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Coming Home #1
Because of You
“Because of You is a beautifully crafted, wonderfully emotional debut.”~ JoAnn Ross New York Times bestselling author of Honeymoon Harbor
Welcome Home - these are the words every soldier longs to hear after an endless deployment. But for Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison, there’s no one waiting when he arrives back at Fort Hood, unconscious and barely hanging on. The IED that nearly took his life took something more important - something he’s afraid he’ll never get back.
Working as nurse at Fort Hood’s busy hospital, Jen St. James has seen her share of wounded warriors pass through her hallways. But there’s something about Shane that draws her close, even when she knows her own brush with death has left her scarred.
As Shane struggles to recover, Jen is the only one who can see what’s happening to him. As the wounds of war drag him further away from healing and everyone around him who matters, Jen is there, pushing him, demanding that he continue to fight to get back to the only thing he believes he’s good at.
Along the way, Shane learns the hard truth about life without the uniform and discovers that maybe, there’s someone for him to come home to after all.
Welcome Home - these are the words every soldier longs to hear after an endless deployment. But for Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison, there’s no one waiting when he arrives back at Fort Hood, unconscious and barely hanging on. The IED that nearly took his life took something more important - something he’s afraid he’ll never get back.
Working as nurse at Fort Hood’s busy hospital, Jen St. James has seen her share of wounded warriors pass through her hallways. But there’s something about Shane that draws her close, even when she knows her own brush with death has left her scarred.
As Shane struggles to recover, Jen is the only one who can see what’s happening to him. As the wounds of war drag him further away from healing and everyone around him who matters, Jen is there, pushing him, demanding that he continue to fight to get back to the only thing he believes he’s good at.
Along the way, Shane learns the hard truth about life without the uniform and discovers that maybe, there’s someone for him to come home to after all.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
346 people are currently reading
3969 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Scott
32 books1,285 followersSign up for Jessica’s newsletter https://jessicascott.net/subscribe/
Jessica Scott Jessica Scott is a USA Today bestselling American author of more than 20 novels, including Because of You which launched Loveswepts Digital Imprint in 2011 as well as Homefront, and Before I Fall. She is an Army veteran, a veteran of the Iraq war, the mother of two daughters, a small zoo consisting of too many cats, dogs and the occasional domesticated rodent, and wife to a retired NCO.
Her novels comes from her personal experiences as a soldier, a mother, and an army wife and often explores themes of family, the legacy of war, challenges of military life, and includes contemporary military romances, psychological suspense, and nonfiction works.
Follow Jessica
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaScottAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicadscott09/
She's also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.
She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.
Author photo courtesy of Buzz Covington Photography
Learn more at https://www.jessicascottbooks.com
Jessica Scott Jessica Scott is a USA Today bestselling American author of more than 20 novels, including Because of You which launched Loveswepts Digital Imprint in 2011 as well as Homefront, and Before I Fall. She is an Army veteran, a veteran of the Iraq war, the mother of two daughters, a small zoo consisting of too many cats, dogs and the occasional domesticated rodent, and wife to a retired NCO.
Her novels comes from her personal experiences as a soldier, a mother, and an army wife and often explores themes of family, the legacy of war, challenges of military life, and includes contemporary military romances, psychological suspense, and nonfiction works.
Follow Jessica
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaScottAuthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicadscott09/
She's also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.
She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.
Author photo courtesy of Buzz Covington Photography
Learn more at https://www.jessicascottbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 375 reviews
November 23, 2013
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 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.If you enjoy romantic suspense and love reading about our emotionally and physically scarred heroes who, with the love of a good woman, combat their demons, then you might want to check this out. And if you enjoy a different perspective, heroines who carry emotional and physical scars who, also with the love of a good man, fight their own demons, then you definitely want to give this book a try. While it isn't without its flaws - at times it moved a bit slow and at other times things seemed a tad rushed, all-in-all this is an impressive debut novel. It’s unique, steamy, insightful, funny, inspiring… a truly entertaining story that has me very much looking forward to Ms. Scott’s next installment in the series, Until There Was You.
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.
November 14, 2011
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 so deserve.
When Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison regains consciousness after being critically wounded in an attack on his team in Iraq, he finds himself starring into the eyes of Jen St. James. On the night before his deployment four months ago, they shared one heated kiss and then gone their separate ways.
Jen St. James is a nurse and a survivor. After fighting her own personal battles, she fears never again being accepted and loved for herself because of the scars she carries. Seeing Shane again reminds Jen of the feelings that his unforgettable kiss triggered months ago, but also reinforces the pain of knowing that he might reject the real her.
Shane, who has an almost desperate need for fixing the problems of others, particularly those of his soldiers, suddenly finds his independence taken away by his injuries and he feels completely useless. Asking for help is and always has been a totally foreign concept to him. His divorce left him with no home or money and now because of his injuries he’s unable to fend for himself. Jen understands some of what Shane is going through and steps forward offering Shane not only a place to live while he recovers but a much-needed lesson in self-worth. Shane really doesn’t know how to handle his feelings for Jen. She’s touched his heart with kindness the likes of which he’s never known before, and much to his surprise he realizes his future is bleak without her in it. They are flawed characters who have each suffered betrayal, loss and pain, but find in each other the kind of love that looks beyond the physical imperfections and deep into the soul. There is an exceptionally touching scene between Jen and Shane where he proves beyond a doubt that his feelings for her reach way beyond the physical. Even the most critical and demanding romance fans will find the chemistry between them powerful and satisfying.
Jessica Scott has paved the way nicely for upcoming books in the “Coming Home Series,” by introducing a remarkable cast of supporting characters who skyrocket the first book from being excellent to exceptional. Among them, you’ll meet Captain Trent Davila and his wife, Laura, who are facing changes in their once solid and loving relationship. When Trent suddenly goes silent and Laura hears rumors accusing her husband of improper behavior with a female soldier, along with other worrisome concerns related to his job, she begins to fear her marriage is in real trouble and that the father of her children isn’t being honest with her. In addition to Jen and Laura, there are a number of other strong female characters who exhibit an appealing combination of toughness and vulnerability. Sharing girls night out with the female cast offered up some delicious girl-talk, as well as giving us their take on the more serious matters of the heart.
In the category of supporting characters, first prize goes to the young man wrapped in a bright yellow tracksuit resembling Sesame Street’s Big Bird. Sergeant Vic Carponti bugs his platoon sergeant more often than not, but Shane admires Carponti’s special gift for sharing his wicked sense of humor and making the best of otherwise grim situations for everyone’s benefit. Severely wounded in the same attack as Shane, Vic faces his future a changed man. Yet he proclaims he’ll be fine and that he’s lucky that he made it home without “TC” being blown away; otherwise, “he probably would have to kill himself.” I think you’ll be amused and entertained by Carponti’s personal account as to why he places so much importance on this “TC” character. Sgt. Carponti provides many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book but this one certainly made me hoot and holler the loudest.
Opening a window for us to look through into the realistic world of military life, the author details the daily concerns and problems facing soldiers and their families along with the toll it takes on them. Their stories are told with compassion and great skill. Whether she’s writing dialogue between the characters or using military terminology, the authenticity is front and center. The quick-witted banter between the soldiers seems very natural. I would bet that the bonafide soldier who authored this book has mixed in some actual conversations she’s participated in or overheard in her own experiences at one time or another in her military career.
