Until it Fades is the first K.A. Tucker book that I’ve read in quite some time. It’s been at least a couple of years. She tends to write books that are on the darker or heavier emotional side and for me, I can only handle so much of that. But I loved the cover of this one so I read the synopsis and I was pleasantly surprised.

This book is definitely lighter than Tucker’s typical works. It leans much more rom-com and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The added bonus for me, of course, was the hockey player love interest. It’s the off season right now so I’ll take all the doses of hockey that I can get.

I will admit that the beginning of this book involving Catherine’s past made me pretty uncomfortable, but it’s pretty understated once you get the backstory. Cath has had a difficult life and she has no idea that her hero moment will set her on a course towards her happily-ever-after. I loved this Cinderella-like story.

Brett Madden is an incredibly sweet, talented, and surprisingly grounded guy. He grew up with a famous mother, a charmed life, and became a talented and revered professional hockey player. The fact that he’s humble and down-to-earth is a shocking and endearing quality.

I do wish I’d gotten a little bit more in the way of the build up from friendship to relationship though. I can see going through a traumatizing experience together sort of pushing on the gas pedal a bit, but it seemed to go very quickly from Zero to Like and even quicker from Like to Love. But really that’s the only “negative”—if you can call it that—that I have with this book.

The story is well-written, the is dialogue organic and funny, especially where Cath’s daughter is involved. It was an entirely enjoyable read from start to finish. I only wish I’d had more time to dedicate to reading it. Life made it difficult to find the time, and I have a feeling that if I’d been able to stay more immersed in the story and not had so many breaks in between reading sessions, I think I would have loved it even more. Either way, I definitely recommend this book when you need a feel good Cinderella story.

It's been a long time since I read a new adult novel and I'm so glad I chose this one to get back in the genre! A sweet story of a single mom and the hockey player whose life she saves, it was the HEA that I needed! KA Tucker writes characters that you can't help but fall in love with and root for the moment that you meet them. I hope we get to see more of Balsam in future novels as I'd love to find out the stories for the siblings, Keith and Mindy.

Since reading Ten Tiny Breaths in 2013, I have become an avid Tucker fan and read everything she writes without question. I went in blind with this one, as I often do with a favorite author. A few chapters into the story, I confess to sneaking onto Goodreads and reading the synopsis.  It was unlike anything I've read from Tucker, and I had to know what was going on. I enjoyed this light-hearted romance and loved seeing a new side to an author that has ripped me to shreds on multiple occasions. It's a sweet and entertaining romantic read for summer.

It's no secret of my adoration for slow burning romance and for a stand-alone, this is one of the slowest ones I've read in recent memory. Catherine is guarding her heart, and through well timed flashbacks we learn why. Brett is fabulous and the quintessential good guy hero. Even though it is slow burning, there is chemistry between these two from the first moments. The supporting cast is outstanding, and Tucker does a fabulous job with portraying a family's unconditional love and battles they face. The moments with Catherine and her parents were some of my favorite moments of the book.

While this is not the typical book you'd usually expect from Tucker, I recommend it nonetheless. There are tense moments to balance out the lighter ones, and I was engaged throughout the story. I continue to devour everything Tucker writes and cannot wait for what is next.

*Thank you to Atria Books and KA Tucker for my advanced copy.*

I am completely surprised to write this, but this is my first KA Tucker book and I now regret the truth of that statement because let me spoil my review - I loved it!

A young single mom is a waitress just trying to make it paycheck to paycheck and after a disastrous blind date she comes upon an accident and makes a big decision to risk her life to help a stranger and this one act will change the course of her life.

What a great book. I loved the characters - they felt so real. I loved the story/plot - it was sweet but not sappy. I loved the setting - how fun to read about hockey based in a big hockey town. I loved it all. This was such a fun read in a great chair sitting by the pool during a summer weekend.

Let me warn you that there are a few sexy time moments, but they work in this book and fit completely in that particular moment in the story. If you tend to shy away from romance reads, try this one out - it has way more story and isn't completely predictable like most in that genre, but this one does have a few bedroom scenes!

After reading this book, I must get to reading some more KA Tucker, do you know where I should go next?

