In the blood-soaked landscape of dark romance, few authors master the delicate balance between horror and heart quite like Brynne Weaver. With Tourist Season, the first installment in her Seasons of Carnage trilogy, Brynne Weaver delivers a wickedly intoxicating tale that proves love truly is the most dangerous battleground of all.
A Twisted Paradise Where Death Takes Root
Cape Carnage emerges as more than just a setting—it’s a character unto itself. This seaside town of colorful Victorian houses and quirky shops harbors secrets beneath its picture-perfect facade. Weaver crafts a world where the mundane becomes menacing, where gardening tools double as instruments of death, and where the line between sanctuary and cemetery blurs beyond recognition.
Harper Starling, our green-thumbed anti-heroine, maintains this deadly paradise with meticulous care. She’s not your typical romance protagonist; she’s a serial killer who views troublesome tourists as compost for her award-winning flowerbeds. Weaver’s genius lies in making Harper simultaneously terrifying and deeply sympathetic. Her devotion to protecting her aging mentor Arthur, who suffers from early Alzheimer’s, adds layers of vulnerability that humanize her murderous tendencies.
When Predator Meets Predator
The arrival of Nolan Rhodes disrupts Harper’s carefully controlled world in the most delicious way. Devilishly handsome and equally deadly, Nolan isn’t your typical tourist—he’s a hunter on a mission of revenge. The sexual tension crackles from their first encounter at A Shipwrecked Bean, where coffee and croissants mask intentions far more sinister.
Weaver excels at crafting complex characters whose motivations feel authentic despite their homicidal hobbies. Nolan’s quest for vengeance stems from a hit-and-run accident that shattered his life and claimed his brother Billy. The slow reveal of Harper’s connection to this tragedy creates a web of guilt, rage, and unexpected attraction that drives the narrative forward with relentless momentum.
Their initial animosity evolves into something far more complicated when an amateur true crime investigator threatens their carefully constructed lives. The uneasy alliance they forge becomes a pressure cooker of desire and danger, where trust is a luxury neither can afford yet both desperately crave.
Dark Comedy That Cuts Deep
What sets Tourist Season apart from other dark romance offerings is Brynne Weaver’s masterful use of dark comedy. Her signature irreverent humor—evident even in her content warnings about “hamburgers” and “murdery use of ropes”—prevents the story from becoming oppressively grim. The juxtaposition of mundane small-town life with calculated murder creates moments of absurd brilliance.
Harper’s relationship with her pet raven Morpheus, who brings her “gifts” from the cemetery, exemplifies Weaver’s ability to find humor in the macabre. These lighter moments don’t diminish the genuine tension; instead, they make the characters feel more human and the stakes more real.
Technical Mastery and Atmospheric Excellence
Weaver demonstrates remarkable technical skill throughout the novel. Her prose alternates between Harper’s earthy, grounded perspective and Nolan’s more calculating viewpoint, creating distinct voices that serve the dual narrative structure perfectly. The pacing builds steadily, allowing for character development while maintaining the thriller elements that keep pages turning.
The author’s background in Alzheimer’s research shines through in her sensitive portrayal of Arthur’s condition. Rather than using his illness as mere plot device, Weaver explores the emotional complexity of caregiving with genuine empathy and authenticity.
Areas for Growth
While Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver succeeds on multiple levels, it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitions. Some secondary characters feel underdeveloped, existing primarily to advance the plot rather than as fully realized individuals. The small-town setting, while atmospheric, sometimes feels too convenient in how it facilitates the protagonists’ activities.
Additionally, readers seeking traditional romance beats might find themselves frustrated by the unconventional relationship dynamics. The enemies-to-lovers progression requires patience, as genuine emotional intimacy develops slowly beneath layers of mutual distrust and homicidal intent.
A Worthy Addition to the Dark Romance Canon
Tourist Season builds effectively on the foundation Brynne Weaver established in her Ruinous Love trilogy (Butcher & Blackbird, Leather & Lark, and Scythe & Sparrow). Fans of that series will recognize her evolution as a storyteller, with improved character development and more sophisticated plotting.
The novel succeeds because it takes its premise seriously while never losing sight of the absurdity inherent in two serial killers falling in love. Weaver commits fully to her vision, creating a story that feels both grounded in emotional reality and delightfully unhinged.
For Readers Who Crave Danger with Their Romance
Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver will appeal to readers who enjoyed the psychological complexity of Caroline Kepnes’ You series, the dark humor of Grady Hendrix’s horror comedies, or the morally ambiguous protagonists of Gillian Flynn’s work. It’s a perfect match for fans of:
- Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver (obviously)
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid (for complex character dynamics)
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (for atmospheric horror)
- The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (for unconventional romance)
- The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman (for cozy mystery with dark undertones)
Final Verdict
Tourist Season by Brynne Weaver announces itself as a confident entry in the dark romance genre, offering readers a genuinely unique experience that defies easy categorization. Weaver has created something special here—a love story that acknowledges the darkness within us all while suggesting that connection might be possible even in the most unlikely circumstances.
This isn’t a book for everyone, but for readers willing to embrace its twisted sensibilities, Tourist Season offers rewards that linger long after the final page. It’s a promising start to what could become a defining trilogy in contemporary dark romance.
Welcome to Cape Carnage, indeed. You might just want to stay forever—assuming you survive the visit.
