Bradford, Bru and Brendan Too (Bondi Bears) by Colin Dereham

What happens when you combine erotica with raw emotions and a touch of angst? You get Bradford, Bru and Brendan Too in this hurt comfort friends with benefits to more romance.


From the blurb:

A legally-blind man in an abusive relationship finds hope in a burly bear with a heart of gold.

BRADFORD

Six years ago, I lost my mother, my eyesight, and my career within the space of months. Things only started to look up when my guide dog, Brendan, came bounding into my life. Then, just as I was getting back on my feet, I met Jarrod. His fiery personality drew me in from the start, but eventually he turned it against me. Nowadays, I live in constant fear that his nastiness may soon turn to violence. Nobody can know about this, though. There’s no way I'd be able to deal with that kind of shame and embarrassment. The only saving grace is that Jarrod’s insisted on an open relationship. With him out on the hunt most of the time, I can breathe easier.

BRUNO

I love my partner, but after twenty years together, he’s more of a best mate than a better half. When our sex life died, we decided to open up our relationship. It worked for a long time, but lately we’ve drifted even further apart. I want so much more from life, but at nearly fifty, I’m starting to believe my ship has sailed. And then I meet Bradford…

From the very first night I spotted that gorgeous little teddy bear being harassed at a bar, I wanted to save him. The more time I spend with him, though, I realise there’s no saving my heart. I can’t stand the nightmare I see whenever I look into his restless eyes, but the last thing I want to do is saddle an abused man with an ultimatum. He already has a bully. What I want to give him is love.

Bradford, Bru and Brendan Too is a hurt/comfort romance featuring size difference, possessive/protector, disability rep, and service animals. Please note this book contains themes of domestic abuse, coarse language and violence.


Molly Otto's review:

This book is not what I was expecting from the blurb, and I mean that in the best way possible. You are prepared for some angst from these men moving to a new life, but oh boy, you are not prepared for the fire that happens in between. The dichotomy is pure magic from ever tender moments of these two men falling in love even when they may not be ready to when the fire engulfs them into some of the hottest scenes I've read in a long while.

Colin has pulled off the masterful art of erotica with true emotional pain and feelings the gut you. When the breaking point hits be prepared, it is rough but oh so beautiful once all is concluded. These two men's families meld brilliantly once they are able to be in the others orbits where you know everyone will thrive. Truly brilliant work, I'm so glad he took the leap in combining these two genres to show that it is possible to write erotica with pure emotions.

SNik's review:

Third in series (Bondi Bears), but can be read as a standalone. Hurt/comfort. Disability representation. Mature characters. Dual POV. Heed content warnings. 

Bradford has learned to live with his blindness and his uncaring partner, and when he has a chance to hookup with a sexy bear everything seems to light up for the first time in years. Bruno understands open relationships, his friendship with his partner the only thing keeping them together, but Bradford turns his crank and makes him happy, and he is surprised after so many years that he might have found his forever person. 

Don’t be fooled by the cute cover, this book is full of emotions like heartache, grief, courage, and falling in love, along with tons of racy, super spicy scenes. Bradford and Bruno are thoughtful, passionate, kind people that find a special connection full of love, lust, and pure happiness whenever they are together. This book was so entrancing with wonderfully descriptive writing, main characters to root for, and heart in your throat moments that made me tear up. Such a lovely story.

Angel's review:

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started this story. What I got was such a beautiful story about two strong, caring men, trying to figure out their feelings for not just each other, but also how they feel about their distant partners.

The way Colin wrote this was done so beautifully! You could absolutely tell that this book takes place in Australia with all of the background details, along with the dialect of the characters themselves. I found it quite interesting reading both Bru and Bradford's POV, I even learned some new Aussie words! I thought the pacing was really unique, Bradford and Bru meet pretty early on in the story and engage in steamy times right off the bat. But what makes the pacing different is it wasn't insta-love and just because they met and hooked up right away, doesn't mean that things happened too fast. I loved how Colin had them meet early on, then over time the MC's spent more time together, going on dates which led to them getting to know one another better, then gradually growing stronger feelings for one another. I loved how their relationship developed and how that was written.

I also really enjoyed each of the characters, they each had their own exuberant personalities, even Brendan! (The dog Brendan, not Bru's ex-partner.) I thought the scenes where Bradford took care of Bru's nephews was so beautiful and heartwarming, he stepped up and took charge. He did what he could to help out Bru and his family during such a rough time. I thought that was really sweet and wholesome. I really appreciated how this story was written and how there is so much.. openness to it. For example; both MC's were in open relationships with someone and it wasn't working. Both men were hesitant to rock the boat because both were hesitant of change. Eventually overtime they both found their courage to do something about it because they were no longer happy with their partners, and just wanted to be happy with each other. I found that to be really beautiful, upon getting to know each other they both got the courage to end the relationship that wasn't working the their previous partners.

I also loved the amount of information we got about Brendan's deteriorating eyesight, and how he went about his life with having a pinhole of eyesight. I liked getting to learn all of that information.
I really enjoyed this story and I hope you give it a chance. This was the first time I have read that has had both MC's in an open relationship and I thought it was written really beautifully.

Bradford, Bru and Brendan Too is currently available as an e-book and paperback and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription