Customer Reviews

Hard Times

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have always been a fan of Blayne Cooper and this book merely solidifies my opinion of her as a wonderfully talented author. Cooper often places her stories in unique settings. For example, there was `Road to Glory' set in a "ghost town" and `The Last Train Home' set in a poor urban setting. Taking place mostly in prison, this story is certainly a tale of triumph under unbearable circumstances.

Lorna Malachi killed her abusive father when she was 17. Although she was defending her younger sister at the time, her unlikable mother testified against her and Lorna was sentenced to life in prison - with the possibility of parole. Lorna has been in prison for almost 20 years when she gets a new cellmate.

Kellie Holloway is sentenced to a little over 2 years in prison for shooting a police officer while he was trying to arrest her. Funny thing, he was arresting her for extortion but she was acquitted of that charge. The naïve Kellie finds herself in a medium-security prison sharing a cell with bad girl Lorna.

It doesn't take long for the women to see through each other's façade and to forge a tentative friendship. Eventually, although Lorna has always been attracted to men, their friendship becomes more. The come to feel so much for each other they are eventually willing to risk everything - Kellie's upcoming release date and Lorna's chance at parole - to defend each other.

This isn't a story for the faint of heart. It takes a lot for these women to overcome their well-established fears and they take the reader on their personal journeys. It's hard for me to relate to their fears, but easy to relate to their willingness to sacrifice everything for their partner. `Hard Times' is a wonder book and I highly recommend it.

Admittedly, I'm a huge Blayne Cooper fan. Every time she comes out with a new book I think to myself this is the best one since Cobb Island. The last book, Unbreakable, I thought would be the best. I mean how can an author keep outdoing herself? Well, she did it. This book is grittier than her light-hearted fares and sexier than her romances. I didn't think the prison scene would work but dang if she didn't top herself again. Excellent read!

Ms.Cooper once again proves that she was born to write. I found this author when I picked up a copy of The Last Train Home. I was so impressed with her writing style. I've since read everything she's written that I can get my hands on. And while this book is a departure from her other works I highly recommend it.

As an avid reader I've had the opportunity to read romances, suspense, and my favorite romantic suspense and I can honestly say this is one of the best.

This is not a cookie cutter novel. This book starts out very strong and keeps pace the entire way. Through out the story you will feel a connection with the characters, which is imperative to me in order to enjoy a book and feel part of it. I stayed up until 3am to finish it. It was intense!

The title of the book is an apt and ambiguous description of the ordeal of the characters and situations she describes.

The end result...a novel that will absorb the reader until the final page.

I enjoyed watching Prisoners of Cell Block H when I was a pre-teen. Not knowing any other lesbians, the thought of going to prison to meet some or be in an all women environment seemed like a harmless daydream. While it wasn't a very well thought out fantasy at 11, it got me through some isolation and teenage angst. I have a developed a fondness for the prison genre. The gals on H were nowhere near as exciting or out as those in Hard Times. Breaking down the walls between the main characters was done well and over time. This romance wasn't an easy read at times due to some of the violence but it was well written and enjoyable, which is a given with Blayne Cooper.

While prison tales don't usually get my attention, this author does.
Blayne proves that no matter what the premise she can craft an engaging tale. Well developed characters and a realistic time line made this one believable story. Even in a prison setting, the author finds the right balance of humor, drama, and romance.

This was one book I didn't want to put down until finished.

Nicely done.

I, too, am a Cooper fan, but one doesn't have to know her other work to enjoy this one.

Cooper has taken the "women in prison" genre and given it just the right twist to make it her own. Yes, prison is a grim place, but Cooper understands that it's the souls of the inmates that makes it so dreadful.

Her characters have soul. They change and grow by knowing and learning to love one another. That, for me, is the most satisfying part of any good romance. Seeing how the power of love can inspire a person to change.

Up until now, "Last Train Home" was my favorite Blayne Cooper novel. But I think "Hard Times" has taken its place.

It's a Xena/Gabrielle butch/femme fantasy. It's just like a bodice-buster romance, where the girl is kidnaped by a pirate or highwayman or rogue but she wins the heart of the dangerous man. I suppose it's the same fantasy all women have whether straight or gay. It was an okay read but predictable. Light on violence and sex as well as story. She skipped over the good parts, like the getting to know you and little intimacies. I mean, right after they kiss the first time, she skips to a month later. What happened in that month or better yet, what happened the next morning? Since she really didn't develop the characters, I kept getting them mixed up. Still, I have to admit it was hard to put down because I wanted to see how it turned out. It's wasn't great literature but it was a nice, light summer read.

I have only read one other Blayne Cooper book and that was Unbreakable. I liked it so when this one came out I thought it looked interesting and I gave it a try. WOW was I impressed! I didn't think anyone could pull off a jail story like she did. I was intriqued the whole way thru and interested until the end. I have to be interested from the beginning to stay with the book and I could not put it down! I read the book in 5 hours that is how interested I was! Great writing Blayne - look forward to the next one and I will definitely be looking to read your already published work now!

Hard Times is the latest from Blayne Cooper and great read, all the elements are there, action, angst, love and suspense. I did find this book to be a little grittier than other books by this author but it was needed in this setting. It would not have been as good without it. This book does not disappoint, and a must have for everyones library.
Toni B

Cooper deftly avoids the cheesiness associated with "women in prison" stories with believable characters and a storyline that easily hooks the reader. It was a quick read with the satisfaction of justice and a happy ending, without schmaltz. I've come to have lower expectations of small press titles, because it often seems apparent why they would have been rejected as large press offerings, but that's not the case here. This was my first Blayne Cooper book, but it won't be my last.