From the beginning I was completely enthralled in this story. The hero will capture your heart and you can’t help but love and admire the heroine. At times, the story is heart wrenching and confrontational. All of the characters become real. You don’t just like them – you feel their hurt and share their pain. But most importantly, you’ll cheer for each and every one of them to achieve their happily ever after. Keeping your kleenex nearby is probably a good idea.
The hallmark of a great book not only excites, thrills, and keeps you thinking about it for a long time to come, but it leaves the reader begging for more – and this one certainly fits that description. BECAUSE OF YOU, by debuting author Jessica Scott, is an impressive start to a new series and I am pleased to recommend it without hesitation.
When Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison regains consciousness after being critically wounded in an attack on his team in Iraq, he finds himself starring into the eyes of Jen St. James. On the night before his deployment four months ago, they shared one heated kiss and then gone their separate ways.
Jen St. James is a nurse and a survivor. After fighting her own personal battles, she fears never again being accepted and loved for herself because of the scars she carries. Seeing Shane again reminds Jen of the feelings that his unforgettable kiss triggered months ago, but also reinforces the pain of knowing that he might reject the real her.
Shane, who has an almost desperate need for fixing the problems of others, particularly those of his soldiers, suddenly finds his independence taken away by his injuries and he feels completely useless. Asking for help is and always has been a totally foreign concept to him. His divorce left him with no home or money and now because of his injuries he’s unable to fend for himself. Jen understands some of what Shane is going through and steps forward offering Shane not only a place to live while he recovers but a much-needed lesson in self-worth. Shane really doesn’t know how to handle his feelings for Jen. She’s touched his heart with kindness the likes of which he’s never known before, and much to his surprise he realizes his future is bleak without her in it. They are flawed characters who have each suffered betrayal, loss and pain, but find in each other the kind of love that looks beyond the physical imperfections and deep into the soul. There is an exceptionally touching scene between Jen and Shane where he proves beyond a doubt that his feelings for her reach way beyond the physical. Even the most critical and demanding romance fans will find the chemistry between them powerful and satisfying.
Jessica Scott has paved the way nicely for upcoming books in the “Coming Home Series,” by introducing a remarkable cast of supporting characters who skyrocket the first book from being excellent to exceptional. Among them, you’ll meet Captain Trent Davila and his wife, Laura, who are facing changes in their once solid and loving relationship. When Trent suddenly goes silent and Laura hears rumors accusing her husband of improper behavior with a female soldier, along with other worrisome concerns related to his job, she begins to fear her marriage is in real trouble and that the father of her children isn’t being honest with her. In addition to Jen and Laura, there are a number of other strong female characters who exhibit an appealing combination of toughness and vulnerability. Sharing girls night out with the female cast offered up some delicious girl-talk, as well as giving us their take on the more serious matters of the heart.
In the category of supporting characters, first prize goes to the young man wrapped in a bright yellow tracksuit resembling Sesame Street’s Big Bird. Sergeant Vic Carponti bugs his platoon sergeant more often than not, but Shane admires Carponti’s special gift for sharing his wicked sense of humor and making the best of otherwise grim situations for everyone’s benefit. Severely wounded in the same attack as Shane, Vic faces his future a changed man. Yet he proclaims he’ll be fine and that he’s lucky that he made it home without “TC” being blown away; otherwise, “he probably would have to kill himself.” I think you’ll be amused and entertained by Carponti’s personal account as to why he places so much importance on this “TC” character. Sgt. Carponti provides many laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book but this one certainly made me hoot and holler the loudest.
Opening a window for us to look through into the realistic world of military life, the author details the daily concerns and problems facing soldiers and their families along with the toll it takes on them. Their stories are told with compassion and great skill. Whether she’s writing dialogue between the characters or using military terminology, the authenticity is front and center. The quick-witted banter between the soldiers seems very natural. I would bet that the bonafide soldier who authored this book has mixed in some actual conversations she’s participated in or overheard in her own experiences at one time or another in her military career.
From the beginning I was completely enthralled in this story. The hero will capture your heart and you can’t help but love and admire the heroine. At times, the story is heart wrenching and confrontational. All of the characters become real. You don’t just like them – you feel their hurt and share their pain. But most importantly, you’ll cheer for each and every one of them to achieve their happily ever after. Keeping your kleenex nearby is probably a good idea.
The hallmark of a great book not only excites, thrills, and keeps you thinking about it for a long time to come, but it leaves the reader begging for more – and this one certainly fits that description. BECAUSE OF YOU, by debuting author Jessica Scott, is an impressive start to a new series and I am pleased to recommend it without hesitation.
June 4, 2012
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 from the Desert.
But when I saw some of the high ratings given to this one by my friends, I had to take a chance.
I had a really hard time putting this one down, and while it has a slow-build romance, the whole story is so much more than just a romance. The writing in this story is fabulous. I think having two flawed characters meet before one was flawed is what helped this one become so much more intense and believable.
The heroine Jen went through chemo a couple years ago, and had a mastectomy. Her bff Laura is dragging her out w/her since it’s been close to 2 years since Jen went out. Also, it’s Jen’s first night wearing a falsie. She fidgets with her blouse and can’t get used to looking normal again. But her scar burns to remind her that while she may look normal, she isn’t “whole” anymore.
Shane is babysitting his platoon on their last night Stateside, when he accidentally bumps into Jen, one of the wives’ friend. He and Jen hit it off, they have a “moment,” and then they say goodbye, knowing that "moment" will be all they have. (meanwhile, their friends Laura and Trent bailed intentionally trying to give these two the push they need).
***Possible Spoiler***
The war-time action felt realistic, and was very easy to visualize. The injuries that occur are the kind too many of our troops are coming home with. And our hero comes home near death. [FYI I don't consider that a spoiler because half the book and most of the romance is dedicated to how he and the heroine interact after his injury] Jen’s a nurse and she and Shane will be seeing a lot of each other during his recovery and rehab.
I think what amazed me about this story is the way it was written-starting 5 years before, yet making it still feel real, and believable. I agonized over Laura and Trent’s relationship, and I waited on pins and needles for Vic and Nikki to come to terms with his loss.
This book did feel very real to me and it did hit close to home. The only thing I actually didn’t like was how Trent and Laura’s relationship was left hanging. Maybe because I was Laura for a while, maybe because my husband didn’t/couldn't talk to me for months while he was in Baghdad, or maybe because I just don’t like not having resolution, but for whatever reason, I hope they get a book, because their business was nowhere near complete.
I absolutely suggest this to all who want a well-written and realistic romance.
***Thank you to the author for the review copy
ETA:
I've spoken with the author, and Ms. Scott says Laura and Trent do have a book coming out in 2013 called Back to You.
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 from the Desert.
But when I saw some of the high ratings given to this one by my friends, I had to take a chance.
I had a really hard time putting this one down, and while it has a slow-build romance, the whole story is so much more than just a romance. The writing in this story is fabulous. I think having two flawed characters meet before one was flawed is what helped this one become so much more intense and believable.
The heroine Jen went through chemo a couple years ago, and had a mastectomy. Her bff Laura is dragging her out w/her since it’s been close to 2 years since Jen went out. Also, it’s Jen’s first night wearing a falsie. She fidgets with her blouse and can’t get used to looking normal again. But her scar burns to remind her that while she may look normal, she isn’t “whole” anymore.
