Because of You (Coming Home, #1)

Jul 05, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: preordered, romantic-suspense, format-kindle-or-kindle-compatible, recd-by-pamela-clare, ebook-own-have-read, reviewed-by-me, reviewed-at-blithelybookish, 4-stars, 2012-reads, series-coming-home, first-read-of-an-author, first-in-series, military-injured, military-former

Because of You by Jessica Scott is the first book in her romantic suspense series, Coming Home, and her debut novel. It’s sweet, romantic, passionate, heartbreaking, hopeful, exciting… all served up by awesome characters whose trials and triumphs had me invested in them early on and kept me coming back for more.

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 li

...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

3.5 stars

Debut

Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has served in the U.S. Army for thirteen years, married for five, and now divorced. The night before his re-deployment to Iraq he meets nurse Jen St James. Their short time together that evening, (as well as a few kisses) are memories that Shane is going to cherish for the twelve months that he will be away. When Shane is badly injured he returns home into Jen's care. As a cancer survivor Jen has scars, emotionally and physically of her own.

This...more

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Oct 21, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance-read, from-kp-read, ebook-read, ebook-gift-read

Finished it. This was a hard book to read, for me. Need some time to consider what I actually thought about the story, and what rating I want to give it.

10/21/12.....I think the only thing I would add is that I appreciate Jessica Scott's willingness to tell this story, of what it takes to go to war, live through war, and deal with the aftermath of war. It's a reality that we should all be aware of, and it isn't prettied up for storytelling purposes here. My personal feeling, for this genre, for...more

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Jan 09, 2012 Michelle (MsRomanticReads) rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-cover-stud, contemporary, hunks-in-camouflage, romance, january-2012, a-keeper, angst, inked, husband-material, 2012

Edit (Sept 2012): I didn't round up the stars like I've been doing lately. Rectifying that.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I am a part of the military community and a military spouse. Therefore I will throw myself into any story involving military heroes, so this story was sure to capture my attention. Some parts of this story hit close to home, which caused a major snot fest. The characters are tough but tortured, brave but conflicted – their struggles and their pain, both emotional and physical, are...more Edit (Sept 2012): I didn't round up the stars like I've been doing lately. Rectifying that.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I am a part of the military community and a military spouse. Therefore I will throw myself into any story involving military heroes, so this story was sure to capture my attention. Some parts of this story hit close to home, which caused a major snot fest. The characters are tough but tortured, brave but conflicted – their struggles and their pain, both emotional and physical, are raw and honest. In some cases it's a matter of not being able to truly understand the choices some of these characters make unless you know what it's like to be in their shoes. Regardless, I loved this story because I could empathize.

Shane Garrison is getting ready to deploy for a years tour in Iraq. The night before his deployment, he receives divorce papers. The demise of his marriage goes down without much fanfare, which causes him to reflect on the decisions he's made, as well as come to terms that he may not be cut out for marriage. He's a true soldier through and through. As the leader, he's responsible for every man in his company. That earns him not only the respect and loyalty of his men, but it also makes him internalize their struggles; he always feels the need to fix things. Putting his men above everyone else and his dedication to his job are most likely what led to his wife's infidelity. On his last night stateside, he and his men gather at their regular watering hole where he meets Jen for the first time. By the end of the evening, they share a kiss that gives him a little hope for the future, and it will have to be enough to sustain him on his deployment. The opportunity arrives sooner than he thinks when he's badly injured in an IED explosion which sends him back stateside to recover, and right into Jen's care.

Jen St. James knows all about death, pain and avoidance. She has come to terms with her mastectomy, but she feels incomplete and anything but feminine. She won't let a man near her for fear that her scars will run him off. Then she shares a kiss with Shane and she's faced with a longing she has fought to suppress for a long time. Too bad he's set to leave the next day. When he returns to her, battered and broken, they finally get the opportunity to forge a friendship, though awkward and strenuous at first. It pains her to watch that brave man fall into a dark abyss of helplessness. It seems if anyone could understand him just a little, it would be her. Choosing to divulge her deepest, darkest secret scares her to death, but once she does, the tables turn on her and she has to face the fact that she's somewhat of a hypocrite. However, helping Shane also helps her to learn to trust. The journey to that point seems littered with obstacles, but together they learn there's a lot to live and be thankful for.

This story took me on an emotional roller coaster. The struggles of wounded combat soldiers is something we've all heard about, but reading about it in detail makes one more … aware. The descriptions of the sh*tty accommodations on base for soldiers is sadly true. I still feel my skin crawl when I think of my husband's office. I'm surprised most buildings aren't condemned. I always remember him telling me how military members are labeled as “equipment”, and it just seemed to me that they're treated as such, as evidenced by the miserable ba*tard, Lt. Randall.

