Summary
Butcher & Blackbird’s use of one underrated romance trope allows it an advantage on BookTok over its sequel,Leather & Lark.Many of thebest romance book releaseson BookTok are usually within one of two categories: light romance or dark romance. This usually excludesmost romantasy books, which are BookTok’s most popular genre, though they can have elements of either.Butcher & Blackbird,however, manages to blend these categories together, creating a unique premise.
Butcher & Blackbirdtells the story of Sloane Sutherland and Rowen Kane, who both happen to be serial killers. Both Sloane and Rowen only target other killers, which brings them together one fateful day. From there, the two begin a multi-year romance that escalates in unexpected directions. Their romance, despite the many dark elements of the novel, utilizes a trope often ignored by BookTok, making it an intriguing read for any romance fan.
15 Most Popular Books On BookTok
BookTok has become the go-to place to find book reviews and recommendations, but what are some of the most popular novels on the platform?
Butcher & Blackbird Uses The Underrated Friends-To-Lovers Trope
Friends-To-Lovers Is Not As Popular As Enemies-To-Lovers On BookTok
Butcher & Blackbird’s main plot uses the often underrated friends-to-lovers trope, which lets it stand out on BookTok. The most oftenhyped BookTok booksusually use the enemies-to-lovers trope for their main couple. It can be seen both within and outside the romance genre, such as romantasy (The Empyrean Series)and dark romances (Haunting Adeline).However,Butcher & Blackbirdgoes for the friends-to-lover trope instead, giving the dark comedy unique notes to its overall story.
Sloane and Rowen’s wariness with each other is quickly mended as Sloane warms to Rowen’s peppy nature and Rowen’s initial attraction grows. Instead of the two always trying to maintain the upper hand emotionally, they find that being vulnerable with each other leads to a sense of understanding they have never felt. Gentle moments of connection replace a lot of the classic enemies-to-lovers snark. Even the book’s explicit scenes carry an undercurrent of affection that adds an ironic sweetness.Butcher & Blackbird’s use of this trope lets it have its own place on BookTok, unlike its sequel.
Why Butcher & Blackbird’s Romance Has An Advantage Over Leather & Lark’s
Leather & Lark Uses Already Popular BookTok Tropes
Butcher & Blackbird’s sequel,Leather & Lark,is put at a disadvantage due to it utilizing tropes that are already widely popular on BookTok.Leather & Larkfollows two side characters, Lachlan Kane and Lark Montague, as they find love in an equally genre-bending story as the first. That being said,Leather & Larkuses many tropes that have already been widely highlighted on BookTok, such as the grumpy x sunshine dynamic, marriage of convenience, etc. Because of these tropes,Leather & Larkis unable to maintain what made the series stand out from other books on the platform.
Butcher & Blackbirddemonstrated how effective the friends-to-lovers trope can be.
ThoughLeather & Larkdoes use these popular tropes well, its embrace of overused tropes does not allow it to occupy the same place asthe first book.Butcher & Blackbirddemonstrated how effective the friends-to-lovers trope can be. It had a dynamic plot and romantic moments that audiences would love that were built on a gentler process. It also paired these dynamics with shocking moments that mostly occupy darker, enemies-to-lovers romances.That combination givesButcher & Blackbirda place on BookTok that few other books haveand could mark the rise of this underrated trope in many book-related spaces.
The third book of the Ruinous Love Trilogy,Scythe & Sparrow, at the time of writing, does not have a release date.
