Beyond Pain is fucking epic. Epic, I tell ya! Bren and Six left me addicted, aching for more.

"He was utterly focused, so hard on the outside. But he handled the bomb the way he handled her, every movement gentle, every touch precise, as if he knew all the ways she could shatter into dangerous pieces."

Six has been used and abused in the most vile way, leaving her completely shattered. She is extremely skittish and trust doesn't come easily to her. Six may come off as edgy and hard-core, but when pressed to look deeper the truth is plain as day; she is anything but. She relies on her attitude and tough exterior as a facade to protect her fragile vulnerability. Under the surface lies a scarred woman who sees herself as nothing but damaged goods. Six lets absolutely no one in; she has never been able to depend on anyone except for herself that is until she meets the one man who will flip her world upside down. Enter Brendan Donnelly. Intense, dark, and dangerous is exactly how I would describe our hero. Bren appears reserved, rational, and controlled, but the intensity surrounding him speaks volumes. The author leaves you with no doubt that Bren is every bit as dominant as the other males of this clan, however, his dominance leans more towards a possessiveness that is quiet and gentle. I fell hard for Bren. He took things slow and his patience knew no bounds when it came to Six. Bren never rushed her, or made her feel lacking as she struggled to get past the damage inflicted on her. He was so attuned to her needs, and except for one instance he always put those before his.  As I said earlier, Six is skittish especially with men, but Bren made her feel treasured and cherish. He never pushed her too far out of her comfort zone before she was ready, but he was always great about encouraging her to open up.  For the first time in her life, Six felt safe and FREE. She felt wanted and worthy of herself. Bren was her savior, her soul, as she was his.

"Fucking was comprehensible. Fucking was neat and fast and clean, even when it was messy. This was something else. Seduction."

"Now that he'd been inside her, Six knew the truth. Bren didn't fuck. He possessed."

Bren and Six’s journey was filled with tension, doubt, passion, pain, soft smiles and touches, trust, and reward. I was totally engrossed and fascinated as I watched these two fight their own inner demons while also trying to wander through the minefields of everything else going on around them. Bren was amazing as Six tried to figure out where she belonged. He made room for her in his home, and protected her every step of the way, but he also knew when to step back and allow her to venture forward on her own. There were so many small moments that left me swooning, sighing, smiling huge, and falling in love with this couple over and over again, but my absolutely favorite thing about this couple is the realism their relationship presented. It moved at a realistic and believable pace. Yes, it’s erotica and as with the other couples, this one too had their kinks, but they also had a more traditional feel of love to them. I thought their story held so much more depth and meaning. Again, there were some wicked as hell sex scenes, but Bren and Six weren't about that. Although their shared intimacy was front and center, it was needed as much as the air they breathed to guide them towards acceptance and trust; it helped to strengthen them, and it allowed Six to slowly open up and explore not only her relationship with Bren, but also her relationship with others in the clan on different levels. The stolen glances, soft touches, meaningful words, gave them the courage and understanding they needed to move forward past the uncertainty.  It allowed for them to connect on a deeper level, attuning themselves to the other’s needs. Their physical and mental chemistry was downright raw and gritty, and it took my breath away. Bren and Six were also about discovery and second chances. In addition, everything about them represented hope and balance, as they navigated their way through uncharted territory.

Another reason I adored Bren and Six so much is that their behavior didn't reflect the typical fight and flight syndrome (as so many other characters do), which in itself was refreshing. Did they have their problems? Of course, they did, but unlike many other book couples, they worked through them without the constant running. Hell, they handled it like mature adults, thank you Kit Rocha. Conversation was a major plus between them; it was the basis for everything their relationship stood for. I don't think the authors could have pulled this couple off otherwise. It was essential to who they were.

"Some scars were too deep for another person to heal, no matter how much they loved you."

I am a HUGE fan of Sector 4. I love everything Dallas O'Kane and his Queen stands for. Acceptance, loyalty, freedom, and sexuality are just a few examples.The men of Sector 4 are dominating possessive alpha males, but in reality, the females of this sector are the glue. Their characters are always empowering and in their own right just as dominate and possessive. The Women of the O'Kane clan help smooth out the rough edges, each one damaged or broken in their own way, and through their own personal experiences they encourage loyalty and the chance to be free to live and love as they chose. I couldn't help but chuckle and grin huge at the antics they used to embrace Six within their fold. It made my heart melt as I watched Six's walls fall to each and every one of them, especially hard ass Lexi. As her journey unfolded and she found her place within Bren's life and among the O'Kane clan, I found myself captivated, this led to me loving her character more than any of the other women. Six radiated strength and compassion, those two things just drew me in, and I couldn't help but root for her as she discovered her independence, confidence, and self-worth. I thought that her character held the most growth. While she was lost and broken she didn't allow it to keep her down for long; the heroine of this story is far from weak or damaged goods. Six is one hell of a fighter, in and out of the cages. I thought she was an amazing inspiration.   She will always have a spot on my favorite heroine’s list.

"It's like rain, sweetness. It can wash some stuff away, but not everything."

The Beyond series never fails to capture my attention, leaving me totally immersed in the depth of the characters and their stories. Six and Bren were no exception. I want to take a second and give a shout out to Kit Rocha for rocking the anticipation and promise of Bren & Six in Beyond Control, and then NAILING it in Beyond Pain. So many times, I am left disappointed when I follow the next set of characters in a series, because most often they don't even come close to the promise the author has hinted at. This couple came out of nowhere and stole my heart quickly, and I mean quickly, to become my all-time favorite O'Kane pair. They have shot straight to my 6 star shelf without a second thought. It makes me excited that each new journey always ends up being better than the last. There is nothing better than the story exceeding your expectations.  It is safe to say that I am completely obsessed with Kit Rocha's unique and creative world of dystopian erotica. Bren and Six have left me in a book hang over; it has been awhile since I have had one of these. Two days later and I can’t stop random thoughts of them floating through my head.

As always, Kit Rocha is a genius at weaving the different intricate couples together to form multiple stories. I adore this because it sets me up for the next book in the series and allows me a small glimpse into the lives of the previous couples while getting comfortable with the present ones. I have been dying for Ace's story since Beyond Shame, and I am excited that I will soon be able to get up close and personal with Ace, Cruz, and Rachel!! I had as much fun with Ace this round as I have in the past, and he has always been a favorite of mine. There is just something about his character that calls to me. 

Oh and how could I forget we are one-step closer to Mad’s story! In all honesty, I used to want Rachel with Ace, but I don’t know any more. I rather want Rachel with Mad. I loved the chemistry flying off the page between them. I think it could be pretty damn interesting; if I am to be honest I am more looking forward to Cruz and Ace. I don’t really care one way or another if Rachel is added into the mix (not that I don’t like her, I just feel the chemistry more with the two guys).

Thank you, Kit Rocha, for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of Beyond Pain in exchange for my honest review.

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Giveaway:
(1) ecopy of Beyond Pain: Kit Rocha to be delivered to the winner within one week of the closing of the giveaway
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