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Brood
For years, I’ve been waiting to turn twenty-one so I can marry, start breeding, and contribute to life in our bunker, but just before my spousal ceremony the council makes a change. Instead of marrying the boy who’s always been my best friend, I’m expected to marry Will instead. Will is a stranger—gruff, intimidating and fifteen years older than me. I’ll do my duty no matter what, but I really don’t want to marry and breed with him.
175 pages, ebook
First published October 7, 2025
36 people are currently reading
1619 people want to read
About the author
Claire Kent
41 books2,125 followersClaire has been writing romance novels since she was twelve years old. After teaching English at the university level for several years, she started writing full-time under two different pen names. She lives in Virginia.
Her early books are sexy contemporary romances filled with heat and real emotion, but with the Hold series she transitioned to science fiction romance. Her current books are steamy post-apocalyptic romance set in the near future after a global catastrophe. They feature smart, resilient women trying to survive in a new chaotic world and falling in love with strong, gruff, taciturn men.
Claire also writes softer contemporary romances as Noelle Adams,
Her early books are sexy contemporary romances filled with heat and real emotion, but with the Hold series she transitioned to science fiction romance. Her current books are steamy post-apocalyptic romance set in the near future after a global catastrophe. They feature smart, resilient women trying to survive in a new chaotic world and falling in love with strong, gruff, taciturn men.
Claire also writes softer contemporary romances as Noelle Adams,
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 392 reviews
October 11, 2025
Strangers in an arranged marriage tasked with REPOPULATING THE BUNKER!! 🪨🤍 Bunker fantasy I didn’t know I had…should I be concerned?
Just days before her wedding Cadence receives news…HER GROOM GOT SWITCHED! To ensure the best genetic match she now has to marry a complete stranger 16 years her senior. Will is a stoic Chief of Facilities that barely says a word but is ready to commit to the breeding program 🫡
AND THEY GET DOWN TO BUSINESS IMMEDIATELY!
I’ve been dreaming of a plot just like this forever! Strangers thrown into repopulation program against their will but slowly falling for each other. Covert brand of breeding kink! I absolutely loved the progression of their relationship from almost clinical smuttiness to passionate romance.
Favorite microtrope: stoically serious mmc but incredibly in tune with fmc’s every little expression
grumpy but protective mmc
age gap
virgin fmc
breeding
forced proximity
pregnancy
dystopian
bunker life
HEA
Just days before her wedding Cadence receives news…HER GROOM GOT SWITCHED! To ensure the best genetic match she now has to marry a complete stranger 16 years her senior. Will is a stoic Chief of Facilities that barely says a word but is ready to commit to the breeding program 🫡
AND THEY GET DOWN TO BUSINESS IMMEDIATELY!
I’ve been dreaming of a plot just like this forever! Strangers thrown into repopulation program against their will but slowly falling for each other. Covert brand of breeding kink! I absolutely loved the progression of their relationship from almost clinical smuttiness to passionate romance.
Favorite microtrope: stoically serious mmc but incredibly in tune with fmc’s every little expression
grumpy but protective mmc
age gap
virgin fmc
breeding
forced proximity
pregnancy
dystopian
bunker life
HEA
October 30, 2025
This world feels very authentic for a dystopia, grim, practical, and focused on survival 200 years after an apocalyptic event. Everything, even relationships, is about sustaining the community.
Will (37) is a widower still grieving his wife when he’s pushed to marry Cadence (21), a head taster whose job is to make the bunker’s bland slop a little more edible. Their relationship felt real for the situation, it’s awkward, slow, and full of quiet emotional honesty.
Will’s grief and Cadence’s confusion felt very uncomfortable at first, but I really enjoyed how they slowly began to trust each other.
Overall, I didn’t fully connect with the characters, but I respected how grounded and human the story felt. Claire Kent writes dystopia that feels possible, not flashy.
Tropes/themes:
Post-apocalyptic dystopia
Arranged marriage
Age gap (37H/21h)
Widower
Breeding
Forced proximity
Patriarchal BS
Slow burn
HFN ending (wish we had more!)
*The doctor needs the same treatment the doctor in Choosing her Alpha got when he took advantage of the young women in his care.
Will (37) is a widower still grieving his wife when he’s pushed to marry Cadence (21), a head taster whose job is to make the bunker’s bland slop a little more edible. Their relationship felt real for the situation, it’s awkward, slow, and full of quiet emotional honesty.
Will’s grief and Cadence’s confusion felt very uncomfortable at first, but I really enjoyed how they slowly began to trust each other.
Overall, I didn’t fully connect with the characters, but I respected how grounded and human the story felt. Claire Kent writes dystopia that feels possible, not flashy.
Tropes/themes:
Post-apocalyptic dystopia
Arranged marriage
Age gap (37H/21h)
Widower
Breeding
Forced proximity
Patriarchal BS
Slow burn
HFN ending (wish we had more!)
*The doctor needs the same treatment the doctor in Choosing her Alpha got when he took advantage of the young women in his care.
October 17, 2025
okay?? this one is the best in the series so far!! litch what I was looking for.
October 13, 2025
4 / 5 Stars
Sometimes you just need a dystopian novella as a palette cleanser. If you like the TV show “Silo” (or the books it is based on) but want a government issued breeding kink, this is for you.
