FADE trilogy by Kate Dawes-a review

FADE INTO YOU (Fade Series #1) by Kate Dawes

FADE INTO YOU is the first novella (July 2012 release) in Kate Dawes three-part novella series featuring Olivia Rowland as the Midwestern girl who heads to Los Angeles to work for a Hollywood talent agent. Following in the same vein as many of the serial storylines similar to EL James, Beth Kery and Lisa Renee Jones, Kate Dawes has released this trilogy over a period of a few months. Fade Into You introduces Olivia and Max Dalton, Hollywood’s youngest and brightest movie director/producer/writer.

Olivia’s decision to move to California was two-fold. Following graduation from college, Olivia found a position working for local talent agent Kevin Anderson and moved in with her sister’s friend Krystal from back home. But Olivia was also trying to place distance between Ohio and the past. Hoping that Los Angeles was far enough from Ohio, Olivia embarked on a new career and a new life. And Olivia did not expect to find herself falling head over heals for anyone, let alone Hollywood’s bad boy leading director Max Dalton. When their promising new client was signed by Max for his latest film, Olivia had no idea the position she was about to undertake.

Max Dalton has had his share of women-any woman. But Max, as successful as his is, was missing something, missing a connection with the trail of women who seemingly throw themselves at his feet where ever he goes. And Max was surprised when he spotted Olivia Rowland, the assistant to talent agent Kevin Anderson, in Vegas. Without a thought, Max decided that Olivia was someone he wanted to get to know. But life had a way of interrupting and it wasn’t until he was back in LA did Max find Olivia, once again, and this time, he made sure that they would not be interrupted again. But it was Max’s quick dismissal shortly after their first night together that would have Olivia regretting her decision about Max.

Like many novellas, the sexual relationship is quick to develop, but we do learn that there is some history and a past to each of our leading characters. And it is Olivia’s past that we will encounter first when he arrives at her doorstep uninvited.

FADE INTO YOU is a promising storyline with potential. Like many of the books and series written in the same style, our leading characters are hiding painful pasts and secrets that they are tying to escape.

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FADE INTO ME (Fade Series #2) by Kate Dawes

FADE INTO ME is the second novella (September 2012 release) in Kate Dawes three-part novella series, and this storyline is short. The storyline starts up at exactly the same point where Fade Into You ended. Like many of the other serial type novellas written in the same style, this series is basically a novella broken down into 3 very short novellas. I guess the serial release is a bigger attraction to readers but disappointing when each successive novella is shorter than the previous.

FADE INTO ME follows Olivia and Max as he takes her for a weekend getaway to Napa Valley where Max, at Olivia’s insistence, tells her about his life and family. But when Olivia asked about his previous loves, Max was a little too evasive and Olivia began to wonder if she had overstepped her bounds or if Max was hiding a dirty little secret.

Olivia’s success with the talent agency was earning her high praise from the boss. With a new found enthusiasm and an office to call her own, Olivia was hoping to make inroads into the business. But after a weekend to New York with Max, Olivia’s boss Kevin would point out that perhaps her relationship with Max may hurt both of their careers. When Olivia started to protest, Kevin showed her some pictures and Olivia’s heart sank. Max hadn’t been honest and he had broken her heart.

FADE INTO ME advances the storyline especially as it pertains to some of the background information about Olivia and Max. Like most erotica storylines there is plenty of steamy sex in varying positions and places. Our heroine is no virgin and she knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to try something new. This storyline is not about BDSM, and there are no issues of control or power plays between the couple, which is a refreshing relief at this point.

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FADE INTO ALWAYS (Fade series #3) by Kate Dawes

FADE INTO ALWAYS is the third and final novella (September 25, 2012 release) in Kate Dawes’ Fade trilogy. And once again, the storyline continues as the same spot where Fade Into Me left off. There was a major revelation at the end of FIM and our heroine Olivia is so overcome that she is willing to forgo all explanations from the man with whom she is falling in love and jump right into bed. At this point, I digress, because the information revealed ( in the previous storyline) would have put most women off sex with the knowledge that their current love has some major damage control on the horizon.

AS the story progresses, we discover that the information was a little tainted and explanations were required to clear any misconceptions. As well, Olivia’s roommate Krystal is on a fast road to self-destruction when the only available acting work leads her into the darker side of adult entertainment. But it is Olivia’s boss Kevin that will try and take advantage of his assistant when he believes that Olivia is willing to put out because of her relationship with Max. As Olivia’s business life begins to crumble, Krystal will reveal that her involvement in the industry goes much deeper than Olivia had thought.

Throughout the series, we get glimpses into Olivia’s family life back home. Like many Midwestern families, they are worried about their daughter living in LA. But when they decided to come for a visit, Olivia is worried how they will react to everything that is going on. Trying to hide her relationship with Max and Krystal’s spiral into drugs and porn, Olivia will soon realize that she cannot forget the past, and with the arrival of her family, so too, comes the arrival of the man she has been trying to forget.

The FADE series is a quick read. I ordered each book in succession and within a matter of an hour I had all three novellas read and the review written for your consumption. Overall the trilogy is a sexy diversion from everyday life. There is nothing new or revolutionary about the series premise-a rich and famous millionaire who falls for a beautiful young newcomer: each with a past of secrets and pain and of course, the requisite stalkers, roommates and friends. But overall, it had a HEA, a Hollywood style romance and an epilogue that fast-forwarded two years and left you wanting to learn more.

ORDER: Amazon/ Barnes and Noble

Each e-novella is available for .99cent from either Amazon or B&N

The entire trilogy will be released sometime in October 2012 as a single novel and in paperback format

Reviewed by Sandy