Javagirl's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews 
 5 STARS 
 Review copy provided for an honest review 
 A romance novel where the hero and heroine meet in prison? That got my attention! Cara McKenna's beautiful, at times almost poetic, writing kept me turning the pages! 
 Annie and Eric couldn't be more different. Annie is a transplanted southerner living in desolate, economically depressed small-town Michigan. She grew up in a solid middle class family, is well educated...basically, your typical girl next door. Eric grew up in a trailer park, dropped out of high school at 16, and is an incarcerated felon in the prison where Annie works one day a week as part of the library's community outreach program. On her first day working at the prison, Annie is shocked to find herself attracted to one of the inmates. The two begin a very intense, illicit relationship by writing letters to each other. Beautiful, sexy, sweet, dirty, romantic letters. For Eric, Annie and the letters represent freedom, and the opportunity to express his sweet, caring, romantic side. A side of himself that he obviously can't show in prison. For Annie, who left South Carolina after her abusive ex-boyfriend broke her jaw, Eric has reawakened sexual feelings that she feared she would never again experience. Their relationship is secret, illicit and yet, safe. Until Eric is granted early parole and Annie has to make a decision that she isn't prepared to make. 
 I was rooting for Eric and Annie right from the start. I wasn't sure, though, that their relationship could work outside of their letters. Annie's fears and doubts about her own judgment were valid and realistic. All of her doubts and fears about a relationship with a convicted felon were realistic and completely believable. After all, he was guilty of the crime, without remorse or regret, and would do the same thing again, under the same circumstances. There were facets to Eric that Annie couldn't understand, that were so foreign to her. I really enjoyed watching their relationship, the ups and the downs. This is an emotional, intense book, but it has lighter moments...and some really hot sex! 
 Hard Time is told in first person, from Annie's POV. I know some readers don't like first person, but I'm not one of them. I think it's perfect for this book. It really allows us to get inside Annie's head, to know what she's thinking and feeling. Ms. McKenna's descriptive writing style is so good that I could easily visualize Annie's first time walking through the prison block. The sights and sounds, her fear and nerves were so vivid and clear. The emotions, actions and reactions of all the characters were honest and real. I kept wondering the whole time whether Annie and Eric were going to find a way to make it work. 
 I loved Hard Time and I can't wait to read more from this author!