Beyond Pain by Kit Rocha

We generally only put up one review each day, but I loved this book so much (and I don’t want to shuffle the rest of our reviews!) so I’m putting it up as a second review today!  One of my favorite reads of the year so far!  ~Anne
Beyond Pain (Beyond, #3)

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno+
Kink Level: Moderate Kink (menage, flogger)
Genre: Dystopian, Futuristic
Series: Beyond #3
Reviewed by Anne
247 pages

Six was abused and discarded by the former leader of Sector 3. Bren has been looking after her since she first arrived. He’s gets her like no one else in the O’Kane gang does. And because he gets her, he knows he can’t make a move until *she* is ready. She’s got to heal some and find the parts of herself she lost in Sector 3. This book is the story of what happens when Six is ready, and it’s awesome!

For all the action that happens and the continuing story arc of the politics in Eden and the sectors, this is a low conflict story (my favorite!) about the developing relationship between Six and Bren. And, oh, is that relationship sweet and hot!

I’ll get this out of the way right away… sex between Bren and Six is scorching. There’s one particular scene that involves the two of them watching Lex, Dallas, and Rachel… I have no words. There are also a lot of scenes between just Bren and Six and I love that you can see their relationship grow with each encounter.

As much as I liked the sex, I think my favorite part of the book was the strength shown by all the O’Kane women, but especially Six and Lex.

“There was a secret in these women that went deeper than the ink around their wrists, and sometimes she thought if she watched for long enough, she could unlock it for herself.” (p.8)

Lex has been strong throughout the series. We get to watch Six come into her own. We get to see how the O’Kanes truly value each member for the assets they bring to the gang. So when Six figures out what she wants to do, even though it’s not something an O’Kane woman has done before… well, they stand behind her because they recognize it’s something she would excel at. And this happens more than once! Very cool.

When you take this gang and it’s leadership that value women on an equal level with their men, and then you add in the sexual freedom and openness… well it’s just awesome! Seriously , this is a world where it’s ok for a woman to want sex, and to want as much of it as she’d like. No slut shaming. It’s incredible! And the writing is so strong, it’s easy to believe in it.

Another thing I loved in this story is that when one of them goofs up and things go bad between them, they both are hurt but strong, and it’s not easy for them to get back together. Because the characters feel so real, their hurts feel real and it takes some work for them to repair their relationship.

This is book 3 in the series, and it would be best if the books were read in order. (Start with #1, Beyond Shame.) Each book is the story of the main couple, but there are several story arcs going on, and the book will be appreciated so much more if you’ve read the others.

If I have any disappointments in this book it’s that there were a couple scenes I’d hoped to see in this book that weren’t there. [ we didn’t get to see Six’s induction ceremony (drinking in) and we didn’t get closure with Miller yet (hide spoiler)] I hold out hope that we’ll see both these things in another book, though! I’m also excited to learn more about other characters. Emma and Noah, of course, along with the whole tangle of Rachel/Cruz/Ace. There’s also a stripper in Sector 3 who Six pointed out as being really intelligent. I want more of her!

I highly recommend this series!!
 

Masters At Arms by Kallypso Masters

Masters at Arms (Rescue Me, #1)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-Mild Kink
Series-Rescue Me #1
Genre-Contemporary Military BDSM Romance
Reviewed by Kay
166 pages

Warning to those that don’t know, this is a prequel to the series. I didn’t have a problem with that though. I found it engaging, well written and enthralling. I can’t wait to read this series!

This story is done in parts but a summary is that these three men joined the military for various reasons and suffered tragic losses, both military and personal. They formed a bond serving together and continued that bond after their tours were over. They realized they all had Dom tendencies and opened a fetish club in Denver. There are more characters to be introduced as the series goes on I think.

I don’t want to give anything away so that’s all I can say. Read this series and become addicted like me. My only thought is that I hope I can handle all the BDSM that’s surely coming my way. Oh, and I wish Marc’s story wasn’t first because I really want to read about Damian and Adam first. I guess I better warn the hubby about the money we will be missing when I buy them.

Thanks to Kate and my friend Mindy for suggesting this series and for warning about what’s to come.

The Story Guy by Mary Ann Rivers

Every once in a while we read a book that we love so much that we decide we need to put up a review of it immediately, even though the review calendar is full.  This is one of those books.  Kay and Anne highly recommend you read The Story Guy.

The Story Guy
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
131 pages

This is the most beautiful book I’ve ever read. So much more than a romance. Powerful, moving, sweet, loving and sometimes even funny. It starts with the placement of personal ad and takes you on the journey of two people that so desperately needed each other. The desire to love and be loved is never more profound.

Brian places an ad for one day a week, to meet with someone for nothing more than kissing. No relationship, no extensive touching and no sex. Just kissing. He doesn’t have the time for anything more. He lives with his sister and works as an attorney.

Carrie is a librarian who answers his ad because of how it’s worded. She had no idea what she would be getting. Her confusion over the situation is understandable and frustrating. But growing to love someone is never easy. I really can’t tell you much more because I don’t want to give anything away.

I ended up open mouthed sobbing because the emotional pull of this story is huge.