Two hundred years ago, a few thousand people went to live in a bunker to escape The War (ominous and vague but not far off from reality LOL). Now, the population is down to 465 and the Council oversees the repopulation program. Pairs are picked pragmatically based genetic matches to create the best possible chance for a pregnancy and even still, pregnancies are rare. Cadence has known that her best friend, Danny, would be her partner since she was 10 years old, but three days before her 21st birthday (also the day of her marriage ceremony), she is told she will be marrying the older Chief of Facilities, Will. It is a marriage of (genetic) convenience that gives Cadence whiplash but she knows her duty and is a ruler follower. Will is aloof, grumpy, and not much of a communicator but they got a baby to make, so they get to it, folks! And as their connection slowly grows, they realize a conspiracy is abound in the bunker.
You will probably like this book if you like:
💙 Dystopian novella
🧬 Forced marriage
💙 Grumpy MMC who only smiles for her
🧬 Age gap (21F / 36M)
💙 Virgin FMC
🧬 Touch her and die vibes
💙 Conspiracies in the bunker
I read this in one sitting, just gobbling it up like brain candy. The first half kept me engaged with Cadence and Will’s relationship and the second half grabbed me with the bunker mysteries. It also had one of my favorite tropes which is a man who is grumpy with everyone but the female protagonist. Will and Cadence are the king and queen of saying “I’m fine” when they are very much not fine and their lack of communication was well explained so it felt a little less frustrating than the usual miscommunication trope. The rules of the bunker were also really interesting and created good conflict for the pair. It didn’t feel forced or illogical.
There was a good amount of spice which is to be expected in a breeding program. It starts on the clinical side (though our man, Will, knows the importance of having our queen finish first regardless) and then develops into something more fun. It didn’t feel gratuitous though maybe it would have been even hotter? I perhaps read too much smut.
I found that some of the dialogue felt stilted (these characters love to say “okay” instead of nodding or literally responding in any other way). Also, I prefer an older FMC when there is a big age gap (I just want to have two characters who each have a fully formed prefrontal cortex). Cadence did not feel immature but it is just a personal preference.
This book is part of the ”After the End” romance collection. I believe the preorder campaign just ended but they are going to print these in 2026 again. Check out their website for updates.
I am surprised that this book didn’t have a content warning (maybe the final print editions will?) but there is sexual abuse by a medical professional in this book, so flagging that in case that is useful for anyone’s reading and mental health.
_____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I have so many other books to read but this one is just calling out to me. A dystopian novella. They have to repopulate a bunker. Age gap. Look, the heart wants what it wants. 😂
Sometimes you just need a dystopian novella as a palette cleanser. If you like the TV show “Silo” (or the books it is based on) but want a government issued breeding kink, this is for you.
Two hundred years ago, a few thousand people went to live in a bunker to escape The War (ominous and vague but not far off from reality LOL). Now, the population is down to 465 and the Council oversees the repopulation program. Pairs are picked pragmatically based genetic matches to create the best possible chance for a pregnancy and even still, pregnancies are rare. Cadence has known that her best friend, Danny, would be her partner since she was 10 years old, but three days before her 21st birthday (also the day of her marriage ceremony), she is told she will be marrying the older Chief of Facilities, Will. It is a marriage of (genetic) convenience that gives Cadence whiplash but she knows her duty and is a ruler follower. Will is aloof, grumpy, and not much of a communicator but they got a baby to make, so they get to it, folks! And as their connection slowly grows, they realize a conspiracy is abound in the bunker.
You will probably like this book if you like:
💙 Dystopian novella
🧬 Forced marriage
💙 Grumpy MMC who only smiles for her
🧬 Age gap (21F / 36M)
💙 Virgin FMC
🧬 Touch her and die vibes
💙 Conspiracies in the bunker
I read this in one sitting, just gobbling it up like brain candy. The first half kept me engaged with Cadence and Will’s relationship and the second half grabbed me with the bunker mysteries. It also had one of my favorite tropes which is a man who is grumpy with everyone but the female protagonist. Will and Cadence are the king and queen of saying “I’m fine” when they are very much not fine and their lack of communication was well explained so it felt a little less frustrating than the usual miscommunication trope. The rules of the bunker were also really interesting and created good conflict for the pair. It didn’t feel forced or illogical.
There was a good amount of spice which is to be expected in a breeding program. It starts on the clinical side (though our man, Will, knows the importance of having our queen finish first regardless) and then develops into something more fun. It didn’t feel gratuitous though maybe it would have been even hotter? I perhaps read too much smut.
I found that some of the dialogue felt stilted (these characters love to say “okay” instead of nodding or literally responding in any other way). Also, I prefer an older FMC when there is a big age gap (I just want to have two characters who each have a fully formed prefrontal cortex). Cadence did not feel immature but it is just a personal preference.
This book is part of the ”After the End” romance collection. I believe the preorder campaign just ended but they are going to print these in 2026 again. Check out their website for updates.
I am surprised that this book didn’t have a content warning (maybe the final print editions will?) but there is sexual abuse by a medical professional in this book, so flagging that in case that is useful for anyone’s reading and mental health.
