This is a heart-warming story of mistakes and recoveries and the enormous impact of kindness. Here is Booklist's summary and review:
"Every Friday, for 2 hours, 12 incarcerated women gather to discuss books with Harriet, a retired English teacher whom they affectionately refer to as Bookie. Violet is one of these 12 women, a 22-year-old who is released after serving 2 years for a drunk-driving accident that left a kindergarten teacher dead. Feeling lost and adrift as she attempts to establish a life for herself in Portland, Violet decides to buy the book she never got to finish in the book club and runs into Harriet at the bookstore. Their chance encounter takes a somewhat dramatic turn when the store's handyman (and the husband of the woman who died in the car crash) sees them and seemingly lunges at Violet. But this initial interaction turns into something much more meaningful as an unlikely friendship forms among them. Told with compassion and empathy, Wood's... tender novel explores the ways people can surprise themselves and others. A deeply humane and touching novel; highly recommended..."
A more comprehensive summary of the story is here at SuperSummary.
Publishers Weekly was less flattering as they called the book "simplistic" and "predictable"; whereas Kirkus gushes "A finely wrought story, beautifully told, with deeply memorable characters." I really liked the book but decide for yourself.
