Leather & Lark is the second novel in the Ruinous Love Trilogy, which focuses on the three Kane brothers: Rowan, Lachlan, and Fionn. As with most romance trilogies, the books in the series share common characters, but each installment focuses on a different couple and can be read as a standalone novel. However, when read in the proper sequence, the novels of the trilogy combine to create a broader story and a much richer world. Butcher & Blackbird is the first novel in the trilogy and features Lachlan Kane’s younger brother, Rowan Kane, along with Lark’s best friend, Sloane Sutherland. The narrative reveals that Sloane and Rowan are both killers dedicated to murdering other serial killers in order to make the world a better place. They meet each other after Sloane kills a serial killer that Rowan is also targeting. After feeling an immediate attraction and connection, they subsequently take part in an annual competition in which they both target the same serial killer to determine who can reach the target first. This morally questionable tradition brings them closer together, and they eventually start a relationship and continue to kill together. The novel reaches its structural climax when Sloane saves Rowan’s life.