Dr. Emma Edwards takes a job in prison to protect her inmate brother and falls in love with the prison's warden in this Pride and Prejudice meets Orange is the New Black intriguing tale about love, hope, and second chances.
Assessment:
A young white doctor experiences violence first hand at the prison job she takes to secretly be near her incarcerated black half-brother, but discovers private kindness behind the warden's brutish exterior. This dark, often cinematic novel has emotional bite as well as an almost playful, gently jealous romance. Unfortunately, the push for a happy ending in the midst of the protagonist's grief feels both unrealistic and dismissive of the book's earlier events. Character backgrounds are complex, but demonstrations of the dichotomy between compassion and realism can feel overwrought.
Date Submitted: June 14, 2016
