Butcher & Blackbrid

:: 00:01

Why couldn't he have just punched me in the face like a normal person? Probably because he wasn't a normal person, love. I thought the chainsaw was a big clue.

:: 00:09

Today we're discussing Butcher and Blackbird by Bryn Weaver. I can't think of a single thing that I really didn't like about this book. Nothing Like it was greatness from beginning to end.

:: 00:22

Yeah, it really was. I like the opening scene was perfect. The way he fangirls over her, just chef's kiss, and I can't think of a single thing in the book that I didn't just absolutely love.

:: 00:43

Yeah, I agree, but if we're being nitpicky, we can go ahead and point out a few things, and one of the things that bothered me in the moment when I was reading the books is or the book is that as I was reading it, there were things in the moment that irritated me or I'm like, oh my gosh, how could she do this? What's going on? But then later it got explained, and so one of the examples that I talked about was when she came to the restaurant and he leaves after the chick Anna.

:: 01:11

Emily and I think it's Anne or Annie or something.

:: 01:16

Anyways, the other woman I mean, she's not really the other woman the chick comes up and hugs him and kisses him on the cheek or whatever, and then she leaves and he didn't go after her. And I was really upset by that because I was like dude, she just came all the way here. She left you that drawing. You have to go after her. She's your girl, you have to claim her. You're a possessive motherfucker, that's what you're supposed to do. But he didn't. And then, as we switch to his perspective, he explains I can't do that.

She's very stubborn, she's very set in her ways. If he would have ran after her, it would have pushed her away, which is why he does the whole tree thing with the dinner for a week, which I understood after it was explained, but in the moment I was like no, what are you doing? What the hell? This can't be happening. Yes, yeah, but I feel like she did that really well. She tied things up in a way that helped with the plot and the character's development, and it wasn't just all pushed at the end to try and wrap it up. No, we progressed through the book and she did that, and so I appreciated it after the fact, but not in the moment.

:: 02:20

Yeah, I can appreciate that. I, oh man, I'm trying to think like if there's anything that really okay. So again getting really nitpicky. The one thing that irritated me is I feel like there's a big gap in explaining the David storyline.

:: 02:42

That's in my notes too.

:: 02:44

Like if I had to pick anything to be like what the hell is happening, it would be this because we think that David is completely incapable of speaking and he's kind of has this persona of almost being on the spectrum or severely traumatized. So he's kind of shut down, gone mute, and they mentioned that they searched for this person and didn't get any information on him. But then once Sloan realizes that something's off, after Rowan like ripped her heart out and stomped it on the ground, she realized it's David and she calls the brother and she's like hey, give me all of the information on this person. And then she gets all of this information. Like how did we not know this beforehand? I don't know. That was one thing that I just didn't make any sense to me.

:: 03:42

Agreed and I didn't like that. He's so easily trapped Rowan. That didn't make any sense, like we knew something was happening, but in my mind it was never him. I thought it was the other chick that was trying to keep him away from Sloan. I never once made the connection of David because he was insignificant.

:: 04:03

Yeah, which I. That's one thing that, like, I give Brynn kudos for, because so often you are able to piece together like who, like what is happening behind the scenes, because you almost had like a plot in a plot in this book, right. Like you have Rowan and Sloan's love story and like their competition and figuring out like how the two of them actually work together and so like that's a whole thing, right. They're like dealing with their trauma or like then deciding to have a relationship, etc. And then you also have just slightly mentioned like these little things that are happening in the restaurant, like the range is not working or I can't remember the other instances, but like all these little instances and Brynn did a beautiful job of mentioning it so that if your reader is actually paying close attention, you can see things don't start going wrong until David's working at the restaurant, etc. Etc. But I was so wrapped up in like Rowan and Sloan that I was like I've worked in restaurants long enough to know like shit breaks all the time, you know.

So I was like it is what it is he owns a restaurant like this doesn't have anything to really do with anything. I should have known better, so Good job, Bren.

