Six Degrees: The Power of Attraction Connects Us All

by Honey Brown

Emotion, seduction and passion wind through six intricately connected stories, where strong Australian women embrace their most intimate desires, and the men are more than just their suit and tie.

Apparent strangers are bound together by one tragic event, the effect of which is felt from the urban streets of Sydney to the dusty bars of Western Australia.

Sexual attraction is discovered, reawakened and surrendered to in Six Degrees, written by critically acclaimed author, Honey Brown.

Genres: Contemporary, Short Stories

Unknown Binding

First published May 1, 2015

About the author

Honey Brown lives in country Victoria with her husband and two children. She is the author of four books: Red Queen, The Good Daughter, After the Darkness and Dark Horse. Red Queen was published to critical acclaim in 2009 and won an Aurealis Award, and The Good Daughter was longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award and shortlisted for the Barbara Jefferis Award in 2011. After the Darkness was selected for the Women's Weekly Great Read and for Get Reading 2012's 50 Books You Can't Put Down campaign. Her fifth novel, Through the Cracks, will be published in 2014.

Also writes under H.M. Brown.

Reviews

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have ever read any books written by Honey Brown then you'll know she is best recognized for writing psychological thrillers. Six degrees is not a psychological thriller, but don't let that put you off it is still a really entertaining read.

Six degrees is a collection of six short stories which are based on passion, intimacy and erotica and each tale is connected by a terrible tragedy. I will admit I actually didn't think I would like this book, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I did enjoy it. So if like me, you like to read Honey Brown's novels, then give this one ago I'm sure you'll enjoy it just as much as I did or if not more. Recommended.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Degrees: The Power of Attraction Connects Us All is the sixth book by Australian author, Honey Brown. In this book, Brown gives the reader six separate short stories covering different themes, and in each case, one or more of the characters is loosely connected by a certain tragic event. “Threesome” involves a café owner, a famous chef & and a thirteen-year long Valentine’s Day tradition of a bouquet and a proposal: a third party is needed to finally overcome enduring misunderstandings. “Two Women” sees a bikini-clad pub waitress in a WA mining town meet the one person she truly wants to dance for. In “Older”, a young woman shares her passion for the outdoors, and, eventually, certain other passions, with an older man.

In “Younger”, a divorced mother of two finds her dormant desires reawakened by a young neighbour. In “Two Men”, the walls of the writer’s group meeting room are witness to more than literary fervours. In “First Time”, a party reluctantly attended results in traumatised teens finding their way, and Brown also uses this story to tie the rest together. In this departure from her usual style and subject matter, Brown does not shy away from explicit sexual descriptions. These are romantic stories and, while they also deal with loss, grief, trauma, and miscommunication, there are erotic descriptions of lesbian and homosexual relationships, a threesome, sex with much older (or younger) partners and loss of virginity.

Certain aspects of “Threesome” do not quite ring true, but the rest of the stories have an authentic feel: they are believable and well written, and the connections are cleverly done. The characters are familiar and appealing, and their dialogue is commonly heard in the pub, café or pharmacy. Readers who like their romance tinged with an erotic hue will enjoy these sexy, sensual stories. A different shade of Honey Brown.
With thanks to The Reading Room and the publisher for this copy to read and review.

[Shelleyrae at Book'd Out · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six Degrees is a stunning departure from the psychological thrillers that have made Honey Brown a bestselling author. Subtitled 'The Power of Attraction Connects Us All', this book is a a collection of six loosely linked passionate and sensual short stories.

It begins with 'Threesome' and ends with 'First Time', each of the six stories exploring the tension and ecstasy of attraction, of connection, of desire. There is no judgement, no pretence. Brown's tales are a celebration of shared lust and intimacy.

The characters are ordinary people, among them a cafe owner, a pharmacist, a bartender and a tyre salesman. They speak and behave in ways which are authentic and familiar. Though each story is related in the third person, the women are more often than not (the major exception being 'Two Men') in control, seeking pleasure, closeness and fulfillment.

Unusually, the subtle connection that links the characters in Six Degrees is the tragic death of a man - a stranger, a father, a best friend, a neighbour. Studies show that a craving for intimacy in the wake of loss is not uncommon, and sex is a natural way in which to instinctually deny death its power.

The expressive writing is explicit yet tasteful. The collection is erotic but not pornographic. The scenes of sexual intimacy are hot, sensual, and provocative but there is real depth to the characters and their circumstances.

Six Degrees is alluring, exciting and seductive.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 5 out of 5]

My View:
Clever, sensual and brilliantly written.

I have been a fan of Honey Brown’s work since I discovered the amazing Through the Cracks, at which point I then sought out more of her work. Honey Brown is a master of the psychological drama and although this book veers as far away from her previous works as is possible that element of understanding the human psyche/the human condition is very evident in this collection of interconnected short stores.