The story not only deals with the PTSD that soldiers come home with, but also the trials of the military spouses who have to watch their loved ones deploy over and over again; left behind to raise their children alone, trying to give them as normal a life as possible, and fight the daily fear of men in uniform showing up at their door. I felt so much more for Laura and Trent than I did Vic and Nicole. The latter had a unique dynamic for dealing with all the craziness, partially due to Vic's sense of humor. Laura and Trent are a completely different story. Her heartbreak could be felt so deeply, it made me cry. As her fears and doubts creep in, due to his lack of communication, she comes to a very difficult decision. Some people might say that she's being selfish, that he's probably too busy trying not to get blown up to call her regularly. While that is true to a certain extent, it would be unfair to forget everything that she has given up as well. There are no winners in a war, neither on the battlefield nor in matters of the heart.

The story ends on a cliffhanger, so I can't wait for Ms Scott's next book when we finally get to learn more about what happened to Trent over in Iraq, and whether or not he can save his marriage. (less)

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Nov 13, 2011 Stella rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, for-review, military-romance

First of all I would like to state so that there is no misunderstanding: Because of You is not a military romance, but a contemporary romance having military heroes/heroines. I warn you so you don’t expect to read about thrilling and suspenseful war scenes, the novel mostly takes place in the US and is not about some suspenseful military action but the emotional healing of wounded soldiers and how they find their way to love.

That said, I can now tell you what an amazing read Because of You was....more

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Nov 14, 2011 AnneOK rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads

The best part of discovering a new author whose talents grip your attention immediately is sharing the good news with other readers. In all my years of reading military romances, there has been only one other that moved me as much as this one did. BECAUSE OF YOU is a beautifully written and poignant love story between two individuals, broken both in body and spirit. It also honorably portrays the lives of the everyday heroes and heroines who serve in the military and gives them the credit they s...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This goes on the list of best books read in 2011. This author is career Army who's married to a Army man and they have two kids. As I read this book I could feel all of the horrors of war coming through the pages. Not just in what happens to our guys and gals overseas but what happens to them when they come home and not always in one piece. Its also about the wives that stay home and basically raise the kids as a single parent and how they deal with there husbands being deployed more time than t...more

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Dec 03, 2011 Yvonne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

4.5 Stars
Fantastic read especially when you're in the mood for something a little heavier and more serious.
I'm glad I took the time to read this book and will be picking up book #2 in the series!

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Jun 04, 2012 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Review posted at Demon Lover's Books and More

I don’t typically read contemporary romance or military romance (former SEALs etc), for a few reasons. The number one reason is that I tend to not want anything similar to my own life. I love werewolves, Dukes, vampires, and Highlanders, you get the picture. Military contemps tend to hit a little too close to home for me, so I usually avoid them like the plague. The last thing I want to read about is a woman dealing with her man when he comes back fro...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Guilty Pleasures rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, kindle-amazon

Guilty Pleasures Recommended Read!!!

BECAUSE OF YOU is an emotional journey with ups, downs and humor. I went into this thinking it was a romance about a soldier and a woman, but it's so much more. It's about a breast cancer survivor learning to feel like a WHOLE woman again and realizing she is worthy of a relationship, about a soldier feeling like he let his troops down, it's about the sacrifices soldiers and their families make, it's about the brotherhood that develops among Soldiers, about th...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own-kindle, read-in-2012, for-review-read

4.5 Stars

I've only recently started to get back into reading contemporary romance but Because of You has definitely put me in the mood to read more stories about military heroes! This is an incredibly emotional book, one that bought tears to my eyes several times but also had me laughing out loud. This impressive debut from Jessica Scott has left me desperate to get my hands on her next book and luckily I only have a few months to wait for it's release!

Shane is a Sergeant in the army and his who...more 4.5 Stars

I've only recently started to get back into reading contemporary romance but Because of You has definitely put me in the mood to read more stories about military heroes! This is an incredibly emotional book, one that bought tears to my eyes several times but also had me laughing out loud. This impressive debut from Jessica Scott has left me desperate to get my hands on her next book and luckily I only have a few months to wait for it's release!

Shane is a Sergeant in the army and his whole life revolves around protecting the men he serves with. His only focus is getting his men through the war with as few injuries as possible and it tears him up inside when one of them is hurt or even worse killed. When he is injured in a bomb blast he hates being stuck in an American hospital while his team are still out in Iraq fighting. Being a soldier is what he does best, it's the only life he knows and the idea of not being able to continue the fight leaves him feeling lost, angry and frustrated. Jen is a nurse who works at the hospital where Shane is recuperating. They had met in a bar before he left for Iraq and there was definitely chemistry between them but they both have reasons not to pursue a relationship. Jen has emotional and physical scars from a battle with breast cancer and although having a mastectomy saved her life she feels like less of a woman because of it. She is afraid of getting close to a man in case he rejects her because of her scarring.