:: 05:24

Just to play off that, she did it really well because it also doesn't start happening until after he meets Sloan and runs into that chick True Right. So it's kind of woven in as like okay, is it because of David, or is it because of Sloan? And the other chick is jealous that now that he is in love with somebody else.

:: 05:42

I wasn't even. It wasn't even on my radar that that was an issue. I was just like if he owns a restaurant and shit breaks, no.

:: 05:51

My thought process was that if it wasn't her, it was somebody else in that friend group that was trying to pull him away. And one of the reasons why I say that is because when they're dancing, when he gets the award, and they're giving off signals that hey, you want to take this a little bit further and he leaves her there. He leaves her there, like why would you leave her alone, knowing that she came here to be with you and be your date? Why couldn't you take her with you to the restaurant when you got the call that something was happening? And so that was part of the reason why I thought it was the chick, because maybe there was something that we weren't aware of that was happening, that he knew that she didn't like him being with Sloan.

Interesting, yeah, that's how that kind of like clicked for you, yeah, and like there might have been a couple other things, but I can't remember. Interesting, yeah, yeah, so that bothered me. But again, she did so well of creating this story and like piecing together you know this puzzle that once we got to the end. Besides, you know the whole David fiasco thing like it just it wrapped up really beautifully. Yeah, I loved it, like it was greatness.

:: 06:58

No, I completely agree. It is tied for first in my top reads of this year.

:: 07:07

I second that Like 100%.

:: 07:09

And I don't reread books. I do more now, but they're very, very like few and far between, and we just finished this book, initially back in August I think. So we're in like late October now and I'm already rereading it. Like the audio version came out and y'all. First of all, I got the audio version for like 750. And I don't know if it's because I'm an Audible member or if that's like the regular price. I would have paid the $21 that you normally see for audio, because not only do you get a Joe Arden who is so sexy, yes but they recorded it in a way that it is actually dual narrated. So instead of it being like Sloan reads her chapter or like so, lucy Rivers reads like Sloan's chapter and does all of the accents and that kind of thing, then Joe Arden does Rowan's chapter, they actually do their dialogue regardless of who the chapter is, which, what is so sexy? And you get the.

:: 08:15

Joe does an Irish accent.

:: 08:17

Yes, that's exactly what I was about to say is Joe does an Irish accent and y'all I just it's phenomenal. It is phenomenal Like I read it the first time. I loved it, top read. But I think this may be like my favorite audio book of all time, but definitely of 2023. Okay, that's high praise coming from you. No, I highly recommend the audio.

:: 08:42

I definitely agree that it's a top read and I will probably have to purchase the audio now too, just to be able to hear Joe with an Irish accent, because that's super sexy. But to transition the conversation, we want to talk about some of our favorite scenes Absolutely, that's. We can't really pick. We really don't have any scenes or things that we like, just to test and need to break down as to why they're crappy, because it's such a good book.

:: 09:03

So yeah, might as well praise all the things you want to go first. You can kick it off.

:: 09:07

Okay, I think, yeah, the dinner scene is one of my favorites.

:: 09:11

The accidental cannibalism.

:: 09:16

I just I love how like she's. Like, do I tell him? Do I not tell him? Does he know? Does he not know? Like, how does he not know? Obviously, there's a reason why we're here. It's our yearly game.

Right, like come on, dude, like connect the dots, but I just thought that was really great and I thought that it showed a really I thought it was a really good high for their relationship, because he puts himself in a vulnerable situation or position and she protects him. Yeah Right, I feel like that's a really good balance with them throughout the whole book. But it was the first time in the book, if I remember correct, that she was in the seat of power, because the first time it was him when he let her out of the cage, and then also him on their first kill, when the guy was the peeping Tom.

:: 10:00

Yes.

:: 10:00

Right, and so this was her first time of being in that seat of power and she protected him and took care of him and didn't take advantage. And then I mean, obviously she has to poke fun of him afterwards. Absolutely, you just have to like it wouldn't be so long if she did this.

