Review: Hard Time by Cara McKenna
♥♥♥ 3.5 "HOT" Stars ♥♥♥
So, right off the bat, as soon as I read the blurb, I knew I had to read it because of how unique it was. This was about a woman named Annie who is newly hired as an outreach librarian at Cousins Correctional Facility. She doesn't really date, especially after she left her abusive boyfriend. But once she starts this scary job, things start to change for her.
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"Remind me which of us has been locked up for five years."
"Both of us."
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She notices one inmate in particular, number 802267, a.k.a. Eric Collier. He's handsome and mysterious and makes her feel things she hasn't felt in five years. No matter how hard she tries to not look, his presence is like a magnet she can't help but feel attracted to. Their whole relationship starts when Eric gives her a letter of how she makes him feel. With the guise of Annie giving Eric worksheets for his dysgraphia, they exchange letters that are super steamy and could also get her fired.
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“I’d never felt this. Never had a man felt so right, my need for him so urgent. Animalistic and instinctual.”
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I really got into this story the moment the letters began. I couldn't help it, they were SO hot and it just kept getting steamier with each one. I quickly became enthralled with the chemistry between Annie and Eric. I desperately wanted to know more about Eric and who was before he went to prison.
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'And he told me about the things he wanted to do to me, the places he wanted to take me, if he could. The things about me that took his mind off his daily life, and roused his body in idle moments. And I wondered if he wasn't a bank robber after all, the way he kept making off with my heart.'
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I really liked Annie at first. She did seem a little skittish but it was understandable with where she was working and all. I just really loved the back and forth messages. It was very sexual, yes, but it soon, became a bit more. Annie lost her appeal for me when she got the news that Eric getting out of prison on parole. I don't really like how she reacted about it all. She was messaging the guy, sure that was okay, but when he was getting out she started getting scared of him. I didn't really get it. If she didn't want to mislead him or see him, she should have told him at the start. But I was super happy when they finally tried to make a relationship work.
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“I want to be someone who deserves to be with somebody like you.”
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I on the other hand really loved Eric. He was super sweet, romantic, and sexy. Sure he had his moments that I didn't really care for, but overall he was still hot. I loved the things he would say and how attentive he was towards, Annie. I loved how much he cared for her, respected her, and protected her. He was also really loyal to those that are important to him. Which I loved. But it also became really frustrating to me. He couldn't tell things to Annie out of loyalty which kind of pissed me off. I felt like there were moments that I REALLY wanted him to man up and do something in certain situations. Especially when it came to his sister Kristina, who I thought was über selfish.
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"I want to make you feel a hundred things at once - powerless and aggressive, needy and pushy, grateful and greedy..."
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The second half of the book, unfortunately is when I started not liking the book as much. All that build up in the first half and suddenly the last half kind of fell flat for me. Annie started getting on my nerves, and Eric was annoying me, and his sister was pissing me off. Eric and Annie were not seeing eye to eye and it just became blah after awhile. I wanted the story to focus on how they would grow as a couple while learning more about each other. I feel like the book ended with me still not knowing them completely, which was sad. Instead, the story became about the drama of Kristina's life that could possibly end things for them. I also felt like their connection dulled a bit too, in comparison to how it began.
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"You're the first good thing I've felt in so long. The only colorful thing in this shitty grey world I've come back to. The spring seems a long ways off. Maybe seeing you will get me though the winter."
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The first half of the story was scorching hot in the panty--bra and any other article of clothing I had on--melting way. LOVED it! Cara McKenna can sure write some awesome steam. That part didn't disappoint at all. But the actual ending needed something to me. It ended quite abrupt and I needed a whole lot more. I mean, more time needed to pass to see their relationship blossom. I wanted see Eric meet Annie's parents because that for sure would have been interesting. I did like it, I just didn't like how Kristina kind of took over the plot a little. Still, it was worth reading all that steam and sexiness. Overall, a good read.