What an amazing narrative – a thread that runs through all the stories and behind the scenes directs the action in all – but you have incorporated this element in such a natural way – it does not come across as contrived or complicated, each unit can be read as a standalone but more depth is added when all have been read- then you sit back and go…mmm…yeah…I see  The writing is brilliant - the dialogue is not clumsy or awkward, the sex scenes are well written without appearing voyeuristic, grubby or crude and I love that in all storylines the female protagonists have power to control their engagement in any potential sexual activity – they are not weak willed, or taken advantage of, or bullied into behaviours they do not want to engaged in…they are in control.

This work is completely different to anything I have read, not erotica but erotic, and sensual, yes. Rural Romance as some have declared this to be? No I don’t think so - the rural landscape is not a theme of the stories, that category doesn’t work for me. Perhaps the best way to describe this collection of writing is contemporary feminist literature? That works for me. Honey Brown you are a risk taker – and I think that risk has paid off – you have written shining prose and a collection of short stories that ultimately come together in the final story to connect the individual parts to the bigger picture where ‘the power of attraction connects…all.’

What can we expect next from you Honey Brown?

[Tracey Allen at Carpe Librum · Rating 5 out of 5]

* Copy courtesy of Ventura Press *

Let me tell you, this book is HOT HOT HOT!

Six Degrees by bestselling Australian author Honey Brown is broken down into six (hot) stand alone stories; each one a tale of sexual attraction involving different characters.

Each setting has a uniquely Australia feel about it and the chapter headings give readers a good indication of what lies ahead.

Chapter headings in Six Degrees are:
Threesome
Two Women
Older
Younger
Two Men
First Time

Each of the main characters are connected to each other by one event in their past, and I enjoyed following the breadcrumbs as their six degrees of separation (as I liked to think of them) were gradually revealed.

I have to tell you, each of these chapters/stories are very sexy and definitely made for 'hot under the collar' reading! The blurb mentions this novel is the author's first time venturing into rural romance, but I have to disagree; rural romance is never this raunchy!

Six Degrees by Honey Brown is available 1 August 2015, and I heartily recommend this well-written, exciting and racy novel to readers looking to spice up their bookshelf / life (wink wink nod nod, just turn the page).

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I prefer Honey Brown when she is writing psychological thrillers. Not being a huge fan of short stories or of erotica this was possibly not a good fit for me. One good thing though was that there was nothing smutty or sleazy in these stories or the writing. Although there were some explicit sex scenes described there was a story that was interesting and engaging and not gratuitous. I didn't feel particularly connected to any of the characters or had time to become too invested. Not sure if that is the nature of short stories and one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan or a weakness with this book.

[Steve lovell · Rating 4 out of 5]

That first morning away I had woken up to another hotel room - but as usual waking up next to Judy meant turning to see her already with her nose in a book. That was okay - we were in no hurry to get out and about on our first morning in Hobart. At our ages helter-skeltering wasn't our scene any more. Once we'd come in from the airport last evening and settled in to our accommodation on the IXL side of the city's waterfront, we'd chatted what we might do today. In the end we decided we'd take the grey-camouflaged river-cat up-stream to MONA. I'd been before, when it first opened and knew it was a must-see. It had turned tourism on its head to the island of both our births and I was keen to show her it. Judy hadn't been to the state's southern capital in decades. Both being North West Coasters in our youth, it was far easier hopping on a plane across to Melbourne than making the torturous road trip to Hobs. At least that wasn't so bad these days, but back in the day it seemed to take forever - and someone always became car-sick. The Casino had livened the small city on the Derwent up for a while, but mostly back then Hobart seemed as sleepy as Burnie.

Judy was a bookaholic. Every chance she'd get she was turning pages. The daily paper and a good whodunit, now and again, did me. I'd also read sporting biographies of AFL stars and cricketers - but no more than a couple a year. Jude would devour a dozen or so books a month. She reckoned they kept her going when her kids were younger, stuck down the Mornington Peninsula for most of her married life. Reading, so she said, was now ingrained in her.

AFL had a fair amount to do with us being together in the first place. I met her by chance on a footy trip across the Strait with the lads. Then I used it, or the cricket, as an excuse for scuttling off to Melbourne several times a year to catch up with her. For my sake she was always discreet and knew where to meet away from the usual tourist traps. In this way I concealed the affair for so long. But, coming back to her books - one aspect of her obsession is that she loved talking about them to me. And I enjoyed listening. It had only been a year or so now since I made the decision to up and leave my Burnie existence and Raissa to strike out on a new life with my Melbourne love, now that she was free. In those months she always kept me appraised of her latest novel - for it was fiction she usually read. I could see that one in Hobart that morning was something entitled 'Honey Brown', or so I thought.

When I enquired as to what 'Honey Brown' was about she laughed. 'No Jim, that's the author's name. The book itself is called 'Six Degrees'. As to what it's about...Well, how should I put this? It's about sex, my love - first time sex with someone. It's short stories. Let me give you their titles - that'll give you the idea. Here, I'll flip back through - I'm almost finished. There's 'Threesome', 'Two Women', 'Older', 'Younger', 'Two Men' - you'd love that one Jim. Not. And the one still to go is 'First Time'. And they're pretty erotic tales too, let me tell you, my love. Almost too much for this good Christian girl. They get me all hot and bothered.'

