From the very first book in the Ruinous Love trilogy, I was excited to read Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver. I was looking forward to learning more about the quiet seemingly good Dr. Kane and the circus performer Rose, and it did not disappoint in the slightest.
Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver is the third book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. It is a dark romantic comedy published on February 11th, 2025 and is 416 pages long. You can find the book wherever books are sold and on the author’s website here.
Premise
The Sparrow helps women in bad situations fly free while reading tarot cards at the traveling circus. But lately the urge to do more, to make sure, and to make bad men suffer has been nagging at Rose. Except she may have bitten off more than she can chew, and ends up with a broken leg and inside the clinic of Doctor Fionn Kane. Something draws him to her, regardless of the darkness that swirls around her, it matches his own, and though he should walk away, he can’t.
Triggers
Triggers found in Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver include:
- Eyeballs and lids.
- Clowns
- Medical trauma
- Domestic physical abuse (not depicted)
- Psychological abuse
- Sexual harassment
- Parental neglect and physical abuse (mentioned not depicted)
- Sexually explicit scenes include toys, primal, cotton candy, anal and cum kink
- Blasphemy
- Death, violence, murder, blood, gore.
My Thoughts
Rose is everything I look for and love in an FMC. Tragic past, chaotic, strong, and a bit of a smart ass with a sarcastic witty sense of humor. The very first line in the book had me hooked because I knew I would immediately love Rose.
When I talk about book girlfriends, Rose is it, top of my list, the best of the best.
If you hit someone in the back of the head hard enough, you can pop their eyeballs right out of their face. – Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Meanwhile, Fionn is a complete cinnamon roll. Traumatic past, organized, sweet, caring, but also extremely guarded. He’s the type of man who is protective but at the end of the day just needs to a good cuddle.
I love the way Rose pushes at his walls and in a way brings out the inner corruption. He’s not innocent, or sheltered, he’s got a darkness that already lives in him that he insists on hiding from the world. In the process of hiding that darkness he’s hiding away from the relationships and acceptance of who he is at the core.
“Maybe you should make me an adult-sized BabyBjörn and just carry me around strapped to your chest,” she barrels on, a teasing glimmer bright in her mahogany eyes. “Can you imagine? Trips to the grocery store would be fucking hilarious. If you have a sewing machine, I can totally make that happen.” – Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
He tries so hard to just be a good man, believing that he can’t let that darkness come out and still be good. I loved watching him grow more comfortable with who he is at his core. Accepting that just because he did something bad, doesn’t make him a bad person.
“To be honest, I was relieved it wasn’t the raccoon again. Do you know how hard it is to get a codeine-addicted raccoon out of a ventilation system? Fucking hard.” – Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
The tension between these two characters was absolutely perfect. They tried to ignore it, tried not to feed it, even as Rose might have teased the doctor a few times. Yet the attraction they felt for each other couldn’t be ignored and when the dam burst it was freaking beautiful.
“I did the killing part. I just need a little help with the disposal.” Fionn lets out an exasperated sigh. “‘Body disposal’ was not on my list of trouble.” “You should have clarified that from the beginning.” – Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
Not only did we get consent and communication, but Rose looked at this man and told him that if he wanted to stop at any point she also would stop. Explicit consent from both parties had me doing a little shimmy of excitement, because I love seeing it.
Now be prepared, we get quite a bit of kinks so check those trigger warnings at the beginning of the book, because while I listed them above, Brynne is really good about explicit warnings in her books.
Barbara, hands down, was my favorite side character in this book. Just the perfect addition to the cast. The Suture Sisters were also a hilarious addition as well.
I loved the found family aspect of this book and appreciated Rose’s connection with those in the traveling circus, and how they cared for her. I also loved the way Tatum and Lark both basically adopted Rose and refused to let go.
Overall the vibes of this book are a dark chaotic good time. If you like dark humor, chaos, a badass FMC, and a protective MMC with a sweet streak and a dirty mouth, you will love this book.
Who Would Like Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver?
Tropes in Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver include:
- Slow Burn
- Strangers to Friends to Lovers
- Vigilante FMC
- Small Town
Make sure you check out all of me recommendations for the Ruinous Love Trilogy below:
If you liked the Mindfuck series by ST Abby, Satan’s Affair by HD Carlton, or The Reaper by Nikki J Summers, you will likely love this book.
Have you read Scythe and Sparrow by Brynne Weaver, or have you added it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments. I love interacting with other readers over books I loved.