Thank you to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for the e ARC of this book.
I really was excited about this book. I wish I would have physically read it, and not listened to it. The audio just wasn't good. I was lost on the plot and no chemistry between the two main characters. Did I miss the "Butcher "part??

This was a great dark romance and I can’t wait to see what happens in the Carver. The main characters had tons of chemistry and the plot of this series is developing quickly and interestingly.
The narrator were not how I would have pictured the characters as the story is progressing it they are fine. I wouldn’t seek out anything they had read but I wouldn’t dnf an audiobook because of them either.

*♡Thank you to to Penelope Sky, Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the ARC of this audiobook book in exchange for my honest opinion♡*

this book is pure filth with a decent plotline and one of the hottest MCs I've read in a while! The story moves along at quite a fast paced, which is good as there is no boring filler chapters. The narrators of Bastian and Fleur, Michael Ferraiuolo and Stacy Gonzalez did an amazing job at bringing the characters to life.
If you like a lot of spice, a killer MC who instantly falls for the FMC and is soft only for her and dramatic underlying storyline, then you will love this!

I'm not one to DNF, but this one came SO CLOSE. This was not for me. Bastien was the absolute opposite of any MMC I've ever seen as possessive, but still strong, supportive and respectful. He was NONE of those things. He was awful - arrogant, demanding, irrational, a true walking red flag. I have never rooted for an FMC to run faster in the other direction. Instead Fleur was just so taken with how hot he was and how good he was in bed that her brain took a hike and she allowed every moment of his nonsense to just glide by. Nope. Sorry. Not for me. Audio performance was fine, but couldn't save this story.

This book is hard for me to rate.
Did i enjoy it? Yes
Will I read book 2? Maybe
Did I hate it while I read it ? Yes.
I am not sure what my problem with it was. I liked both main characters. It was nice to have mature characters but I just think that for a book that takes place in reality. It was a little too unrealistic for me. And the writing just didn’t work with me either. I definitely think others will enjoy this book but I’m just not sure it’s for me. .
But I will say that I really enjoyed the narration on this book. Both the narrators did a great job.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penelope Sky for this ARC

I absolutely love this book! The smut. The characters. The setting. 10 out of 10. The narrator for the FMC is a bit of a tune off. Fleur is French and yet the narrator has an anmerican accent. It just throws me.

With the knowledge that her marriage is over because her husband is a cheat, Fleur finds herself falling for a man who she should stay far away from. Bastien is a man that has Paris under his thumb, cross him and you will die. So when the chemistry between the two cannot be denied wil this be setting her up for more heartache? Or will this be just what she needs to get out of her marriage and start again? With beautifully written characters and a storyline that keeps the minutes flying by this was a great audiobook. The listener is left hoping the romance will survive but also waiting for the other shoe to drop and end everything. Perfectly narrated.

The audiobook narration was solid—clear, well-performed, and easy to listen to. The narrators did a great job bringing the characters to life, and the overall production quality was strong.

The story itself, however, left me with mixed feelings. While it had an intriguing premise and a dark, intense tone, the plot felt repetitive at times and the character dynamics didn’t fully click for me. The romantic tension was there, but the emotional development between the characters felt uneven, and some of the darker elements weren’t as well-balanced or explored as they could have been.

Overall, it was a decent listen thanks to the narration, but the story didn’t leave a lasting impression. If you enjoy dark romance with morally gray characters, it might be worth a try—but go in with tempered expectations.

Would you like to add anything specific about the plot or character arcs that didn’t work

The butcher was a fiery easy read. The romance and the spice were very well written, and developed. The dual narrators added depth, offering contrasting perspectives that made the story even more immersive.

While I found the plot engaging enough for a quick and entertaining read, I would have loved a bit more development in certain areas to add complexity and intrigue. That said, the story delivered exactly what it promised—a thrilling, steamy escape.

I listened to the audiobook, and it was great!
I really enjoyed this story. The first chapters made me so excited for what’s to come in this series! I felt like we only scratched the surface, and the action is yet to come. Can’t wait to see how the plot develops in the next book.

Fleur was a strong and fierce FMC determined to manage on her own after finding out her husband cheated on her. Then enter Bastian, and man was he hot! He was determined to make Fleur his, and made sure she would want him in any way.

