I am so in love with this series!!!!! So dark, so angsty, but oh so HOT!!!!!

This is the story of Brendan & Six!!! Brendan is a man with & without a past. As a child he was abandoned in the slums of Eden but was rescued by the man he considers his mentor & father-figure. When he was 18 he had a fake tattoo applied to his wrist so that he could join the MP's & he became the best of the best until his commanding officer betrayed him & he was banished to the sectors. There, he found the O'Kanes & a life that would allow him to be true to himself.

Six! Born & raised until the age of 12, when she was sent to her husband, on the Farms. At that time she was kidnapped by traffickers from whom she escaped. But life on the streets wasn't easy & she eventually ends up with the leader of Sector Three, Trent Wilson. During that time she learns that there are many things that are worse than death. When she is rescued from Wilson she ends up in a completely alien environment & has no idea what to do to survive with the O'Kanes in Sector Four. Then she meets Bren.

I have loved every one of these books so far but this one, OMG, it is by far the best yet!!! The way Bren teaches Six that there are people she can trust is beautiful. And the way Six embraces the things that make Brendan who he is, just WOW!!!! ( )

Loved loved loved this one. ( )

Six intrigued me from the start of this series, and so did Bren, so it was great to see their story claw its way out into the light amidst the ongoing power struggles around them. I'm even warming up to Noelle, finally. :) ( )

I don't know how they do it, but "Kit Rocha" (a pseudonym for a writing team) manage to take a repeating story pattern set among a particular tribe of people, and continue to produce fun, hot, new material. The title of each book in the series reflects the primary 'problem' of the story: in this case, the pain in Six's background and, to a lesser extent, Bren's masochism. As in the first two stories of the series, there is a lot of kinky sex, mostly in the area of power exchange, but also multiple partners, some bondage and flogging, and lots of exhibitionism. There is also same-sex intimacy (which I don't classify as "kinky.") But instead of being trashy, Rocha creates scenes of joyous intimacy, mutual respect, and pleasure, no matter how rough the surroundings. A woman of the O'Kane gang -- or any woman in their presence -- can wear or do whatever she wants sexually and the O'Kane men will never lay a hand on her without her explicit, enthusiastic consent. If any man treats a woman disrespectfully, he is shown the door -- sometimes after blows have been exchanged -- and the women are equally quick to stand up for each other and refuse to countenance ill treatment of another.

In this book, Six faces the pain of her past abuse and comes a sense of powerful self-ownership. This happens not in spite of, but assisted by, her romantic involvement with a dominant man, one who believes her personal sovereignty is essential for her well-being as well as his own pleasure. And that her well-being is more important than anything else.

There is humor and heartbreak, scenes of men bound by brotherhood, and women whose sisterhood is rock solid. We see previously-highlighted relationships continue to grow (Noelle & Jasper, Lexie and Dallas), and get a glimpse of those whose stories could be next. (I'm looking forward to seeing Jade again.) And meanwhile there is the ongoing meta-plot about the O'Kanes and their world, and their interactions with the powers of both Eden and the other sectors.

Despite living in a technologically fallen world, the O'Kanes live in a utopia of mutual protection, caring, respect, and uninhibited sexuality. ( )

So great

Kit Rocha is a genius, and each of these books shows it. Six and Bren are so perfect together that it's amazing. ( )