:: 10:14

Yes.

:: 10:16

Yeah, and I really appreciated that for them and I liked how Bryn didn't make even though Salon is a serial killer, she didn't make her this like damsel in distress in all of these situations, oh for sure. So I really liked that and I love you Pass out. I mean, isn't that the best way to tell the person that you love them for the first time? Absolutely.

:: 10:40

Yeah yeah, that was so great Okay you're turning.

:: 10:45

Oh gosh, I think I already know what scene you're going to talk about.

:: 10:53

I love it. It's so dark but I found it so atrociously funny. But when they are at I think it was at Harry Henry, harry's House of Horrors, harry's House of Horrors, yes, first of all, I love me some good alliteration, like just yes. But when they're at Harry's and they have him trapped, like Rowan and Salon both have him trapped I cannot remember how they did it, but then Salon was like hold on, I have this brilliant idea and she goes and gets. She goes and gets Harry's mom's corpse from the house and then uses the corpse to like move and see where that corpse was stabbed, torture Harry and Rowan's. Like this is really dark, just like, really, that's your line, that's the line. And then when Harry dies, like from the heart attack of the absolute insanity of having his mom's corpse touch him, and Sloan is like well, that was a disappointment, that wasn't fun at all. Just, I wanted it to go on longer. Yes, oh my gosh, I was rolling with that scene. Just, oh my gosh, it was, hands down, my favorite scene of the book.

:: 12:23

That's where our opening quote comes from. Is that scene?

:: 12:26

Oh yeah, it is. I was going to say I also feel like that was the kill where Sloan realized how much she was falling for Rowan.

:: 12:39

I was about to say something similar.

:: 12:40

Yeah, like you have, Rowan falls head first within the first chapter, you know, within the first like 10 pages of the book, I feel like. But it takes Sloan a lot longer to get there and I feel like that whole situation was her kind of awakening to falling in love with him.

:: 12:59

Yeah, because the reason why she got punched in the face was because she thought he was in danger and went to go and save him. Yeah, so that's exactly what I was going to hint at. Well kicked in the face. Oh, kicked in the face, in the face.

:: 13:12

In the face, like boot print imprinted on her face.

:: 13:19

Yeah, so that was the good turning point for her too. But, I also felt like there were little significant moments too, because I don't remember if when she goes to visit his restaurant, if that was before after that scene.

:: 13:29

Now I'm curious.

:: 13:31

Because I felt like that I think it was before and it was her idea, it was her way of coming open or accepting the idea of having feelings for him, because that's why she went there, right was to see him. And then seeing the other chick kind of like was like, oh okay, maybe I was overthinking, maybe I was reading the signals wrong, let me back out. But then they have the dinner Well, not really dinner, but on the phone with her as she does the dinner and like a couple of other things.

That was so sweet, it was so cute.

:: 13:59

And it's Harvey. His name's not Harry, it's Harvey. Oh, it's Harvey.

:: 14:02

Okay, yeah, sorry, harvey's House of Horns, so I like that. I just think that the opening scene was great, not just with the fangirling, but when they're, you know, looking at the little pasta creatures.

:: 14:16

Oh yes, the Orzo Pasta.

:: 14:19

And instead of, you know, opening the door to help her, he's just like oh yeah, look at them, look at how fast they, you know, like oh oh oh, and when he asks her where she got her blade from and he's she was like Etsy.

:: 14:38

I don't remember that. I really, when I was re listening to it this morning, it said that I was like, oh my gosh, that's such like, that's great. I love that she's like this badass serial killer who got her favorite blade from Etsy.

:: 14:51

Or the fact, you know, because the opening, she pretends not to know who he is. And then when they're at the restaurant. She lets it slip and he's like. You do know me, you do know who I am.

:: 15:03

Yes, oh, okay, okay. So the restaurant scene happens direct, almost directly after Harvey's house of horrors, like there's some time that passes after and then she goes to the restaurant, okay.