I read two novels by K.A. Tucker in the past, which I really liked, so I didn’t have to think twice when I saw an opportunity to read her newest novel Until It Fades. Its promise of some swoonworthy romance was everything I wanted to hear. Her other novels also have plenty of romance but this one definitely is a little different and a bit of a lighter read, she says so herself in the acknowledgements.

The worlds of the two main characters couldn’t be further apart, one of them is constantly in the spotlight and the other tries to avoid all public attention. Catherine was the talk of town at the age of 17, a time she really doesn’t want to be reminded of and she’s quite happy that everyone has moved along and the attention has faded. Agreeing to one (bad) date changes everything though because on her way back home she becomes a witness to a car accident. When she gets home a media storm breaks out because the guy she helped out of the car is a famous hockey-star, Brett Madden. She tries to keep her identity a secret because she really doesn’t want any attention on her person but Brett is determined to find the woman who saved him. When he does, he finds more than he was looking for. But will this fairytale stay or will it fade?

I really liked Catherine, besides from being a heroine, she’s such a strong person in general and I enjoyed reading about her past, it was given a lot of attention and made me really get to know where she was was coming from. She’s not had an easy life but she’s positive and she made it all by herself. I really liked Brett as well, he’s rich, very rich but stays grounded and he’s considerate, caring and of course very yummy, but the person I liked perhaps most of all was Brenna. She’s a feisty 6-year old who always knows the right things to say and holds more wisdom in her little body than you could imagine.

This novel was definitely a slow-burn in the romance department but I wouldn’t necessary call it a bad thing that Catherine took her time. With all that she’s been through it would only be odd if she were to jump right in. She has learned to protect her heart and you can’t just let your guard down after someone’s giving you a few crooked smiles, right?

This novel is most of all about a girl who has learned a lot already in her young life and is trying to trust people again, it’s about how deep her family and friendship ties run in the end, it’s heart-warming and a fun read. Maybe, and this is just the smallest remark, I might have missed a little more drama and a few surprises along the way. There was one intended twist but I knew how that was going to play out right from the start really. I was really curious tough what the consequences would be when this would have to be explained but as I said, there’s a lot of love and friendship to go round in this one.

This was a sweet and lovely story, maybe a tad less memorable than her other novels, but with the same easy and enjoyable writing and a cast of lovely characters that are her signature style.

This was an absolute delight to read..
It was a beautiful heartfelt love story that slowly unraveled as you went along for the ride.
It's about family, friends, mistakes, love, trust and believing in Happily Ever Afters

Catherine was so much more than she gave herself credit for, a single young mom doing everything she could for her 5 yr old daughter while battling with the skeletons in her closet. she's done nothing but continue to move forward while trying to stay in the shadows and not draw any more unnecessary attention from her judgmental town...

But all it took was a split second of heroism to change her life forever!!

Brett was absolutely perfect.. there is no other way to describe him..
He was patient, understanding, caring, loving and supportive - All rapped up in the YUMMIEST package..
Even though rich and famous he was so grounded and genuinely humble there was no way Catherine was able to keep that wall up and keep him in the "friend" zone..
Even though he was battling with his own uncertainties he managed to put her feelings and well being fist..
His friendship and attentiveness to Brianna which was a bundle of laughs the only way a chatty 5 yr old could be won me over immediately.

The story tells us the why's and how's of Catherine's past, introduces us to some other amazing and not so amazing people in her life.. Shows us the sweet way Brett ingrained himself in her like and makes us feel exactly when she decided to chance it all, even though she thought it would only be "Until It Fades"!!!

A definite feel good must read Romance..

3.5 stars
This was my first book from this author. When I read the blurb, I was very interested and I was excited to read it. This was a good read. Full of heartwarming and sweetness. There were moments where it wasn’t so light but it still flowed into the story nicely. Catherine and Brett were fantastic characters. Those two together were so sweet and had me swooning. Their interactions with each other and those around them were great. I enjoyed how the story progressed. I was definitely intrigued and couldn’t wait to see how everything would go. The only thing I wished for was a little more at the end. I felt that a couple of chapters could have been added so truly wrap up the story. But still I liked it. Overall, this was a very light good read.