She gave a slightly embarrassed laugh, but I asked her to tell me about those she'd already read. She put the book to one side and asked if I was sure I wanted to know. When I nodded she snuggled down beside me into the crook of my arm and placed a hand strategically on my upper thigh. 'Sure you're up for this old fella? It might get you a bit worked up too. Anyway, it might be all about the act, but it's still well written, I reckon. She does sex well, does Honey Brown. All the stories have a kind of link to tie them together and they all end with the two involved making love. Actually, with the first episode there's three in the mix. It's Valentines Day and a café owner receives a bouquet of flowers from the love of her life who's a famous cook. But they have never really taken action on their mutual affection - each reckoning the other is not interested in turning friendship into something more. Anyway, the chef turns up at the woman's flat above the café, only to catch her just after being in said act with one of her wait staff. One thing leads to another and in the end a threesome changes her life and brings the two together, the renowned chef and the object of his yearnings. It all seems unlikely, I know, but in Honey's capable hands it makes sense - sort of. The lesbian story starts off in a Kalgoorlie skimpy bar - you know what that is Jim?'

'Thought so. I didn't before this book. I've led a sheltered life you see. Anyway she's not really one of the skimpies - but still dances for the men and manages to get their appreciation without actually taking any of her clothes off. But in a mining town there's not really much action for someone of her persuasion, until there's a night she eventually realises that one the punters she's serving is actually a woman. From the time she passes across her frothy their eyes meet continuously across the crowded room and you can probably guess the rest sweetheart. The story I liked best, well so far anyway, was of the older man and a young twenty something, set in the high country somewhere. He was fifty, Jim, hardly past it. How old are you again? Sorry, don't look at me like that. Anyway, she's a fishing guide, being the one who was initially attracted and made all the running. The older bloke's a real gentleman and she can tell he has issues that he's perhaps taking a break from. What they are become clearer as we progress. She just finds him so different to the younger guys, who seem to her just to have one thing on their minds. This mature male seems cut from a different cloth to those of around her age she'd been associating with in recent times. He does his best to resist her flirting during the hours they spend together by brook and stream - but of course in the end he succumbs. But it's all very lovely and I really think you can tell it's a woman writing this. She doesn't pull back when it comes to descriptions of the lovemaking part, but I imagine it's softer than if a man wrote it. That being said - it's all a hell of a lot better than that 'Fifty Shades of Grey' stuff. I'm still trying to work out why I just had to read all three. Might be a bit more to me than you figured, Jim. Watch out, I say. You getting sick of this? You want to me to carry on?'

I replied in the affirmative and she laughed. She asked if it was making me feel any awakening down below. I told her that maybe that could be the case. 'Well, I'd better continue then. The next tale is the reverse of the previous. Seems this young fellow has always had a crush on the older woman next door. While hubby is no longer a factor he seizes the opportunity and finds his desired MILF is just as eager as he is. The story is told from her point of view and sort of gives the woman the kick start to get on with the rest of her life. She has a fair idea the youngster needs to be just a one off for she's no cougar - and she has a fair idea too who a more suitable candidate could be. The next not-so-sexy one is about this woman's estranged hubby. Seems he's moved over to the gay side, meets a certain someone at a writers' retreat. Being two guys it was the one I related to the least. You'd hate it Jim. I know you are all for their rights, but you're still very much the old fashioned heterosexual, aren’t you, my darling?'

By this time Jude's hand had moved to another position and we ended up making love - the first time in quite a while. 'Must be being back in Hobs,' Judy quipped. 'I can't imagine what else may have bought that on. You could almost be fifty again.'

Despite it being a return visit, MONA was still an eye-opener. Stuff I remembered from my first time was no longer on exhibition and there was plenty that I hadn't seen to keep me fascinated. Last time was after my enforced stay down here following my turn in the main street of Burnie, so I didn't get to see it all in any case. I conked out about half-way and had to have a spell. It was during that period of time that I confessed to Raissa what had been going on all those years with Jude. For a while she seemed to take it well and I resolved to try and make it up to her. But once we were back in Burnie it was obvious the dynamics of our marriage had changed and I was finding myself still hankering for Judy, even though, by this time, it wasn't the passionate affair it had once been. Going to Melbourne meant I'd have great company with somebody I was very quickly coming to adore. The great sex, if it happened, was a bonus..