_____________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: I have so many other books to read but this one is just calling out to me. A dystopian novella. They have to repopulate a bunker. Age gap. Look, the heart wants what it wants. 😂
dnf
November 15, 2025smut with no emotion is not for me also the pregnancy kink was not it - dnf
sorry for disappointing and not making a hate review
pre-read:
i do not want to hear a singular thing. i have free will and i'm using it
rlly need to start reading full length books tho😊
pre-read:
i do not want to hear a singular thing. i have free will and i'm using it
October 23, 2025
not for me. this was too clinical for my taste lol. i LOVE breeding trope but only when it’s “i wanna see your belly swollen with my child” type not like this “we have to repopulate earth let’s have sex” type🥴🥴🥴 the couple was okay maybe even cute, i liked them but the aspect of getting married to someone right after their wife died in front of you🤐 also fmc getting sexually assaulted by her doctor for years was unnecessary addition imo🙄 once again fucking men ruined everything. and there isn’t even an actual hea?? like ok others can keep suffering down there i guess lol
November 6, 2025
3.5/5 ⭐️
Plot
In a post-apocalyptic reality, the women of the bunker enter a breeding program when they turn 21. Raised with this reality and the social respect that comes with it, Cadence has been waiting for that day to come, only to be paired with someone entirely different than she had planned.
Read If
You miss those YA-Dystopian-Days from the past, iykyk. I loved that it gave me the same feeling, only in an adult and spicy setting. I don't think you should go for this one if you're looking for something lighthearted.
Tropes
🏭Arranged marriage
🖤Broody MLC
🏭Forced proximity
🖤Age gap
🏭Virgin FMC
🖤Breeding/pregnancy
Thoughts
This wasn’t a light read. Though there is a HEA, the overall setting of the novella leans dark. The FMC’s main goal is to become pregnant, and every month that she doesn’t takes a toll on her. With Will being cold and broody, she doesn’t have a real support system, and that noticable strongly in the pages. Some parts weren't easy to stomach.
In their society, children are not raised by their parents. After the breastfeeding period, children are sent to public/social care. This doesn’t seem to concern Cadence at first, until later in the novella. I found it hard to believe the thought hadn’t crossed her mind earlier, given how focused she is on becoming pregnant.
The overall setting feels clinical, which admittedly felt cold and a bit off at times, but it fits the narrative. Looking back, I really liked the way it contributed to the overall picture.
Trigger Warning
(On-page) SA not a complete list!
_______
the covers of this collection are amazing, now I'm ready for the story to knock me off my feet 🤞🏻
Plot
In a post-apocalyptic reality, the women of the bunker enter a breeding program when they turn 21. Raised with this reality and the social respect that comes with it, Cadence has been waiting for that day to come, only to be paired with someone entirely different than she had planned.
Read If
You miss those YA-Dystopian-Days from the past, iykyk. I loved that it gave me the same feeling, only in an adult and spicy setting. I don't think you should go for this one if you're looking for something lighthearted.
Tropes
🏭Arranged marriage
🖤Broody MLC
🏭Forced proximity
🖤Age gap
🏭Virgin FMC
🖤Breeding/pregnancy
Thoughts
This wasn’t a light read. Though there is a HEA, the overall setting of the novella leans dark. The FMC’s main goal is to become pregnant, and every month that she doesn’t takes a toll on her. With Will being cold and broody, she doesn’t have a real support system, and that noticable strongly in the pages. Some parts weren't easy to stomach.
In their society, children are not raised by their parents. After the breastfeeding period, children are sent to public/social care. This doesn’t seem to concern Cadence at first, until later in the novella. I found it hard to believe the thought hadn’t crossed her mind earlier, given how focused she is on becoming pregnant.
The overall setting feels clinical, which admittedly felt cold and a bit off at times, but it fits the narrative. Looking back, I really liked the way it contributed to the overall picture.
Trigger Warning
(On-page) SA not a complete list!
_______
the covers of this collection are amazing, now I'm ready for the story to knock me off my feet 🤞🏻
October 11, 2025
I love Claire Kent’s post apocalyptic and dystopian romances so much! So this was absolutely the reason behind me backing the project and the first book I jumped into with the After the End collection (a multi-author kickstarter collection of 8 standalone, dystopian romance novellas).
And I ate this one up in a sitting! Tropes: dystopian, age gap (37, 21), breeding, forced/arranged marriage, reluctant pairing (on both sides). If you enjoy the show Silo (or the book Wool it’s based on) or even some of the aspects of Fallout, you’ll like this! Underground bunker setting called Refuge where a group of humans have lived for 200 years is starting to die out, people are dropping more often, babies aren’t born as often. So in this setting, spousal partners are chosen/arranged to bring about the best chances of fertility/children. We follow Cadence and Will. Cadence has known her assigned spousal partner since she was young (they’ve even become friends) and knows on her 21st birthday she’s entering into her spousal ceremony/aka getting married. But now just 3 days before, she gets assigned a new partner…a councilman/Chief of Facilities who recently lost his wife and is older (37 to her 21). I won’t say much else as the story kicks off from there!
This was super fun and a story concept/setting I always enjoy seeing how it’ll play out (in other books, shows/movies, games, etc). I kinda wish we got more from this story/world as I was really invested in what was happening with not just Cadence and Will, but other characters as well and was curious how things played out after this one ended. So definitely an engrossing novella that kept my attention!