:: 15:16

Yeah, See, yeah, Okay, so that kind of ties in. I have to say that I think this is one of the first books at least in my limited memory that I can remember that where I loved both the male main character and the female main character, both equally. Yeah, and normally when we read some of these books we like one or the other, or maybe we don't like either of them, but this is like one of the first ones where I absolutely love both of them, like 100%. There is there was never a time that I didn't yeah.

Didn't like either one of them.

:: 15:47

Yeah, I completely agree and I really love that Brynn did such a beautiful job of balancing. This is going to sound weird, but I like I'm a woo, woo manifestation like masculine feminine energy person and I feel like Brynn did a beautiful job of Sloane balancing her like feminine masculine energy and Rowan, you know, balancing his feminine masculine energy, because at no point, like you said already, like at no point was Sloane a damsel in distress, like did he have to rescue her a couple of times? Like yeah, but she had to rescue him just as many times for different reasons. And I felt like there was no like toxic masculinity with Rowan, like he was very much a hard on his sleeve kind of guy and Sloane wasn't so traumatized by her past that she wasn't willing to open up to him. You know, as their relationship progressed and I just I feel like Brynn navigated both of those scenarios so beautifully.

:: 16:51

I agree and I also like that they have their own support system. So she has her friend, he has his brothers. I think that that really helps with them being able to cope with the darker side, especially like his energy, with his, with his brothers. I find that hilarious. Yeah they're great and quite interesting.

And then of course you know, torturing his, his baby brother, when you know he sleeps with Sloane for the first time? Oh yeah, yeah, I can't even remember why he is upset. Didn't he say he needed to say something over the phone before he would cut the? The chick opens the door or is like who are you? Because they go to his house and he's like well, I need you to confirm that it's you and he has to say something. What was it?

:: 17:37

Oh, okay hold on, I might be making this up. I'm not far from that scene because it happens after Harvey's house of horrors, right, yeah, yeah.

:: 17:47

Okay, because she needs medical attention. I just think that the sibling dynamics, if it's done well, always brings me joy, because I have younger siblings and I can relate. Oh, what does he do? He's got to say something on the phone.

:: 18:01

Yes, Let me see where Rose asks oh, okay, so Rose is with Fian the doctor and the doctor asks Rose to ask Rowan to confirm his childhood nickname and.

:: 18:22

Wasn't it shit thrower or something? Shit flicker, shit, yeah, shit flicker. You got to love younger siblings. You got to love it. That's greatness.

:: 18:33

Okay, I think it was when we were talking about the things that if we were getting nitpicky, like what bothered us and one of the things that I kind of questioned as they were getting away from these different murder scenes, how are they not getting caught? Because and granted, I don't know, it bugged me that they were able to so easily get away. So then my brain was like, okay, so how fun would it be if they had, like an FBI agent on the inside and he's helping them actually get away with murdering other serial killers and I mean, but isn't his brother an FBI agent or a special agent?

I don't think we know what his brother actually does Lachlan, lachlan. I don't think we know what his brother does yet. I don't think. I think we just know. Like he has access to privy information.

:: 19:27

And your theory or canon that you have, I think, is genius, do you remember? Do you want me to share it?

:: 19:34

Isn't it like they? There's an FBI agent on the inside that helps him get away, but he also ends up falling in love with one of them. What?

:: 19:41

was it? So that was the first part. And then, as we continue to discuss, you were like we were like, oh, what if it was the other chick? What if she was the FBI agent? Oh yeah, and then she was helping them cover up, and then I follow that up with oh, what if she ends up with a guy that is sitting at the table at the end? Of the one because what better way to get it ruined than to mess with his friends or family? Yes, and then they end up having a thing.

:: 20:06

Yeah, oh, I forgot about how how the book ended with them being like stalked.

:: 20:14

Oh man, and we don't know who that is. I wonder if I think at one point, at one point, their goal was to try and find the person who killed, like every few years in the woods or something oh the national parks guy and I'm wondering if that's him Interesting.