Judy kept emailing me and that didn't help me trying to wean myself off her. For a while I refrained from answering, but she was persistent and eventually my promise to myself crumbled. For a while we just communicated about our daily doings - but even so it soon became apparent she wasn't the same old Judy. Something was going on in her world too. I certainly wasn't the same Franksy my mates would recognise either. They'd reckoned I had changed - and I didn't need my pals telling me to buck up, so for a while I distanced myself from them. I knew exactly what was needed to get me out of my funk. Judy had long given up her other 'regulars' when she travelled to the city. I knew that, but I was nonetheless surprised when she let me know that now, perhaps following my lead, she and hubby Tom had had a heart to heart as well. It turns out he'd found someone else too - and he had also been seeing her for some time unbeknown to Jude. Seems when she also confessed he already had a fair idea what was going on with her. He was happy to move to Portsea where his lady lived, leaving her with their abode. Looking back over it all, it's hard to imagine that these days I contentedly reside here with Judy. It all seemed to happen so quickly. It so did the trick, though. These days I'm more than happy with my lot in life.

Of course I knew nothing of her confession until Judy emailed me with the details of her conversation with her spouse. The final line of her account read, 'No pressure, Jim. I am here if you want me.' Simple as that - and I couldn’t wait to get to her. I still have the guilts about up and leaving as suddenly as I did after that. But then I knew Raissa was not in a good place. I had betrayed her and she resented me for it. Perfectly understandable. I thought it was in our best interests to part. I told her face to face, my Raissa. She said she'd been expecting it. All in all I just figured life's too short to be miserable. For as much as my wife once meant to me there was now someone else who meant more - and she was available. I would have to take it easy, I knew that. Any physical exertion, even love making, still takes it out of me, so I take life very slowly these days. Judy is all go, go, go and she has plenty to be on the go with in her community - and she has her overnighters in Melbourne. I know these days her only interest is in the shopping. Occasionally, on my better days, I go up with her on the train - but frankly, I'm just as happy pottering around the house. Hobart is a sort of tester as we'd both like to do a bit more travel - maybe a cruise or an island resort up north. I should be up for that, shouldn't I?

It helps too that I've recently been made aware that Raissa has someone in her life too now - a younger man she calls 'Lad'. I suppose it's a tad like the MILF story Jude was describing to me. I've no idea who this guy is, but Kylie tells me she's happy as all get out. Good on her I reckon - I wouldn’t want her otherwise.

Showing my lovely lady around MONA just re-enforced my view about what a special place it is. It is justifiably deserving of all the glowing reports written about it, but still I was a little wary. Despite her facility for giving and receiving a good time in the bedroom, my Jude can be a bit prudish about overt displays of sex and nudity - but I needn't of worried. She loved it. She reckoned it left the NGV for dead. Nothing on offer at MONA fazed her - and there's still plenty of weird in-your-face-stuff there.

That afternoon we pottered around, caught the tail end of Salamanca Market and then headed up to the restaurant strip in North Hobart. We had a fine repast at a place called Capital and decided to walk back to the hotel, being such a mild night. By a couple of blocks, however, I was done in and we took a cab the remainder of the way.

It was around seven the following Sunday that I emerged from the land of nod to find my wonderful partner-for-the-rest-of-my-life immersed in a book. I tapped her shoulder and said I thought it was a different one to yesterday. 'No good mornings then?' she chided.
'Sorry, sorry - all that with bells on. Only I'm keen to find out what happened with 'First Time'. That's what you were reading when we went to bed, wasn't it?'
'It was my treasure. Good memory love. You're not losing it after all. And all that snoring you did overnight. We had a big day yesterday, didn't we? I enjoyed it. Bet I snored a bit too. Let me just finish this little bit and I'll cosy up and tell you about it.'

I needed the loo, but when I tried to hop out of bed the old bod wasn't so keen to follow instructions. I realised then that on that second day I'd have to take it quietly in what I planned. I also knew I was having trouble with my short term memory and that was concerning me. Judy had obviously picked up on it too. I tried to tell her yesterday the new/old name for Mt Wellington - what the first Tasmanians called it back before colonisation. But think I could recall it? I had only read about it in one of the guides shortly before we left the hotel and made a mental note, or so I'd thought. It wasn't as if it was a difficult word either. Still I could recall the previous day's activity under the sheets all right - so that was something. With that and all the walking - no wonder a bloke was stuffed.

On my return Jude was waiting for me and snuggled in, placing her hand in its welcome position on my upper leg. She proceeded to give me an account of the final instalment. 'Jim, it's about young girl losing her cherry at a rural eighteenth birthday shindig. The guy involved was also a virgin, a former neighbour. She had witnessed a horrific accident he was involved in outside his front gate, causing him to lose his father. He disappeared after that, so it was a chance reconnection at the party, in more ways than one. I was a bit ho-hum in truth, my love, compared to some of the others. Bit it did link up nicely to the other tales and rounded the whole book off .'

When she finished she took her hand away, placing it on my chest instead. She knew I’d be overdoing it if we had a repeat performance. In doing so, though, she asked that initial question, 'How much do you remember of our first time, my love?'