And I ate this one up in a sitting! Tropes: dystopian, age gap (37, 21), breeding, forced/arranged marriage, reluctant pairing (on both sides). If you enjoy the show Silo (or the book Wool it’s based on) or even some of the aspects of Fallout, you’ll like this! Underground bunker setting called Refuge where a group of humans have lived for 200 years is starting to die out, people are dropping more often, babies aren’t born as often. So in this setting, spousal partners are chosen/arranged to bring about the best chances of fertility/children. We follow Cadence and Will. Cadence has known her assigned spousal partner since she was young (they’ve even become friends) and knows on her 21st birthday she’s entering into her spousal ceremony/aka getting married. But now just 3 days before, she gets assigned a new partner…a councilman/Chief of Facilities who recently lost his wife and is older (37 to her 21). I won’t say much else as the story kicks off from there!
This was super fun and a story concept/setting I always enjoy seeing how it’ll play out (in other books, shows/movies, games, etc). I kinda wish we got more from this story/world as I was really invested in what was happening with not just Cadence and Will, but other characters as well and was curious how things played out after this one ended. So definitely an engrossing novella that kept my attention!
January 3, 2026
bah! so boringggg. the fmc (who is the narrative voice) sounds so naive and dumb. annoying to read such a book. there's zero chemistry or emotions between the two, so the smut felt like I was reading out of a medical pamphlet.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
After the End collection:
⤹ first by ali hazelwood °‧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ·｡ [2.5 ⭐]
⤹ bait by adriana herrera .𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚ [1 ⭐] dnf
⤹ skyn by nikki payne ‧₊˚✧🪩✧˚₊‧ [2.5 ⭐]
⤹ m.a.y.a. by nina saxena ˙✧˖°🐺 ༘ ⋆｡˚ [0.5 ⭐]
⤹ brood by claire kent . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. [1 ⭐]
⤹ taken by elizabeth stephens .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ϟ ⚡︎ ϟ ˖ ݁ 𖥔. [0.5 ⭐] dnf
⤹ trade by cate c. wells ˚˖𓍢ִ໋`🌿:✧˚⋆𖧧 [3.5 ⭐]
⤹ prima by sherry thomas ⊹ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ˖ [2 ⭐]
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
After the End collection:
⤹ first by ali hazelwood °‧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ·｡ [2.5 ⭐]
⤹ bait by adriana herrera .𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ ࣪⚝₊ ⊹˚ [1 ⭐] dnf
⤹ skyn by nikki payne ‧₊˚✧🪩✧˚₊‧ [2.5 ⭐]
⤹ m.a.y.a. by nina saxena ˙✧˖°🐺 ༘ ⋆｡˚ [0.5 ⭐]
⤹ brood by claire kent . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. [1 ⭐]
⤹ taken by elizabeth stephens .𖥔 ݁ ˖ ϟ ⚡︎ ϟ ˖ ݁ 𖥔. [0.5 ⭐] dnf
⤹ trade by cate c. wells ˚˖𓍢ִ໋`🌿:✧˚⋆𖧧 [3.5 ⭐]
⤹ prima by sherry thomas ⊹ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ˖ [2 ⭐]
November 10, 2025
I felt uncomfortable during some moments and I’m not entirely satisfied with the ending, but overall I enjoyed it—I liked the first half of the novella more.
November 15, 2025
Hmmmkay.
I was invested because it was short and I wanted that outcome but I wasn’t entirely won over with the plot and the relationship.
I was invested because it was short and I wanted that outcome but I wasn’t entirely won over with the plot and the relationship.
October 16, 2025
2.5 ⭐
First time reading this author and I think I chose the wrong book. If you're here for the romance & spice, it's the right place, if you need world-building, dystopia/post apocalypse, then I wouldn't recommend.
First time reading this author and I think I chose the wrong book. If you're here for the romance & spice, it's the right place, if you need world-building, dystopia/post apocalypse, then I wouldn't recommend.
October 18, 2025
It wasn’t that bad, alright? But I can’t rate it more just because I need some emotional connection and chemistry between the main characters, and I felt none. None.
It was obvious from the start that this novella’s focus is on the smut (yeah the title is literally “Brood”, like come on), but I would love me some more plot to it. Their sex felt clinical and repetitive. I had no idea how they would even fall in love lmao. Breeding kink is hot, but only when there are some emotions there. It doesn’t work well when the MCs have sex ONLY to have a baby.
I can understand that their marriage was only to conceive the child. Their only point of living in that bunker was to repopulate. But please, couldn’t have sex been deeper and more meaningful?
The weirdest thing about their marriage, was how fast they told him to marry her. His wife died (he didn’t love her btw, they had sex to have a baby), 10 hours later they are paired together and 2 days later, they had a spousal ceremony and had sex!!! Can we at least let the man breathe?
There was one scene that had me gasping out loud. I was so fucking shocked and wouldn’t predict it in a million years.
safety: safe, no ow/om drama, virgin FMC, experienced MMC (he had sex with his wife because they had to get pregnant, but no more info)
It was obvious from the start that this novella’s focus is on the smut (yeah the title is literally “Brood”, like come on), but I would love me some more plot to it. Their sex felt clinical and repetitive. I had no idea how they would even fall in love lmao. Breeding kink is hot, but only when there are some emotions there. It doesn’t work well when the MCs have sex ONLY to have a baby.
