Review: Love letters.....
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2014
This is a dark, sometimes frightening love story, that started in the most unlikeliest of places,  a place most people would consider hell.  Eric Collier, inmate 802267 has been there for five years.  He does not deny his crime, he owns it. He wants to do his time and move on, somehow.Annie Goodhouse was an undergrad five years ago, when the man she loved terrified and beat her. She is no longer that woman.  Annie is now a librarian working for the county Outreach Program.  One of her duties is staffing the prison library.  There she meets Eric, quiet, unobtrusive but somehow getting under her skin.  He begins giving her letters to read at home. Beautiful, insightful and very sexy letters.  Those letters could be a story all their own. Each letter ends with him assuring her he would never hurt her, and if she wished to continue, wear a certain color of clothing the next Friday they meet. If Annie didn't wear that color, he had his answer, and would never bother her again.  In the letters he talks about the places he would like to take her, be with her and smelling fresh air and feeling the sun. All just beautiful dreams in their hearts, until one Friday he tells her he's been unexpectedly paroled. He's being released, where could they go from here?I loved this story. Annie trying to understand Eric's crime, his unwavering statement he would do it again if the circumstances were the same, frightens her especially after her own experience with abuse. Eric freely admits he loves her, but gives her time and space to come to her own decision. The relationship that started with beautiful love letters, is now about two people who barely know each other. The characters are wonderful, the dismal descriptions of a cold snowy winter, and a town dying of neglect,  add another depth to the story.This is the second novel by Ms. McKenna I have read and though completely different stories, strong details and excellent writing kept my attention in both novels.  I would love an epilogue, the novel ends very satisfactorily, but I want to know more!  I will be honest, I went to bed after starting this novel, and I was up at the crack of dawn to finish.  I couldn't get it out of my head.I received this novel from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.Pat Fordyce