Author: Tiffany Snow
Genre: Romantic suspense
Published on: December 18, 2012 by Montlake Romance
Kathleen Turner has goals. She moved to Indianapolis to start seeing to them, but things aren’t going quite as well as she’d hoped. She’s a runner for a high-powered law firm in town, not the most prestigious of positions, but it and her part-time bartender gig at least pays the bills. And one of the senior partners is a dreamboat in that obscenely rich, disturbingly good looking, slightly snobbish sort of way.
She was quite happy ogling him from afar, before she did a mortifying face plant in his lap during a meeting. After that…well…she was more about the avoiding. Mature, no. More likely to assure she keeps her job, yes.
She’s made some friends in the few months she’s been in Indy. One of those friends is her neighbor Sheila, though Kathleen can’t say she’s completely comfortable with Sheila’s job choice as a high-dollar escort.
It’s the middle of the night when Kathleen hears fighting coming from Sheila’s apartment. As disturbing as that is, it’s the ominous sound of silence afterwards that keeps Kathleen from falling back to sleep. Slipping from bed with the intention of making sure everything is okay, Kathleen knocks on her friend’s door, only to find Sheila murdered, her naked body sprawled on sheets stained crimson with her blood.
Shock and horror are followed by gritty determination when it becomes clear that Sheila’s death isn’t random and it isn’t the result of a jealous boyfriend. It’s the opening gambit in a web of murder, deceit, conspiracy, and fraud that stretches to the law firm for which Kathleen works. Maybe to the very office that Blane Kirk commands.
And Kathleen Turner, law office runner, can trust no one if she wants to survive.
No Turning Back is one of those books that compel you to keep turning page after page (no pun intended). It’s more than good enough that you lose track of time. The book centers on Kathleen Turner, a young "runner" at a prestigious law firm. She’s a charming, driven young woman who seeks to outperform herself at work. Kathleen’s also apparently named after a famous celebrity. I know a lot of them, but I had to resort to Google to find out who Kathleen Turner is.
Kathleen has led a pleasant and normal life so far. She’s recently moved to Indianapolis and is still finding her place there. Kathleen’s life changes the day she meets Blane Kirk, her boss. Their introduction was amusing. From that point on, Blane developed a special interest for Kathleen. Only, she’s not the least bit interested. Kathleen is aware of Blane’s reputation with women. She has no intention of being another of his short-lived conquests. Kathleen ignores Blane until circumstances force them to team up.
One night, Kathleen's neighbor and friend Sheila is found murdered. Blane shows up to help her right away. They have no idea that Kathleen's life is never going to be the same again. It's about to become a lot more fast-paced and have more action—and romance—than before. Along the way, Kathleen and Blane develop feelings for each other. Kathleen has always seen Blane as handsome, and she makes him feel things he's never felt for another woman before.
Things quickly become more complex than they seemed. What I believed to be a crime that would barely be above open-and-shut level turned out to have more layers to it. Out of loyalty for her murdered friend, Kathleen sets out to investigate on her own. I admired her determination and lack of fear. Kathleen proves herself to be really smart, although sometimes she has no idea of the danger she walks into. I mean, Kathleen’s just a regular civilian. It’s not like she has military or law enforcement training.
Kathleen’s actions rattle the cages of people who promptly put a price on her head. The most dangerous of these new enemies? Kade Dennon, a lethal assassin-for-hire who unwittingly finds himself affected by Kathleen's charm. Despite her fear, Kathleen feels attraction towards him for some reason. This makes her torn between two handsome but very different men. Yes, this is the start of a love triangle. Some readers don’t like those, but this one isn’t exasperating. I can see why two men would desire a woman like Kathleen. She’s worth fighting for.
The reader gets to learn a lot about Kathleen, even after just one book. It’s told in the first-person POV, which means there aren’t any scenes without Kathleen in them. She’s an interesting character, for someone with a rather lacking social life. The only close friends Kathleen has are Clarice and CJ. The first is Blane’s secretary. Clarice and Kathleen used to get a kick out of watching Blane go from woman to woman. Who knows what’s going to happen now that Blane has his eye on Kathleen? CJ is Kathleen’s new neighbor. She’s a girl with serious tech skills who may become a valuable ally for Kathleen.
No Turning Back is an awesome first entry in the Kathleen Turner series. The book's a bit slow at first, but it quickly picks up the pace. I liked the characters as well. Kathleen is an admirable fictional heroine. She has good values and more than plenty of smarts. Blane and Kade were just as compelling. Their personalities are a sharp contrast, so you can’t mix them up. The ebook’s formatting was also well done. It sounds like a small thing, but good-looking text makes reading the book more pleasant. I look forward to seeing what’s next in Kathleen’s story. This looks set to be one of my favorite romantic suspense series so far.
My rating: ★★★★
4 stars - Definitely enjoyed it!
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