I can understand that their marriage was only to conceive the child. Their only point of living in that bunker was to repopulate. But please, couldn’t have sex been deeper and more meaningful?
The weirdest thing about their marriage, was how fast they told him to marry her. His wife died (he didn’t love her btw, they had sex to have a baby), 10 hours later they are paired together and 2 days later, they had a spousal ceremony and had sex!!! Can we at least let the man breathe?
There was one scene that had me gasping out loud. I was so fucking shocked and wouldn’t predict it in a million years.
safety: safe, no ow/om drama, virgin FMC, experienced MMC (he had sex with his wife because they had to get pregnant, but no more info)
October 25, 2025
What a lovely book! For anyone who wants to read a postapocalyptic romance done with so much care/ sweetness and realness!
A society that lived in a bunker underground for centuries, their number is fast dwindling. Women especially who are medically examined and have a high chance to be fertile are highly valued.
FMC knows that she'll marry her best friend Danny. They have a good relationship and they're both excited. However, three days before the marriage: FMC's supervisor dies from a "mysterious" heart attack. FMC is summoned in front of the council and she's told that her DNA is more compatible with the dead supervisor's spouse more than Danny.
Due to the almost totalitarian regime they live under, FMC has to agree. So does the grieving widower. At first, FMC doesn't like how her new husband is distant, grumpy and mostly silent but they work tersely towards the goal of conceiving a child.
It's brilliant how the author balanced responsibility with building angst. MCs had to be intimate every day sometimes twice a day and navigating the strange world they live in adding to that their different personalities.
I think nobody does it better than Claire Kent depicting marital struggles so brilliantly!
Marked this book for the square "Antarctica" in my Bingo challenge! It's not set in Antarctica but the vibes of the bunker gave: coldness, isolation, abundant white and frigid air!
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68⭕┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10⭕┃86┃4 ┃45⭕┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14⭕┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42⭕┃29⭕┃ 24┃92⭕┃ 82┃1⭕
100┃34⭕┃17⭕┃96⭕┃43⭕┃49┃64⭕┃70┃15⭕┃38⭕
84⭕┃31⭕┃ 62⭕┃7⭕┃21⭕┃73┃28⭕┃46⭕┃90⭕┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74⭕┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58⭕
57⭕┃94┃ 16⭕┃56┃ 5⭕┃60⭕┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97⭕┃48⭕┃ 79⭕┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36⭕┃89⭕┃ 33⭕
71⭕┃19⭕┃ 39⭕┃66⭕┃ 55⭕┃27⭕┃ 20⭕┃63┃ 11⭕┃83
A society that lived in a bunker underground for centuries, their number is fast dwindling. Women especially who are medically examined and have a high chance to be fertile are highly valued.
FMC knows that she'll marry her best friend Danny. They have a good relationship and they're both excited. However, three days before the marriage: FMC's supervisor dies from a "mysterious" heart attack. FMC is summoned in front of the council and she's told that her DNA is more compatible with the dead supervisor's spouse more than Danny.
Due to the almost totalitarian regime they live under, FMC has to agree. So does the grieving widower. At first, FMC doesn't like how her new husband is distant, grumpy and mostly silent but they work tersely towards the goal of conceiving a child.
It's brilliant how the author balanced responsibility with building angst. MCs had to be intimate every day sometimes twice a day and navigating the strange world they live in adding to that their different personalities.
I think nobody does it better than Claire Kent depicting marital struggles so brilliantly!
Marked this book for the square "Antarctica" in my Bingo challenge! It's not set in Antarctica but the vibes of the bunker gave: coldness, isolation, abundant white and frigid air!
25⭕ ┃37⭕┃87┃13┃68⭕┃40⭕┃32┃59┃76┃44
10⭕┃86┃4 ┃45⭕┃47┃98┃50⭕┃14⭕┃85┃75
88┃51┃ 9⭕┃2┃42⭕┃29⭕┃ 24┃92⭕┃ 82┃1⭕
100┃34⭕┃17⭕┃96⭕┃43⭕┃49┃64⭕┃70┃15⭕┃38⭕
84⭕┃31⭕┃ 62⭕┃7⭕┃21⭕┃73┃28⭕┃46⭕┃90⭕┃77
3⭕┃12⭕┃80⭕┃ 69⭕┃52⭕┃ 65⭕┃54⭕┃ 91⭕┃23⭕┃ 72⭕
18┃95┃ 22┃99┃93┃74⭕┃41⭕┃8┃35⭕┃ 58⭕
57⭕┃94┃ 16⭕┃56┃ 5⭕┃60⭕┃78⭕┃ 26┃81┃ 61
97⭕┃48⭕┃ 79⭕┃67┃ 53⭕┃30⭕┃ 6⭕┃36⭕┃89⭕┃ 33⭕
71⭕┃19⭕┃ 39⭕┃66⭕┃ 55⭕┃27⭕┃ 20⭕┃63┃ 11⭕┃83
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did-not-finish
October 27, 2025I know Claire Kent writes almost exclusively massive age-gap romances and that is soo not my thing, but she has a decent prose style and often decent ideas so I usually give her a go. This one simply isn't hitting.
