The Literary Apothecary

“‘For a methodical, reclusive seria killer, you’re pretty fecken brazen.” (344)

Book 1 in the Ruinous Love Trilogy

I never would have thought that I would have loved a serial killer romance book so much – but here we are… I never thought I’d find 2 serial killeres so relatable, but here we are… Wow! This book was something else. It might not have been the best book I’ve ever read (not every book has to be!) but it was great. It had some of the most relatable characters that I’ve read in months – and they’re serial killers! (What does that say about me?) It had some of the raunchiest sex scenes, gruesome murder scenes, and yet it was perfect for the story. It was a great, entertaining, gut wrenching book.

CAWPILE Breakdown:

Characters: 9.5 – Weaver’s character work was her best work in this book. All of her characters were full and life-life and relatable and real. I found myself relating to (and rooting for) 2 serial killers!

Atmosphere/Setting: 8.5 – The setting was incredible. So detailed that I felt like I was there. Especially the scenes in the restaurant. I never had a hard time visualizing the setting. The atmosphere was there when it mattered the most, but I wanted more. Then again, I almost always want more.

Writing Style: 10 – Weaver has a way of writing that drew me in from chapter 1 and never let up; it kept bringing me back in. I did not want to stop reading this.

Plot: 7 – The plot – when you peeled back all the layers – was a basic slow burn enemy to lovers trope. Sure, it was a bit predictable as to the eventual outcome, but I expect that going into a romance book, and I’m okay with that.

Intrigue: 10 – Despite the predictable plot, my intrigue was dialed all the way from the beginning and never decreased. I HAD TO KNOW EVERYTHING!

Logic/Relationships: 9 – Weaver’s relationships in this book were top knotch. So So good! The logic, surprisingly for a serial killer romance, made perfect sense.

Enjoyment: 10 – If you can’t already tell, I loved this book. I truly enjoyed Butcher & Blackbird and can’t wait for book 2!

CAWPILE Total: 64/7 = 9.14 = 5/5 stars!

Noteable Quotes:

“‘You have never been unloveable. You were just waiting for someone who will love you for who you are, not for who they want you to be.” (302)

“Sometimes it feels as if he’ll never stop cracking my heart to fit himself inside.” (342)

“‘For a methodical, reclusive seria killer, you’re pretty fecken brazen.” (344)