Shane is babysitting his platoon on their last night Stateside, when he accidentally bumps into Jen, one of the wives’ friend. He and Jen hit it off, they have a “moment,” and then they say goodbye, knowing that "moment" will be all they have. (meanwhile, their friends Laura and Trent bailed intentionally trying to give these two the push they need).
***Possible Spoiler***
The war-time action felt realistic, and was very easy to visualize. The injuries that occur are the kind too many of our troops are coming home with. And our hero comes home near death. [FYI I don't consider that a spoiler because half the book and most of the romance is dedicated to how he and the heroine interact after his injury] Jen’s a nurse and she and Shane will be seeing a lot of each other during his recovery and rehab.
I think what amazed me about this story is the way it was written-starting 5 years before, yet making it still feel real, and believable. I agonized over Laura and Trent’s relationship, and I waited on pins and needles for Vic and Nikki to come to terms with his loss.
This book did feel very real to me and it did hit close to home. The only thing I actually didn’t like was how Trent and Laura’s relationship was left hanging. Maybe because I was Laura for a while, maybe because my husband didn’t/couldn't talk to me for months while he was in Baghdad, or maybe because I just don’t like not having resolution, but for whatever reason, I hope they get a book, because their business was nowhere near complete.
I absolutely suggest this to all who want a well-written and realistic romance.
***Thank you to the author for the review copy
ETA:
I've spoken with the author, and Ms. Scott says Laura and Trent do have a book coming out in 2013 called Back to You.
November 13, 2011
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. Jessica Scott wrote such a deeply emotional and overwhelming story, that reading about the internal struggles of these wounded men and women, portrayed in such a realistic way teared me up quite a few times, and I’m not really the tearing up kind.
Meet the heroine: Jen St. James, who is a nurse and breast cancer survivor. I found it incredibly brave and laudable of Jessica Scott that she chose to feature a cancer survivor who lost her breast as the heroine of her romance novel. Despite being grateful for still being alive, Jen still hasn’t come to terms of having lost such a primordial part of her feminity and herself and she considers herself a “freak” and damaged goods.
The hero of Because of You is Shane Garrison an infantry platoon sergeant and a dreamy hero: besides the swoonworthy physical attributes (tall, strong and handsome), he is extremely responsible, honourable and generous. Following a vicious attack Shane is sent back home to heal and Jen is one of the nurses taking care of him.
The love developed gradually and in a very realistic way between Shane and Jen, Jessica Scott didn't gloss over Shane's injuries and make them "alibi wounds" just to land him near a nurse. No, Shane's suffering because of him losing his identity was real and heart-wrenching.
"I don’t want help. I don’t need your help. I want to get fixed and get back to Iraq."
Shane had difficulty defining himself as anything else than the infantry platoon sergeant he was/is. His whole life revolves around the army and his boys. His sense of responsibility and commitment for his men was both troubling and astonishing. Troubling because it added heavy weights to his shoulders and conscience and astonishing that he felt so deeply responsible for other grown up people.
"I am. That’s what I do. I fix my soldier’s problems. I let them lean on me when things in their lives are broken. I take care of them."
His devotion to his men moved me to tears. It was heartbreaking reading about his terror, revulsion and despair at having lost the main part of his identity, the part which he feels defines him, how he feels completely lost and confused not being a soldier anymore.
(and I have to note here that Shane's inner thoughts and memories were written in such a distinctly male voice that I find it extraordinary a woman managed to channel such a masculine character and train of thought, so kudos to Jessica Scott!)
In Because of You Jessica Scott showed us how two strong but scarred and lost people surmount their vulnerabilities to open themselves to love and each other. An exceptionally emotional, moving and overwhelming read I can only recommend to everyone!
What I loved more than anything about Because of You was the authentic voice of Jessica Scott, how believable the story was because she wrote most of it from personal experience. Being a European civilian I don’t have any connection to the army besides the occasional military fiction novel I read, but through her vivid and emotional narrative I got a glimpse at what it must feel like to have someone in the army or be in the army. Reading Shane's thoughts, reading the wives' and girlfriends thoughts on their men's deployment was both eye-opening and moving. Jessica Scott showed the not so glossy side of being an army wife, the constant worrying, struggles, heartache and fear of drifting away emotionally from your husband.
"I’m not a single parent by choice, I’m a single parent by my husband’s choice. He’s literally been home for long enough to get me pregnant and that’s it.” She bit her lips and stared into space.
The truth behind Jessica Scott's words resonated through the pages.
"It doesn’t get any easier no matter how many times you say good-bye."
"Deployments were filled with long bouts of boredom and loneliness, punctuated by bursts of pure terror and an overdose of adrenaline."
But I have to mention that besides being such a heavily emotional story, Jessica Scott managed to pepper the novel with laugh out loud humour (Thundercock, hospital erection scene just to mention two of my favourites *wink*).
Verdict: Prepare several boxes of tissues because you will need them. Because of You is an incredibly raw read, it held my heart in a painful squeeze and made me try to swallow my tears so many times I lost count. It is not a light roses and sunshine romance, it is full of angst, pain and emotional suffering because the story is so very real. I teared up, my heart aching for these poor men and women and their torment. Because of You is an extremely powerful and emotional debut novel, one that will squeeze your heart and resonate with you for several days.
I can't wait to read the next novels in the series, I am completely wrung but happy, Jessica Scott took me on an incredibly emotionally exhausting journey but the ending couldn't have been more perfect, so I await the next book with a happy sigh. :-)
That said, I can now tell you what an amazing read Because of You was. Jessica Scott wrote such a deeply emotional and overwhelming story, that reading about the internal struggles of these wounded men and women, portrayed in such a realistic way teared me up quite a few times, and I’m not really the tearing up kind.
Meet the heroine: Jen St. James, who is a nurse and breast cancer survivor. I found it incredibly brave and laudable of Jessica Scott that she chose to feature a cancer survivor who lost her breast as the heroine of her romance novel. Despite being grateful for still being alive, Jen still hasn’t come to terms of having lost such a primordial part of her feminity and herself and she considers herself a “freak” and damaged goods.
The hero of Because of You is Shane Garrison an infantry platoon sergeant and a dreamy hero: besides the swoonworthy physical attributes (tall, strong and handsome), he is extremely responsible, honourable and generous. Following a vicious attack Shane is sent back home to heal and Jen is one of the nurses taking care of him.
The love developed gradually and in a very realistic way between Shane and Jen, Jessica Scott didn't gloss over Shane's injuries and make them "alibi wounds" just to land him near a nurse. No, Shane's suffering because of him losing his identity was real and heart-wrenching.
"I don’t want help. I don’t need your help. I want to get fixed and get back to Iraq."
Shane had difficulty defining himself as anything else than the infantry platoon sergeant he was/is. His whole life revolves around the army and his boys. His sense of responsibility and commitment for his men was both troubling and astonishing. Troubling because it added heavy weights to his shoulders and conscience and astonishing that he felt so deeply responsible for other grown up people.
"I am. That’s what I do. I fix my soldier’s problems. I let them lean on me when things in their lives are broken. I take care of them."
His devotion to his men moved me to tears. It was heartbreaking reading about his terror, revulsion and despair at having lost the main part of his identity, the part which he feels defines him, how he feels completely lost and confused not being a soldier anymore.