The hero is like 20 years older than the heroine, he's forced to marry her like five seconds after his (age-appropriate) wife dies IN FRONT OF the heroine, the 'breeding kink' is very much pure 'we need to repopulate earth' with zero chemistry to it, and there are these weird time jumps which make it impossible to feel a real connection between the protagonists. I suppose if nothing else, it comes across like a realistic portrayal of people in an arranged marriage forcing themselves to feel something for each other, but it never for me crossed the line successfully into an actual love story.
The hero is like 20 years older than the heroine, he's forced to marry her like five seconds after his (age-appropriate) wife dies IN FRONT OF the heroine, the 'breeding kink' is very much pure 'we need to repopulate earth' with zero chemistry to it, and there are these weird time jumps which make it impossible to feel a real connection between the protagonists. I suppose if nothing else, it comes across like a realistic portrayal of people in an arranged marriage forcing themselves to feel something for each other, but it never for me crossed the line successfully into an actual love story.
December 1, 2025
Brood seemed like it would be my kind of read, but the story went nowhere i expected. The tone felt too cold and clinical. There was basically no chemistry between the mcs. For a story built around a breeding kink, the execution was surprisingly dry it made the whole thing so uncomfortable to read. Beyond the writing itself, the fmc was honestly the most annoying part. She’s written as so naive it makes her sound dumb. Overall, this book just didn’t work for me.
October 9, 2025
Brood takes place in a bunker society some 200 years after the fall of civilization. Life in the bunker is incredibly regulated to keep order, with strong emotions and bonds discouraged. Marriages are arranged per compatibility to produce pregnancy, and are thought of as cordial partnerships. Children are raised in nurseries and schoolrooms. The strongest tie is the good of the group. Cadence is three days short of marrying the man her age she's been paired with for years, her best genetic match and friend. Instead she is married to Will, one of the bunker leaders 16 years her senior when his wife dies and they are more closely matched.
Written in the more tense voice of books like Hold, this is a true dystopia. Unlike the Kindled series, where pre-Impact is living memory for everyone, life in the bunker is all anyone knows, and Kent has squashed a certain hopefulness and humanity in her writing here, it's very skillfully and purposefully done. Like Devotion, another Kent book set further from Impact, there are elements of society that are corrupt and playing by different rules. Also like Devotion, the couple in this novella are almost immediately intimate, Their Job Is Baby, after all, but it is also a slow burn, with a steady build of emotion and partnership, with hiccups along the way.
There were moments of throwing up protective walls and reactions that made me [hand to mouth] when they happened and bonds get crushed, and moments of connection and communication that made me [hand to mouth] with delight. This was a short but highly enjoyable and effective read, and a reminder that an HEA includes not just our main characters, but hope for community bonds as well. As this series tells us, after the end, we'll have HEAs.
Written in the more tense voice of books like Hold, this is a true dystopia. Unlike the Kindled series, where pre-Impact is living memory for everyone, life in the bunker is all anyone knows, and Kent has squashed a certain hopefulness and humanity in her writing here, it's very skillfully and purposefully done. Like Devotion, another Kent book set further from Impact, there are elements of society that are corrupt and playing by different rules. Also like Devotion, the couple in this novella are almost immediately intimate, Their Job Is Baby, after all, but it is also a slow burn, with a steady build of emotion and partnership, with hiccups along the way.
There were moments of throwing up protective walls and reactions that made me [hand to mouth] when they happened and bonds get crushed, and moments of connection and communication that made me [hand to mouth] with delight. This was a short but highly enjoyable and effective read, and a reminder that an HEA includes not just our main characters, but hope for community bonds as well. As this series tells us, after the end, we'll have HEAs.
October 26, 2025
A failing population in a bunker after a War decimated the surface necessitates some serious adjustments to keep the population numbers up. Enter breeding (kink) regulated by the bunker powers that be. The FMC despite having been paired with her friend since childhood is told nvm she's instead to marry the recently widowed MMC who's a lot older than her because he's a better genetic match. Our intrepid heroine is a dutiful bunker dweller so she walks into the marriage with the knowledge that her duty is to get pregnant. The MMC Will is all for it too and what starts as a cold arrangement turns into a passionate relationship and a desperate desire for a better life.
I really loved this one almost as much as I loved Trade by Cate C Wells (there's a cameo by the FMC of Trade in this one!). This story is probably the spiciest of all the six I have read so far but the smut wasn't gratuitous, every sex scene developed their relationship further and it was so gosh darn emotionally satisfying 🥹. The MMC is a protective grump, the FMC is very naive at first but grows into her own with Will supporting her every step of the way. I really wish I could have spent more time in this world and that the epilogue had been longer. My only complaint is that there was a very graphic on page s*xual assault by a doctor and I wish that had not been as descriptive as it was. So mind that cw. Otherwise this novella was almost flawless.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Age Gap
Forced Marriage
Grumpy MMC
Breeding
I really loved this one almost as much as I loved Trade by Cate C Wells (there's a cameo by the FMC of Trade in this one!). This story is probably the spiciest of all the six I have read so far but the smut wasn't gratuitous, every sex scene developed their relationship further and it was so gosh darn emotionally satisfying 🥹. The MMC is a protective grump, the FMC is very naive at first but grows into her own with Will supporting her every step of the way. I really wish I could have spent more time in this world and that the epilogue had been longer. My only complaint is that there was a very graphic on page s*xual assault by a doctor and I wish that had not been as descriptive as it was. So mind that cw. Otherwise this novella was almost flawless.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5
🔥🔥🔥/5
Tropes:
Age Gap
Forced Marriage
Grumpy MMC
Breeding
October 16, 2025
Wished we knew what happened to the others. I wished for something terrible to happen to Dr. Cameron. But, most of all, I wanted more character development. The MCs relationship was arranged but the romance felt forced at times. Something was missing, perhaps the “lack of emotions” was more prominent than I originally thought.