:: 20:30

Yeah, I'm wondering if that's him. That would make sense.

:: 20:33

But then this. This comes down to though. Okay, though, how does he know who Rowan and Sloan are and that they're serial killers? So that means he must have been following them a lot longer.

:: 20:44

Well, and that's what irritates me, and green it Okay. So because the timeline is a little mixed up. I love the timeline, I love the way she navigates the timeline that's one like this is going to sound weird. I have like a kink for a well done timeline in a book. Like there are fias, I mean it's the weirdest thing. But like I'm not even kidding you, when someone navigates like a great timeline, I'm like, yes, give me that one year separation. I love you so much. But okay.

So, going back, one of the things, like I said, that bugs me is that they get away with it. Right, but you have to think the FBI has to deal with every single serial killer you know, plus everything else that like their jurisdiction covers right Across the United States. But serial killers, especially serial killers who kill serial killers, say that three times fast. Do we call those vigilantes Vigilantes? Sure that pull is going to be a lot smaller. So if a serial killer who keeps a tab on, like the community, notices that these other serial killers are being killed off once a year, or like in this certain area or in this certain area, I think it's going to be much easier for a serial killer to figure out who that is versus the FBI.

:: 22:10

I want to challenge that just a little bit, because the serial killers or the FBI don't know that the vigilantes are the ones that are doing the killing right, because all serial killers have a profile. Sloan is the weaver, so irregardless of if she kills a serial killer, the FBI may not know that that person that she killed is a serial killer, it's just a victim. I like where you're going with it and I think that's a really good idea. But maybe we won't know until we get to the next book, maybe Because now I'm curious if this is serial killer romcom. I never thought I'd say that ever.

:: 22:50

Right.

:: 22:51

Right, which just means that this book is just that much better. Yes, to be able to say that Is Rowan's brothers also serial killers.

:: 23:01

Yes, right, one definitely is. Which one? I think Lark. I think Lark is not Lark. Lachlan is definitely a serial killer. Lachlan, yeah, lachlan. I'm like I'd be willing to bet a decent amount of money that Lachlan's a serial killer, because I think Rowan confirms it in book one, or he's just a killer. Well, yeah, I'm not saying he always kills serial killers, although I do think that's what he does. And then I think Pheon or Pheon. I don't think he does, I just call him Finn.

:: 23:33

I just ignore the O because it doesn't make any sense to me. There you go. I just go with Finn. But him as a doctor, that would be really interesting. As being a killer or serial killer, I don't know. It's going to be curious. I can't wait. I'm so happy that her book got picked up. Because I think she did indie publishing, and now it's traditionally published. I just hope that by being picked up, that it doesn't kill her voice.

:: 23:58

That's why I was thinking about that this morning.

:: 24:01

Because when you do traditional publishing, they have more say in what you can do or not do or what you're limited, whereas where she was self-publishing she could put whatever she wanted in there, and so I hope that when book two, whenever it comes out, it's not trash.

:: 24:16

Yeah, I agree, and I'm really looking forward to I'm hoping at least, at least in book two getting more of Sloan's backstory. But because it's so intertwined with Lark, I feel like that we're going to get all of it in book two through Lark's story. But I was very curious as to how Sloan became a serial killer.

:: 24:36

Agreed.

:: 24:37

I guess we don't know why Rowan became a serial killer, either do we, do we.

:: 24:41

I think it's both. It's hinted with both Sloan and Rowan. So Sloan is a trigger for what was happening to Lark. But again I feel like we need more, because just because your friend is being abused in some way is not enough. Make you go all serial killer-y. Stabby Stabby. I like stabby better.

I like stabby too Make you go all stabby, but with Rowan I think it was because of the abuse from their father oh, that's right and that they finally got tired of being beaten and, if I'm not mistaken, I think his first kill was his father and I think you're right and then he realized the release and the power that gave him, and so he wanted to make sure that other people weren't hurt, and so that's why he started killing.