(and I have to note here that Shane's inner thoughts and memories were written in such a distinctly male voice that I find it extraordinary a woman managed to channel such a masculine character and train of thought, so kudos to Jessica Scott!)
In Because of You Jessica Scott showed us how two strong but scarred and lost people surmount their vulnerabilities to open themselves to love and each other. An exceptionally emotional, moving and overwhelming read I can only recommend to everyone!
What I loved more than anything about Because of You was the authentic voice of Jessica Scott, how believable the story was because she wrote most of it from personal experience. Being a European civilian I don’t have any connection to the army besides the occasional military fiction novel I read, but through her vivid and emotional narrative I got a glimpse at what it must feel like to have someone in the army or be in the army. Reading Shane's thoughts, reading the wives' and girlfriends thoughts on their men's deployment was both eye-opening and moving. Jessica Scott showed the not so glossy side of being an army wife, the constant worrying, struggles, heartache and fear of drifting away emotionally from your husband.
"I’m not a single parent by choice, I’m a single parent by my husband’s choice. He’s literally been home for long enough to get me pregnant and that’s it.” She bit her lips and stared into space.
The truth behind Jessica Scott's words resonated through the pages.
"It doesn’t get any easier no matter how many times you say good-bye."
"Deployments were filled with long bouts of boredom and loneliness, punctuated by bursts of pure terror and an overdose of adrenaline."
But I have to mention that besides being such a heavily emotional story, Jessica Scott managed to pepper the novel with laugh out loud humour (Thundercock, hospital erection scene just to mention two of my favourites *wink*).
Verdict: Prepare several boxes of tissues because you will need them. Because of You is an incredibly raw read, it held my heart in a painful squeeze and made me try to swallow my tears so many times I lost count. It is not a light roses and sunshine romance, it is full of angst, pain and emotional suffering because the story is so very real. I teared up, my heart aching for these poor men and women and their torment. Because of You is an extremely powerful and emotional debut novel, one that will squeeze your heart and resonate with you for several days.
I can't wait to read the next novels in the series, I am completely wrung but happy, Jessica Scott took me on an incredibly emotionally exhausting journey but the ending couldn't have been more perfect, so I await the next book with a happy sigh. :-)
July 18, 2022
Because of You is the first book in the "Coming Home" series and after last Christmas when I read the novella that follows this book, I had been wanting to return back to this series. I liked that this is mainly just a military romance (without a ton of the suspense or danger factors) and I really loved seeing how our pair comes together. They first meet at a night before deployment celebration and there is a connection between them. But then Shane gets injured and Jen is a nurse at the hospital that Shane is brought to. I really liked what we see here with these two and seeing how Jen helps Shane get through his injuries and come to terms with overcoming them. I really like how Jen is exactly the type of woman that Shane needs. She has a kind gentle heart, but she can also be firm when she needs to be and gives the push that Shane actually needs. I really responded so well to this and seeing them bond in the way that they do here. I loved the antics from their friends and seeing how this book builds into what happens with "Book 2--and yes I immediately jumped into that one" and I was so captivated by the way that this author charmed my heart so quickly with this one here. There is such focus on character building and seeing how each our hero and heroine handles their disabilities and struggles with their health. I was so captivated in that our heroine has fought cancer and how that has affected her but seeing the beautiful way that Shane proves to her she is beautiful just the way she is and *my heart* was just captivated. Definitely intrigued to see what she builds within this series.
December 4, 2013
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 me, there was maybe too much unrelenting reality of life during and after war. The entire story, from beginning to end, was indescribably sad. Even the moments of levity were built on sadness. There just seemed to me to be no moment of personal triumph or breakthrough for any of the characters, and I have to feel that, at some point, in a story with this much pain and reality. I guess what I can say, is if the mark of success for a writer is to make the reader feel, then Jessica Scott met that mark...and then some.
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 me, there was maybe too much unrelenting reality of life during and after war. The entire story, from beginning to end, was indescribably sad. Even the moments of levity were built on sadness. There just seemed to me to be no moment of personal triumph or breakthrough for any of the characters, and I have to feel that, at some point, in a story with this much pain and reality. I guess what I can say, is if the mark of success for a writer is to make the reader feel, then Jessica Scott met that mark...and then some.
April 3, 2023
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
BECAUSE OF YOU (Coming Home Book #1) by Jessica Scott is an emotional contemporary romance and the first in the Coming Home series featuring a badly wounded military Sergeant coming home from Iraq and the nurse who cares for him but has scars of her own. I cannot believe I have not read any of these books previously because they are so well written with everything I want in a romance and the lives of the military personnel are so realistically portrayed.
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison takes the care, training, and safety of his men very seriously. Four months into the surge in Iraq, he is seriously injured by an IED and shipped back home to the hospital at Ft. Hood. With one arm in a cast and both legs in pin traction, he is afraid he will never get back to his men.
Jen St. James is a nurse at Ft. Hood’s hospital and has taken care of many soldiers returning home. When she sees Shane in the hospital there is still an attraction that was there when they met at a deployment party before he shipped out. Jen pushes Shane to fight not only to heal physically, but to find how to move forward. But Jen is hiding scars from a battle of her own and needs to learn to move on, also.
I could not put this book down! Shane and Jen were both compelling main characters that kept me on their emotional roller coaster from their first meeting until the end of the book. The secondary characters are just as vividly drawn and believable. I was pulled into the lives of them all. The author shines a realistic light on many of the daily problems facing military personnel and their family members. The dialogue was stark and graphic on some difficult topics, but also had moments of humor. The romance progressed at a believable pace with the emotional trust that had to be achieved with eventual sex scenes that were explicit, but not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this contemporary military romance! One good thing about finding this series now is that I have several more books already available to read in the series.
BECAUSE OF YOU (Coming Home Book #1) by Jessica Scott is an emotional contemporary romance and the first in the Coming Home series featuring a badly wounded military Sergeant coming home from Iraq and the nurse who cares for him but has scars of her own. I cannot believe I have not read any of these books previously because they are so well written with everything I want in a romance and the lives of the military personnel are so realistically portrayed.
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison takes the care, training, and safety of his men very seriously. Four months into the surge in Iraq, he is seriously injured by an IED and shipped back home to the hospital at Ft. Hood. With one arm in a cast and both legs in pin traction, he is afraid he will never get back to his men.
Jen St. James is a nurse at Ft. Hood’s hospital and has taken care of many soldiers returning home. When she sees Shane in the hospital there is still an attraction that was there when they met at a deployment party before he shipped out. Jen pushes Shane to fight not only to heal physically, but to find how to move forward. But Jen is hiding scars from a battle of her own and needs to learn to move on, also.
I could not put this book down! Shane and Jen were both compelling main characters that kept me on their emotional roller coaster from their first meeting until the end of the book. The secondary characters are just as vividly drawn and believable. I was pulled into the lives of them all. The author shines a realistic light on many of the daily problems facing military personnel and their family members. The dialogue was stark and graphic on some difficult topics, but also had moments of humor. The romance progressed at a believable pace with the emotional trust that had to be achieved with eventual sex scenes that were explicit, but not gratuitous.
I highly recommend this contemporary military romance! One good thing about finding this series now is that I have several more books already available to read in the series.
January 9, 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 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.
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.