October 8, 2025
Fallout but romance
November 19, 2025
That was disturbing and icky and claustrophobic, but in a good way I guess? A straightforward dystopian story, unpleasant and grim and gripping.
November 29, 2025
well, that was interesting.
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November 13, 2025
I really liked that. Claire Kent is just so good at post-apocalyptic romance haha and since they’re in an underground bunker cult situation with running water the hero isn’t stinky 🥳 refreshing.
I will say I have no idea why Cadence was so eager to get pregnant when you can’t keep or raise the child in this freak ass cult. I guess cause she’s cult programmed and just wanted to be a good little follower, but I feel it was more than wanting to do her duty. This cult doesn’t encourage showing emotion or forming strong bonds, children are raised in a nursery and put to work at 13…there’s a creepy council, but the scariest thing to me was the doctor, he wasn’t addressed well enough in my opinion and I’m pissed. Anyway, Cadence and Will ending up together wasn’t treated as crazily as it should’ve been particularly by Cadence and her promised guy Danny. But I guess that boils down to not being allowed to show much emotion. Her creepy sense of duty/lack of emotion about the circumstances made the slowly developing relationship between her and a much older man interesting. Having sex just for reproductions sake and slowly having emotion creep in was a fun premise. Something that was never properly addressed though was the “ferals” but this is a novella so we’ll let it slide. It feels a bit like this ended on a cliff hanger, I would like to know more about what’s going on in the bunker going forward 👀 maybe CK will revisit in her other series…
I will say I have no idea why Cadence was so eager to get pregnant when you can’t keep or raise the child in this freak ass cult. I guess cause she’s cult programmed and just wanted to be a good little follower, but I feel it was more than wanting to do her duty. This cult doesn’t encourage showing emotion or forming strong bonds, children are raised in a nursery and put to work at 13…there’s a creepy council, but the scariest thing to me was the doctor, he wasn’t addressed well enough in my opinion and I’m pissed. Anyway, Cadence and Will ending up together wasn’t treated as crazily as it should’ve been particularly by Cadence and her promised guy Danny. But I guess that boils down to not being allowed to show much emotion. Her creepy sense of duty/lack of emotion about the circumstances made the slowly developing relationship between her and a much older man interesting. Having sex just for reproductions sake and slowly having emotion creep in was a fun premise. Something that was never properly addressed though was the “ferals” but this is a novella so we’ll let it slide. It feels a bit like this ended on a cliff hanger, I would like to know more about what’s going on in the bunker going forward 👀 maybe CK will revisit in her other series…
October 13, 2025
Them having sex right away: here, damn.
The narration of the story started so matter of factly, to the point and with so little details. But as the plot developed, Cadence got more in touch with her feelings and realized feeling her highs and lows was normal. Loving and trusting someone, not just being content, was okay. And so the narration of the story, and what even the reader learned about her, grew so descriptive. We saw her growth on the page, which is a testament to how good a writer Claire Kent is. I’ll definitely be reading more from her.
Personally, I don’t like fmcs where their whole personality revolves around getting married and having children. There’s so many unknowns and trusting a man, period, is so careless. I feel like woman can achieve so many things without buying into the idea of the big happy family. But here it was done with so much care. There was actually a reason why she wanted to get married and have children, and that’s besides having been conditioned her whole life to be a breeding machine (I HATE that word🤢).
I would’ve preferred if the spice was a little bit more detailed (graphic?). That was the whole point of the book and I would’ve liked that instead of them saying so much it was good, it would’ve been a little more explicit, more positions, more feelings, just more. I know the author tried, but it fell short for me.
It was cute, it was fun, it made me so mad at times, would recommend. Nothing out of this world but nowhere near bad either. Will was a dream and I’m so glad his relationship with Vanessa was explained, at least a little bit.
The narration of the story started so matter of factly, to the point and with so little details. But as the plot developed, Cadence got more in touch with her feelings and realized feeling her highs and lows was normal. Loving and trusting someone, not just being content, was okay. And so the narration of the story, and what even the reader learned about her, grew so descriptive. We saw her growth on the page, which is a testament to how good a writer Claire Kent is. I’ll definitely be reading more from her.
Personally, I don’t like fmcs where their whole personality revolves around getting married and having children. There’s so many unknowns and trusting a man, period, is so careless. I feel like woman can achieve so many things without buying into the idea of the big happy family. But here it was done with so much care. There was actually a reason why she wanted to get married and have children, and that’s besides having been conditioned her whole life to be a breeding machine (I HATE that word🤢).