I was dying to read this story, apart from K.A. Ticker being one of my favorite authors; I feel that she returned to her "roots" so to speak with this story.

I'll start with the main characters. Cath was someone very nice to read, was not extremely funny but had her moments, besides that is someone very cute and that kind of character you feel that she could be your best friend, also I loved she´s a fighter and never gives up. I enjoyed seeing her maturation, since life has not treated her so well, to see her struggle to be herself and to overcome those obstacles along with her fears and insecurities was something I enjoyed reading. And Brett! What a beautiful man, he was sexy, funny, understanding and humble despite being who he is, I loved how he was and how he had the world's patience with Cath, this couple was so beautiful and they were perfect the one for the other. As always with this author, the secondary characters were very good and contributed with great things to the story that made it a complete package now I want more of them! And Cath´s daughter, she was so beautiful and fun to read.

I loved the story! I feel it was K.A. Tucker at her best, she had already brought us a lot of suspense and reading it again in the genre with which I met her, I felt like coming back home! I'm not joking with that feeling of being where you have to be, I had not noticed how much I missed her with this kind of stories, although I´m obviously dying to continue reading her suspense stories. The rhythm and development of it was very well carried out, the two times I read it (yes, twice!) I was totally hooked from the beginning and I did not want to be disturbed in order to finish it, everything had its time and happened just when it was needed.

I was very pleased with the love story, if you we are talking about days it can seem to fast, but it was very well justified and carried out and that made it more beautiful and credible, it really had me sighing throughout the story. I also enjoyed the part of Cath's past and how she dealt with it, I felt that it had the right touch of sadness but still being light. To see the things that happened to Cath and how she overcame that it was something nice and admirable to read.

In conclusion, you have to read it! If you enjoyed the Ten Tiny Breaths series, I am sure that you will love this, is a light and romantic book, with very good characters and a good story that you are going to enjoy a lot and will leave you wanting more.

3 stars

“Something good will come from the bad. It always does. That’s how life balances itself out. That’s how people keep going.”

Single mother Catherine is driving home from a disastrous blind date when she comes upon a car crash, and she saves the life of the passenger inside. It turns out the man she saved is a hockey star and a celebrity. Having already been through a scandalous affair with her teacher when she was a teen, she doesn’t want any of the media attention that comes with the accident and tries to remain anonymous. But her identity is blown, and that’s when she meets Brett Madden and the connection between them is immediate.

“I promised myself I’d be smarter.”

K. A. Tucker is a great writer, she has the ability to suck you into a story effortlessly. I thought this was an interesting story, a girl who made mistakes in her past and does everything she can to overcome them. Catherine was a great, strong female protagonist and she was someone the reader could admire. Brett seemed like a really sweet guy and exactly what she needed.

The pacing of this book was very slow, we didn’t even see that much interaction between the main couple until about 60% in. Cinderella story tropes aren’t my favorite, on top of that this book was very sweet so it just didn’t match with my personal tastes. I think a lot of readers will really love this book and this story, so I encourage you to pick it up and decide for yourself.

“No wonder people want the happily ever after between us. I want the happily ever after.”

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

WHY I READ IT:

I’ve been highly anticipating Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker since I first saw that she had a new book coming out. I’ve been a huge fan of K.A.’s stories since I stumbled upon Ten Tiny Breaths back in 2012 – every one of her books has left me grabby-handed for anything she teases or publishes next. I’m so excited that I got the chance to read this book and share my thoughts on my blog.

REVIEW:

Cath Wright happens upon an awful accident one night and, against all odds, she is able to rescue a man from the burning vehicle and save his life. She doesn’t realize until later that the guy she saves is Brett Madden, an internationally-known hockey athlete. As soon as the media hears of Brett’s accident, they rush into the tiny town of Balsam, PA, hoping for a chance to talk to the person that saved his life. Cath would do anything for her damaging and painful past to remain buried, but it seems that she can’t control how far the media will go to dig up information on Brett’s “Good Samaritan.”

