd)
I was captivated with their story! It's was so well done. I knew I was in for one hell of a good time when it came to the trigger warnings. (IYKYK) (manically laughing)

Narrator Thoughts:
Samantha Brentmoor, my good freaking night!! She was absolutely 100 percent incredible!!! I am already in love with her, and this year, I have learned she has one hell of a Scottish accent (not this book), but she can freaking sing! SING!!! when I heard her sing. I got goosebumps. It was amazing! She is hands down one of the top female narrators!
Eric Nolan, sir! You have in one book quickly become a favorite narrator of mine. I can listen to your Scottish broge all freaking day! You did an amazing job!!! This whole audio book was freaking amazing! This audio would make anyone an audio lover! 10 out of 10. Highly recommend!!!

⭐️: 5/5 🌶️: 5/5 🤤: 5/5

(Spoiler Free)

I didn’t think the narration of butcher and blackbird could be out done, and I’ve never been so glad to be wrong, I’ve always loved Samantha Brentmoor as a narrator - she really shined with this book especially paired with Eric Nolan and that drool worthy Irish accent of his and the growls?!? THE GROWLS?! Panty melting. I thought I’ve read enough smut to be desensitized to it, but these two had me feeling flushed and needing to take a deep breath to calm myself down.

Narration aside, the story was so well written and captivated me right off the bat, and personally I liked it even more than the butcher and black bird, but I might be a little biased I’m sucker for an enemies to lovers fake marriage romance. Brynne weaver absolutely out did her self with this installment of the series, I can’t wait to see where she takes these characters in the next book <3

Holy Smokes!

Amazing once again! Loved the second installment of this series and can’t wait for the next one!

Only downside for me was the laughing 🫣

Entertaining and Enthralling

The narrators did a fabulous job with this story! This might be my first Eric Nolan listen, and I loved his voice! Samantha Brentmoor is always an absolute queen in everything she narrates and she did a fantastic job as Lark. I loved the overall story (love a good fake marriage/forced proximity story) and Brynne does a fabulous job of writing a ”multiple deleter” character that you empathize with and root for lol! This book certainly starts off with a *bang* and just kept going from there. I can’t wait for book 3!

Amazing!

I loved the first book with Sloane and Rowan, and couldn’t wait for Lark and Lachlan! Witty banter and great story line. Love love love!

Brynne Weaver did it again

If you loved the first one you will be obsessed with this one. The voice actors in this are just amazing the actual acting they put into the story is incredible 1000/10 recommend

Both narrators were fantastic.

the Story and plot were not as revitting as book 1. I wasn't sold on the reason for the fake marriage. The narrators were the reason I finished the book. They brought life to Lark and Lachlan. The production overall superb!

The banter

I am in love with this series! Cannot WAIT for the third book next year.

so so so so good

Amazing book and the best narration i have heard!! Between the plot and the banter this is my favorite book series i have bought the audiobooks and paperbacks. we need more books like this!!!

the voices were amazing, love duet style narration!

The book was amazing, slow burn books aren't normally what I listen to, but the story and the narrators did such an amazing job. Brynne Weaver is one of my new favorite authors. Love how she makes adds humor and makes serious situations kind of hilarious. I'm excited for the third book already 🥰