BKHorne

I read this and then I became OBSESSED with Cara McKenna. She's great. This book is totally unlikely: a convict and the prison librarian. After I read that I had to read it. But as it turns out this is an incredibly deep, sensual, moving love story. God-- I'm not even sure how to explain what McKenna does with words, especially in the love scenes, that makes them so much more than just titillation. I've read some other reviews that talk about how McKenna uses the love scenes to really build her characters and move her story. This is so true. Also in this book, the illicit letters that Annie and Eric write to each other while he is still inside are really something.

Here, once Eric gets out of jail and Annie decides that they can be together the story of their journey together, to overcome their issues, is spent in the bedroom. What I also loved that the hero is very protective and strong while also having a great amount of vulnerability. He doubts himself, and his worth as a man, more than just as someone capable of physically protecting those he loves. He doesn't believe he has anything besides brute strength to offer. There is quite a bit of the love-of-a-good woman trope in this one, but I love that. This is a strength of all of McKenna's work. She writes very strong, alpha males, but almost all of them have this soft-underbelly that is only shared with the heroine and by the end the heroes appreciate their other sides. It's very satisfying and this story is no exception.