November 30, 2011
I heard so much buzz about this book that I had to try it and I do have mixed reactions about it. It was authentic no doubt about it, the pain of coming back from war, the brutal recovery, physical as well as emotional scars but I don't know it was too heavy about everything and that is not a bad thing I guess, but I wasn't sure I was expecting that.
The book starts with Shane finding out that his wife filed for divorce and he is relieved because he has always been good at one thing, taking care of his men.
Over the course of the book I did feel he took the responsibility thing too far, it was just like that was the only thing that defined him.
Jen meets Shane before he is about to deploy and then they kiss which is surprising for her, ever since she lost one of her breast she hasn't felt good about herself. Then, she helps him deploy even when he is not fit.
And when he lands injured and sullen on her watch, she helps him even when his a jerk and more.
At the end of the book I wasn't convinced that these two had overcome their problems especially Shane and it did end on a cliff-hanger as far as the investigation part goes and Jen's friend and the state of her marriage.
I will be trying her next book but in being too realistic the book ended up being a bit of a downer, hence my down-grading the rating.
The book starts with Shane finding out that his wife filed for divorce and he is relieved because he has always been good at one thing, taking care of his men.
Over the course of the book I did feel he took the responsibility thing too far, it was just like that was the only thing that defined him.
Jen meets Shane before he is about to deploy and then they kiss which is surprising for her, ever since she lost one of her breast she hasn't felt good about herself. Then, she helps him deploy even when he is not fit.
And when he lands injured and sullen on her watch, she helps him even when his a jerk and more.
At the end of the book I wasn't convinced that these two had overcome their problems especially Shane and it did end on a cliff-hanger as far as the investigation part goes and Jen's friend and the state of her marriage.
I will be trying her next book but in being too realistic the book ended up being a bit of a downer, hence my down-grading the rating.
January 29, 2012
First let me say that this was a well written book. The characters, especially the supporting players, were likable and believable. The storyline was compelling and emotional. What wasn't working for me though was the actual romance. Not enough of it. The two main characters spend over half of the book apart, and instead we see Shane in the war zone. We see him interacting with fellow wounded soldiers in the hospital. We see our heroine going to lunch with her friends, consoling a friend whose marriage is falling apart, and we see her NOT fully dealing with the loss of a breast to cancer. When they do finally work through their issues and come together, it felt anti-climactic. When Shane told her he loved her, there was no basis for it, at least in my opinion. For me, this was a well written military drama centering around the lives of those who have seen the horror of war firsthand, and the loved ones on the homefront, along with a splash of romantic element. I think had the author spent more time developing the romance this would have been a 5 star read. Kudos to Ms Scott for an exceptional first novel, just not a romance, in this readers opinion. B+
December 31, 2011
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 the poor living conditions our wounded Heroes can find themselves in, the cuts the government makes that negatively affects the VERY PEOPLE PROTECTING our rights, about PTSD, the strain deployment puts on the soldiers, their relationships and the women who are left home for months at a time taking care of the children and wondering if they will ever see their loved one again.
This book came highly recommended to me and I am glad CO reminded me to bump it up on my TBR
To read my entire review visit
http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
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 the poor living conditions our wounded Heroes can find themselves in, the cuts the government makes that negatively affects the VERY PEOPLE PROTECTING our rights, about PTSD, the strain deployment puts on the soldiers, their relationships and the women who are left home for months at a time taking care of the children and wondering if they will ever see their loved one again.
This book came highly recommended to me and I am glad CO reminded me to bump it up on my TBR
To read my entire review visit
http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...
November 26, 2011
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 they are home.
Be prepared for a very emotional journal with this book.
I cannot wait to read the next book as there were many cliffhangers left at the end of this book.
Be prepared for a very emotional journal with this book.
I cannot wait to read the next book as there were many cliffhangers left at the end of this book.
December 3, 2011
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!
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!
December 6, 2011
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.
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.
December 6, 2011
***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.
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.
January 7, 2019
Because of You by Jessica Scott
What do you say to the wounded warrior who has lost his arm? What do you say to the female that lost a breast to cancer? How do they get past surviving to living?
This novel deals with the struggles of guilt, recouping loss and recovering trust within the confines of a military romance. It’s sensitive and compassionate in the form of a love story.
It’s the first in a series, so beyond the main couple, there is heartbreak that still needs to be resolved.
The first half went quickly. It’s was falling in love. The second half was drama and acceptance.
Inspiring and I now want to help support the wounded warrior projects.
I was a bit frustrated that the couple didn’t open to each other more. And I don’t think the sex was possible given his injuries. Love wins in the end though so I’m happy.
What do you say to the wounded warrior who has lost his arm? What do you say to the female that lost a breast to cancer? How do they get past surviving to living?
This novel deals with the struggles of guilt, recouping loss and recovering trust within the confines of a military romance. It’s sensitive and compassionate in the form of a love story.
It’s the first in a series, so beyond the main couple, there is heartbreak that still needs to be resolved.
The first half went quickly. It’s was falling in love. The second half was drama and acceptance.
Inspiring and I now want to help support the wounded warrior projects.
I was a bit frustrated that the couple didn’t open to each other more. And I don’t think the sex was possible given his injuries. Love wins in the end though so I’m happy.
October 5, 2012
3.5-4 Stars
I liked this story. The characters, writing, and story were good.
The lead female 'Jen' kinda got on my nerves, and I had a hard time liking her.
The lead male 'Shane' was really well written.
I really liked the 'Voice' the Author gave to the injured soldiers returning home from combat, and the frustrations of their families while their loved ones were doing a 'tour'.
... and because of the cliffhanger the author left at the end of the story, I now HAVE to read the next story in the series!
I liked this story. The characters, writing, and story were good.
The lead female 'Jen' kinda got on my nerves, and I had a hard time liking her.
The lead male 'Shane' was really well written.
I really liked the 'Voice' the Author gave to the injured soldiers returning home from combat, and the frustrations of their families while their loved ones were doing a 'tour'.
... and because of the cliffhanger the author left at the end of the story, I now HAVE to read the next story in the series!
March 5, 2012
4-4.5 stars
I really loved this highly emotional contemporary military romance novel. The author did a great job with the military details (she's a vet, so that's even more awesome), as with the portrayal of the effects of war on both the soldiers and their families. Some really important issues were visited in this book, including the high suicide rate amongst our veterans, and the stresses placed on marriages which lends to an increased divorce rate. I really appreciated how bluntly and vividly Ms. Scott addressed these things and I'm looking forward to her next book!
I really loved this highly emotional contemporary military romance novel. The author did a great job with the military details (she's a vet, so that's even more awesome), as with the portrayal of the effects of war on both the soldiers and their families. Some really important issues were visited in this book, including the high suicide rate amongst our veterans, and the stresses placed on marriages which lends to an increased divorce rate. I really appreciated how bluntly and vividly Ms. Scott addressed these things and I'm looking forward to her next book!
November 15, 2011
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 responsible for. The Army is his life and he is willing to do and sacrifice anything for it. The night before leaving he meets nurse Jen St. James. Sparks fly but they don’t give in to the attraction because he’s about to deploy and she’s recovering from the physical and emotional scars that breast cancer left her with.
A few months later Shane is seriously wounded and is now a patient at the Fort Hood hospital where Jen works. The road to recovery isn’t easy but thankfully he has Jen to help him through it, the connection between them is there but in order to have a normal and healthy relationship they must deal with their insecurities, scars and emotional baggage first.