I told her then the impact the green dress had on me - it was something she was not unaware of. I'd repeated my love of her in it so often over the years. Jude and I had known each other in our early days in Burnie. Our paths had crossed in the months before Raissa entered my world. Had she not - well, let's just say for a while there I liked what I saw in Judy, although she was a bit on the young side for me at that stage. Once my wife-to-be came along I lost all interest though. We'd see each other out and about - Burnie was too small a place not to. We'd say hello or wave and that was just about that. Then she too disappeared. I learnt later that she'd met a fellow in Victoria. Then, back in the early nineties, I was on one of my footy trips and wandering around Brunswick Street when she passed me. I knew it was her as soon as I saw her so I called out. She turned and was nonplussed till I shouted my name. She came running back and gave me a glorious hug. I took in her perfume, her eyes - still with the twinkle I remembered from our tender years - and, I must admit, her breasts pressed up against me, if only ever so briefly. We had coffee and bought ourselves up to date with each other's journey in the mean time. Then she explained her reason for being in the city - retail therapy - and asked if I would enjoy dining with her that evening.

That night I escaped my mates and headed for the diner date she had arranged near the Crown Casino. I knew as soon as I spotted her waiting for me in that dress what else would be on offer that evening if I should choose to take her up on it. I had few qualms in doing so.

I told Judy all of what I remembered of that first evening by the Yarra on our last morning in Hobart as she moved her hand back and forwards across my chest. I told her how magnificent I thought her breasts were, obviously unencumbered by any bra, the material so silken, almost sheer. 'Too bad the boobs are so far gone to be such a hussy these days.' was her response.

I placed a hand on one of her still appetising globes and reassured her that they're the only breasts in the world for me - that I still found something quite remarkable in their beauty. She laughed and moved in a little closer, calling me an old devil and that it was just as well as I was too pooped to do anything about it.'But maybe we could play around a bit in other ways. What do you reckon?'

It did occur to me, that night, to wonder why she would need such a beguiling outfit on a shopping trip to the CBD. When I enquired, a little further down the track, she wasn't reticent in coming forward with the news that there were other men-friends she met up with, on occasion, in the city. She quickly ruled out the fleeting notion I had that she might do a bit of high-end escort work on the side. 'No,' she explained. 'They are just random men I've met in my Melbourne stays that I like and want to see more of. Sometimes sex is involved - but more often than not they also just want some discreet company when they are in town. And I often like somebody to spend a few hours with after being on my tod all day in the shops.'

I remembered when I asked about her hubby she guffawed, 'Tom! He'd have conniptions if he knew the half of what I got up to when not in his presence, the good Christian fella he is. His mind's just on making the money I spend. We do all right down the Peninsula, but life's a tad on the dull side with all his church mates. I refuse to get involved these days. I've seen the light. Ha! I'm sure he'd kill me if he knew. Not really. He'd find an explanation for it in God's will and want me to pray with him for my eternal soul.' Turns out she was wrong about that, but I can't complain when I am so much the beneficiary.

Judy drifted off back to sleep that Hobart morning so I continued to lie there, thinking back to that first night. After being a one woman man all my adult life, being with another was a revelation. Raissa had, no doubt about it, been a great wife and mother. And she was still a marvellously attractive woman. But the passion had long since gone - not a bad thing in itself, but I guess I was then vulnerable if somebody else came along and displayed a little interest. Jude certainly did that. Footy trips became a break from routine, but I always demurred when some of the others trooped off to the King Street fleshpots. I wasn't interested in that sort of thin

[ALPHAreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Six Degrees’ is the new book from Australian author, Honey Brown. A departure from her usual horror/thriller/suspense writing, ‘Six Degrees’ is a collection of erotic-romantic short stories.

Honey Brown is one of my favourite authors writing today – I’ve loved all of her books so far, particularly for their scare-factor and an often disturbingly subversive underpinning. But I wasn’t actually all that shocked to realise that Brown had strayed from the genre that has made her one of Australia’s greatest new talents since 2009.

One of the reasons I love Honey Brown’s books is that she writes relationships and romance so very well and trickily … all of her crime-thriller book have a focus on relationships. ‘Red Queen’ may have been about a plague-outbreak, but the anchor of that story was a love-triangle between two brothers and a mysterious female survivor who comes to their isolated cabin one night. ‘After the Darkness’ was a crime-suspense novel about a couple who are captured by a killed and then escape, but have to live with their trauma in secret – that story had a big concentration on the changed dynamics of a marriage, after the husband is sexually assaulted in the ordeal. And ‘Dark Horse’ was about two strangers stuck by wild weather on a mountainside, whose attraction leads to revelations about what one of them was really doing in the mountains … so I was pleasantly surprised that in this short-story foray, Honey Brown would be concentrated entirely on the romance genre.

But make no mistake; ‘Six Degrees’ is no less complex for being romance-focused. Honey Brown isn’t “dumbing down” any of her writing for which she has been so celebrated by genre-lovers and critics alike. This short story collection may actually be a fine introduction for anyone who is under the mistaken impression that romance is a ‘lightweight’, fluffy genre of little importance. Au contraire!