Serial killers was to protect the innocent Like they weren't protected. Yeah, I like it. Do we have any other favorite scenes? I feel like there's a lot of little scenes. There's like a lot of little things. I mean, it was just a great book.

:: 25:37

It was a great book, I would say. My other favorite scene was when he shows her the Butcher and Blackbird restaurant and he always puts her booth equidistant between the front and back exits.

:: 25:51

That makes sure your mushy romantic part happy doesn't get.

:: 25:54

Yes, and that's what I loved about this book is I'm a big old softy at the heart of things and I'm enjoying a lot of these dark romance reads, but I think that's why I love Butcher and Blackbird so much is I got all of my giddiness while still dealing with the mystery and the serial killing and all of that fun stuff.

:: 26:14

Yeah, I agree, and then the few sex scenes that we did get were pretty hot.

:: 26:18

That was one thing we talked about before was the very long sex scenes that we got. I think it went two chapters, three chapters. I don't remember Two chapters. It was a long one and it got to a point, but it was still hot. It was very hot, but I feel like the last round that they did I was like y'all, there's no way.

:: 26:43

Like, look at this point. At this point it's like four years of foreplay.

:: 26:49

That's fair. That's fair. But yeah, I'm OK with suspending plausibility in a lot of scenarios. I mean hello, but that last round she's like she needs to rest. She just got her ass kicked. Let the girl sleep.

:: 27:07

That is the best way to heal. I don't know what you're talking about. I do also have to say, though, I loved, that he was kind of like a softy, because he kept the napkin, the restaurant that he made for that he was. Just once he met her he knew you're my soulmate. That's it. I now have to figure out how to keep you in my life, build our lives together and show it in a way that's not going to have her running, and I think, even though it went against his instincts, that he did it a phenomenal job.

:: 27:45

I completely, completely agree. I just I loved that he I mean he told her at their first meeting that she was going to love him.

:: 27:56

Yeah, I like. Yeah, he called it. Yeah, and I think this has been one of the best love it for sight novels I have ever read. Oh, 100%, that I can remember. Yeah, that's the one part, 100%.

:: 28:08

Well, and the nice thing about it is, yes, it's love it for sight. But he had been following her career progression for lack of a better word and had already been impressed with her portfolio yes, her portfolio. He had already been impressed with her kills and her webs and he was thinking, oh, this is definitely a woman and the FBI is like it's not even on their radar. So when he actually meets her, he's like not only is it confirmed, but she is gorgeous.

:: 28:39

Yeah, I'm trying to think. I think there's only is another thing that made your mushy heart happy was the color.

:: 28:46

Yes, it did make my mushy heart happy.

:: 28:50

Let's talk about all the things that make Jenn's heart mushy.

:: 28:55

OK, so when A timeline?

:: 28:58

A timeline.

:: 28:59

Yes, a good timeline. Let's see, I'm going to pull up my quotes. Ok, so this is in chapter 23, when she was doing the tattoo to cover up where David had sliced him, right, I think. So, yeah, okay, so she draws the tattoo, gives it to the artist and then he doesn't get to see it till it's finished and he says you did color. He whispers, but he still doesn't let go. I smile in Rowan's arms. What can I say, butcher, I guess you brought it out of me and just Sweet, like it's just, it's so Sweet, and oh. And then the other one, and it happens at Harvey's house. Of course, I just love that entire chapter. Like Brynn, that chapter was just Perfection.

But it's when, like you see the devastation on Rowan's face, so a flash of lightning illuminates Rowan's face, searing it into my memory forever. His lips are parted and I can almost hear the sharp intake of breath as his gaze snares on my misshapen shoulder and missing shirt. His features are anguish and fury, painted in light and rain, beautiful and haunting and terrifying. Like she has a way, oh, like just the way she weaves those sentences together and you feel his almost desperation and seeing her as hurt as she is and she Sees it like really for the first time, like how in love he is with her is just, and, and then, and then. The other thing that I can think of is how he proposed like grotesque, absolutely, but Perfect for those two. Just and really creative, very creative, like totally outside the box, yes, yeah. So I, yeah, I love, and I love that he picks on her about the difference between gouging and plucking the eyes out. She's like I pluck them out.