Both Shane and Jen are incredibly strong characters, they always put other people's needs before their own and they are the kind of people who will do anything to help or protect those around them. They may be dealing with very different problems but their experiences give them unique insight into what the other is facing and together they are able to work through their issues. I loved watching the way their relationship develops as they slowly fall in love. They share some really sweet and emotional scenes but they also have scorching chemistry that is impossible for either of them to resist. They make a wonderful couple and I loved every scene with them both in it.

One of my favourite things about the book was the interaction with the secondary characters though. Jen is friends with the wives of several of the men in Shane's unit and we get to know them and their husbands. Jessica Scott shows all the different sides of being a military wife - how much they love their husbands and are proud of what they do but also how hard it is to effectively be a single parent for so much of the time. How difficult it is to constantly have to say goodbye to the one they love and know that there is a possibility that their husband won't come home safely. I'm left in awe of all military wives - you'd have to be a very strong woman to deal with everything they face on a daily basis. As much as you get to see things from the wives point of view you also see it from the side of the husbands. These soldiers are every bit the heroes we all know they are but it takes a toll on them spending so much time away from their families and facing the horrors that they see in the war zone they are stationed in. They all deal with things in different ways and I loved the humour and banter between them.

As much as we follow Jen and Shane's story we also get to know some of the other couples and I fell in love with all of them. I hope we get to see more of Carponti and Nikki as the series continues but I am also left desperately wanting a resolution to Trent and Laura's story. Because of You was a wonderful book, at times it makes for uncomfortable reading because you can see how true to life it is but it is also full of humour and the romance is lovely. Until There Was You is at the top of my wish list and I would recommend this series to anyone who enjoys reading about military heroes.(less)

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Dec 05, 2011 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: soldier-type-hero, contemp, alpha-type-hero

There were several things that drew me to Because of You. I love the big brooding hero, I love reading about characters that overcome huge obstacles and come out shiny on the other side. The biggest thing that drew me to this book was the fact the the heroine was a breast cancer survivor.

Shane is a soldier to the bottom of his soul. He is responsible for the men who are assigned to him and he takes that responsibility very seriously. So when soldiers are injured in a bombing while on patrol, he...more There were several things that drew me to Because of You. I love the big brooding hero, I love reading about characters that overcome huge obstacles and come out shiny on the other side. The biggest thing that drew me to this book was the fact the the heroine was a breast cancer survivor.

Shane is a soldier to the bottom of his soul. He is responsible for the men who are assigned to him and he takes that responsibility very seriously. So when soldiers are injured in a bombing while on patrol, he feels that he is at fault for their turmoil in the aftermath. The fact that he was injured in the same explosion doesn't even occur to him. Those men were his men and he let them down. Being stuck in a bed and later in a wheelchair only adds to his failure as a soldier and as their leader. Jen is a nurse assigned to the floor which Shane resides on in the hospital. Jen and Shane have a short lived past in which they shared a kiss the night before she was the nurse who deployed him. While working with Shane, Jen tries to help him through his guilt and his pain and it is discovered that though Jen talks a big talk on what Shane should be doing in the aftermath of a life trauma, she should practice what she preaches. Jen is a survivor of breast cancer who has physically recovered from her illness, but she is far from overcoming the scars it left behind.

I got choked up a few times reading this book. Being a breast cancer survivor myself I tend to gravitate towards books with heroines who are survivors. With this in mind, my own life experiences also make me very critical while reading such stories. I have yet to read any book that describes the after affects of breast cancer treatments better than Jessica Scott has. Though everyone is different, and everyone deals with life's drama differently I feel the "meat" of the reaction is the same. And being healthy yet not completely "whole" at the end of an illness or accident, no matter what it is, is going to leave someone not only physically but psychologically scarred as well. Self pity, insecurity, anger... These are all universal emotions. It's how a person reacts and moves on once all their initial shock has receded. You move forward with acceptance, or you shut down with self pity. In both Jen and Shane's case, they were shutting down. Until they looked at eachother and realized this beautiful man/woman loved him/her not despite the scars, but because of the strength they represented. Neither Jen or Shane ever really saw themselves clearly. This was all excellent character development and execution. I respect and admire any author who can create such realistic character emotions.

Now, what brought my rating down from a 5 to 4 stars. The ending... I was reading along, happy as a clam and all of a sudden... BAM!!! Epilogue. Granted, the story is a series, and this particular book had a HEA. But there just seemed to me to be a gaping hole between the realization that "hey we love each other and we're going to make it" and the end. It just ended a bit too abruptly for me.

