Until the Last Star Fades

This ambitious, melancholy new adult saga follows the life of a recent college graduate who lingers on her tragedies and glosses over her triumphs. Midway through her last semester at NYU, Riley Hope appears to be thriving, but it’s purely superficial. Her long-distance boyfriend is headed for the NHL, and she knows that joining him after graduation means abandoning her own dreams and loved ones. British actor Ben Fagan’s problems are more obvious to other people: after failing to find an acting job in L.A., he’s come to New York for lack of anything better to do. Riley and Ben strike up an unexpected friendship that offers a respite from their mundane concerns and soon presents the potential for romance. Their struggles are realistic and described evocatively; conversely, the occasional deus ex machina solution feels unsatisfying. Readers looking for a poignant, romantic coming-of-age tale will appreciate this one, which boasts strong characters and an appropriately bustling New York City. (BookLife)