Caged in Winter

Starred review from November 1, 2014
Bounced around the foster care system as a child, Winter doesn't allow herself to rely on or get close to anyone because she knows he or she will only let her down. With only 76 days to go before she graduates college, she meets aspiring chef Cade when he stops a customer who gets hands-on in the bar/restaurant where she works. Winter doesn't appreciate Cade's coming to her rescue, especially when the table leaves her a 17-cent tip and she is stuck figuring out how to make her rent. Cade falls hard, but it takes a lot to melt Winter's heart. Cade is HOT, and his tattoos and piercings make him look tough, but underneath he is a marshmallow with a motorcycle. Cade is also struggling; his father died when he was only 10, and his mother lost her battle with breast cancer just a couple of years ago. Cade has been helping his younger sister take care of her daughter while he attends culinary school, putting everything else on the back burner. The slow build of Winter and Cade's relationship is satisfying and real. Walsh's debut raises the bar for NA books and will leave readers hungry for more.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)