Overall I really enjoyed Because of You. I love character driven books and the author really created a group of both secondary and primary characters that are lovable. (less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Nikki Brandyberry rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Being in the military is all Shane knows. It’s all he has left after his sham of a marriage ends. His men are the only family he has and the only people he cares about. Except for a spunky nurse he meets the night before he deploys. The memory of their kiss the light at the end of his tunnel. When a bomb sends him back home he awakens to find himself immobile. Struggling to come to grips with his limitations and the various setbacks that have occurred to him he is volatile, moody and sometimes v...more Being in the military is all Shane knows. It’s all he has left after his sham of a marriage ends. His men are the only family he has and the only people he cares about. Except for a spunky nurse he meets the night before he deploys. The memory of their kiss the light at the end of his tunnel. When a bomb sends him back home he awakens to find himself immobile. Struggling to come to grips with his limitations and the various setbacks that have occurred to him he is volatile, moody and sometimes violent. The only thing keeping what little sanity he has left is his daily meetings with his nurse Jen.

Scarred herself from a mastectomy, Jen knows how Shane is feeling, but can’t bring herself to tell the one man who has treated her like a woman, that they share that in common. Still reeling from her cancer she just isn’t ready to bare her soul no matter how he makes her feel. Jen is slowly falling for the wounded soldier. Against all odds, these two will have to lean on each other in order to heal.

I feel almost bad for saying I didn’t really connect with this one. Maybe it’s because it was a military romance and my sense of patriotism was affected. Maybe it’s because I recently went to the funeral of a family friend’s brother who was killed by a roadside bomb and saw the devastation of a family affected by war firsthand. I don’t know. Every fiber of my being wanted to love this book. When it comes right down to it though, I just didn’t as much as I wanted to. I do not think it had anything to do with the book or the writing itself, I think it was me and it was just the wrong place, wrong time.

As individuals I really liked Jen and Shane. They were both complex characters that did quite a bit of growing throughout the course of the book. Together though, I never felt the heat. There wasn’t enough passion between the two for me to buy into them as a couple. For much of the book they each had flitting thoughts of the “Florence Nightingale effect” and to be honest I did as well. I think I just find it a bit weird when a nurse and her patient become involved. Not to say that it can’t ever happen, I’m sure it’s the exact opposite. Still I think it’s odd.

I found the story line lagged a lot. Especially when Shane launched into thoughts on the military that used terms I had never heard of. Since I’ve never had first hand knowledge of things over in the desert of Baghdad, the terms the author used could be a bit hard to follow. There were a few times I thought about calling my cousin (also named Shane lol) to help me decode some of the wording.

I enjoyed Shane’s range of emotion while coming to term with his new limitations. It must have been incredibly hard for this strappingly strong soldier to be sidelined while most of his men continued to fight. He went through a lot and I could understand his frustration. I liked how he showed his emotions seemingly only with Jen.

Poor Jen, I just couldn’t understand her. I wanted her to open up to Shane the entire book. She was a classic case of do what I say and not what I do. She kept telling him to open up. To talk about things. To stop blaming himself for getting sidelined and having to leave his men. Yet she kept everything bottled up. Never wanting to tell him of having a mastectomy and when he finally finds out, never wanting to allow him to see the scar. Allowing him to see and feel the scar was a barrier between them that it seemed Shane would never breach.

Where this author gets it right is in the supporting characters. I loved every one of them! Carponti was my absolute FAVORITE. His outlook on life was incredible and even though he was crazy and snarky, I still felt for him. I mean, how often do you meet a guy who has had his arm blown off and yet has a bright outlook on life? He was the glue that initially held Shane together. I also really liked the authors ability to shed light onto the sensitive subject of how the country deals with its wounded veterans after they return home. So often these courageous soldiers are pushed to the side and forgotten. As a country we need to embrace these people and give back…show them how much they truly do mean to us. No matter which side of the politics you are on, supporting our soldiers should never be a dividing line.

Because of You is left completely open ended with a story line for some supporting characters still up in the air. I know Jessica has some more works coming out early next year and so I hope some of these get taken care of. While this one didn’t exactly float my boat I do think it was well written. Sometimes what I want to like…and what I crave to read are two separate things that don’t like to play nice nice in my brain. I will pick up the next book, I believe in Jessica Scott’s work!

I give Because Of You by Jessica Scott 3.50 stars!(less)

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Mar 21, 2012 Katya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, military-rom, favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 4.8 Stars

The Dedication at the end of the novel say...."To my husband who smiled the first time he saw my name in print. This author is a woman who knows what a bond is between two people who love each other. And that is the only reason she could write something so touching and realistic as this story.

