Until It Fades: A Novel by K.A. Tucker Published by Atria Books Publication Date: May 2nd 2017
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“Tucker is adept at spinning stories with hot romance, unexpected twists and turns, and a strong, independent female lead who is not afraid to take charge, who is not perfect—which is why she feels so real." —Toronto Star
Twenty-four-year-old truck stop waitress and single mother Catherine Wright has simple goals: to give her five-year-old daughter a happy life and to never again be the talk of the town in Balsam, Pennsylvania (population three thousand outside of tourist season).
And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed date, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has rescued: Brett Madden, hockey icon and media darling.
Catherine has already had her fifteen minutes of fame and the last thing she wants is to have her past dragged back into the spotlight, only this time on a national stage. So she hides her identity. It works. For a time.
But when she finds the man she saved standing on her doorstep, desperate to thank her, all that changes. There’s an immediate connection, and it’s more electric than the bond of two people who endured a traumatic event. It’s something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something she is afraid to trust.
Because how long can an extraordinary man like Brett be interested in an ordinary woman like Catherine...before the spark fades?
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
I can’t say enough wonderful things about this book and how much I enjoyed reading this beautiful and emotional story. K.A. Tucker knows how to write a story that immediately transports me into another world and I never want to leave. I enjoyed all the characters, but I loved the two main characters, Brett and Catherine. They have great dynamics flowing between them and they are portrayed realistically.
It is unlikely Catherine Wright and Brett Madden would have ever crossed paths because they live in two separate worlds. However, one night Catherine saves Brett from a burning car and their lives are forever connected. Brett is a famous professional hockey player and he has a perfect, privileged life and Catherine lives in a small town, has little money and has made some mistakes she continually pays for.
Brett is a nice, humble, down to earth guy and he wants to help Catherine and make her life better. He finds Catherine breathtaking and he is spellbound from the moment he meets her. Most people only care about Brett’s fame and fortune but for the first time, he meets someone who doesn’t want anything from him. He is frustrated by Catherine’s refusal for any help but he also admires her independence. Brett doesn’t believe all the rumors swirling around Catherine, he only sees a strong, lovely, kind person.
For years, Catherine has been on her own and she doesn’t expect anything from anyone. When she meets Brett, she continually fights him. She fights how feels about him and she won’t let him help her in any way. Life has been heartbreakingly unfair for Catherine. Catherine lives a simple life and she has learned she can’t trust anyone but herself because few people have been nice to her. I was rooting for Catherine I wanted her to finally have a chance for something good in her life.
This enchanting story slowly unfolds. On the one hand, I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next, but I also wanted to savor every minute of this compelling story. This is well written with strong characters and a good plot line and I felt like I was right there. This sad and gut wrenching story also has laughter and lightness to even it out. Perfect.
About K.A. Tucker
Born in small-town Ontario, K.A. Tucker published her first book at the age of six with the help of her elementary school librarian and a box of crayons. She currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and an exhausting brood of four-legged creatures.
