Review: Until it Fades by K.A. Tucker

Until It Fades
by K.A. Tucker
Publisher: Simon & Schuste
Publication Date: May 2, 2017
Genre: New Adult Romance
Rating:

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 two thousand outside of tourist season.

And then one foggy night, on a lonely road back from another failed attempt at a relationship, Catherine saves a man’s life. It isn’t until after the police have arrived that Catherine realizes exactly who it is she has saved: 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. What begins as an immediate friendship quickly turns into something neither of them expected. Something that Catherine isn’t sure she can handle; something that Catherine 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?

 

My thoughts…

Until it Fades is a Cinderella story set in modern times. Catherine has not lead an easy life and is sort of looked down upon by the residents of her small town. When she was a teen she was involved in a scandal and that stirred up a lot of controversy and caused her to drop out of school. Fast forward not even a year later, and she finds herself pregnant and homeless. Thankfully a friend took her in and she got a waitressing job at the local truck-stop diner. Fast forward again a handful of years and she’s still waitressing and busting her butt to pay the bills, she’s still looked down upon by her neighbors, and she’s just as shy and meek as ever. However, her life is flipped upside down when one foggy night she witnesses a horrific car crash and is there to pull out and save one of the passengers in the vehicle. As it turns out, the guy she saved is none other than a major NFL player. Once her identity is revealed to the public, she has reporters banging on her door, people looking at her in a new light, and a very famous, very handsome hockey player who insists on helping her our and being in her life.

I have got to say that there hasn’t been a book that I’ve read by KA Tucker so far that I haven’t immensely enjoyed. Even though this is a Cinderella story and not something that is likely to happen in real life, I still found myself completely immersed in the story. I was totally rooting for Catherine and Brett the whole time. This is a bit on the more fluffier side than I’ve read from this author. Usually her characters have a mental illness or some sort of suspenseful undercurrent to it. However, this was just a sweet story about a single mother who falls in love with a major NFL player after she saves his life. There really was no conflict at all. I mean, the characters talked to each other instead of assuming or jumping to conclusions. There was no crazy ex-girlfriends/boyfriends that popped up and tried to steal the other away. There wasn’t even your typical “publicists thinks it’s better if he doesn’t slum it with the middle-class folk” conflict that you see so often in celebrity romances. Instead it was pretty straight forward and just a really enjoyable read.

One thing I love about this author’s work is that you can’t help but fall in love with all of the characters. I loved that they all seemed so real. I found myself chuckling a few times at some of the things in this book. Primarily it had to revolve around Catherine’s daughter. She was a cute little thing and while I don’t usually like kids in my romances, she fit into the story perfectly. I think it had to do with the fact that this is a very slow-building romance. The majority of the book is of Catherine and Brett talking via phone or having short visits for interviews and what not. They don’t actually start a relationship until later in the book. I loved that the author took this approach because you really got to see these two come together and build a relationship off of the fundamentals instead of lust.

Not only is this is a sweet romantic story, but I also loved the family aspect of it as well. Due to Catherine’s younger years, she has sort of a strained relationship with her family. She’s kept her distance from them over the years and you can really tell that everyone is still trying to come together and make it work. Not only do we get a feel for how things are now, but the storyline does go back in time to Catherine’s teen years and it definitely shows the dynamics of her family when everything was going down. I liked getting this flashbacks because it really helped you understand Catherine more and it added more depth to her character. You sort of understand what makes her tick and why she reacts to things the way she does.

All in all, Until it Fades is another amazing book by KA Tucker. While it’s definitely on the lighter and sweeter side than what I’m used to reading from her, I loved that she took a chance and wrote this story. I’m a fan of celebrity romances but they don’t always work for me. Between the slow-build romance, the lack of over-the-top drama, and the fact that the author makes you feel like this could actually happen, I was roped in from the beginning. KA Tucker is starting to become a 1-click author for me. Like I said, I haven’t read a book of hers that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy and Until it Fades was no exception.

Favorite quote…

“That’s just how life is. A person can tell you he loves you one day and tell you that you need to move on the next. He can be everything to you, and then a mere memory.”

 

 

9 Thoughts on “Review: Until it Fades by K.A. Tucker

  1. So many mixed reviews for this one. I keep flip flopping lol

    I’ll keep it in mind for when I want something lighter though.

    For What It’s Worth

  2. That actually sounds really good and is a new to me author.

  3. This will be my first read from KA Tucker, and I’m happy to see so many people have enjoyed it. Like you, I like celebrity romance, but they can be very hit or miss.

    Great review! 🙂

  4. Yay for great characters – and a couple that actually communicates! I’m glad this was a nice story all around.

    -Lauren

  5. Sometimes you just wanna read a good old fashioned love story without all the drama that can be attached, so this one definitely fits. Great review! Hugs…

  6. Another glowing review for this author. I have her on my must read list and I need to start reading. I also love that it didn’t have the overly drawn out drama. So refreshing. Brilly review.

  7. I really need to get this book. I have heard great things about it. Thanks for sharing.

  8. I’m planning to read this book. Yay, I can’t wait to start it. Awesome review.

  9. I really enjoy KA Tucker! I’m keen to get my hands on this one! Sounds like an emotional read.

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