Divider
The author promises in her Acknowledgements that she “needed to write this story” and that it is “very different” from other stories that she’s written. I agree with this. Until It Fades is a departure from her other books, offering a very slowly-developing relationship between the male and female lead. It also offers us a glimpse at two people from very different walks of life crossing paths and how they handle that. There is also a theme of truth and trust weaving through this story.

This story alternates between the present-day aftermath of Brett’s accident and a major event in Cath’s past that left her with the life that she’s lived up to this point. The story was easy to follow and felt less gritty and dark than some of this author’s other stories. But it is much more slow to develop in terms of the relationship between Cath and Brett, from the unusual way the meet until they begin a relationship. I wonder if this slow-burn will be a problem for some readers, considering this book is being labeled as “new adult” in places like Goodreads and given that some readers tend to like authors to stick to one particular type of book. What we have here is a slightly more subdued small-town romance with a slow build, plus a little bit of hockey thrown in. I think many readers will like that.

I always look first for characterization, and I loved Cath here. It’s easy to see why she has had the life she has had, why she was willing to endure the shame of living in small-town Balsam, PA for so long, and why what happened years ago actually happened. It’s also easy to see how all of this has shaped her into who she is today and why this makes her reluctant to accept the fairy-tale, whirlwind type of lifestyle that Brett brings to the table, because it really just doesn’t exist for most people – particularly people like Cath that have barely scraped by for their entire adult life. I also loved Cath’s boss, Lou, and her brother, Jack, and I adored five-year-old Brenna. Brett’s father is also really wonderful.

Brett is a great male lead. I love that he was so honest with his feelings about always telling the truth. I love that he was up-front about what he wanted out of a relationship with Cath. Watching their relationship build slowly may have felt a little bit torturous while I was reading it, but after I finished the book and began reflecting:I’m not sure I would have believed this relationship if it had been birthed any other way.

Also: I am so here for the message that WE ARE MORE THAN THE MISTAKES OF OUR PAST. Cath has a hard time with this, but most of the characters in this book try to help her work through her guilt and shame as the story progresses. I believe that she’s come to terms with this as the book ends, but before then, her existence has been spent beating herself up over the big-major-thing-that-happened-when-she-was-younger. There is good resolution for this by the end of the book, but like the Cath-Brett relationship-building, this aspect of the story also develops slowly over time and requires patience.

Ultimately I think Until It Fades is a win for Ms. Tucker. It’s a sweet story and definitely more slow in pace, but the ending is worth the wait.

4.5 STARS!

Until It Fades was a true fairy tale story. A completely captivating and downright sweet romance that will ultimately have you daydreaming long after you finish *sigh*.

Catherine has had to grow up fast. Getting pregnant at the age of eighteen fueled her to work hard in order to make ends meet to provide for herself and her child. Fast forward some years, and now Catherine is a twenty four year old single mother to a smart and spunky five year old little girl.

Brett Madden is tall and handsome, wealthy and loved by everyone. He even comes with his very own swoon effect. The son of a Hollywood actress, he's also the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers which makes him a very important NHL player.

Then one night Catherine saves the life of Brett causing her life to quickly change. After his accident, Brett finds himself wondering about the connection he felt towards Catherine as he soon develops a bond with the woman who saved his life.

Brett and Catherine's relationship was a slow burning romance. They become fast friends first and once feelings come into the mix, they face the media and find that happy medium that allows them to be together.

Ladies and Gents, this has been a long time coming. I can finally say that I have read a book by the immensely talented K.A. Tucker! Yes, I know, I know I have a screw loose somewhere, but now I know the true magic this woman weaves with her words.

Until It Fades was enduring, really special to behold and quickly became a favorite read of mine. I mean seriously, how could you not love the characters and the plot? There's more to this story than just the romance and that was the beauty in it. It's something everyone must experience on their own!

Spoiler alert: I loved this book! It's been two weeks since I read Until It Fades and wrote the review below. And in those two weeks I still haven't stopped thinking about these characters and their story. I completely fell in love with Cath, with Brett, with their journey - and, even though I rarely re-read anything, I'm already wanting to pick this one up, flip to the beginning and experience it all again. I hope you'll pick up Until It Fades and love it just as much as I did. Now on with the review...

