My Review of Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker

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?

  
K.A. Tucker writes captivating stories with an edge. 

She is the USA Today bestselling author of 14 books, including Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water, and her latest Adult Suspense novel, He Will Be My Ruin. Her books have been featured in national publications including USA Today, Globe & Mail, Suspense Magazine, and Publisher's Weekly. 

K.A. Tucker currently resides in a quaint town outside of Toronto with her husband, two beautiful girls, and a Chug.      

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads ** YouTube ** Pinterest ** Instagram

As a long time K.A. Tucker fan, I really felt like I knew what I was getting into when I picked up Until It Fades. Fortunately, my imagination has nothing on the reality of this book.

First of all, I have to say that Until It Fades has a vulnerability to it that you won't find in any of Tucker's other books. It was intriguing and completely captured my heart from the beginning. 

Catherine has been run through the wringer, but she's come out smarter and stronger for it. I love how independent she is. When you've had no one to rely on but yourself, it's hard to let others step in and help you. For Catherine, there is also a certain amount of pride as well, but she puts all of that aside to make things better for her little girl.

I think Tucker thoroughly captures the essence of a seventeen-year-old in love during the flashbacks. Emotions run high and everything seems 'life or death' when you are young and these little bits of the story bring these feelings back in grand fashion. They also slowly reveal what Catherine has been through and let you know little by little why she makes some of the choices she does.

Brett Madden is a great character. He is confident and kind. He is gentle and generous. I love how quickly he accepts Catherine and all the past baggage she comes with. He is the perfect balance to Catherine. He pushes her and stretches her and literally makes her dreams come true.

This book is about romance, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many great relationship stories happening in the background of this book. Brett and Catherine are obviously the focus of the book, but the story also shows how Catherine repairs the relationship between herself and her parents. Catherine has some great co-workers who teach her how friends are supposed to love each other, something that she lost in all of the drama in her past. Because of their kindness, Catherine is able to put away the bitterness that could've consumed her.

I feel a bit like I'm rambling, but I just loved so many different things about this book. 

As I said, I've read Tucker's work in the past, but Until It Fades comes with something extra special that has secured it as a Favorite Read.

5 out of 5 Stars