Review: Point of No Return by N.R. Walker
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 3, 2013
At last, love has come along for Detective Matthew Elliot in 'Point of No Return' by N.R. Walker. He's been in the closet for years, afraid of what people would think, especially his co-workers; that is, until he meets Kira Takeo Franco at the gym he and his cop buddies frequent. His reaction to Kira is swift and and strong and he automatically knows he's in trouble. Kira's reaction equals his, but, although he's not out at work, he's more at ease than Matt. He agrees to a clandestine affair which rapidly becomes frustrating for both men. Matt plays with the idea of telling his partner he is gay, but before he can do this, he's outed in a brutal and potentially fatal way.Matt is an amazing guy. He loves Kira with all his heart and treats him as if he were the most precious thing in his life. They form a love bond that most of us only dream about and he's fiercely loyal to him. There is so much passion in their lovemaking that it made me cry. Matt is very good at his job and works hard to maintain his work image. Since the men he works with are as close as brothers, he almost loses their trust, not over the fact that he's gay, but through his many sins of omission in neither not denying, nor acknowledging his sexual preference. Half truths are still lies and they feel betrayed. The only thing that saves him is that they witness firsthand, his undying love and concern for Kira and are able to relate it to their own feelings. In the aftermath of the crisis, Matt remains devoted to Kira as he overcomes the trauma he's endured, although Matt is terrified that Kira will decide he's too much trouble and leave him.It would be difficult finding anyone as good as Kira Takeo Franco. His mixed heritage, Japanese and Hispanic, make him one of the most handsome and trustworthy men around. Kira is quite capable of defending himself and, as Matt's boxing coach, teaches Matt to be as well. Kira has a pure soul; he sees the world in a different way than most people. He brings joy and light into the world and everyone likes him. Part of the credit for this goes to his wonderful, nurturing parents, ones anyone would be blessed to have. He has a sensitivity which is clearly demonstrated with his deaf father and his reverence to his mother. When Kira meets Matt, he figures him out in a flash. He evaluates Matt's strengths and weaknesses very quickly and is determined to be with him regardless of Matt's hesitation. Kira opens up a whole new world to Matt, showing him that he can have both a successful career and a satisfying, open relationship. When things get desperate, Kira acts with dignity and bravery ensuring that matters don't escalate past the point of no return.N.R. has outdone herself with this suspenseful, intense love story. Matt and Kira have all the attributes found in heroes: strength, consideration, bravery, and honor. They also have exceptional looks, talent, charm, and sex appeal. They are full of fire, in and out of bed. Their lovemaking comes across as open, honest, sincere, and endearing. It is easy to become enamored with them like I most certainly did. The other characters, i.e., Kira's parents, and the men he worked with, gave Matt and Kira the all important support needed to keep events moving and give them depth. Even the bad guy was exceptionally bad.If you want to read an exciting, intriguing, angst-ridden love story, with some unexpected twists, then you won't want to pass up this book. Thanks, N.R., for introducing me to Matt and Kira. It's a marvelous story and I look forward to reading more about them in the sequel. Originally published at Rainbow Book Reviews.