Catherine has spent the last several years keeping her head down, working hard to support her young daughter on her own, and trying to live down the scandal of an affair with her teacher while she was a seventeen year old high school student. The small town's vitriol was firmly aimed her way once the affair became public (the teacher being the beloved son of a prominent family). Now twenty-four, Catherine has a small circle of friends and leads a quiet life.

All that changes when she saves the life of a man after a horrific car accident. And not just any man - Brett Madden is one of the top hockey stars in the country and the son of Hollywood royalty. As the media descends on the small town, Catherine at first refuses to come forward, having no desire to once again be the center of attention, or have her past dredged up for public consumption. But then Brett Madden shows up and she begins to question if it's times to take a chance and really live, and love, again.

I connected with Catherine quickly and it was easy to feel for this young woman who had weathered so much on her own. The high school affair and ensuing scandal fractured her already tenuous relationship with her family so her support systems consisted of her boss at the diner where she worked, a fellow waitress, and a childhood friend turned local cop. Tucker created such a fully developed character in Catherine that I felt like I knew her inside and out, knew how she would react in any given situation. And when Brett entered the picture, it was easy to understand her hesitation - not just for the spotlight to be on her once again, but also to explore their undeniable connection and attraction.

I was so invested in the budding relationship between Catherine and Brett and, despite the obvious spark between them, Catherine's skittishness meant the romance was definitely of the slow burn variety. I found myself looking forward to their every interaction and ate up every flirty text message, every phone call, every meeting. Brett was completely genuine and had an ease about him even as he was dealing with the aftermath of the accident and the sudden uncertainly of his ability to return to the career he loved. It was impossible not to fall for his sweetness, his humor and his thoughtfulness.

Until It Fades also included an amazing cast of secondary characters. From Lou and her husband Leroy, the diner owners, to Catherine's best friend Keith and her brother Jack, to Brett's parents (I adored Brett's father), each one added so much and made for a richer story.

As a longtime fan of Tucker's, I tend to read everything she writes. This contemporary romance is lighter than her usual work and I absolutely loved it. It was sweet, it was heartfelt, it was emotional and it instantly became a new favorite. Do yourself a favor and experience this feel-good story for yourself. You can thank me later.

Until It Fades starts out as the story of a poor, hardworking girl who meets a famous athlete under dire circumstances, but then turns into a charming and small-town fairytale with everything you love about a KA Tucker book. The characters are relatable, the writing is excellent and on par with what you expect from Tucker, and the slow-burning romance that I love to devour was both swoony and satisfying.

Catherine is a young, single mother, working in a diner to make ends meet.  She’s lived through a traumatic experience that left her the talk of the town and she’s just trying to do her best to keep her head down, live her life, and care for her young daughter.  After a disastrous blind date, Catherine finds herself on a winding and foggy road and comes upon the car accident that will change her life forever.  She’s hailed a hero and is thrust into the limelight once again, so the privacy she worked hard to achieve is thrown out the window.  Saving Brett Madden, NHL superstar, is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to her.

Brett Madden’s life is irrevocably changed on a dark country road when he is in a horrible car accident.  He literally owes his life to a petite waitress who found the strength to pull him out of the wreckage.  Once he leaves the hospital, he can’t wait to meet his hero and is surprised by stranger who saved his life.  They have a bond that can’t be broken, no matter how much Catherine wishes she could return to her previously quiet life.

I truly enjoyed this story, from Catherine’s act of heroism to the aftermath of the accident.  Her selfless act, her resistance to fame, and her hesitance to rely on another person again make her an admirable, understandable, and down-to-earth character.  I loved not only her strength and her resilience, but also her moxie.  Catherine’s had a rough go at life over the past seven years and I feel like the use of the flashbacks to high school really helped me understand her better. 

Meeting Brett is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for someone like Catherine.  I could totally see how starstruck she would be and Tucker portrayed that really well.  Brett may come from a completely different world, as a professional hockey player and the son of a famous actress, but he was so understanding, patient, and kind to Catherine.  He’s definitely swoon-worthy material.   