Their chemistry was off the charts in the bedroom, and it was so hot and steamy. And it was a lot of it!

I love how the book is set in Paris!

Oh my goodness! I got the opportunity to listen to The Butcher on Audio and 🔥🔥🔥! Michael Ferraiuolo and Stacy Gonzalez brought these characters to life! You could hear the BDE ☺️ I will definitely be continuing this series because I am invested! So if you love a possessive mmc and a fmc that can stick up for herself check this out! 😉

The audio narrators were pretty good, but I didn't connect with this particular story or the FMC.
Things I liked:
Narrators
Dual POV
The Setting

Things I didn't much care for:
The lack of a plot and character development
The title was a little misleading, no butchering was happening in this particular book

Thank you netgalley and dreamscape media for the arc in exchange for an honest review

Fluer is separated from her husband of 3 years after he was found cheating. She needs to start a new life and after finding a job in a bar, one night while working Mr tall and handsome comes in for a drink so what does she do go home with him…… definitely not a fade to black moment 😂 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Bastein is the butcher he governs Paris’s crim and as long as the rules are obeyed do not hurt women children and pay your taxes you can continue on your merry way!

Tbh this is as much as what really happened in book one just the set up for book 2, we know his brother is a douche same as her ex husband.

Was this good….. not really.
I mean I like spice but this just wasn’t doing it and there was to much that is over shadowed the story line completely to the point where there isn’t actually a storyline at all.

‘The butcher’ was as tame as your local meat butcher. So that’s telling you next to no butchering at all. Was a bit disappointed.

The male narrator also did not match the description or the aggression of the mmc seemed to tame. The fmc she done a great job but defo consider the male change on the next book.

⭐️⭐️

Meh... a very weak storyline. The romance if any was not developed, the FMC was a weak. Hot sexy scenes every other page does not make a book.

The narration was done very well though and the concept of an alternative governing body was intriguing.

#netgalley #TheButcher

I really wanted to love The Butcher. The blurb made is sound like it was going to be right up my alley, but it fell flat for me.

The narrators did a good enough job but the story was way too basic, predicatable and insta lust for me. I couldn't quite connect to the characters much which put me off too. The plot wasn't that intense either so I couldn't enjoy it much.

The Butcher was an okay story for me but it's not a series that I will continue. This book audiobook gives us Adrien, Fleur and Bastien's story with Adrien and Fleur being married however, his infidelity causes Fleur to want a divorce. One night she meets Bastien, and he is everything that Adrien isn't especially when it comes to the bedroom. The steamy scenes were definitely hot but even though this story was steamy, and there were threats, regret and arguments, and a bit more, there was just something that was missing from this story for me. There were parts that I found a bit repetitive, especially when it came to Adrien and Fleur conversations. Their interactions were exhausting, and I just wanted Adrien to give up no matter how much he didn't believe in divorce. The pace of the story was slower than I liked and for some reason I just could not get into this story the way I had hoped. With that being said, this wasn't a bad start to this series, but I know that this isn't a series for me.

I really wanted to love this so much. The cover is sexy, the reviews were raving, the storyline seemed interesting but I just couldn’t get into this one. There was way more spice than plot. Honestly, other than her having sex with Bastien the only other thing that happened in the book was Fleur fighting with her ex-husband. I going to trust the process and continue with the series because according to the reviews people really seem to love it. I’m hoping we will get more plot and character development in the books to follow in the series.

I listened to this book on audio. The narrator for Fleur was a good fit for the part. The male narrator for Bastien threw me off. His voice didn’t match the look of the man on the cover.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audiobook.
I was looking for a spicy book and that’s exactly what this is. It’s hot and explosive. The characters had so much chemistry. Bastien was such a green flag. I loved that he was 100% committed, he knew what he wanted and he got it. I wish we could have learned more about his past. His character was too mysterious for my liking. I know it’s just the first book in a trilogy but I just wanted a little more plot. All in all, it was a solid read. 3,75 ⭐️

I did not know this was going to be a multi book story arc, I was really enjoy ing listening to the audiobook. There wasn’t a cliffhanger but the story continues on to the next book. It was mafia romance adjacent, the MMC is the one in charge keeping the peace between all the groups. The romance was steady and very hot.