7 books we’re loving now

Romance

Until It Fades by K.A. Tucker “Sometimes when I feel blue, there’s no better cure than curling up with a sweet story,” muses Rebecca Haynes, FIRST senior health editor. “And this tale about love and second chances was all that and more.” Catherine is a 24-year-old waitress trying to make a good life for herself and her 5-year-old daughter, all while staying under the radar in a Pennsylvania town that treats her like a pariah. But when fate puts her at the scene of an accident and she risks her life to save a handsome unconscious man, her plan to live a quiet life is forever changed. “I’m a hockey fan, so I adored that the man she saves happens to be a star player for the Philadelphia Flyers,” smiles Rebecca. “In the end, it was a heartening reminder of the ways life blooms when we open ourselves to love and trust.” (Atria, 2017; Paperback $16, Kindle $8, Nook $8)

Historical fiction

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly “Seeing devastating news unfold throughout the world every day, can leave me feeling weary,” admits Mary Kate Hoban, FIRST assistant fashion editor. “But this novel filled me with strength.” Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this plot follows three girls: Caroline Ferriday, a New York City socialite whose life is transformed by Hitler’s invasion of France; Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager who finds herself the endangered messenger of an antiNazi resistance movement; and Herta Oberheuser, a young German doctor trying to find her place in the maledominated medical field. “As their worlds collided, I was inspired by their friendship and their courage in the face of tragedy,” says Mary Kate. “And I learned that keeping hope alive in your heart can be the most important act of heroism of all.” (Ballantine, 2017; Paperback $17, Kindle $13, Nook $13)