This is a book about a group of soldiers who share their lives with two loves...their families and the Army. These men's commitment to one another is amazing to experience. And their care for each...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Liza rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

***4.5 our of 5 stars***

I loved Shane and Jen's story.

I love finding both new authors and new-to-me authors. I’ve talked to Jessica Scott on twitter for a while and even got to meet her at RWA in Orlando in 2010 (ran into her at a book signing while in line together). When Jessica announced her book would be released in the revived Loveswept line, I knew I had to read this story. I pre-ordered Because of You for my kindle as soon as there was a release date.

I absolutely loved Because of You! Bo...more ***4.5 our of 5 stars***

I loved Shane and Jen's story.

I love finding both new authors and new-to-me authors. I’ve talked to Jessica Scott on twitter for a while and even got to meet her at RWA in Orlando in 2010 (ran into her at a book signing while in line together). When Jessica announced her book would be released in the revived Loveswept line, I knew I had to read this story. I pre-ordered Because of You for my kindle as soon as there was a release date.

I absolutely loved Because of You! Both Jen and Shane are such strong characters. Jen is a breast cancer survivor who finally starts to feel like a woman again after meeting and kissing Shane. Shane has always put his men first, even about himself. He meets Jen the day before he and his men are scheduled to deploy to Iraq. They share one amazing kiss, that neither one is able to forget the other once Shane is deployed. When Shane is injured and sent home, Jen is one of the nurses who care for him daily. The attraction is still there after all this time, and only grows as they spend day after day together. Shane is one of those super strong men who don’t like to rely on anyone. However, his injuries leave him no choice, and Jen is more than happy to care for him.

Jen find herself getting stronger each day as she cares for Shane. She also starts to feel like a woman again for the first time since she first lost a breast to cancer. In fact, her battle helps her be able to help Shane move forward with his recovery. The attraction between Shane and Jen just gets stronger with each passing day, and they were so hot together when they finally gave into their attraction.

Jessica Scott has an amazing voice and made it easy for me to feel both the pain and the joy from her characters. I loved so many of the characters from Because of You, but especially Jen's best friend Laura. We get to read all about Laura and her husband Trent in Jessica's next book.The second book in her Coming Home series, Back to You is set for release from Loveswept in February 2012, and I’ll again pre-order as soon as it’s available.(less)

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Dec 06, 2011 Sophia (FV) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Every now and then I go through a reading “thing”. By that I mean I pick something and go with it. I glom up everything I can of a certain type of hero, or setting or trope. For readers who visit Fiction Vixen regularly you might remember my cowboy stage—yee haw that was fun. Well, I feel another “thing” coming on and it’s military romance. As with my cowboy stage, I’m surprised by my recent desire to gobble up these types of romances. Oh I’ve read a few here and there but lately these romances...more Every now and then I go through a reading “thing”. By that I mean I pick something and go with it. I glom up everything I can of a certain type of hero, or setting or trope. For readers who visit Fiction Vixen regularly you might remember my cowboy stage—yee haw that was fun. Well, I feel another “thing” coming on and it’s military romance. As with my cowboy stage, I’m surprised by my recent desire to gobble up these types of romances. Oh I’ve read a few here and there but lately these romances really appeal to me. I’m thinking Shane, the hero in Because of You might have a little something to do with it.

He’d always seemed big, but up close he was massive. Black tribal tattoos twisted up both of his wrists, writhing up his forearms to disappear beneath the frayed edge of a green Tshirt. And who knew that bald could be so sexy in the right lighting? Had to be the rough jaw that did it.

The black tribal tats are not integral to the plot. I just wanted you to know what we’re dealing with here. Really.Hot.Hero. We learn this early in the story which helped me get on board the Shane Train right away.

But aside from his physical attributes Shane has a lot more going on and so much more to love. We have a hero and heroine that are both damaged. I say damaged because they both have some emotional and physical scars but they are far from broken.

Shane finds himself facing up to his mistakes in his former marriage and struggling with his military career although he is very committed to it. He’s a sexy hero because you know full on that he is a warrior through and through, but he doesn’t need the bravado and posturing to portray that. He’s tough as nails but cares deeply for those in his charge as well as his friends.

Jen has faced down death and carries the emotional and physical scars because of it. But she’s not broken, she’s healing. Even with her own inner struggles she reaches out to Shane and opens up in order to help him heal.

This is a very angst filled story that took me through a range of powerful emotions. From the beginning I was drawn into the characters lives and I really cared about them. I liked that Shane and Jen begin their relationship with both of them facing major emotional issues but they are both well-rounded solid people. They both stumble, but power through.