:: 31:12

I forgot about that. Yeah, it's literally those little details in the book that keep you captivated and keep on reading and make it so great. It's not necessarily the whole picture over the or the overall story arc. It's those little things that just happen Sprinkle throughout the book that you're just like oh my gosh, yeah, I love this, and you kind of sort of forget that oh, they're really serial killers.

:: 31:33

Like they're killing people, like like this is supposed to be very.

:: 31:37

Nope, it's a light, dark romance.

:: 31:40

Yes, even though it's definitely a five on the bone scale.

:: 31:44

That's what I was about to say. Are we ready to start reading it? Yeah, apparently. Yeah, you jump the car, sorry, you jump the gun. I agree, it's five, it has it, all it has, and even though we're laughing, it still has it, because the environment has the themes. Everything's on the page. I mean it's a very explicit I mean accidental cannibalism and intentional cannibalism.

:: 32:10

Very, two important distinction, okay like one of the things that grosses me out and it'll pop in my head every now. I don't know if you have that happen with like books cookie cream. Ice cream no it's not the ice cream scene, which is like what most people would think about. No, it is when David slurps Rowan skin like spaghetti. That wait, what do you?

:: 32:34

remember this. I don't remember that. When is David looking? He has Rowan.

:: 32:39

No, no, no. So Rowan is tied down to the chair and David is using a mandolin on his arm to make strips of fettuccine skin and he puts it in his mouth and Slurps it like spaghetti and says this was a delicacy. That the guy that they killed, okay, that, that gives me the biggest I.

:: 33:05

Must have blocked it out, because I don't remember that happen.

:: 33:10

Seriously, there are times where I'll just be walking around like Terrible.

:: 33:26

This is why we're friends, you're not wrong. Yeah, so I would definitely give it five. And then Spicy, how would you rate it? Because we only have two full sex scenes Mm-hmm, the first time when they're in the booth and then one oral slash Cockwarming scene in the kitchen, I think, mm-hmm. I think the other ones are kind of like when they're in the apartment is like closed door fade to blood or something. But those are the only two and a half that I remember.

:: 33:51

Yeah, I think I would say probably three Chili peppers, because that the very first time goes on for so long and it's slightly kinky and it's a very explicit, and then you only get the the two other scenes.

:: 34:09

Yeah. So three is making a sweat and four is smutty, five is kinky and I wouldn't.

:: 34:15

I don't think like their relationship Is very kinky and I don't think the book is very smutty, mm-hmm, like you get.

:: 34:21

I agree I would give it three peppers. Yeah, I felt like that's a good medium for what we get. I just wish we would have had a couple more.

:: 34:27

Yeah, I could have. I, I could have been okay with the first time being a scene or even maybe two scenes less and Getting it more like when they move in together and their relationship is developing.

:: 34:40

Yeah, I can agree now.

:: 34:41

Granted, I think part of the reason she didn't do that is to set up Rowan and Sloan's falling out, because they were already like drifting apart because he was so busy and they, you know, she was kind of questioning her place in his life and that sort of thing. So I feel like that play all played into that final scene but I could have.

:: 35:02

I don't remember that I probably blocked out because I didn't like that. Yeah, okay and then.

:: 35:07

So overall rating five stars, five, yeah, ten stars, like a hundred eleven stars, absolutely all of the stars.

:: 35:16

Anyways. So yeah, I definitely agree five stars top read, at least in the top five of the year so far that I can remember. Hmm and we'll have a special episode hopefully Coming up where we talk about our favorite reads of the year. Yes, and then, and our least favorites, yeah, and our least favorites. That's gonna be interesting, yeah, anything else, I don't think. So we hit everything. I think we did. I think, yeah, I think we covered everything. Okay, readers, and where does the darkness rate with you?

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