Beyond Shame (Beyond, #1)

by Kit Rocha

[Cocktails and Books]

I'd read a lot about this book and wondered how I had missed all the buzz about it. So when I saw it up on NetGalley, I grabbed a copy so I could join in on the fun. After reading it, I'm glad I picked it up. It was different and had characters that I loved because of their grittiness.

I'm going to write this review a little bit differently and list what I liked and what I didn't about the book.

~What I loved~

*The O'Kane Gang: I loved them all. They were gritty and hard, but they were a family who looked out for one another.

*Lex: She was a ball buster and took a lot of that out on Dallas, but I have a feeling all her bluster is her armor. I get the feeling she's hiding something, not sure what, but whatever it is it caused her to become this hardened woman that uses whatever she has at her disposal to get keep people at arms length. Too bad we can see right through her when she's Dallas.

*Dallas: He could be a tremendous asshole when he wanted too, but it was in the name of protecting what was his. His sector, his business and his people. But you could see the caring side of him, especially when he was with Lex, Jas, Bren and Noelle. He has that soft squishy center and if he ever manages to get his act together with Lex, we may just see it.

*Jasper: He was a big white night in shining armor disguised under tattoos, bulk and silent, broody attitude. The minute he had Noelle in his arms his protective instinct kicked in. I doubt he knew what that meant as he carried her to safety, but she was his downfall from that very minute. He really struggled with what he wanted versus what he though was best for Noelle. He didn't always make the right choices, but in the end he got it right.

*Noelle: Poor Noelle had a lot thrown at her. She'd been forced from the only place she knew into a world that was beyond her wildest expectations. She had to let go of everything she ever learned in order to figure out just who she should be and what she wanted. It wasn't easy for her, especially as she looked for validation in what she was doing from Jasper, Lex and even Dallas. But she eventually learned that she needed to make sure own decision before she could truly be happy.

~What I didn't really like~

*I needed more information about Eden and the sectors. What was the Flare that caused them all to live like they do. I wanted to know who ran each sector and how those sector related to Dallas' leadership.

*Noelle's family: I felt like I needed more information about Noelle's family and why they would go to such lengths to toss her out. And what the real reason was for her father coming to see her (because I think there was really more there than saving face).

*Noelle: Her immediate submission to just about anyone who showed an ounce of dominance sometime grated on me. I know this was all new to her and she didn't know how to react, but honestly, where was that backbone she had when she was living in Eden sneaking pre-Flare porn? She couldn't have been a doormat to everyone there and I really didn't like her willingness to submit for 85% of this story to whoever wanted her submission (especially since it wasn't always about sex)

All in all it was a really great story. The sex was unbelievably hot (and there was A LOT of it) and the building for this world has me hooked. I have many questions about what's going to happen next and want to see how the characters develop, so I will eagerly await the next release in the series.