The secondary characters are quite notable as well. We have two other couples I can’t wait to read more about. Carponti and his wife Nicole, and Trent and his wife Laura make up an interesting cast of characters with potentially great stories. Carponti is the sidekick with a dick joke ready for any occasion. He doesn’t let a pesky thing like a missing limb get him down as long as he still has his dick. (Nicole nicknamed it Thunderdick, or so he claims). Trent and Laura have some turbulent times ahead that we only get a hint at. I see major angst in the future for them.

I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Jessica Scott. If you’re looking for a good military romance you’ll want to give this one a try. This one earns a spot on my 2011 recommended list.(less)

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Aug 16, 2011 Hope Frost rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was skeptical about reading this book. As a military brat myself, and having an active duty brother that is currently on his 3 tour overseas, I know what a family feels when loved ones are in harms way. I know that Mrs. Scott has been in the military, so I knew she would hit the military life but wasn't sure how real the family life would be portrayed. I am so very happy to say, this is a book I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. The war scenes are expertly written and you feel like you are in th...more

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Nov 15, 2011 Brie C. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Because of You marks the debut of author Jessica Scott. It seemed to me like everyone was reading and loving this book. I kept hearing great things about it and since I don’t like feeling like I’m missing out on something -and I love military romance- I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did.

Shane Garrison is an Army infantry sergeant about to leave for Iraq. He’s an honorable guy, responsible and committed to his work and to the soldiers he’s resp...more

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Apr 20, 2013 Darcy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, e-book, military, romance

I really liked this one, mostly because it wasn't all rainbows and puppy dogs, it was real, gritty, and raw on both sides. I loved seeing how the guys felt about going to war, being their for the men they served with, and I loved seeing how things were for the wives and girlfriends they left behind and how both groups dealt with injuries that change their lives. The struggle to go forward and try to get back to normal fascinates me as I like to wonder how I would react if I was in that situation...more

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Mar 28, 2013 Book Binge Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A realistic look at military life makes this a surprisingly dark and angsty novel. Shane's time overseas looking out for his men and his guilt when he fails were stark reminders of what our soldiers deal with on a regular basis.

Jen's brush with breast cancer - and subsequent mastectomy - added another dark note to the story. While I think both situations were well written and realistic, I think the story would have benefited from some levity. While engrossing, it tended toward the dramatic and...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 200-books-in-2013, february-2013, contemporary, new-to-me-2013, read-in-2013

A realistic look at military life makes this a surprisingly dark and angsty novel. Shane's time overseas looking out for his men and his guilt when he fails were stark reminders of what our soldiers deal with on a regular basis.

Jen's brush with breast cancer - and subsequent mastectomy - added another dark note to the story. While I think both situations were well written and realistic, I think the story would have benefited from some levity. While engrossing, it tended toward the dramatic and...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Starla rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the relationship of Jen and Shane. They are both complicated indivisuals with scars both visiable and invisible that they have to deal with. I love Jen's support from Laura and Nicole as well as Shane's suport from Carponti who is always there to bring the comic relief and honest when needed. I look forward to the other books in the series to see how the rest of the characters grow. I am also excited to see the further growth of Jen and Shane's relationship. I was drawn in by Shane and h...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Marlene rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-romances-challenge

Originally published at Reading Reality

Strictly speaking, this isn't a military romance. It's a contemporary romance where a significant number of the characters, including the hero, are career military and their families who are dealing with the issues resulting from repeated deployments or from what happens when they stop.

For many soldiers, coming home is more difficult than going downrange. The military has rules and regulations. Families and civilian life, that's something else again. And fo...more

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Sep 03, 2012 Addictive rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’ve never really read any military romance before Jessica Scott, I was really blown away by the plot. Seeing as how Scott is an Army Captain in the military I feel like she got the details down, reading Because of you made you feel like you were on the front lines feeling what Shane was feeling.

And to have a heroine like Jen, well that was just amazing. I have got to say that I had never really read a modern day book about a heroine who has overcome great odds like Jen has..

War is all Shane Ga...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Sharon Tyler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Because of You by Jessica Scott is a contemporary military romance book that just might hit close to home for many readers. Jen St. James is a nurse in a military town. Jen is also a cancer survivor, having faced chemotherapy and a mastectomy. Her best friend Laura's husband seems to be constantly deployed and drags Jen with her to the bar, where the men are getting set to be deployed again. Shane Garrison is hoping to keep all his men out of trouble that night, and to keep them safe once they h...more Because of You by Jessica Scott is a contemporary military romance book that just might hit close to home for many readers. Jen St. James is a nurse in a military town. Jen is also a cancer survivor, having faced chemotherapy and a mastectomy. Her best friend Laura's husband seems to be constantly deployed and drags Jen with her to the bar, where the men are getting set to be deployed again. Shane Garrison is hoping to keep all his men out of trouble that night, and to keep them safe once they hit Baghdad. One kiss and both their lives are changed, starting to break down barriers. When Shane is injured and sent home for care, the two have to face their own issues and decide if love is more important than their pasts or being independent.