The secondary characters add a bit of comic relief and levity to the story, which could have been a bit heavy and morbid without them.  Catherine’s daughter is quite the handful and I found myself laughing out loud several times at the things that would pop out of her mouth.

Until It Fades is a sweet, romantic love story that reads like a fairytale.  My only complaint is that the pacing was a little slower than I like to see, but overall it was a charming and sweet love story between two people who prove over and over again that they are survivors.

This was the first K.A. Tucker book I’ve had the opportunity to read, and the fact that I didn’t have anything to compare it to may have worked to my advantage since I didn’t wander in with any preconceived notions. I understand that it is less intense and maybe less suspenseful than some of her others. But for me? It was a nearly perfect reading experience. No, it’s not intense. There aren’t many twists or turns. It moves at a leisurely pace and the romance almost takes a back seat to the overall story. It’s more Women’s Fiction than Contemporary Romance – but don’t take that the wrong way. There’s definitely romance and it’s a luxuriously sweet slow burn that warmed my body through and through.

I sometimes get impatient when I wait for a romance to fire up – but that wasn’t the case here. I was fascinated and immediately drawn into the whole story and, while I was excited about the spark between Brett and Cath, I was equally as interested to learn Cath’s story and enjoy the time I got to spend with all the delightful and interesting secondary characters. There’s sort of a small town romance vibe going on here, but it’s bigger than that. There are ripped from the headlines issues and deeper, emotional issues that come into play. I found myself smiling big toothy grins at my Kindle as these characters wormed their way into my heart, even as they occasionally broke it. There’s a warmth to the writing that completely charmed me. The entire vibe of the book was reminiscent of the popular Billie Letts book, Where the Heart Is - where there’s a love story tucked into a bigger life story but the whole effect is completely heartwarming, enchanting, and compelling to read.

There is definitely a modern day fairytale quality about this book and I basically wrapped myself right up in it. I adored Brett and Cath and every minute of their sweet slow burn. I loved how they treated each other and how – despite the very dramatic nature of the story, there was never much drama between the two of them. It was so easy to fall in love with their love story. So easy to fall in love with the whole package. This book felt good and right now, so does my happy heart. I am so glad I picked this one up and while I know this story is a little bit outside of the norm for this author, it’s a sure thing that I’ll be back for more!

I absolutely loved this book! I'll be recommending it to all my friends!

Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker is a bold, sexy, heartwarming beautiful modern fairy tale romance that reminds me of those CW shows that you can’t helped but be drawn into. With her heartfelt and emotional prose, Tucker allows readers to feel for her characters and understand the emotional and internal conflicts that was brewing between them. If you read the synopsis, then you get a gist of what to expect but what makes this book stand out is that Tucker made this book…more. More romance, more meaning, and more understanding. If you are a fan of slow burn romance, then this book is definitely for you. Prepare for your heart to beat rapidly and swoon. All I can say, This. Is. Why. I. Read. Romance. So thank you K.A. Tucker for reminding us all that every fairy tale is different but the ending is all the same when it comes to love.

[insert big dreamy sigh] I have one word...DREAMY!  I'm floating on a cloud of everlasting love for this newest story by K.A. Tucker.  A departure from her usual sexy thrillers, Until if Fades taps into our innate desires for love at first sight and happily ever afters and it does it beautifully.

I was smiling from ear to ear by the end of this book.  My heart full of mushy gushy feels.  From page one I was hooked on Catherine Wrights story.  She's desperate to escape her past and provide for her daughter, she's working her tail off to be independent.  She may not have a lot but what she does have she's proud of and she should be.  Her life isn't easy.  She's made some mistakes and unfortunately she's had to pay a heavy price.

When Brett Madden enters her life unexpectedly, she's once again in the spotlight.  Catherine doesn't like the spotlight.  Been there, done that, and doesn't want to repeat.  Plus she doesn't just have herself to think of.  Brett is a star.  He's a famous hockey player with a famous mother.  Brett brings the spotlight everything he goes.  He's used to it.  He also wasn't expecting to meet this tiny woman who pulled him from a burning car.

