Book Review: The Ruinous Love Trilogy

 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, a wave of interest in true crime rose. The isolation also made thousands, possibly millions, desperate for human connection. In the last five years, dark romance and fantasy romance has become a popular genre. 

TikTok is a big contributor to the popularity of certain books and genres. Walking into a Barnes and Noble, you'll find a "#BookTok" table in the main walking areas of each store. One book that is racing to the top is Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver, which lead to the sequels in the trilogy, Leather and Lark and Scythe and Sparrow.

Butcher and Blackbird

The introduction to the synopsis of this book (pictured right) begins with "The viral TikTok friends-to-lovers dark romantic comedy full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry — unlike anything you've read before."

This is one of many books that gained popularity thanks to social media, like TikTok. Although not everyone found it thanks to social media, this book exploded on the bookish side of media. 

One reviewer on Goodreads, an older book reviewing site, called the book, "Mr and Mrs. Smith plus Dexter with a little Silence of the Lambs thrown in for extra seasoning."

This is a half-cheesy, half-lightly grotesque read, so be sure to check the trigger warnings at the beginning of the book before any of the story content. It's a dark strangers-to-friends-to-lovers type romance.

Leather and Lark

This sequel is equally as high paced as the first book in the series, following two characters introduced in the first book. 

The synopsis ends with noting the type of romance this book is. "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."

This forced-proximity/marriage of convenience  romance is unique as the trigger warnings are as bizarre as the first book with some warnings garnering a little more cautious from certain readers.

Scythe and Sparrow

The final book in the trilogy only recently came out at the start of February 2025. 

Another reviewer from Goodreads found that this Brynne Weaver series got her to enjoy the genre of "dark rom-com" while having "a great time" reading this final installment. 

This book is more of a slow-burn romance, moving a little too slow for some, as it follows another two characters introduced in a previous book of the series. 

"The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together," the synopsis says, alluding to the slower pace of the book, "and the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts will catch up."

The Ruinous Love Trilogy overall

Brynne Weaver

If you'd like a bit of an emotional rollercoaster series with a medium length to each of the three books (each about 370 pages), while also adding elements of different kinds of romance and crime, this is a fun series to read.

Each book touches on a different romance genre (strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, marriage of convenience, forced proximity and slow burn) while connecting each book to each other and through a certain group of characters. 

Be sure to read the content warnings of each. Some are funny, some are bizarre, some are worth caution, some allude to the wild ride that the book will be.

Even your partners can read along and spark a bookish conversation about the general absurdity of some parts of the books.

Overall, I give this series a 8.5 out of 10. 

Obituary of Family Member

Djordjo Krajisnik died Thursday, February 27, 2025, afternoon in his Kernersville home due to impacted health from a series of strokes in previous years. He was born in 1949. His funeral service was held at St. Basil of Ostrog Serbian Orthodox Church on Monday, March 3, 2025, and his internment in the church's Cemetery of St. Vasilije Ostroski. 

Djordjo was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was married to Bosilika Krajisnik and they had three sons and one daughter together. He later fought for the Serbian forces during the Yugoslav War during the early 90s. On immigration to the United States of America in 1997, he found work as a bus cleaner until his retirement. 

He is survived by his wife, Bosilika Krajisnik, and their four children: sons Zeljko (wife, Stana), Radenko (divorced), and Dajan Krajisnik, daughter Gospava (husband, Cesar). He is also survived by his granddaughters Casandra and Anna M. Krajisnik (through son, Radenko. Both reside with their mother.) and grandson Boris Simouchi Krajisnik (through daughter, Gospava. Resides with her).