Review: Really good addition to the series. :D
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 24, 2014
4-4.5 stars***warning, this review may be considered a bit spoilerish as I tell who Jordan ends up with (which seems pretty obvious to me but...)***This was a really good story. I liked Jordan, Patrick and Shane and really liked their story. This was a really good addition to the series. The romance between the three is concluded at the end of this story but the revolution is still in full swing so I can’t wait to see what happens to Rock in Being Emerald.This story takes place in a world where a deadly influenza has killed most of the inhabitants of Earth. 3 cities were rebuilt by the US Gov afterwards and re-population restrictions were put in to place by the Gov to control what gets passed on, including sterilizing citizens that have genes carrying certain diseases. The sterilized are sent to the Amber Zone, where they don't control much in their life but try to make the best of it and find pleasure where they can. The other 3 zones, Sapphire, Emerald and Diamond, have a better standard of living but they suffer in their own ways and also grow weary of the domination of the Gov.Jordan was born in the Amber zone and grew up in bad conditions with parents that neglected her when they weren't abusing her. She’s not a girly-girl and tends to be tough more than anything else because she’s rarely had anyone to depend on. Jordan isn't real social and has only recently made her first real female friend, Jaci (the heroine from Being Amber). Jordan works as a cop in the Amber zone and is partnered with Xander (Jaci's boyfriend). She’s also one of the leaders of the recently formed resistance that’s trying to take back their lives from the Gov.Patrick and Shane are twins that were born in the Sapphire zone. When it came time to get their designation, it was found that Shane was sterile (from a childhood illness) and so he was sent to the Amber zone. This was a horrible thing for both twins because they have a connection that’s soul deep and they feel the need to be around each other, like a pull they can’t resist, and it just makes things harder as they try to go on with their lives.Since Shane was sent to the Amber zone, Patrick hasn't been happy with the Gov and things have just getting worse the last few years. The Gov starts increasing the restrictions in their lives and between bullies for guardsmen and rumors of horrible things the Gov is doing to people that have started disappearing, people are getting scared. When it becomes apparent that there’s a resistance starting in the Amber zone, Patrick is very interested in helping and starting something on the Sapphire side as well.Shane has gotten hard since he was sent to the Amber zone. He not only lost Patrick and his family, he got shoved in to a whole new way of life as the Amber zone is much different than the Sapphire. His depression over the split from his brother didn't help and he had trouble dealing with his anger and depression. He ended up being helped by the CALM protocol. Basically, it’s using BDSM to enable people to release emotional pain through the endorphin released when they experience physical pain. After he was helped so well by the protocol, Shane decided to take the class on how to be a dominant in the CALM protocol so he could help others that need it.The story begins with Xander and Jordan having just blown up the sterility center for the Amber zone (the place where women are sent by the Gov to be forcibly sterilized). Jordan is almost caught by guards that answer to the Gov but is saved by Patrick. Jordan doesn't understand why he helped her (since he’s a Gov guard that’s from the Sapphire side) but she remembers him from a previous meeting a few months before and is thankful he helped her out. Before she goes (once it’s safe), Patrick tells her he’d like to help with the resistance and asks her to come back the next night so they can talk further. He also makes his personal interest in her very clear, even though he shouldn't because personal relationships of any kind aren't allowed between people from different zones. Jordan isn't sure what Patrick has in mind but gets agreement from the other resistance leaders to meet with him and see what can be set up to help the resistance movement. Before the meeting can take place, they experience bad times as the Gov sends guards to the Amber zone and kills a bunch of innocents as retribution for the fire at the sterilization center. Unfortunately, Jordan’s roommate (who is the person she’s closest to) is one of the people killed by the Gov. Jordan does make her meeting with Patrick and it starts the cooperation going on the resistance front. Patrick finds out about Jordan’s loss and contacts Shane, tells him briefly about Jordan and asks Shane to check on her and stay with her to make sure she’s alright. Shane ends up joining the resistance as well and is assigned to keep Jordan safe. Patrick manages to arrange a way for Jordan to go to the Sapphire zone for a couple days to help organize the resistance communications and such between the Amber zone, the Sapphire zone and the Emerald zone (the Emerald by connecting with Rock, who was sent there from the Amber zone in Being Amber). While there, things escalate between Jordan and Patrick and they take their relationship to the physical level while making a deep connection on an emotional level as well. Jordan is a bit freaked out by this because she’s never been one to gain love, not even from her parents when she was growing up.Things are arranged so Jordan can cross over between the Amber and Sapphire zone (with Patrick’s help) and help run the resistance movement on both sides, spending 2 days on one side and then 2 on the other. Just before this starts though, Jordan has a breakdown. Jordan’s roommate was her Dom and helped her through the CALM protocol and since he died and she’s been under stress things just got worse for her. When she breaks, Shane is able to help her through his training in the CALM protocol. He knows he’ll fall in love with Jordan by becoming her Dom but he’s prepared to do it to help her. Shane goes to Patrick and explains things to him and Patrick does his best to understand and he doesn't completely get it but he accepts it (although he made Patrick promise not to have sex with Jordan). The next month or so is spent with Jordan going back and forth between the zones and men. Jordan soon falls for both the men (and they her) and isn't looking forward to when things change and she’s forced to try to choose between them. The twins are 2 sides to the same coin, Patrick is sweet and fun and can be very romantic while Shane is strong and forceful and helps her feel safe and expel her demons, which makes it even harder to choose. The resistance has plans in place to try to assassinate the General that’s at the head of the Gov and Jordan is the person that’s supposed to do it. Things go off course though and the mission isn't a success and Jordan is injured in a way that will have a lasting effect. Jordan and Patrick are able to make it to a place of safety but due to everything that has happened and Shane not being there, Jordan isn't doing too well for a bit. When the trio is finally together they have to work out how things will work between them and it’s finally decided that the men will share Jordan and she'll have both of them as her husbands (but she refuses to marry either because she wont choose one above the other which I kind of liked). Jordan, Patrick and Shane find their happiness together and settle in to start their HEA.This was a really enjoyable story. I liked the Jordan, Shane and Patrick. TBH, I was a bit worried that Jordan’s issues might get overdone (like I've experienced in other stories) and be overly annoying but they didn't. They were handled well and didn't make it seem like those issues overrode the rest of the story. I really liked how this story played out and can’t wait to see how things go for Rock in his book, Being Emerald. I’d recommend this book (although you’ll probably want to read Being Amber first). Thumbs up! :D