When Kristen is sentenced to seventeen years for committing a white collar crime, she’s forced to leave her husband and two sons behind.Life in prison is a shock. She discovers that people aren’t always what they seem, love wears many faces, and friendship can make life worth living.But as she struggles to survive on the inside, Kristen must face something even more frightening than her fellow inmates. . . herself.On the Inside is based on true events, written from the authors own family tragedy.

My Thoughts:

I found it quite interesting to “see” life, on the inside, from a prisoner’s perspective. I liked getting to know the different inmates and how they relate to each other. Knowing their stories doesn’t excuse their crimes, but it does humanize them and makes me empathize with them. We all make mistakes, and most mistakes have consequences, these ladies are now paying the penalty for the choices they made.

As a mother, I felt sorry for Kristen having to miss seeing her kids grow up, but was happy that her sister in law kept her updated with her family through letters. I also liked getting to know the prison warden and her staff members. It seems like a hard job having to spend so much time “On the Inside” and then coming home at the end of their shift to a totally different reality.

While this book is a work of fiction, I think that because it is based on the author’s real life situation, that I now have a “feel” for how life behind bars is … and that I never want to experience it.

I’d definitely recommend this book and look forward to reading more books from this author.

Review for On The Inside…..

This book will hook you from the very first paragraph, as you meet Lakeisha, a mail scanner for a women’s prison. She reads the prisoner’s correspondence, checks it for drugs and dangerous devices, and delivers the mail.Lakeisha is drawn into the correspondence Kristen has with her husband. And in this way, the reader is also drawn into the story about life inside a correctional facility for women.  Kristen is the main character. She’s in jail for bilking her employer out of a huge sum of money. In the process, she lost the trust of her husband and children and virtually bankrupted them. They are bitter and wary of her, but she continues to send letters to her husband telling him how sorry she is. The only family member to write back is her sister-in-law, Olivia, who extends a lifeline to her with family pictures and events.We also meet a panoply of colorful characters from the flashy inmate, Lupe, to the prison psychiatrist, Megan, the warden, Laura, Kristen’s antagonist, Jess, and many others. Each person has their story, their trials, and triumphs, and you’ll find yourself rooting for all of them.

Ms. Cano expertly weaves in multiple points of view to make you understand and empathize with all of these people. Each has his or her own pain and sorrow as well as aspirations for a better future. Necessarily, some of the stories end tragically whereas others move on as best they can. But Kristen and the others learn to take happiness in small places and to accept what can’t be changed.

The story is uplifting and poignant. You won’t want to miss this. I read this in a single evening because I not just wanted to find out what happened to the characters, but I felt for them and laughed and cried and wished so much for them to be victorious in their lives.

Everything was resolved and there were no loose ends. Even though there was sadness leavened into the book, the overall message is joyful and shows the power of love, devotion, and forgiveness. You won’t be disappointed with this wonderful story. ~ Clare Chu

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About the Author

Kim Cano debut novel was A Widow Redefined, which tells the story of a young woman’s journey through grief and the transformational power of friendship

Kim has also written two animal books: For Animal Lovers, a short story collection for kids ages 9 to 12 (also appeals to adult readers who are young at heart) 10% of the sale price is donated to the ASPCA® to help homeless pets.

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I received this book to review through Beck Valley Books Book Tours, all the opinions above are 100% my own.

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