by KT (link)
Genre drama/angst, het
Pairings Michelle Branch/Taylor, Taylor/Natalie, Zac/Kate
Length intro, 12 chapters and outro
Status Completed
Anyone who knows me at all knows that I love all the drama that was Taylor Hanson’s life while the band struggled to record their third album. Although I didn’t at the time, I’ve really come to appreciate and love Michelle Branch’s music, so a fic by a fan of hers, which focuses on her side of Taylor’s story, is of course right up my alley.
Strucutred around the album structure, the fic uses one Hotel Paper song per chapter as it tells what it is very clear is not a love story. The intro and outro are written differently, in first person, and echo each other in a way that really works; I wasn’t sure the change in point of view would, but it does work.
The fic, of course, plays out more or less like anyone who knows the story would expect it to. That doesn’t take away from the impact of If Tomorrow Never Comes, though. The fact that we all know how it’s going to end just makes it more bittersweet, the high points hard to enjoy when you know what’s coming. The fact that KT can tell a story we all know and make it still compelling is just a sign of how talented she is. As far as I’m concerned If Tomorrow Never Comes is exactly how things really played out, fic or not.
Review by Bethany (website)