Strength in Numbers Book 3: Branded

Brandy is fed up with the men that fate has been tossing her way. Surrounded by people in unconventional yet happy relationships, Brandy decides that she needs some time off to find what she needs. Taking a cruise seems the way to do it. On the first night, Brandy is shocked to find herself watching a couple engage in some risqué behavior and to begin pleasuring herself in their view. When the couple starts towards her, Brandy runs to her cabin and tries to wrap her head around the fact that she was just enormously aroused by another woman and man. Not only aroused by what they were doing, but by imagining the woman touching her.

Lin and Eric Brogan seek out Brandy and proceed to blow her mind with their sensuality. After a bit of indecision, Brandy decides that this is a vacation and that instead of hooking up with one person, she will hook up with a couple. What follows is an amazing descent into debauchery that Brandy will need to decide if she wants to surface from, or stay with this strange couple.

This is the third book in the series and while you can read it by itself, it makes much more sense if you read it as intended, third.

Strength in Numbers 3: Branded was a much different book than the previous two in the series. In the first two books you were given a peek into the lifestyle of a ménage a trois, male/male/female. In this story, the relationship is much different and so are the dynamics of the ménage. Not only is a non-traditional relationship dealt with, but there is also a window into the Dom/sub lifestyle. Both Lin and Eric are Dommes who are looking for the final piece to their relationship. I enjoyed the peek into this lifestyle, but had to fight my squeamishness towards some of the BDSM scenarios in this book. The writing style was, as always, fantastic and the characters very well thought out and constructed.

Reviewed by: Serena