In these six stories – loosely connected by the theme of a major/minor crises in all – Brown presents the many complications of the human heart. A man and woman who have never had the right timing in ‘Threesome’ may be about to get their act together, and a girl who witnessed a man’s death in ‘First Time’ finds herself connecting with his distraught son;

‘You didn’t talk too much.’
‘I think I might have.’
‘And I would like to go out with you sometime.’
For a kiss that had sadness in it, it was good. It was perhaps the first honest kiss Emma had ever experienced. His lips were soft. No other body part touched her. Maybe it was Keegan’s first honest kiss too, because he pulled back and looked surprised by it.

There’s mostly an emphasis on female sexuality in these stories, and the book feels emboldened for that. Particularly for how Honey Brown explores the facets of attraction and sexual proclivities – her writing embodies honesty and non-judgmental celebration of sex and sexuality;

Sonya spent the rest of her adolescence on the hunt for that, with each new boyfriend (there hadn’t been that many) she had looked into their eyes to see if they might have it in them – the right sort of want, the maturity of wanting. Mostly, though, they wanted sex, no more than that. Or they wanted a girlfriend. It was almost as though they did not see the beauty in sex, the beauty of it. At that first party, against the rendered wall, she’d been given a preview of something better. Adult sex. But, thinking now, she wondered if anything had really recaptured that feeling.

I loved this collection; just as much as I have loved all of Honey Brown’s other books. This is a wonderful introduction to the romance genre for anyone who has never been brave enough to read. Brown’s exquisite prose and complicated stories will surely encourage others to further explore what this genre has to offer. I do so hope that Brown writes more of the like – either way, I will follow her wherever she goes.

[MarciaB - Book Muster Down Under · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been a huge fan of Honey Brown’s psychological suspense novels for some time now, I was genuinely intrigued when I was asked to review this latest by her. A bold deviation from her usually dark suspense-filled novels, Honey explains that “After 50 Shades of Grey and the flood of erotic literature, I was frustrated. So few of the characters hit the mark for me. I was craving some relatable sexuality – female characters that brought their own brand of sex to the table and male characters that were more than the suit and tie they wore”.

Told with an engaging and emotive voice in her signature style, Six Degrees by Honey Brown is an exploration of sexuality and how one seemingly unconnected incident brings this normal, everyday cast of relatable characters together. It is a sensual and provocative read that had me feeling slightly voyeuristic as I was given a deeper insight into the most intimate parts of her characters’ lives.

With simply headed introductions, giving the reader an indication as to what to expect, Honey has separated her story into six journeys, allowing her to explore her characters’ feelings and motives. Infused with an atmosphere of erotically-charged tension and the slow burn and release of their deepest desires, she slowly begins to wrap the reader in an intoxicating and sensual bubble, with realistic characters who are each vulnerable in their own way – from unsure to shy, unfulfilled, bold and lost - arousing sexual desire in all of them as they yearn for fulfilment and seek solace in the only way they know how and, sometimes, in ways they didn’t think were possible.

Her aptitude for placing on paper the depth of human emotion and extracting feelings of desire and sensuality from her reader, is exceptional and in the hands of this astute and skilled author, this is erotica at its best – as decadent and indulgent as the softest of chocolate melting in your mouth.

An intimate read, it’s one with characters who are unapologetic about their sexual preferences and should be read with an open mind. The difference between Honey’s version of erotic romance and everyone else’s is that the storyline and the emotions invoked make it so much more than just about the sex.

For those who enjoy well-written erotic fiction and are looking for an intoxicating escape in the wake of your disappointment with Fifty Shades of Grey, give this one a go. It's pure carnal pleasure without the dominance!

[Sheree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had a love affair with Honey Brown or should I say her writing, since Dark Horse blew my mind and Through the Cracks had me tasting despair. They're darkly disturbing psychological thrillers. Six Degrees is a complete departure from her previous works but with the same expressive yet restrained style that grabs and keeps the pages turning.

Knowing from the synopsis that the six stories are somehow connected, I was curious reading each whether the connection would come across as forced or convenient. No and No. It's clever and smooth and brings a cohesiveness to what would otherwise be random short stories about desire.

My favourites were the first story and the third. The first was HOT and just a bit naughty and that's all I'm saying about it and the third, well it's the fly fishing story. Yep you read that right.

Fishing in my book (when you don't catch anything) is up there with watching grass grow or paint dry. Fly fishing and sexy are two words I would never use in the same sentence. But Tasha and Daryl's story is beautiful and sexy and very, very sensual. So, hang on a minute while I eat my words.

This is probably completely left field but the sexual attraction in Six Degrees reminded me of the weather in Dark Horse ... a character in itself.

Six Degrees is a fun and very satisfying read about the power of sexual attraction and our intrinsic need to feel emotionally and physically connected.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honey Brown is the critically-acclaimed author of a bunch of psychological crime novels. Her latest book, Six Degrees sees her leaving the crime investigations at the door because she is instead focusing on a psychology of a different kind. This collection of six interwoven short stories (where many of the characters are bound together by a tragic accident) is about desire, passion, temptation, romance and sex.

