Amy's 4 star ARC review of 15 years To Life by Regina Bartley

Synopsis

Life outside prison walls is the farthest thing from predictable. There is no order, no schedule, and no one to tell you what to do every second of your life. Since the age of eleven, Brian McCrary had been in prison. Why you ask? For protecting his twin sister Blaine, and taking the life of his father.

Murder… Fifteen years to Life… Childhood to manhood…

With his parole granted, it’s time for Brian to come face to face with real life. What he doesn’t know is that this new life would prove to be the most difficult thing that he had ever faced. There would be struggles beyond his control. He has to learn how to be a man, and learn everything that goes along with it. 

Sex… Love… Life… Responsibilities… 

Will it be too much for him to handle, or is he strong enough to survive life on the outside? 

Recommended for 18+ due to language, strong subject matter, and sexual content.

Standalone NA contemporary

4 stars
Brain and his twin sister Blaine are both damaged by their past. Their father was a monster that had to be stopped and Brian did just that. Now after 12 years he is being released from prison. After going in as a boy he is now a man with no skills, no concept of life on the outside of 4 concrete walls and no clue how to mesh back into society. A society that has left him behind and not looked back. Blaine suffered just as much as Brian when he was taken from her. He was 11 years old and had saved her. The damage her father did to both of them even after his death is something they both will eventually have to face. 

Trying to ignore the past and go back to where they left off as kids things go downhill fast. Brian wants nothing to do with the outside and has to go back to prison. He will never amount to anything. He only will continue to hurt Blaine. She has Landon and doesn’t need him. Maddy, the woman he loved at first sight …. Well he is no good for her. Maddy doesn’t want him anyway. She has a finance, Mr Fancy suit and car. 

The relationship between Brian and Blaine is what was the most catching for me in this book; not the romance or problems with “love or love lost.” Brain’s ability or lack of ability to mesh back into society was heartbreaking. The torment he went through was almost unbearable. Regina makes you want to grab him by the hand and help him. Exceptional writing for allowing you feel the emotions running through these characters. This was a great and easy read. I highly recommend clicking it up! 

 I was gifted and ARC for an honest review. Thank you Regina!