Fade Review

Book Review Feb. 13th

Fade (Books 1-3)

by: Kate Dawes 

Blurb: Olivia Rowland leaves her Midwestern life behind after graduating from college and heads off to Los Angeles to work for a Hollywood talent agent. Life in L.A. is a culture shock, but nothing compared to the jolt she gets when Max enters her life.

Max Dalton is Hollywood's youngest and brightest movie producer/director/writer. He's wealthy, successful, hot, and there's never a shortage of women throwing themselves at him, but there's only one woman he wants, and he intends to make it happen.

As Max pursues Olivia, he finds that she presents a whole new challenge for him. When Olivia finally gives in the stage is set for a perilous, yet passionate relationship. Together they discover each other's deepest desires, and darkest secrets...
   

★★ 2 Stars
Beware Spoilers:
What a disappointment. Honestly, this book had potential but it all fell flat for me. I didn't feel challenged and reading this required having no brain at all. Even the characters are impossible to connect with. Everything was rushed and fits in with a hastily published fan-fic genre. If you're looking for a quick and easy read with sex and more sex then Fade is for you, otherwise if you're looking for something with a bit of substance, you definitely want to move along.
The entire story felt unrealistic and when finished seems like the author had a dream and just wrote it down minus details.Olivia is 28 and working in the movie industry when she meets writer/producer Max. Spark fly and within weeks they are in a relationship and sprouting love to one another.

There was a lot of potential here. If only the author would have given the story more depth and detail. There's the druggie, porn star roommate, Max's supposed soap opera baby dilemma, Olivia's grab-hand boss, the stalker ex and her family who expects perfection.

The main character Olivia was a disaster. I wanted to like her but she constantly contradicted herself. I love him, no, I hate him, well, let me give him a chance. Exhausting. Make up your mind. Then she tells him what she calls her biggest secret that even her parents don't know about the crazy ex boyfriend. (And shocker, he shows up soon after). Extremely predictable and down-putting.

Yes, I admit, Max has that whole hot Hollywood vibe down but he seemed a bit stalkerish at times, always showing up where she is, even in other states. Creeper. First there's Vegas and then a random club she goes to with her cousin. She becomes "completely enthralled," with him and they immediately sleep together even knowing his man-slut ways. And when she's given the brush off she's actually mad. But in no time she forgives him and all is right in their world.

And let me clear up some confusion. There are some that claim this is similar to Fifty Shades and they are completely wrong. Sure Max has a few kinky tendencies but nothing that would make shock your grandma and nowhere near the BDSM line Christian Gray follows. The worst Max does is hold her hands or tie her up with a T-shirt. Even the locales aren't super exotic; private plane and yacht.

At one point he calls her "Liv," just a short version of her name and she goes nuts like he gave her he most amazing nickname which proved to her they were soul-mates.. Ugh, puh-leaze.

Overall I would not read this book again. It was okay but when I was done I was wishing I didn't waste my time. There's no connection made with the characters and time passes to quickly that readers can barely grasp any of the action. With some work this can become a good story but for now it's reminiscent of a hastily written term paper.