Until It Fades

Bestseller Tucker’s touching and complex contemporary pairs privacy-loving Catherine Wright, a single mother in Balsam County, Penn., with garrulous Brett Madden, the wealthy, handsome captain of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. When Catherine spots a wrecked sports car, the driver dead and the passenger unconscious, she has no clue that the latter is superstar Brett. Catherine manages to free him as the car flames over, only to become the focus of a media circus, a circumstance that brings back terrible memories of when her high school teacher turned her love life into the talk of Balsam County. Catherine attempts to normalize her life by ruthlessly keeping her regular schedule. Brett disguises his fears of career-ending injuries with strained humor and bravado. Each time they meet, ostensibly to deal with the media, the attraction between them grows stronger. Tucker unerringly hits all the high notes of romance—the spark, the emotional depth, the mental and physical struggles—while creating a couple who seem perfectly attuned even when they are in conflict. Agent: Stacey Donaghy, Donaghy Literary. (July)