I LOVED seeing the Kane brothers and of course the lovely Blackbird, Lark, and Rose, again!

Thank you so much to Brynne Weaver for giving us a little snippet into the annual August murder show-down between these 3 couples <3

What a fun read this was!

Big thank you to Amazon for this eARC via Netgalley

I will never skip an opportunity for Brynne Weaver to traumatize my sensibilities, and then thank her for it. What that says about me (and the rest of her feral little fanbase) is between me and God.

With her signature dark humor and flair for the grotesque, Brynne makes murder feel like a family pastime. And this time? It literally is. The annual August serial killer hunt is back, and it’s now a full-blown family affair featuring all three couples from her deliciously unhinged Ruinous Love trilogy. This last huzzah reads like a love letter to her readers.

So why three stars, you ask? As short as this novella is, too much of it felt like a recap of characters we (presumably) already know and love. Personally, I’d have preferred less reminiscing and more stabbing. Also, the surprise appearance of a certain character felt less like closure for Sloane and more like a “wait…huh?” moment.

That said, I still devoured this. I will inhale literally anything Brynne Weaver writes, so that her words and I can become one.

Special mention to Fionn, who technically attends the hunt but spends the entire time trying to wrangle Barbara. Her main character energy is untamed, unbothered, and frankly, unmatched. Barbara, queen of trash and our hearts.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Brynne Weaver for this ARC and cruelly short tease of a novella.

This was a fabulous glimpse into the Ruinous Love series. If those books are just a smidge too hardcore for you (as they are for squeamish me), then this novella is the perfect sampling of that world. A quick treat. Thanks to Amazon for the ARC.

Perfect if you need a little ruinous love fix. The gangs all here for another showdown, no additional foods ruined but I will be side eying chickens from now on

My Selling Pitch:
A continuation of Scythe and Sparrow’s epilogue that doesn't need to exist.

On my do not read list.

Pre-reading:
I will never be free of this series. I still really liked the first book, so hopefully this will be more like that.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
The grammar in this arc is SLOPPY.

How long do raccoons live that Barbara is still kicking?

Is the Chianti a Hannibal ref? It has to be.

This is so forced.

We don’t need all this summary. People know what happened? If they're picking this up and they somehow haven't read the series, they're going to be completely spoiled for it.

This is so cringe and repetitive.

50% and all this could've been cut.

Barbara is carrying this.

Rowan’s the only brother with game.

Post-reading:
This is truly just a continuation of Scythe and Sparrow’s epilogue which is just an advertisement for her spin off series. This didn’t need to exist. It adds nothing. No one who hasn't read the series is picking this up, and you’ll be horrendously spoiled if somehow you haven't completed the series before starting this. It’s repetitive and cringeworthy. There was no reason to summarize the plots of the books and then also make the same jokes that were already in them. Do something new for christsakes!

The only positive thing that I can say about this, is that it at least uses Rowan and Sloane as the focal point. They're the strongest couple of the series. There’s all of a paragraph of smut between them, and it’s nothing you haven't read before. Don't waste your time picking this up.

Who should read this:
Completionists

Ideal reading time:
Summer

Do I want to reread this:
Nope

Would I buy this:
Fuck no.

Similar books:
* Lights Out by Navessa Allen-dark rom com, smutty, good for her murder
* Wretched by Emily McIntire-dark romance, retelling, revenge thriller
* The Mindfuck series by S. T. Abby-dark romance, revenge thriller
* The Ingenue by Rachel Kapelke-Dale-revenge thriller that thinks it’s feminist, but isn’t
* How to Kill a Guy in Ten Ways by Eve Kellman-revenge thriller that thinks it’s feminist, but isn’t

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this novella added nothing to the existing story. It was a quick, entertaining read, but nothing beyond.
I would have wished for there to be more POVs. All chapters were from Sloane‘s perspective and I would have liked to look back at all the characters from this internal perspective.

What a fun way to connect two series and revisit the characters from the Ruinous Love trilogy. Lots of Easter eggs in the story that fits with the rest of the books. Wish it was longer!

Thank you Amazon Original Stories for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

I loved this little glimpse we got to my favourite world. I love the Ruinous Love Trilogy so much and I'm so happy we got to see them all again.. It's a pretty short novella, but it still delivered everything I wanted.

We get so see them on their annual hunt, the one we left them on at the end of the third book..
Girls vs boys, who do you think won?
It was fun and murdery, filled with banter and a little sabotage.
It's told from Sloane's perspective, which I really liked.

