Review: Until It Fades, by K.A. Tucker

Amazon

Goodreads

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? 

Review
4.5 out of 5 stars

There is a Miranda Lambert song that says “everybody dies famous in a small town.”  Catherine Wright knows the truth of those words all too well.   When she was 17 she fell in love with her high school art teacher.  As you can imagine things spun totally out of control.  The teacher and adults who should have protected her didn't and instead she was ostracized from everyone except a couple of true friends; Lou, the owner of Diamonds, the truck stop where she waits tables is wonderful.  I also love Keith, her best friend who is also totally in love with Cath - he loves her so much he selflessly encourages Catherine to follow her heart even though the path probably won't lead her back to him.  (Side Note:  I need to see him get a happy ending so please, please write a book for him!)  And Misty, a fellow waitress who has stuck with Cath through everything and who always manages to bring exciting drama to any circumstance!

One evening, 5-6 years post teacher scandal, following a horrible blind date, Catherine comes upon a terrible car crash and does the unthinkable.  She single-handedly pulls the passenger out of a burning car and saves his life.  Little does she know the life she saved is none other than the rich, famous and hot, Brett Madden, NHL player extraordinaire.  Catherine knows once news reporters break this story keeping her anonymity is going to be difficult, but terrified to be in the spotlight again, to be on the receiving end of judgmental eyes she vows to do whatever it takes to keep her identity unknown. I cannot say I blame her for wanting to stay out of the limelight, her first experience left her all alone with absolutely no self-esteem - all undeserved especially considering she was the victim!  Nevertheless, at her core Catherine is a genuinely honest, hard-working woman who wants nothing more than to get through her life standing on her own two feet.  This girl is in no way looking for a hand-out nor does she expect life to be easy or sadly even for her own dreams to come true. So, it's really no surprise she would run from any attention or money saving a star's life would surely bring.

When Brett eventually learns his hero's name and finally gets to show his appreciation in person and these two meet, the sparks are undeniable for them both.  As a reader, I loved Brett's character - talk about the ultimate "book boyfriend"!  He is famous but doesn’t act like it.  He's the guy next door only so much better.  He may have fame and fortune but at the end of the day he just wants someone to share his life with and for that life to be as "normal" as possible.  His heart is HUGE, and I promise you I'm not embellishing how wonderful this man is.  But, will Catherine ever allow her heart to love again?  She uses absolutely every excuse imaginable to push him away.  And I understand the reasons behind it, but I was desperate for her to have the courage to at least let herself try!  At her core is the worry Brett will only be around until his feelings fade.  The question is can she trust herself?  Can she trust Brett?  Is she willing to risk it all for a chance at love and true happiness?

The feels in this book are off the chart!  I opened my kindle one night because I couldn't find anything I wanted to watch on TV and didn't turn my kindle off until 3 am because I couldn't even think about sleeping without seeing how the story ended.  It's been two weeks since I read the ARC and I'm still swooning!  I love a good fairy-tale, perfect happily ever-after and this book gave me all that and more wrapped up in a beautifully well written, heart-melting story.  

SaveSave

Review: Surviving Ice, by K.A. Tucker

Amazon

Goodreads

Synopsis

Ivy, a talented tattoo artist who spent the early part of her twenties on the move, is finally looking for a place to call home. She thinks she might have found it in San Francisco, but all that changes when she witnesses a terrible crime. She’s ready to pack up her things yet again, when a random encounter with a stranger keeps her in the city, giving her reason to stay after all.

That is, until Ivy discovers that their encounter wasn’t random. Not at all…

Review
5 out of 5 stars

I was kind of in a book slump when I started this book so my expectations were pretty low for finding something that would captivate and impress me.  Surviving Ice couldn't have been read at a better time for me because this book was just what I needed to get me out of a serious rut!  I loved every minute of this story.  It was unique, sexy, suspenseful, so much so that when I sat down to read it I actually read it cover to cover without putting it down.  I loved this one, and I have to say Ivy's story is probably my most favorite of the series.

