Reconcilable Sacrifices

Rating:
Summary: Married but Still Curious
Review: Today, living on the down low, or DL, has become a very common discussion thread among all members of society. What once was something whispered about in closed settings is now discussed openly. This phenomenon has been brought about by the introduction of many books on the subject. The fact still remains, men who lead double lives continue to put their partners at risk, when they fail to be honest about their nefarious involvement with other men. In RECONCILABLE SACRIFICES, Ken Jackson continues the story from Colorful Matters about Keir McBride's step into the duplicitous life of being bi-sexual and married, but not admitting it.

Keir McBride's life is a quagmire of deception that soon begins to unravel in his marriage to Tia. His wife is a wonderful, loving woman; yet, he continues to secretly yearn for a man. Troy Bevies is one man that Keir cannot seem to rid his subconscience of. From a sexual encounter one night, Troy develops feelings of love that threaten to break up Keir's happy home and reveal all to Tia, who is beginning to have some doubts of her own. Keir, on the other hand, unwilling to admit his feelings and accept the fact that he has gay tendencies, will do anything to keep his life with Tia in tact. What happens when Troy pushes Keir beyond his limits in his desire to have a relationship? Will Keir become acquiescent and divulge his feelings as well? Or, will he choose to stick with his marriage and life?

Ken Jackson has written a very straigthforward account of living on the DL. He covers an array of issues and emotions in this novel. At the heart of this novel is one man that is married but still dealing with his curiosity with other men. Deception is not an easy thing to keep up and the author easily navigated through the choices that one would encounter if faced with the choices made by the main character. I did feel that the author left his readership hanging with a very abrupt ending, as I was more interested in what would happen in his heterosexual relationship with his wife. My heart cried out for her to follow her intuition and not remain encased in ignorance. Although this is a stand-alone novel, I suggest reading Colorful Matters first to get the background information. I found that I wanted to know more past information on Keir and his choices in life, which this novel did not cover well. Although this is not a genre I would normally read, it is one that expounds on the many repercussions of living on the DL. (RAW Rating: 3.5)

Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers