Book Review – No Turning Back by Tiffany Snow

No Turning Back (The Kathleen Turner Series #1)
This has been one of the most often recommended series over the last year. Maybe even… the last two years? *shrug* I know it’s been since it’s original release in it’s indie days. This book, and the ones after it have made our fellow readers love triangle CRAZY, and they are on opposing teams. And it’s not just a love triangle either —> Brothers!!!

One’s an ex Navy Seal/high powered attorney, and the other is an ex FBI agent/hitman. Whoa, talk about changing things up. Okay!! I’m in.

Well… actually, I wasn’t “in” yet, and I can’t pinpoint exactly why. Something was holding me back and the only thing I can think of is the mystery aspect to each installment. I think I’m just a lazy “let’s cuddle and fight” romance reader. I like ’em to meet and “play” each other a bit. Push and pull. Get jealous and break up. Make me cry and then maybe…make up. Drama and angst usually rule my romance world.

But then I started craving cop/military men and this series came right back around again! I had a feeling it was going to rock my romance world (even with all of the mystery-thriller stuff happening), ’cause I had yet to see one of our fellow readers go “meh” over it. You bring this series up, and you get THIS:

Stacey: If you want bossy mercenary cop. Alpha-male, you HAVE to start the KathleenTurner Series. You’ll get TWO 🙂 It’s a fantastic series.

Tiffany: You have got to start this series Maryse. You don’t know what you are missing!!!!

Lori: Read it Maryse ! You’ll love it! Can’t wait but hate for it to be over!! Team Kade!!

Sally: I think someone is going to have to have me committed when this series ends… NO I’M NOT JOKING AT ALL!! And I can not wait to see what Tiffany Snow has in store for us next! Maryse I have decided I will come & clean your house & cook for you for a month if you start & finish this series DEAL???

Maryse: LOL!!!!!!!! I shall be reading it ASAP!

Janet: This is one of those rare series that gets better with every book. The last one was 5 big stars

Lee: So glad Tiffany snow got a mention for the Kathleen turner series, the book are absolutely wonderful. Easy read with all hero you’d die for. Love love love them please take a look. They won’t disappoint!

Christina: I love love love the Kathleen Turner series by Tiffany Snow (No Turning Back).  I am currently in the process of reading the series for the third time…  🙂  Definite MUST READ!!

Julie: I’m not really on a team if that’s bad to say. I absolutely love them both so no matter who Tiffany picks for Kat to end up with I’ll be happy!

Kristen: I am TEAM KADE 100%!! Love that series!

Andrea: The books (Kathleen Turner) continue to get better too. And I’ll throw in there -Team Kade all the way.

Hillary: I just have to say I’m team Kathleen! I love both Blane and Kade!!

Cleida: I can’t wait for the next book! Team Blane

Lynn: The Kathleen Turner Series has been my literary obsession for the past 18 months and the anticipation for the final book “Point of No Return” is already building…can’t wait for May 20th.  So will you be Team Blane or Team Kade?

And it just goes onnnnn and onnnnn.

And Lynn… I definitely get what everyone is feeling when it comes to Blane and Kade. I’m not on a team yet after this one. Although I was thinking Blane since he was the first one I “met”, but Kade has that tragic, broken hero feel to him, and I’m a sucker for that. Oh am I ever. I have a feeling it’ll be Kade, but I’m keeping my options open. 😉

Both teams seem to have equal love, so it’s anyone’s game right now, which makes me happy, ’cause I know I’m in for some romance-angst surprises.

Ooooooh you guys!!! 😀 I’m so excited after reading this one!!

HOW could I have possibly put this off any longer? I was kind of in a book slump, and I have a feeling I’m about to go on the ride of my life. These are tried and true and isn’t that the reason I read? To indulge in the ultimate book series that will elate me and grate me, thrill me and take my heart away. Stomp it, and make it better. And then maybe stomp it again. I love that!

And considering your adamant reactions… I mean… you guys are almost (if not exactly) as obsessed and in love as we are with the Experiment in Terror Series series. <— They get better with each installment, and even if the series is incomplete, and we get the occasional cliffhanger, they are SO worth it!