In case you were wondering, this isn’t a romantic suspense. I know that when the characters are in some way connected to the military the rule is that the book immediately becomes a romantic suspense, there’s a bad guy in pursuit, and the leads must run for their lives. This is not the case here. The book is labeled as a contemporary romance, and that’s exactly what it is. It just happens that the characters are members of the military, and have military-related issues. But the bad guy isn’t a drug dealer or a terrorist, the bad guy is something that soldiers and their families must deal with every day, war, what it means to be a soldier in times of war and how to adjust to all the changes and consequences that war brings to soldiers and the people surrounding them.
Shane isn’t your typical alpha male who’s indestructible and never gets hurt and Jen isn’t a damsel in distress. They are real people with real problems. The characters in this book had so much going on in their lives that they didn’t have time to behave like genre stereotypes. Instead, they acted like regular people going through extraordinary circumstances.
I really liked how Ms. Scott portrayed Shane. She made him vulnerable without taking away his manliness, and you could see his pain. This is a guy who sacrificed everything for his job, a job he suddenly finds himself unable to do, and now he has to come to terms with his wounds and unclear future.
Jen was a wounded soul. She was deeply insecure after her mastectomy and was unable to see past her scars. She also had a tough road ahead of her, and I think that this was a character that perfectly illustrates how much easier it is to help someone go through the same issues you have so much trouble dealing with yourself. It was easier for her to tell Shane that he must see past through his injuries and deal with it, than it was for her to actually overcome her own insecurities regarding her disease and body. She was a multilayered character with a lot of internal strength and I think that we can all relate to her in one way or another.
The book has a strong cast of secondary characters, some of them likeable, some of them not so much. There’s an obvious set up for the next book’s couple and I’m curious to see how their story ends, because I didn’t particularly care for them or their choices. As I said before, the book shows us how being injured affects the lives of not only the soldiers, but the lives of their most immediate family as well. So there’s a subplot involving one of Shane’s teammates losing a leg and feeling survivor’s guilt, then another of his teammates loses a hand and acts in the complete opposite way. Both have tons of demons to battle, but they do it in different ways.
The romance develops very slowly and in a very realistic way. Shane and Jen are attracted to each other but they need to heal first in order to successfully be together, and the way their relationship develops reflects this. The overall pacing of the story was slow but never dull, and the best part is that it felt real. Ms. Scott knows what she’s talking about and it was refreshing to see a different take on the military alpha-male. It was a story completely character-oriented where everyone involved, and the leads in particular, do a lot of growing up and you can see how they change throughout the story.
The book isn’t perfect, there was a scene that had me raising my eyebrow at it, it involved a catheter extraction, an erection and Jen having improper thoughts about the whole deal, the scene was a bit off-putting in the sense that it was borderline unprofessional behavior and I think Jen should have been able to tune out her thoughts or just have someone else do the procedure, I might be making it sound worse than it was, but while I was reading it I kept thinking that it was just wrong. Then there are some unresolved issues that I guess will be part of the next book’s plot. The only characters that have a clear resolution are Jen and Shane, although I can see them taking part of the next installment as well. But this is an ongoing series so it’s a bit open-ended.
Overall it was a fascinating and engaging book, full of likeable and relatable characters, with an interesting take on the military hero and a very realistic plot. I recommend this to fans of contemporary romance, tough alpha-males with a huge hearts, and to those in the mood for a different type of military romance.
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
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 responsible for. The Army is his life and he is willing to do and sacrifice anything for it. The night before leaving he meets nurse Jen St. James. Sparks fly but they don’t give in to the attraction because he’s about to deploy and she’s recovering from the physical and emotional scars that breast cancer left her with.
A few months later Shane is seriously wounded and is now a patient at the Fort Hood hospital where Jen works. The road to recovery isn’t easy but thankfully he has Jen to help him through it, the connection between them is there but in order to have a normal and healthy relationship they must deal with their insecurities, scars and emotional baggage first.
In case you were wondering, this isn’t a romantic suspense. I know that when the characters are in some way connected to the military the rule is that the book immediately becomes a romantic suspense, there’s a bad guy in pursuit, and the leads must run for their lives. This is not the case here. The book is labeled as a contemporary romance, and that’s exactly what it is. It just happens that the characters are members of the military, and have military-related issues. But the bad guy isn’t a drug dealer or a terrorist, the bad guy is something that soldiers and their families must deal with every day, war, what it means to be a soldier in times of war and how to adjust to all the changes and consequences that war brings to soldiers and the people surrounding them.
Shane isn’t your typical alpha male who’s indestructible and never gets hurt and Jen isn’t a damsel in distress. They are real people with real problems. The characters in this book had so much going on in their lives that they didn’t have time to behave like genre stereotypes. Instead, they acted like regular people going through extraordinary circumstances.
I really liked how Ms. Scott portrayed Shane. She made him vulnerable without taking away his manliness, and you could see his pain. This is a guy who sacrificed everything for his job, a job he suddenly finds himself unable to do, and now he has to come to terms with his wounds and unclear future.
Jen was a wounded soul. She was deeply insecure after her mastectomy and was unable to see past her scars. She also had a tough road ahead of her, and I think that this was a character that perfectly illustrates how much easier it is to help someone go through the same issues you have so much trouble dealing with yourself. It was easier for her to tell Shane that he must see past through his injuries and deal with it, than it was for her to actually overcome her own insecurities regarding her disease and body. She was a multilayered character with a lot of internal strength and I think that we can all relate to her in one way or another.
The book has a strong cast of secondary characters, some of them likeable, some of them not so much. There’s an obvious set up for the next book’s couple and I’m curious to see how their story ends, because I didn’t particularly care for them or their choices. As I said before, the book shows us how being injured affects the lives of not only the soldiers, but the lives of their most immediate family as well. So there’s a subplot involving one of Shane’s teammates losing a leg and feeling survivor’s guilt, then another of his teammates loses a hand and acts in the complete opposite way. Both have tons of demons to battle, but they do it in different ways.
The romance develops very slowly and in a very realistic way. Shane and Jen are attracted to each other but they need to heal first in order to successfully be together, and the way their relationship develops reflects this. The overall pacing of the story was slow but never dull, and the best part is that it felt real. Ms. Scott knows what she’s talking about and it was refreshing to see a different take on the military alpha-male. It was a story completely character-oriented where everyone involved, and the leads in particular, do a lot of growing up and you can see how they change throughout the story.
The book isn’t perfect, there was a scene that had me raising my eyebrow at it, it involved a catheter extraction, an erection and Jen having improper thoughts about the whole deal, the scene was a bit off-putting in the sense that it was borderline unprofessional behavior and I think Jen should have been able to tune out her thoughts or just have someone else do the procedure, I might be making it sound worse than it was, but while I was reading it I kept thinking that it was just wrong. Then there are some unresolved issues that I guess will be part of the next book’s plot. The only characters that have a clear resolution are Jen and Shane, although I can see them taking part of the next installment as well. But this is an ongoing series so it’s a bit open-ended.
Overall it was a fascinating and engaging book, full of likeable and relatable characters, with an interesting take on the military hero and a very realistic plot. I recommend this to fans of contemporary romance, tough alpha-males with a huge hearts, and to those in the mood for a different type of military romance.
Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.
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October 16, 2016
10/10/2016 -- 4.5 Stars
I've read this book again and my original rating stands. This book started my love affair with Jessica Scott's books. I just love what she does with a military story.
Happy Reading!!
*****************************************
YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO READ THIS BOOK!
I rate this book 4.5 stars. Why, if so good, not 5 stars? I thought the ending a bit abrupt and the dialogue in a few places could have been more polished. But, I absolutely loved the book.
I have strong feelings about our "combat troops in arms". I've often wondered what it is like for the families of our soldiers who deploy multiple times. I've also questioned, like the author did when Laura said she wondered why some never deploy and others deploy multiple times. How do the "significant other's" left at home keep home and hearth together... God only knows. A strength like no other.
Another very important topic characterized in this book is the "walking wounded". Those who carry guilt for being the one to come home when others, maybe more "worthy" do not. I thought the insight the author shared on this particular issue and how these wounded soldiers helped each other through their feelings of "unworthiness" very significant. Then, we had our amputee's -- again, I thought she dealt with this in a very real, insightful and mature tone.
I haven't read a Loveswept book or a "small format" book in FOREVER. This book was recommended by a reader I follow; AnneOK. She and I usually agree, but not all the time, so I put this on my TBR list. Then, cruising B&N the other day and the Nook version was $1.99 - SOLD... But, I still didn't read it. It could have literally stayed on my TBR Nook pile for a century. But, last night, I had to wait in the car while my daughter bought pies for Thanksgiving [no, I don't bake - you don't want me to bake!!]. I had my smart phone, so I looked for something I could read on my Nook app and "not lose my place". I picked this one up, and the rest is history.... I could not put it down.
This book had so much depth; story, characters, back-story, etc. I can not wait to hear the finish of the Travis and Laura story. Poor guys are just hanging out there.
AnneOK, thanks for this rec... I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Happy Reading!!
I've read this book again and my original rating stands. This book started my love affair with Jessica Scott's books. I just love what she does with a military story.
Happy Reading!!
*****************************************
YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO READ THIS BOOK!
I rate this book 4.5 stars. Why, if so good, not 5 stars? I thought the ending a bit abrupt and the dialogue in a few places could have been more polished. But, I absolutely loved the book.
I have strong feelings about our "combat troops in arms". I've often wondered what it is like for the families of our soldiers who deploy multiple times. I've also questioned, like the author did when Laura said she wondered why some never deploy and others deploy multiple times. How do the "significant other's" left at home keep home and hearth together... God only knows. A strength like no other.
Another very important topic characterized in this book is the "walking wounded". Those who carry guilt for being the one to come home when others, maybe more "worthy" do not. I thought the insight the author shared on this particular issue and how these wounded soldiers helped each other through their feelings of "unworthiness" very significant. Then, we had our amputee's -- again, I thought she dealt with this in a very real, insightful and mature tone.
I haven't read a Loveswept book or a "small format" book in FOREVER. This book was recommended by a reader I follow; AnneOK. She and I usually agree, but not all the time, so I put this on my TBR list. Then, cruising B&N the other day and the Nook version was $1.99 - SOLD... But, I still didn't read it. It could have literally stayed on my TBR Nook pile for a century. But, last night, I had to wait in the car while my daughter bought pies for Thanksgiving [no, I don't bake - you don't want me to bake!!]. I had my smart phone, so I looked for something I could read on my Nook app and "not lose my place". I picked this one up, and the rest is history.... I could not put it down.
This book had so much depth; story, characters, back-story, etc. I can not wait to hear the finish of the Travis and Laura story. Poor guys are just hanging out there.
AnneOK, thanks for this rec... I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Happy Reading!!
December 24, 2013
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison is prepared for deployment the next day, when his crew drags him out for a drink before they go. Shane is not expecting to meet anyone, but something about Jen St. James has him wishing he had more time to spend with her before he leaves. Overcoming breast cancer, Jen is not ready to start dating, but she feels comfortable with Shane and wonders what might happen once he gets back.
When Shane is sent back after almost being killed, he is stunned to find that one of his nurses is none other than Jen. With both of them trying to heal old wounds, they find themselves supporting one another through the turbulent times as well as the next steps in their relationship. -
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=6638
When Shane is sent back after almost being killed, he is stunned to find that one of his nurses is none other than Jen. With both of them trying to heal old wounds, they find themselves supporting one another through the turbulent times as well as the next steps in their relationship. -
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=6638
February 5, 2013
I have nothing to say except I wish I had read this as soon as I had downloaded it. What an amazing, moving story.
The writing was superb. I felt every emotion the characters did. It felt like I had gone to war, the battle scenes were so well written. The struggles faced by the injured soldiers when they arrived home broke my heart.
Would it be strange if I just went and read this again now? Maybe, but I will be re-reading this one again and again. My only complaint is that I wanted so much more.
Jessica Scott, thank you for writing a military romance that was so true in the descriptions of the horrors these brave men and women face.
The writing was superb. I felt every emotion the characters did. It felt like I had gone to war, the battle scenes were so well written. The struggles faced by the injured soldiers when they arrived home broke my heart.
Would it be strange if I just went and read this again now? Maybe, but I will be re-reading this one again and again. My only complaint is that I wanted so much more.
Jessica Scott, thank you for writing a military romance that was so true in the descriptions of the horrors these brave men and women face.
November 14, 2011
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!
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!
October 23, 2012
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.
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.
October 21, 2019
***3.75 Stars***
They had put their two broken lives together and created something better. Something that was theirs alone.
Something that chased away their fears of being left, wounded and alone.
Something beautiful.
If you're a lover of military romances and a hurt/comfort plot, definitely pick this one up! This is my first Jessica Scott book (and turns out this is her debut!), but it certainly won't be my last.
As a former soldier herself, it's clear from the very first page that she infused every word with the emotion of what it means to be a member of the military, or be in that environment. Sometimes terminology went over my head, but I certainly can't complain about any lack in authenticity.
Shane and Jen were two characters that you immediately rooted for. And not only them, but the entire cast of secondary characters felt so real.
As the blurb implies, there's a lot of emotion packed into these pages.
Shane is struggling with his recovery after being hurt during his latest deployment. He's not only struggling with his physical injuries, but emotionally as well. He carries a lot of responsibility for his men, and he's having a hard time dealing with not being able to protect them while he's healing. Add in the fact that he's not used to having to, or being able to, depend on anyone else, and Shane's really having a tough go of it.
Jen is a caretaker. A nurturer. So it's only natural that she's chosen to be a nurse. However, she carries around scars of her own. Both physical and emotional. Having survived breast cancer makes her one tough badass, but she's having a hard time with the emotions her mastectomy have left. She feels less desirable, like less of a woman.
The attraction these two feel can't be denied, but their emotional hurdles are too high to jump at times. The slow burn was blazing through most of this book. And though I mostly enjoyed it, the frustration definitely started to slip in after the halfway point. There's only so much hot and cold, kiss and run I can take.
Also, the ending is rushed. Once Jen and Shane truly decide to gives things a go, we're given a small time jump and epilogue. After everything that built up over the course of the book, it felt unsatisfying. I really would like to have had a minute with them as a couple.