Because of You does something I rarely see, accurately portrays what it is like to be deployed, what it is like o be waiting for a loved one that is overseas, and the physical and emotional wounds our soldiers have to face before and after duty. It might feel too close to home for some to read, either because of the military ties or the cancer, but the story is so perfectly told that it needs to be read. The emotional issues tied to Jen's cancer, family problems, war wounds, loss, and so much more are deal with in a very realistic manner but with an underlying feeling of hope and understanding. Too many military related books gloss over what really happens after our troops return home, and how it feels to be a parent and waiting for your spouse to come home.

The romance between Jen and Shane is a slow burn, there is no sudden moment of 'perfect love'. Rather, they are real people with real issues that need to develop trust and work on their relationship rather than having it fall into place with no effort. The surrounding characters and plot make this even more than a deep love story, there is suspense and a bigger story that I can not wait to see develop in later books of the Coming Home series. Frankly, when I reached the end of the book I desperately wanted to know more of Laura and Trent's story, and am greatly relieved to see that I can read their book in 2013.

I highly recommend Because of You to readers that like romance with real conflict and emotion beyond the expected story. I was drawn into the character's lives almost immediately and had to take some time before diving into my next read, because I was still thinking too much about the story. This is a deep and captivating read worth every moment, even as I stayed up far too late to finish it.(less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Jane Litte rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally posted at Dear Author

This is the first original Loveswept title from the new and revived Loveswept line. I’ve been hearing good things about this book from it’s original purchase by Sue Grimshaw earlier this year. Knowing that you are an Iraq war vet, I knew that the authenticity of this book would not be an issue and that’s a good thing because there were a lot of eyebrow raising events in the story.

Shane Garrison is a Sergeant First Class in the Army. At thirteen years of service, S...more Originally posted at Dear Author

This is the first original Loveswept title from the new and revived Loveswept line. I’ve been hearing good things about this book from it’s original purchase by Sue Grimshaw earlier this year. Knowing that you are an Iraq war vet, I knew that the authenticity of this book would not be an issue and that’s a good thing because there were a lot of eyebrow raising events in the story.

Shane Garrison is a Sergeant First Class in the Army. At thirteen years of service, Shane is getting ready for action in the Iraq Surge and dealing with the failure of his marriage. As a Sergeant First Class, Shane is in charge of his group of men. He feels responsible for their well being, ensuring that every one is properly trained and equipped. The weight of his responsibility is well conveyed and the future conflict involving his sense of responsibility is signalled clearly. However, I wondered at the point of the Prologue. The prologue actually just introduces Shane and given that chapter one doesn’t begin a uninterrupted timeline, I felt a bit confused.

Jen St. James, a recent breast cancer survivor, and Shane enjoy a smoldering kiss after a night out with mutual friends before Shane is deployed. I was surprised at how emotional Shane was over their interaction. He went from a divorce five months ago to thinking that Jen would be the reason for him to come home:

He’d hold the memory of that kiss with him even as he walked-willing and able-into a war. He’d volunteered to serve, but tonight, for the first time, he was walking away from something precious. Because of Jen, he had a reason for coming home.

The strong and devastating emotions of those in the military was well conveyed. I really felt for the women at home who missed their husbands and the soldiers abroad who weren’t provided adequate equipment to fight. Jen’s poignant post cancer attempts to reconnect with her friends was touching as well. I liked that Jen and Shane’s romance developed over time. The book is very dramatic and angsty and for some it might be overly so.

Shane is beset, not just by the horrors of battle, but by incompetent officers, lack of equipment, emotional breakdowns of the soldiers around him, and his own personal pain. There was a scene with a newbie officer that reminded me a bit of Battle Los Angeles. In fact, Shane reminded me a little of the Aaron Eckhart character in that movie in that they both were Sergeants looking out for a number of soldiers whose well being and safety weighed heavily on their hearts and minds. I wished that the pacing had been more even. The book started out slowly and then had non stop drama until nearly the end.

The opposite side we have Jen who suffered breast cancer at a young age and who had a left sided mascectomy. The decision not to have reconstructive surgery was never addressed in the text of the book, although there is a lot of attention paid to the emotional trauma that Jen endures from being physically imperfect.

On top of Shane’s emotional problems suffering injuries in the war and seeing his men injured or killed, is his own lack of self esteem. His self worth was wrapped up in his soldiering and when his men came back in pieces, he was devastated. He felt guilty he was alive. He didn’t think that he was a nice man (because as Sargeant he wasn’t supposed to be, problematically, he never see Shane being a jerk so the “he doth protest too much” entered here) and that he wasn’t good enough for Jen. Jen spent much of her time telling Shane that he wasn’t god and that he has to let go and open up.