Also, since I already read the Tourist Season, it was fun seeing that little moment that connects them.

I hope this isn't the last time we see them..

P. S. I really didn't need that reminder about the ice cream, it still haunts me..

A fun novella after the events of The Ruinous Love trilogy. I really enjoyed that trilogy, so was excited for a little more time in that world. It's time for the annual serial killer hunt, and this time it's guys vs. gals.
It was very quick, and I felt like there were certain scenes that went a little too fast that I would have liked a little more from. Overall, a must read for fans of the trilogy, and I was very excited to learn the novella was a sort of bridge between this trilogy and her next series coming out soon.

I rated it 3.5/5 rounded up to 4 stars.
Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the e-arc!

This short read takes us back in the Ruinous Love world and gives us more time with some of our favorite characters. This book was written in the author's fun writing style and included funny, sweet, and spicy moments. If you want a final moment in this wonderful world that Brynne Weaver has created, you'll definitely want to give this a read when it releases on Amazon.

I was fortunate enough to get the eARC on NetGalley today. Yeah, today. I couldn't wait.

What a joy these 48 pages were to read. I hadn't realized just how much I missed these characters, even Barbara. It was a lovely little post-series catch up that seamlessly takes place immediately after the end of book three.

In the intro, the author says it's a bridge between The Ruinous Love Trilogy and her upcoming The Seasons of Carnage Trilogy. I definitely recommend reading The Ruinous Love Trilogy before reading this. You kind of have to.

I adored it. It was perfect. Despite it being so short, it was a satisfying short story to tell the rest of what started in the epilogue of Scythe & Sparrow. A little peek at a single, um, game. IFYKYK. It made me laugh out loud and I could not stop smiling.

If you've read and loved the trilogy, then this is absolutely an essential read.

I don't know what more to say without being super spoilery.

A fun, surprise treat while waiting for Tourist Season. I love that this is a bridge between Ruinous Love and Seasons of Carnage. I don’t know if I’ll ever be satisfied with enough of the Kane brothers and Sticker Bitch Crew.

Absolutely incredible and like I am used to with Brynne Weaver unhinged in the most beautiful way. I loved seeing the characters from previous books again and what they are currently up to. Loved loved loved this!
Thank you to Netgalley and Amazon for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

The perfect bonus ending to Scythe and Sparrow and a reintroduction to Autumn from the upcoming Tourist Season. The Kane boys and the “Sticker Bitch Crew” are doing the “Annual August Showdown” family style this year with a leashed Barbara along for the ride.
*No food was ruined, this time. 😂
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novella.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. I have read all the books by Brynne Weaver. So when I got this ARC I couldn't wait. Read it in one sitting.

Brynne's books are insta-reads for me. I know I can expect a fun and crazy ride ahead - honestly, the trigger warnings page just made me more curious.

I can't get enough of Lachlan (Leather and Lark MMC) and was over the moon to see him make an appearance. This book was as fun as the main trilogy and a nice surprise to keep me covered until her next series. I also liked that the cover ties in very well with the ones of the main trilogy.

Thanks Netgalley and Amazon Original Stories! 💕

Our stabby eye-ball Queen returns! All hail Sloane and the Sticker Bitch Crew! A short and fun return to our favorite vigilante couple.

For a short novella this had everthing you could want. All 3 couples from the Ruinous Love trilogy and of course Barbara!

Seeing another returning character, Autumn, was a nice addtion and makes me wonder how it will link into her upcoming series. Brynne's writing is so easy to get on with and this was once again filled with the same humor as the main books. It makes them some of the best of their genre.

This was such a fun little glimpse into the lives of the characters post trilogy and I really enjoyed reading it. The story also hints at a future storyline involving Autumn, which I would love to see. I just wish it was longer!

I received an ARC of this ebook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I was always curious about Brynne Weaver’s works, so when I had the opportunity to read this arc, I grabbed it. I had a fun time and I think the novella works well to show the author’s style and how she writes her characters.

I was told this book worked as a standalone novella, but I wouldn’t really recommend it to those who haven’t read the Ruinous Love Trilogy, as it builds on what you already know from the original trilogy. Stuff that I didn’t know, lmao. I still enjoyed it a lot, though! This novella definitely makes me want to read the trilogy more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the ARC :D All thoughts are my own.