The stories include Threesome where a café owner and a famous chef break with their Valentine’s Day tradition of flowers and a marriage proposal to have a different sort of sexual experience. Two Women is about a bikini waitress who meets a lady at work that she loves while Older is about a young, outdoors-loving woman who finds passion with a man who is her senior. Younger is about a divorced mother hooking up with her young neighbour and Two Men sees two blokes leaving a writers group meeting to explore their sexuality together. First Time is the last story in the book and this sees two traumatised teenagers losing their virginity.

This book is a million times better than 50 Shades of Grey. The characters feel real and authentic for one. And Brown should be commended for creating such strong and independent female characters who have rather distinctive voices. The prose is very-well written here but it is also very racy and the descriptions of the sex can be very explicit at times. In all, this is one intelligent, smooth and sensual look at the joy of sex.

[Lauredhel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honey Brown does it again - but with a book in a completely different genre and structure from her previous thrillers. Six Degrees is a - well, what is it? It's not a mosaic novel, but nor is it a collection of unconnected short stories. Somewhere in each of the six erotic shorts in this book is a connection to the same tragic event. The stories are flung all across Australia, in urban and rural settings, gay and straight, sometimes with a wink toward a HEA and sometimes without (so I'd hesitate to call this "Romance"). Each stands alone, but whole is larger than its parts: an exploration of desire in its varied forms, and a meditation on the ways in which sex and love can be inflected by grief and loss. The characters are fully fleshed-out despite their short time on-screen, and their motivations and emotions complex. The writing is, as always with Brown, fluid and beautiful without being too self-consciously "literary".

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Not my favourite of Honey Brown's but that's largely because of my tendency to not fall as deep into short stories than I would a regular novel. It's a "its not you, it's me" kind of a deal. I find in short stories, no matter how good they are, I never develop that same connection with the characters.

Still, these short stories remain quite good.

[Kat at Book Thingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, restrained, erotic. Would have liked the romances to be more fleshed out, but this isn't technically a book within the genre so I can overlook that. I love romantic short stories and these are some of the best I've read.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I expected. However, I read the whole book. If you are intending to read it just be aware that it is almost erotic. More along the lines of Red Queen - but more.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very different from her other books, more like the line of Red Queen.

[Narelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a Honey Brown fan, I was looking forward to reading this new release. What I read was not what I expected. The usual Honey Brown psychological suspense is missing and replaced with sexual tension, sexual experiences of varying degrees, and short stories that link subtly. It consists of six short stories that link with a single event and many characters. It is not until you get to the last story that all the links between characters becomes clear. It is clever literature but personally I prefer Honey Brown’s other titles to this one.
In Honey Brown’s own words, “six interconnected stories explore the importance and excitement of sex in everyday lives. A cast of characters with lives we recognize and know, cross paths in intimate, surprising, and erotic ways.”
If you want eroticism of various degrees, then this is a book for you.

[Kat Ashworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Down to earth erotica. Exploring sparks between strangers and long lived lust. Set within authentic Australian scapes.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love her thrillers. This one was good, but it didn't grip me as much as other writing has.

[Edwina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read in a long time!.. so happy I finally picked this book up after stumbling across it a few times at a book swap booth.

[Elizabeth Rossmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realise these were short stories which Im not a fan of, the first one was decent and would have made a great novel....great writing, would love to read a whole book by this author

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Six Degrees is certainly a surprise! For those like me who have read and enjoyed Honey Brown's trademark psychological thrillers, this book takes the reader is a completely different direction. It is in fact a collection of six short stories tied together with one tragic event that touched the lives of all the characters in different ways. The event itself is not really central to the stories, but provided a good anchor and allowed otherwise seemingly disparate characters and events to be woven together into a cohesive narrative.

The tying together of short stories with one central event is not a new storytelling technique, but it is one that can work well and Honey Brown has done that with this collection. While the tragic death of a man is the plot that connects the characters the theme is desire and attraction. As the subtitle states it does connect us all.

The stories within Six Degrees are not for the faint hearted. They are erotic and do push the envelope when it comes to being explicit. Yet in the way that art and photography can be tasteful rather than sleazy, Six Degrees is the same. While some might consider it soft porn, it has the distinction of an underlying plot that makes it solid. While I am not really a fan of the erotica genre, I did appreciate the stories themselves and could accept the sexual content as a part of the story that worked (as opposed to a thin plot bolstered by erotica).

I applaud Honey Brown for taking a leap into a completely different genre and doing it successfully. Her writing talent speaks for itself as she tells the stories in her usual engaging and compelling style. I wasn't quite sure what to expect with Six Degrees and while I would probably have liked the connecting thread of the stories to be stronger I did enjoy the book and wouldn't hesitate to read more of a similar style.