Courtney: I completely agree with Sally and others, the Kathleen Turner books get better as you go along. They were similar to the EIT series for me, not that they were similar in story but as you get to know the characters and stories you are more invested and they get better.

Maryse: I was thinking EIT too, Courtney!!! YES!!!

Not the same stories per se, but each book is an “adventure” and a mystery to be solved, with an ever-evolving romantic angle that keeps playing out and teasing us, with each installment.

Yep… I enjoyed #1 (didn’t rock my world to the core… YET) but it did set me up with a nice foundation and a few butterflies to boot. Again, my butterflies are for Blane, but that one tender scene with Kade made my heart skip a beat. And if my insides physically react to a book? That’s a sure sign I’m feeling it. Living it. Forgetting where I am, ’cause I AM there.

So what’s this one about?

It starts out AWESOME!! Funny office-crush humiliation when Kathleen, who works at a prestigious law firm as a “runner”, has an unfortunate face plant in one of the lawyers laps. LOVED IT! I was so in. And as Kathleen finds herself in a few awkward, criminally deranged situations, one in particular puts her in danger. The murder of her next door neighbor (an escort that has become a close friend). She calls the police, and that very lawyer that she face-planted into, comes to her rescue.

“We didn’t get off to a great start, Kathleen,” he said, and I felt the color leave my face. Please tell me he was not going to bring up that disastrous meeting where I planted my face in his crotch.

And as evidence comes to light, she begins to question his motives.

“There’s only one escort service in Indy and, if that’s who she worked for, the last thing they’re going to want is for that fact to get out. Or any information on who her johns were.” He looked pointedly at me. “I want you to keep quiet about what you know, or else you could become a target.”

Is he truly helping her? Or is he corralling her (and her “evidence”) to steer her in another direction?

And then there’s… the other hottie. He, too, keeps showing up and demanding her evidence…

Yep! That is the mystery in this one, folks. And it goes pretty deep. But as Michelle warned me (and I might just agree with her)…

Michelle: If you can get past the outrageously number of situations she finds herself in (not going for any sort of realism here) and just enjoy the hot love triangle, then you’ll enjoy them. The storylines are sub par, but the romance kept me interested. Besides, TV dramas like Castle have the heroine in one near death experience after the other, so I just looked at it that way. Like I was watching another episode of a crime drama. Kade made it all worth it. Can’t wait for May!!

Maryse: Awesome Michelle, Thank you for that tidbit!! I will “go with it” and enjoy the love. LOL! 

Yep. I’m right there with you, Michelle.

There were many times I thought… wait? WHAT!?? WHY? Why would you do that, Kathleen?

“We have to do something,” I said.

CJ’s eyes had the same fire I knew was in mine and I thought I’d found a kindred soul.

“Damn straight, we’re going to do something,” she said.

And we began to plan.

GAH!! She’s crazy. 

Okay, maybe I’m just not adventurous or crazy enough, but OMG I found myself thinking… just hand it over to the cops and move on. LOL!!! But that would make for a boring book, right? Or maybe it would be even more fun ’cause then we could cue the angsty-romance.

Wait, wait…. Noooooo. I think this is done right, just as it is. Crazy mystery to solve, equally interspersed with intense attraction, which makes the love-parts even more special. 😉 Hehe. I’m in love with love, and I loved every moment of that slow-burn. That is what had me.

So… for book #1? I’m going with…

3.5 stars (I’d say 4 stars, ’cause I know I’m in for some big *ooooomph*, but had there not been any other books out yet, I think I would have truly been at a 3.5 star level with this one. It was good. I wanted to finish it, but it didn’t put me in a tailspin. Yet.) However, due to the BIG love for this book (and even BIGGER love for book #4 <—– EEEEEP!!! I can’t wait to get to that one), I will absolutely be reading book #2 next. YAY ME!!

P.S. Here’s the Kathleen Turner Series Reading Order <— 😀