Leather & Lark
By: Brynne Weaver
Format: Physical Book
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
**My review below may contain spoilers.**
Good Reads Summary
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.
Positives:
Negatives:
- All the Tropes: Love tropes? This book is full of them. There’s grumpy and sunshine between Lark and Lachlan, a fake marriage, he falls first, enemies to lovers, and it is all done beautifully.
- Romance: The development of the relationship between Lark and Lachlan was amazing. It was realistic enemies to lovers. They didn’t just randomly start loving each other, it took work and struggle and time. The fake marriage had benefits for both of them and was done really well.
- Relationships: Lark and Lachlan both fiercely protect and support the people that are important to them. The relationship between Sloanne and Lark is an amazing friendship, Lark’s aunt is hilarious and an amazing representation of a strong woman. Lachlan protects his brothers at the expense of himself, and this book further explores his devotion to them.
- Spice: Phew this book is spicy. It doesn’t get to the spice until a little over halfway through, but when it does you better buckle up! If you read the first book, Butcher and Blackbird, then you have an idea of what to expect.
- Antagonist: So much more could have been done with the villain of this story. We get little to no development of his character other than the fact that he wants vengeance for the death of his brother. He seems to be a religious zealot and is wanting to get back at Sloanne and Rowan for killing his brother during their annual competition. Other than that, we know nothing about him.
- Everyone’s a Murderer: At times the fact that all the main characters in these stories are serial killers gets a bit unrealistic. With Sloanne and Rowan it was still unrealistic but they explained how they carefully planned and covered up their kills. Now Lark is also a serial killer, but it seems she is way less careful. Where are the police? How have none of them been discovered?
Review Synopsis
I devoured this book. I love a good enemies to lovers story, throw in the fake marriage and grumpy v. sunshine? I couldn’t put it down! The relationships that Lark and Lachlan have not only with each other but with the other people in their lives are amazing. Sloanne and Lark’s friendship is still strong and fundamental to the story, we also get a glimpse into their past and what brought them together. We see Lark’s family dynamic, specifically with her Aunt Ethel (who was hilarious and a strong head of their family). I loved that the family’s muffin business had mob dynamics. Lachlan’s devotion to Lark and to his brother’s was heartwarming. We hear more about the Kane brothers’ background from Lachlan’s point of view. How he ended up working in the “clean up” business and why he can’t seem to get out of it even though he is desperate to. The spice is in the back half of the book, but it sure is spicy (worth the wait).
I do wish there was more development for the antagonist of the story. We just get a very small glimpse of his motive and character. All the excitement with the villain happens in the last 50 or so pages. It was a lot of build up for just a little bit of action. I also don’t know how all of the main characters literally get away with murder. The police force must be very weak in their city… Overall, I highly recommend this book and Butcher and Blackbird. The series is a unique twist on romance and they are fun, easy reads.
Below is an affiliate link to Amazon if you are interested in reading Leather and Lark, leave a comment to let me know what you think if you give it a try!
Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/4csSdmW