Ivy is a talented tattoo artist who goes through life drifting from one place to another.  She hasn't really ever settled anywhere because none of the places she has worked or lived every really felt like home, nor was there ever really anything pulling at her heart strings making her want to stay.  She most recently re-located to California and is working in her uncle's shop, the uncle who taught her everything things she knows about her profession.  He's the one who ignited her passion for tattooing, the one who believes in her, accepts and loves her just as she is.  Just as she is beginning to feel settled, of feeling like she may want to plant permanent roots, she unexpectedly finds herself witnessing her uncle's murder.

Ivy is left shocked, horrified and desperate to run as far away from California as possible, but packing up and moving this time around isn't going to be so easy.  You see she has to help her cousin sell the house and the business both of which are going to require a lot of work.  Not to mention the customer's who keep knocking on her door, especially Sebastian, a new, mysterious customer who she cannot get out of her mind.  As things further develop with Sebastian, the mystery around her uncle's murder continues to grow leaving Ivy questioning every detail surrounding that night so, with no other choice other than figuring out exactly what happened and with the hopes of bringing her uncle justice she decides to stay, at least until the mystery is solved.

I totally loved Sebastian's character.  He is a quiet force.  His role is meant to study Ivy, find out what she knows and eliminate her if needed.  A former Navy Seal who know works in "private security" has never left a mission incomplete, but with Ivy nothing is at it seems and the more he gets to know of her the harder it is for him to stay away.  These two are so similar yet different enough that as a couple they bring out the best in one another.

Surviving Ice is perfectly paced, the story isn't rushed and things fall into place brilliantly.  I was afraid when the truth comes out that Ivy's reaction would be over the top, but it was genuine, real, heartbreaking and yet she handled it with grace and honesty.  I didn't want the story to end.  Spending time with Ivy and Sebastian made for an excellent escape from reality!  I love KA Tucker's ability to take readers on a unique journey where mystery and suspense dominate the journey and romance unfolds naturally.  Absolutely buy and read this book today!

Review: Chasing River, by K.A. Tucker

Amazon

Synopsis

Armed with two years' worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn't let her die, but he also couldn't risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it's because he saved her life, or maybe it's because he's completely different from everything she's left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn't the kind of guy she'd want to catch. 

Review

4 out of 5 stars

I always love when there is a new K.A. Tucker book to read.  Her stories are always so unique and captivating.  Chasing River is the story of Amber Wells (who is the sister of Jesse from Burying Water).  After a surprising end to a relationship with the guy she thought she'd be with forever she finds herself on a "trip around the world."  She's taken her life savings, is armed with a travel bucket list and is on an adventure to not only see the world but to find herself.

While on her way to meet with a tour group in Ireland she is literally knocked off course by local Irishmen, River DeLaney.  Other than  a few scrapes and bruises Amber is okay though she cannot help but wonder about the mystery guy who saved her life.  As chance and luck would have it Amber's memory is jogged and she is able to track down River.  Amber and River cannot fight the attraction between one another but what happens when it's time for Amber to move on?  Will she get to mark #1 off of her bucket list or is it possible there's something more to this thing between the two of them?

Unlike some of the other books I've read by K.A. Tucker Chasing River is filled with a lot of history, Irish history to be exact.  No doubt she did her research before penning this story!  While I enjoyed the historical facts weaved into this plot I found it overshadowed the romance, suspense and mystery normally found within the pages of her books.  I enjoyed the overall story and I absolutely loved River and Amber.  I just didn't find myself as connected to them as I have with characters from some of her other books.  Perhaps is't because even though they made an adorable couple I felt the overall build-up of chemistry was missing something.

I will say one of the more enjoyable aspects of the story for me was Amber's interactions with Ivy.  While Amber is light Ivy is a much darker character.  The two of them view one another through clouded lenses and watching the fog clear is downright funny.  It provided the opportunity for us to get to know Amber better.  Not to mention it set the stage perfectly for the next book, Surviving Ice, which will be centered around Ivy.  

I also thought the way K.A. Tucker ended this story was brilliant because it was the perfect way for us to see how Amber's trip around the world-wrapped up.  Chasing River is a fun story and those of you who love watching romance unfold in a foreign country will absolutely want to one-click Chasing River today!