I would’ve preferred if the spice was a little bit more detailed (graphic?). That was the whole point of the book and I would’ve liked that instead of them saying so much it was good, it would’ve been a little more explicit, more positions, more feelings, just more. I know the author tried, but it fell short for me.
It was cute, it was fun, it made me so mad at times, would recommend. Nothing out of this world but nowhere near bad either. Will was a dream and I’m so glad his relationship with Vanessa was explained, at least a little bit.
October 14, 2025
i was intrigued by the bunker and wish that council overreach plot line started sooner. like dr. cameron was weirddddd i thought for sure his ass would've been dealt with.
October 24, 2025
Любовен роман с дистопия, бункер с оцелели от катаклизъм и гадняри, дърпащи тоталитарни конци. Супер сладко!
October 25, 2025
Claire Kent really is the queen of dystopian romances. Add some breeding into the mix, some mystery and you have a novella that felt like a fully fleshed out book. Loved this and loved that it subtly tied in with her other books but you don't need to have read them to enjoy this.
October 20, 2025
“Brood” by Claire Kent
5⭐️/5⭐️
3🌶/5🌶
“He’s warm. And strong. Safe. I need him more than I ever imagined I would.”
“Brood” is Claire Kent’s contribution to the After the End novella collection, a series of dystopian romances written by various authors. I’m not totally sure how interconnected these stories are, so since this is the first I’ve read, I’m treating it like a completely standalone story.
The story takes place in an underground bunker, where a small population of survivors have lived for several generations. Cadence is days away from turning twenty-one, allowing her to reach adulthood and marry her boyfriend, Danny. However, all of her meticulous plans are thrown out when one of the residents suddenly dies, and the governing council forces her to marry the widower. Will is older, resides on the council, and is generally considered a quiet and hardworking person. When he is tasked with marrying Cadence, and by extension procreating to support the declining bunker population, he accepts with no hesitation. Now the two embark on an awkward marriage, and along the way start to realize all is not what it seems in the bunker.
If Claire Kent wrote one hundred dystopian romances, I would read every single one. Probably multiple times. She has a way of writing such unique worlds, not too many details, but enough that you can totally immerse yourself in the characters’ conflicts. I knew she would knock this story out of the park; she’s the queen of dystopian romances!
I really enjoyed everything about this story. Cadence and Will’s relationship is purely functional in the beginning, they just want to get pregnant and help the bunker repopulate. However, their union is a blessing they never could have anticipated. They mesh so well together, completely able to support the other emotionally in ways they never could have foreseen.
The bunker society itself is very creepy, and the tension from Cadence and Will’s situation jumps right off the page. As a reader, you’ll want to reach in and physically extract them from such a horrible environment.
The ending made me breathe a sigh of relief, it was the perfect conclusion for these characters. I’m so eager to continue reading the stories in this collection, but I have a feeling this one will be my favorite just because Clarie Kent wrote it.
5⭐️/5⭐️
3🌶/5🌶
“He’s warm. And strong. Safe. I need him more than I ever imagined I would.”
“Brood” is Claire Kent’s contribution to the After the End novella collection, a series of dystopian romances written by various authors. I’m not totally sure how interconnected these stories are, so since this is the first I’ve read, I’m treating it like a completely standalone story.
The story takes place in an underground bunker, where a small population of survivors have lived for several generations. Cadence is days away from turning twenty-one, allowing her to reach adulthood and marry her boyfriend, Danny. However, all of her meticulous plans are thrown out when one of the residents suddenly dies, and the governing council forces her to marry the widower. Will is older, resides on the council, and is generally considered a quiet and hardworking person. When he is tasked with marrying Cadence, and by extension procreating to support the declining bunker population, he accepts with no hesitation. Now the two embark on an awkward marriage, and along the way start to realize all is not what it seems in the bunker.
If Claire Kent wrote one hundred dystopian romances, I would read every single one. Probably multiple times. She has a way of writing such unique worlds, not too many details, but enough that you can totally immerse yourself in the characters’ conflicts. I knew she would knock this story out of the park; she’s the queen of dystopian romances!
I really enjoyed everything about this story. Cadence and Will’s relationship is purely functional in the beginning, they just want to get pregnant and help the bunker repopulate. However, their union is a blessing they never could have anticipated. They mesh so well together, completely able to support the other emotionally in ways they never could have foreseen.
The bunker society itself is very creepy, and the tension from Cadence and Will’s situation jumps right off the page. As a reader, you’ll want to reach in and physically extract them from such a horrible environment.
The ending made me breathe a sigh of relief, it was the perfect conclusion for these characters. I’m so eager to continue reading the stories in this collection, but I have a feeling this one will be my favorite just because Clarie Kent wrote it.
October 16, 2025
Claire Kent hits another one out of the park!!!
October 18, 2025
5 stars | brood 💌
the only disappointing part of the book was that it was too short. i wish it had been longer because i wasn’t ready to leave the story or the characters behind. i could’ve happily read hundreds more pages. still, i’ll take what i can get from miss claire.
the only disappointing part of the book was that it was too short. i wish it had been longer because i wasn’t ready to leave the story or the characters behind. i could’ve happily read hundreds more pages. still, i’ll take what i can get from miss claire.
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