There are so many sweet moments in this story.  The sexual tension between Brett and Catherine are off the charts.  Her daughter literally steals the pages away from the story at hand sometimes.  It was delightful while also serious.  It was just enough angst to leave you worried for our hero and heroine while pulling you along with the hope of happiness on the horizon.  You want these two to make it.  You want them beat the odds.  You'll be rooting for them both immediately.

I'm a fan of K.A. Tuckers for life.  I have yet to read a book of hers I didn't like.  Until it Fades was the cherry on top.  It was unexpected and refreshing.  I have such a crush on this story!


* I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader’s Copy of this book *

K.A. Tucker has written a book in a genre I didn’t think I was in the mood for, but she delivered a story that turned out to be exactly what I needed. Until It Fades is so beautiful, incredibly sweet, and a perfect modern-day fairy tale.

Catherine Wright and her adorable and precocious daughter Brenna may not have much in the way of material things, but they have each other and that’s everything. Living in a small town, Cath is still trying to live down the events that transpired when she was seventeen years old. Events that the residents of Balsam (population 3,000), Pennsylvania won’t let her forget. On her way home one night, she comes upon a wreck and saves an unconscious man’s life by pulling him from a burning car. She wants to remain anonymous; but the man whose life she saved is none other than Brett Madden, the famous and beloved hockey star of the Philadelphia Flyers. Brett isn’t about to let the good Samaritan evade him without a proper thank-you, but the last thing Cath wants is to be in the public eye and have the rumor mill stirred up yet again and her difficult past broadcasted for all to see. But when Brett and Cath finally do come face to face, neither are prepared for the spark that ignites.

This is such an enjoyable and satisfying story with characters that are easy to fall for and root for. Though it was an unexpected change of pace from the thrillers I’ve been reading, it was one I found so rewarding and I fell head over heels in love with it. From Cath and Brenna to Brett and his family, Lou and Leroy, best friend Keith, and Cath’s brother Jack, this book is packed full with a lovable cast.

Ms. Tucker subtly reminds us that victims deserve compassion and not blame, that our past should not define us, and moving on and taking chances are a part of living. This delightful stand-alone moved me to both laughter and tears and warmed my heart long after I turned the last page. This is a book for readers who believe in happily-ever-afters, who know that without mistakes there are no lessons, and who realize that we all deserve a second chance.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this story! The slow build up is almost torturous! The story is not rushed. The writing flows from one chapter to the next alternating between the present and the past.
 
Catherine Wright is doing the best that she can to get by. When Catherine (Cath) was young she made some bad choices. Living in a small tourist town made those choices even more difficult for her and her family. She became the gossip of the town, the villain.
 
Fast forward to the present day, Cath likes living a quiet life, working hard and being the best mom she can be to five year old Brenna. Working as a truck stop waitress, pushing through all of life’s daily challenges are nothing new to her. But now, she is faced with the biggest challenge of her life….
 
On a dark foggy night Cath is driving home and comes across a horrible car accident. She attempts to pull the victim out of the mangled car and eventually saves the man’s life! My heart was beating out of my chest as I read this scene! Little does Cath know, he is not just any man, he is Brett Madden, hockey superstar and son of the world famous actress Meryl Price!
Years of mistrust, guilt and shame keep Cath from wanting to come forward and be exposed as the hero who saved the famous hockey player. She is afraid that the media will bring up her past and she will once again be the talk of the town only this time she has her five year old daughter to consider. She doesn’t want her hearing about her mom.  Cath is able to hide her identity for a short while.
 
“What can they say that hasn’t already been said?”
 
“Consider this your second chance. A way to redeem yourself, if you feel you need to.”
 
Brett Madden feels an immense amount of gratitude for the person who saved his life.
 
“It was a woman who pulled me out of the car before I burned to death, and I would really like to thank her in person…..”
 
The emotions are everywhere! The story also has few twists here and there. I very much enjoyed it. The characters were well developed. There is so much more to this story than the accident but I don’t want to spoil it! I also adored Cath’s daughter Brenna! Such cute interactions with her!
 
I am a huge KA Tucker fan! I was not disappointed. If you haven’t read any of her work I would highly recommend Ten Tiny Breaths. It was an amazing series and remains one of my favorite reads.