[Amanda - Mrs B's Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to psychological crime writing, Honey Brown is a standout author in my mind. Through the Cracks, last year’s release, was one of my favourite Australian psychological crime books of 2014. When I was given the chance to review Honey Brown’s new book, I felt more than honoured. In her latest novel Six Degrees, Brown takes a digression from the genre that has made her a success, turning her hand to erotic romance. Although romance with an erotic twist is not my usual choice of reading genre, I knew once I opened the book I was in safe hands with Brown’s beautiful prose. Beautiful, sensual and seductive best describes Six Degrees. It is a collection of six short stories that examines sexuality in its various forms. Each story is also linked by a tragic accident that has affected the characters in each story. The title of each short story gives a glimpse of what is in store for the reader, such as the stories ‘Threesome’ and ‘First Time’. ‘Two Women’ was the story that I felt evoked the most feeling for me. I really admired the strong female protagonists that Brown cast in this particular short story. Overall, the writing simply put is just clever, which is matched by realistic dialogue and authentic characters. What I also loved about Brown, being an Australian author, is that her settings had a strong small town/rural feel, showcasing the beauty of our rural country to the reader.
Reading Six Degrees reminds me how skilled an author Honey Brown truly is. She has demonstrated that she can step outside a genre that has made her a household name and write successfully in a number of different genres. By reading Six Degrees, I have been prompted to seek out Honey Brown’s backlist, I’m looking forward to devouring more of her brilliant writing. Six Degrees comes highly recommended by this reader.

[Natalie S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honey Brown is the critically-acclaimed author of a bunch of psychological crime novels. Her latest book, Six Degrees sees her leaving the crime investigations at the door because she is instead focusing on a psychology of a different kind. This collection of six interwoven short stories (where many of the characters are bound together by a tragic accident) is about desire, passion, temptation, romance and sex.

The stories include Threesome where a café owner and a famous chef break with their Valentine’s Day tradition of flowers and a marriage proposal to have a different sort of sexual experience. Two Women is about a bikini waitress who meets a lady at work that she loves while Older is about a young, outdoors-loving woman who finds passion with a man who is her senior. Younger is about a divorced mother hooking up with her young neighbour and Two Men sees two blokes leaving a writers group meeting to explore their sexuality together. First Time is the last story in the book and this sees two traumatised teenagers losing their virginity.

This book is a million times better than 50 Shades of Grey. The characters feel real and authentic for one. And Brown should be commended for creating such strong and independent female characters who have rather distinctive voices. The prose is very-well written here but it is also very racy and the descriptions of the sex can be very explicit at times. In all, this is one intelligent, smooth and sensual look at the joy of sex.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to read this twice to fully appreciate it. There are a couple of reasons for that. It was so highly anticipated and I was so agog to read it that I think the first time I was too keen to get to the sexy bits. I tried to slow myself down by reading one story at a time, spaced out with other things. I've since gone back and read it right through, and I think that is how it needs to be read. As I knew about the accident connecting people, I was looking out for that the first time through and found the gradual revealing of information about that fascinating. On reading it the second time, from start to finish, I was astounded at the connections I'd missed, and could appreciate other subtleties more. I think I enjoyed the first two stories the most, from a titillation point of view, as they were more explicit than the others. I don't really mind what that says about me! Second time round I really got into the emotional aspects of the attractions between the characters. There were lots of other things I loved: the peeks into other worlds, like the workers and Skimpies in mining towns, the appreciation of both maturity and youth (and of those for each other, physically and emotionally), that the guys in Two Men were mature rather than hot young things, and the glimpse into the young party scene.

[Lily Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Six Degrees, a collection of short stories that each touch on an incident established with the very first story. I liked how, as you read and learn how this story is put together, you enter each new chapter looking for the touch-off point that connects the new story to the first.
Ultimately though, for me, I found the story I enjoyed most was the first one, Threesome, and I think it's because at this part of the book I didn't realise there were six stories, and so I may have invested myself more in getting to know these characters. Also, the idea of a man sending a woman a rose on consecutive Valentine's Days, with the message: "Marry me?" is just so romantic and gorgeous and mysterious (and a little bit sad)... it completely sucked me in.
Couples are put in all shapes and sizes in this book. Young man, older woman; older man, young woman; two women; two men. The sex is hot, but told with a lovely lyrical flow that reminds me of Kate Belle's writing in parts.
I'm very keen to read Dark Horse by Honey Brown. I liked the writing style so much that i'd like to see what this author does with a full work centered around one plot, with one set of characters to care about. I have the feeling that would be 5-star reading for me.

[Vanessa Skinner · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the book is a collection of short stories there should be something for everyone - which also means you probably won't enjoy all of them either. I didn't read the last story for example.

[Joanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few books I have read where the sex is not clichéd.
Honey Brown's writing just gets better and better.

[Deb Bodinnar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different to what I was expecting!!!

[Rose Marsh · Rating 2 out of 5]

One to come back to later.