BECAUSE OF YOU (Coming Home 1) by Jessica Scott Review

Contemporary Military RomanceFrom the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.

Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

BECAUSE OF YOU (Coming Home 1) by Jessica Scott-Adult Contemporary Military Romance

Kindle format given by author for review

My Take:

While I have always had a deep respect for those serving in and families of the military, I suppose I can never truly comprehend the pressure and stress involved in that lifestyle. I can tell you this, I would be a nervous wreck. All the time. I do have family members who have served or are serving, but I'm not intimately involved in their lives. This book opened my eyes to the struggles these soldiers face when they come home. That said, I also found this book to be inspiring, hopeful, and romantic. 

From the start, I liked Jen. She's dealing with her own traumatic issues, but she's a tough woman. I can completely picture her as a nurse. My mom is a nurse and I felt that the author captured a nurses nature perfectly. Jen was nurturing, compassionate, professional, and caring. I was really glad to see that she never second guessed her feelings for Shane. She was patient with him and the flow of their relationship was natural. 

I love the name Shane. I always have. It's just such a strong, sexy name to me. The name completely fits this character. Shane is used to leading his men, so when he gets wounded, he feels completely out of control. He's very much an alpha male. He feels drawn to leading people into and out of tough situations. The struggle that he has, is that he has no choice, but to put himself first this time. I loved when he finally allows himself to begin the healing process. It showed such strength in his character, but also his vulnerability. I thought it was hot. 

Let's just take a moment to appreciate the cover. *sigh* OK? Good. Let's move on. 

The supporting characters were all great. Carponti made me laugh and I think his wife is pretty awesome. She's like a stealthy undercover agent. I'd like to get to know her better to see what she does behind the scenes. I also love Laura and am left feeling distraught over her situation with her husband Trent. A friend told me that they will have their own book, so it looks like I will get some of my questions answered about them then. 

I enjoyed Jessica Scott's writing style. She pulled me into these characters lives and I can't wait to see what happens next. Not only does this book have appeal to a romance reader, but there was some mystery/suspense in there as well. I definitely recommended it. 

To those of you serving or families of those serving, my heart, thoughts, and prayers are with you all. 

Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Watch for my review of Until There Was You coming soon!

Jessica Scott is a career army officer, mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.