Beyond Addiction (Beyond, Book 5)

I'm a little bit torn as to how to rate this fifth full-length novel in Kit Rocha's Beyond series, honestly. As I've said before, I love this series beyond all reason, especially since this sort of thing (a polyamorous, liquor-smuggling, cage-fighting, pole-dancing motorcycle gang living in a violent, post-apocalyptic dystopia) is not usually my cuppa. Beyond Addiction is a strong entry in an already strong series, and parts of it I loved, but I do have a few complaints.But let's focus on the good stuff, first, hmmm?Beyond Addiction is a second-chance romance between Finn and Trix. Both were originally from Sector 5 -- (This plot summary will assume some general familiarity with the Beyond universe. If you're not familiar, start with the first book, Beyond Shame, which just happens to be free at most e-book retailers right now.) -- whose main industry is making drugs for medical use in the city of Eden and more recreational (and addictive) use in the Sectors. As an enforcer for sector leader Mac Fleming, Finn spent a lot of years doing other people's dirty work.Years ago, Trix was a junkie dependent upon Finn for her next fix, and though they had a real emotional connection and plenty of sexual chemistry, neither could be sure what she needed from him most: his love or his ready access to dope. Desperate to get clean, Trix double-crossed Mac (and by extension, Finn) and escaped to Sector 4, where she got healthy and found a home and family with the O'Kanes.At the start of Beyond Addiction, Mac Fleming's henchmen have kidnapped Trix, and Finn burns his bridges with Sector 5 in order to get her safely back to the people she loves, though he doesn't believe, with their history, that he'll ever be worthy to be counted as one of those people.The Good Stuff:The real "second chance" in this story is not Finn's relationship with Trix, but his relationship with the rest of the O'Kane clan. As a long-time enforcer for a rival sector leader, Finn has a lot to answer for with the O'Kanes, including his direct role in getting Trix and Jade (and probably others) hooked on drugs. Trix is more than willing to forgive his sins, but the other O'Kanes aren't as easily won over. Watching Finn own his past, make amends, and ultimately earn himself a place in the tight-knit O'Kane family was enormously satisfying. As I posted in a status update yesterday, previous Beyond books have talked about the sisterhood among the O'Kane women, but this book gave a new and very welcome insight into the brotherhood of O'Kane men.This book is the fifth in a planned seven book series (not including the novellas that come out between novel releases), and we're far enough along now that the reader (me) has a better understanding of the complicated labyrinth of Sector politics and loyalties, and a better sense of the ultimate confrontation that the whole series is building toward. As a reader, it's as if I've been working for a long time on a huge, complicated jigsaw puzzle, and I've made enough progress now that the big picture is starting to come together... and there's a huge sense of satisfaction in that.My Complaints:I know a lot of Beyond readers will disagree with me for saying so, since the sex is such a defining part of this series, but I've gotta say that, for me, the smexy parts are losing their charm. I skimmed past most of the sex in this book. It's just too similar to all the sex in all of the previous books, and in my opinion, it detracts from the individual couples' stories. Each book focuses on a couple (and in the case of Beyond Jealousy, a triad), and each relationship has its own unique history and conflict and resolution -- and yet, as different as each couple/relationship is, we're supposed to believe that sexually, everyone in Sector 4 has the exact same kinks? Mmm, not so much. Don't get me wrong: reading about Lex and Dallas sexing up Noelle in Beyond Shame was hot, but now that we've read about them sexing up Rachel, Trix, and God knows who all else, it's starting to feel Beyond *Same*, and that's not cool.The other thing that really, really bothered me about this book was that it had not one but two child-in-peril subplots. I hate when authors do horrible things to kids just to move a plot along or twist a reader's sympathies, and this book did it twice. Neither incident was integral to the plot, which was good in the sense that, as a mother and thus a reader particularly bothered by child-in-peril stories, I didn't have to linger on the horror -- but then again, since neither incident was integral to the plot, why the hell include those horrors at all?!In conclusion, Beyond Addiction has a lot to recommend it, and fans of the series won't be disappointed -- but it also has a lot of triggers (violence, rape, child-in-peril) to trip up unwary readers, so buyer beware.

Sector 4 has a habit of helping people become a better them, especially if you are lucky enough to get in with the O'Kanes. That's what happened with Trix and then Finn.When Trix ran from Sector 5, with nothing but drugs that she was given and was addicted to, she landed in Sector 4. She was able to get clean and make a good life for herself.Finn had worked for the leader of Sector 5 for a long time, and had spent years not caring whether he lived or died, and wanted to kill Fleming. Finn just saw no point in living since Tracy died. When he found out that Tracy didn't die and that she is Trix, he knows he will do whatever he has to do to keep her safe.Great story. There were points where I cried. I really enjoy every addition to Sector 4 that we get. Not only are we getting a good love and redemption story, but another piece of the overall story. I reread this series often, and I always enjoy every story, but Finn and Trix are particularly poignant.

Warning: Not for the faint of Smut💕 I’d officially like to submit My application to be Lex and Dallas’s Love Slave. 💕 Teach me!Don’t judge me….I’m not really into girl on girl action/man on man action/orgy atmospheres/threesomes/foursomes/moresomes until I am.The Beyond series has a couple things really going for it.① - This is this is a dystopian world so there are new rules that make it so much easier to accept the sex and sharing culture that is the Sector 4 area that Dallas O’Kane and his Woman Lex cultivate and lovingly control② – Sure this is total book porn but there is a captivating story going on in the background. There are the more subtle plots going on between the different sector and an upcoming war brewing between Dallas O’Kane and the rest of the sectors and Eden (the upper scale but highly repressed society and that uses the sectors as their piggy bank and worker bees).③ – All the sex is super consensual. Look it is hard for me to buy into we can all share our bodies with practically any other character in the book but at the end of the day I only love you. In the series it totally works because it is really part of the culture of the society they live in. And there is absolutely no shame in anyone’s game.Sex…there is a lot of it and it is always so hot in this series. Anytime that Lex and Dallas decide to play with some of the other characters I know I’m in for a treat. This was no exception and that sex scene will go down as one of my favorites from the series.Also there is a story going on in the background. This book’s couple is Trix and former boyfriend Finn. He thought she was dead. She escaped sector 5 after the main drug lord took an interest in her and got her hooked on drugs and planned to use her against Finn. Now Trix has been kidnapped and brought back into Finn’s life. He will have to decide really fast how to save her and possibly save himself in the process.I liked certain aspects of their story. They come from sector 5 which is rife with drugs and has a more brutal mentality to it. Trix escaped and built a new life, but she never forgot what she left behind. Both of them are addicts, Trix got sober when she left and Finn when he thought she died. But that doesn’t change that a lot of their decisions follow an addict’s mentality that I don’t really understand completely.They weren’t my favorite couple of the series but overall the sub storylines have progressed very interestingly. I can’t wait to see what Rider is up to in Sector 5 and how those strings are being pulled.Super smut + solid storyline. I’m in for the long hall.

This story about Finn and Trix and like both authors say can be read alone but really builds on what's happened in the previous books. I loved it.The characters are brilliant, the story builds well, dialogue believable in the dystopian world they inhabit. So good. I can't wait for the next.

A series I got into immediately and just downloaded the entire series and now pre-order

Well this one got to me. Must admit I had a couple of tear with this one .another great story hope there are plenty more to come . Another one to recommend .

I really enjoyed these books, loved the characters- definitely recommend!

In this story we follow the troubles in the medical sector and Trix/Tracey's association with that sector and her history with Finn.