Alexis’s review of Leather & Lark (The Ruinous Love Trilogy, #2) > Likes and Comments

If I had a nickel for every second book in a romance trilogy that jams the Chekhov's Gun in regards to pegging by relegating it to a bonus scene after two books of lead-up, I would have two nickels, but at least this time it's included in the book and not just online. Great review!

Eva wrote: "If I had a nickel for every second book in a romance trilogy that jams the Chekhov's Gun in regards to pegging by relegating it to a bonus scene after two books of lead-up, I would have two nickels..."

That is way too many nickels to have for such a specific issue 😂

Completely confused! How does the sleep clinic subplot work: you are being wired and constantly monitored, how do you create a double being wired and monitored instead of you, in order to go on a murder spree?

Sophie wrote: "Completely confused! How does the sleep clinic subplot work: you are being wired and constantly monitored, how do you create a double being wired and monitored instead of you, in order to go on a m..."

I TOO HAD THESE QUESTIONS. Like how are they going to analyse her data in the morning? "You seem to have a really energetic sleeping pattern"

Alexis wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Completely confused! How does the sleep clinic subplot work: you are being wired and constantly monitored, how do you create a double being wired and monitored instead of you, in ord..."

they have video footage as well, either its on her, so it is the opposite of an alibi, or they monitor the empty bed, also not an alibi

Sophie wrote: "Alexis wrote: "Sophie wrote: "Completely confused! How does the sleep clinic subplot work: you are being wired and constantly monitored, how do you create a double being wired and monitored instead..."

I feel a bit petty over-focusing on a broadly insignificant plot element. Like, I find this series very, you know, about the vibes more than anything. Plot is not a priority. And I do think it's okay for the author to sweep you along in excitement and emotion, without paying too much attention to pointless minutiae. I'm just not always the right reader for vibes.

This element just stuck out for me, and within the complete idea of serial killers maybe it also makes sense that it does not make sense

I hope you read the third one. Rose I love cuz she’s just kinda bad at murder. And there’s not as much business. This one had too much business. Why do you mean the daughter of a muffin pedaling mob family couldn’t handle her teenage trauma and it took the man of her dreams slash marriage of necessity husband who she hates for very clear reasons though actually serve up her former teacher on a silver platter. Her bestie is a serial killer. Shes a serial killer. How has this not been addressed by now. Plus the plot has a bunch of missing stuff til you get to the next book.

Deedz wrote: "I hope you read the third one. Rose I love cuz she’s just kinda bad at murder. And there’s not as much business. This one had too much business. Why do you mean the daughter of a muffin pedaling mo..."

I guess B&B had a fair amount of plot-based nonsense also? "What do you mean we're both trying to murder the same serial killer as part of a ridiculously game and now I'm trying to open a restaurant". But for some reason it didn't snag on me as much in Blackbird. I was fully along for the ride, whereas this was more like I had my coat stuck in the car door and it was dragging me across the gravel.

I'm interested to hear the third book picks up again but I'll probably take a break before seeking it out. I never want it to look I'm, like, hating reading someone or something - especially if I've had a 'meh' reaction to one of their books.

Fair! These books are what they are. The first one being a bit of a send up of these horror movie slashers just made me go oh okay I get the tone of this. It’s fun. The second one was just kind of convoluted to suit the tropes it was trying to do. Or that’s how it felt to me. And it doing the mob thing was confusing. I have yet to get a book doing the mob thing though.

Deedz wrote: "Fair! These books are what they are. The first one being a bit of a send up of these horror movie slashers just made me go oh okay I get the tone of this. It’s fun. The second one was just kind of ..."

I have a conspiracy theory (and this is seriously based on NOTHING. it is literally a conspiracy theory, up there with giant lizards ruling the world from the sewers of New York) that the original outline or intention for the second book was different. But I think the first book was so massively *massively* successful that publisher (since publishers like replicable success) might have encouraged the author to repeat certain elements of B&B in order to capture as much as the B&B audience as possible. And, y'know what, based on the equal success of L&L they weren't wrong, and God knows no author should be criticised for commercial decision-making. But my conspiracy theory is that Lark might not have originally been intended to *also* be a serial killer.

I also think you're right that serial killing (which can be fictionally glamorised one kind of way) and the mob (which can be fictionally glamorised a different kind of way) are an awkward fit.

Then again, a lot of that is personal taste, and personal trope taste too.

I can see what you’re saying, and if hypothetically there was a pivot book two didn’t get as much time as the first or third to marinate.