I was also surprised at how little attention was paid to the issue of Jen, the nurse, having a relationship with Shane, one of her patients. In some ways, this conflict was used to humorous and touching effect such as when Jen has to remove Shane’s catheter but I did wonder at the ethics of the situation. I understood that the point of the four chapter lead up was to make the readers believe that Shane’s feelings for Jen developed far before she nursed him back to health, but those four chapters involved so little real interaction between the two that I found it to be a shaky foundation.

There are two developing storylines in this book, both of which remain unresolved at the end. The dual cliffhangers are meant to keep us coming back for me, but it also made the book feel a bit unfinished for me. Given how much of the book was spent on Jen and Shane’s emotional agnst, their emotional healing seemed too quick. The ending felt abrupt, as if I had looked away and missed something important.

The two wounded souls seeking comfort and peace will be appealing to many readers and the fast paced non stop drama adds a different flavor to this military romance. The war scenes were highly charged and I appreciate the unflinching look at how awful it must be over in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wouldn’t have minded a few emotional respites and a less truncated ending. B-(less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Kristiej rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I’m not quite sure where to begin in describing this book. From the very first page I appreciated that the hero, Shane Garrison, was a regular soldier. It’s not that I don’t like SEAL’s but they are becoming the dukes and viscounts and earls of contemporary romance and a little are starting to go a long way. So I found it refreshing that Shane was a Sergeant First Class.

Another thing that really struck me from the beginning was Because of You has such an authentic feel to it. Apparently Ms. Scot...more I’m not quite sure where to begin in describing this book. From the very first page I appreciated that the hero, Shane Garrison, was a regular soldier. It’s not that I don’t like SEAL’s but they are becoming the dukes and viscounts and earls of contemporary romance and a little are starting to go a long way. So I found it refreshing that Shane was a Sergeant First Class.

Another thing that really struck me from the beginning was Because of You has such an authentic feel to it. Apparently Ms. Scott is a career soldier herself and you can tell with every word and every nuance that this is real. The characters may be fictional, but they don’t come across that way at all. They truly come to life, from the hero Shane and the heroine Jen St. James, a nurse who works as a nurse in the army hospital, to the men under Shane’s command and the friends of Jen, each one is so fully alive, you could swear you are reading about real people.

And while this is a romance, it’s a romance plus so much more. It’s about loss, the loss of a way of life for Shane when he is severely injured and shipped home to recuperate. His whole identity is wrapped up in leading his men and he’s lost when he can’t be there to protect them. It’s about physical loss with Jen. She has lost a part of her body and hasn’t come to terms with it yet. She is unprepared really for the desire that flares between her and Shane. It’s about the loss of a partner that Jen’s best friend feels every time her husband and good friend of Shane’s is shipped into combat and it’s about the loss of friends that plagues one of the men under Shane who has also been seriously injured while fighting for his country.

And it’s about healing. It’s how Shane and Jen heal each other. Shane is a loner who hasn’t had much of a personal life; he didn’t know who his father was, his mother was a drunk and his ex-wife cheated on him and took him to the cleaners. So he is awed by Jen and who she is. And with Shane, Jen is forced to confront her own issues that have remained unresolved.

While this is an intense and emotional book, there are wonderful moments of humour, especially in the hilarious character of Carponti, one of Shane’s men and the bane of his existence.
(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Julie Ramsey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: done

Jen is a nurse. She had a battle with breast Cancer and lost one breast but is alive. She thinks who will love her again, flawed and damaged. Shane a Sargent in the military is about to deploy. At the party the night before deployment the two bump into each other. The connection between the two surprises the both of them. One kiss as he walks to her car, starts feelings they both have longed for. After being wounded in combat, she comes home damaged, alive. Jen one of his nurses remembers the ki...more

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Jun 26, 2012 Lisa Markson rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lisa's review of
Because Of You
By Jessica Scott

I received a copy of Because of You by Jessica Scott in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this book. For one thing loved the gorgeous guy on cover that is what initially caught my eyes. Jessica is military so writing a military romance was perfect. The flow of this book kept me from putting it down. Shane is in the military and he meets his friends Trent at a local bar before shipping out on deployment. While there he meets Jen. Somet...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Melody May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, contemporary

Last night I finished Because of You due the fact I couldn't sleep. A lot of it has to do with, we were in a tornado watch. Let me just say I don't do well with that. I'm surprise how well I handle the north west part of Louisiana when we lived there. However, I need to write about what I thought about the book.

In the story we meet we meet Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison, he's about ready to head back to Iraq and he wants to go. He pretty much has nothing left in the states until he meets Je...more

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