I had first come across the Brutes of Bristlebrook series by Rebecca Quinn back when the first book was published, but when I found out there was a cliffhanger I waited patiently for the final book to be released before I picked it up. I am really glad I waited because I needed this series this past month.
Brutes of Bristlebrook by Rebecca Quinn
The Brutes of Bristlebrook series by Rebecca Quinn is a why choose apocalyptic dark romance trilogy. The order of the books is as follows:
- Ensnared
- Entangled
- Entwined
The books do need to be read in order and the first two end on cliffhangers that will leave you running for the next one. All the books are available on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, and the authors website here.
The books are a rather quick burn with six main characters in their late 20’s to early 40’s. It is a first person, multiple POV, with heavy triggers so please make sure you read all the trigger warnings in this post and on the author’s website linked above.
Premise
Eden has been surviving on her own for years ever since day death when an attack changed the world she knew forever. However, men have found her and they’re chasing her through the woods screaming foul and vicious things. Does she trust the three men she’s run into who just want to tend to her bare wounded feet and give her cheese? Will they help her or harm her the same way the men chasing her are?
Survival tip #38 Cheese = safety. – Brutes of Bristlebrook by Rebecca Quinn
Triggers
Triggers found in the Brutes of Bristlebrook series by Rebecca Quinn include:
- Mention of rape
- Blood, gore, torture, gun shots, stabbings, poisoning
- Sexual assault and harassment
- Starvation
- Sexually explicit scenes with BDSM and Kink elements
- War, fallout of war, discussions of drones and attacks on cities
- Brief suicidal ideation
- Death of partners and family
- Depression, Anxiety, and mental health issues related to trauma
- Medical Conditions, surgery, medical treatment
My Thoughts
I have been in a life is too busy, I’m too tired, and nothing is holding my attention type of book slump for a while now. Normally I read through at a minimum ten books in a month sometimes up to thirty depending on what I have going on. So when I say it took me all of September to read this series you know how bad this slump has been.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want to read, it’s that my time was so completely limited. Except this series kept me going with the one to two hours I would spend reading every night before bed. I looked forward to finding out what happened next and could wait for the day to wind down so I could spend time reading. And thankfully I was able to spend the last two days of the month reading non stop just so I could finish it.
This series took you on a roller coaster of emotions. When the first book had me crying because you could feel the despair of Eden, our FMC, I knew this series would be too good to put down. It was also exactly what I needed right now.
Eden is a survivor after Day Death, as are the men she finds herself living with after they rescued her from potential attackers. She’s lived on her own in a cave, foraging, gardening, and trying to survive after an attack that destroyed everything. She’s dogged men who would want to do her harm, until in a mad escape she runs into Beau, Lucky, and Dom.
“It’s not enough to want to be right for someone. You can’t carve away important parts of yourself to make your pieces fit. No matter how much you might want to.” – Brutes of Bristlebrook by Rebecca Quinn
Beau and Lucky immediately want to take her in, take her to safety, and even sneak her some cheese to convince her, and well … the cheese works. And quite frankly, if I were starving and running for my life I’d probably agree to going with strange men if they had cheese too. Relatable!
Dom however isn’t so sure and when they arrive at Bristlebrook, a house fit snugly into a cliff side, the two other men – Jasper and Jaykob – aren’t so sure she’s a good fit for them either.
The spice kicks off pretty early, and Eden is basically just going along for the ride, accepting her new role in exchange for a bed, a shower, and food. But she doesn’t trust these men, and with the exception of Beau and Lucky, the men don’t necessarily trust her either.
The relationships need time to grow, and while the spice is excellent and she’s willing, each of these men have specific kinks that are completely new to her.
“But if you want to learn how to rip out their throats yourself, sugar, then I’ll show you how to fucking bite.” – Brutes of Bristlebrook by Rebecca Quinn
Eden’s life was not one that was pampered, she grew up poor, with a grandmother who expected nothing short of perfect demeanor from Eden. Eden’s first husband was much the same way, and oftentimes quite cruel in his behavior and the distance he kept from her. Learning to trust herself is as much of her growth as learning to trust these men she’s living with now.
As far as the men go, Jayk has a chip on his shoulder about his own upbringing as does Dom though both vastly different. Jasper is bound by oaths he promised himself and others. Lucky is desperately in love with Jasper while also falling for Eden. And Beau has a problem with locking away all of his emotions and thoughts until they basically explode out of him.
I have five men and no cheese. She has no men but lots of cheese. I have regrets. – Brutes of Bristlebrook by Rebecca Quinn
To simply say there is character growth between all of our main characters would be an understatement. These characters grow not just individually but together as a family unit with each other and it was amazing to read.
We get plenty of side characters throughout the book. You will love some and hate some. However, I’m not diving into too much when it comes to the side characters because I do not want to spoil the plot of this series with any additional information.
If you like post apocalyptic stories, and happen to like why choose romance, you will likely love this series. A special note: The third book in this series is beefy, and so worth it, I recommend taking your time with this series as there are a lot of heavy topics brought up.
Who Would Like the Brutes of Bristlebrook Series by Rebecca Quinn?
Tropes in Brutes of Bristlebrook by Rebecca Quinn include:
- Found Family
- Survival
- Trauma/Healing
- Why Choose with Polyamory elements
If you liked Saint View Slayers vs. Sinners by Elle Thorpe, When It Ends by Penelope Black, or the Harlequin Crew by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti, you will likely love this series as well.
Have you read the Brutes of Bristlebrook series by Rebecca Quinn, or are you adding it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments below. I love interacting with other readers over a series I personally enjoyed.