But, if there's one thing the ending succeeded at, it's leaving me intrigued for the next book. Even though I'm kind of confused about the whole missing equipment mystery angle, there's potential for a LOT of feels in Trent and Laura's book, and I'm dying to know what happened all those months that Trent was out of reach.
Overall, this was an engrossing read by a new-to-me author that sucked me in from the very beginning. Over the course of a couple of hundred pages, she seriously got me invested in this group of military men and the women in their lives.
June 22, 2012
Newly divorced, Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison is eager for his deployment to Iraq. After all, he is the one that all his men look to and look up to. He is a good man who feels he doesn't have much going for him after he allows his unfaithful ex have everything.
On the eve of the deployment he is goaded into taking time out with the men and some of their wives and girlfriends at a bar. He reluctantly goes along. The last thing he was thinking about was meeting a woman who would spur his interest, but that's exactly what happened.
Jen St. John has been through her own bit of anguish and has scars to prove it. After her own marriage fails, she feels somewhat unworthy of love and the daily reminder of her scars are proof enough for her to hide behind. A nurse in the military hospital, Jen deals on a daily basis with soldiers and their life threatening injuries unbeknownst to them, she is somewhat able to relate to them.
When Jen accompanies her friend out to a bar the night before the friend's husband leaves for his deployment, she finds herself attracted to the handsome but intense Sergeant When the evening ends in a kiss that neither soldier knew was coming, it changes them irrevocably.
Shane goes off to war with the constant reminder of that kiss while Jen remains on the home-front with it lingering in her mind. When the unthinkable happens and Shane is badly injured and sent to the very hospital Jen works, both must overcome their heartache and the ills that could make or break them.
I was very impressed with Because of You by Jessica Scott. Her first book, Because of You is gritty and honest. The reality that Jessica Scott may have lived through situations like this by way of her own military experience is daunting. This book has given me a greater respect for those you fight to protect our freedom as well as feel a sadness due to the trials and tribulations they must deal with on their own turf. It's not an in your face love story, it's subtle and cautious. Shane and Jen have more against them than the average couple and watching them work through their issues while trying to be productive and needed individuals in their daily lives is so refreshing. There are several back-stories going on that only add to the story and make one think, what's coming next. I eagerly await the release of the Jessica Scott's second book and recommend Because of You to all.
~KIMBERLY~
May 27, 2012
Because of you is about two souls finding each other - learning to live with the damage that war has brought and also pain of different circumstances. Learning to live, love and move on even though life has not dealt you the cards you wanted. Learning to lean on others for help in your time of need and learning to move on no matter what life has dealt you.
I’m a little in the dark on the military sides of things, having no one close to me deployed or in the military scene I found that Jessica’s descriptions were enough to keep me in the loop.
A well delivered story, with a deep plot, wonderfully crafted characters, with depth and definition, witty characters that will make you smile and chapters that flow smoothly till the last page has been turned.
I read this in one sitting from front page till back and really enjoyed it... It really sucked me in, brought tears to my eyes, and grabbed at my emotions. Jessica has put forth her emotions well, all descriptions easily envisaged and put forth. A military romance - filled with love, hope, friendship, courage, loyalty and learning.
The romance between Shane and Jen was slow and gradual, the love scenes heartfelt and enough for all those who enjoy a little romance in there reads. Id love to have seen more love between Shane and Jen but saying this the story was short where Jessica developed the love and story within the pair.
I enjoyed all the characters much so.... Carponti was my absolute FAVORITE...
Jessica has written the story where we will surely see more of the secondary characters in the next instalment. I look forward to seeing Laura’s story and see where she takes us.
** Because of you ** is a story about friendships and hardships, about letting go , healing and moving forward. It’s about overcoming obstacles that seem unimaginable. A quick heartfelt military romance that will pique your attention from end to finish.
Jessica Scott has delivered a wonderful debut novel here - I will certainly be looking out for more of her future works.
I’m a little in the dark on the military sides of things, having no one close to me deployed or in the military scene I found that Jessica’s descriptions were enough to keep me in the loop.
A well delivered story, with a deep plot, wonderfully crafted characters, with depth and definition, witty characters that will make you smile and chapters that flow smoothly till the last page has been turned.
I read this in one sitting from front page till back and really enjoyed it... It really sucked me in, brought tears to my eyes, and grabbed at my emotions. Jessica has put forth her emotions well, all descriptions easily envisaged and put forth. A military romance - filled with love, hope, friendship, courage, loyalty and learning.
The romance between Shane and Jen was slow and gradual, the love scenes heartfelt and enough for all those who enjoy a little romance in there reads. Id love to have seen more love between Shane and Jen but saying this the story was short where Jessica developed the love and story within the pair.
I enjoyed all the characters much so.... Carponti was my absolute FAVORITE...
Jessica has written the story where we will surely see more of the secondary characters in the next instalment. I look forward to seeing Laura’s story and see where she takes us.
** Because of you ** is a story about friendships and hardships, about letting go , healing and moving forward. It’s about overcoming obstacles that seem unimaginable. A quick heartfelt military romance that will pique your attention from end to finish.
Jessica Scott has delivered a wonderful debut novel here - I will certainly be looking out for more of her future works.
September 29, 2012
Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison is the consummate soldier. His first priority is keeping the men under his leadership alive. He meets Jen St. James, a nurse assigned to the same base in Fort Hood, Texas, the night before his deployment to Iraq and shares a single passionate kiss than neither of them can forget. Months later, Shane becomes injured in a near fatal attack and ends up in the hospital back home under Jen's care. Jen is a breast cancer survivor and understands first hand the mental and physical struggle to recover.
I loved both of these characters. Shane is an alpha male on steroids but what makes him so appealing is his absolute courage and commitment to the men assigned to him. This actually becomes the source of his issues when he's sidelined as he cannot get past the guilt and sense of failure for getting injured. Jen is just emerging after hibernating for almost two years following her treatment for breast cancer. She's still fragile in terms of her own identity but is tough when it comes to taking care of her patients, especially Shane. Their attraction was so adorable and it was touching to see Shane leveled by it. Their romance really works.
There were other characters that made this an even more interesting story, some heroic and others not so much. The wives and significant others of the deployed troops play an important role and makes this book even more poignant.
This is not an easy story as it deals with some very tough issues involving our servicemen and women who cope with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. It's enlightening in a way that's often uncomfortable when faced with all they have endured. However, I feel much better having learned this than not and it's obvious that the author is skilled in not only the facts and details but in how to tell the story.
I loved this book and am anxious to read the next ones in the series as there were some unresolved issues involving a few of the secondary characters. It's an extraordinary story and one that I highly recommend.
I loved both of these characters. Shane is an alpha male on steroids but what makes him so appealing is his absolute courage and commitment to the men assigned to him. This actually becomes the source of his issues when he's sidelined as he cannot get past the guilt and sense of failure for getting injured. Jen is just emerging after hibernating for almost two years following her treatment for breast cancer. She's still fragile in terms of her own identity but is tough when it comes to taking care of her patients, especially Shane. Their attraction was so adorable and it was touching to see Shane leveled by it. Their romance really works.
There were other characters that made this an even more interesting story, some heroic and others not so much. The wives and significant others of the deployed troops play an important role and makes this book even more poignant.
This is not an easy story as it deals with some very tough issues involving our servicemen and women who cope with multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. It's enlightening in a way that's often uncomfortable when faced with all they have endured. However, I feel much better having learned this than not and it's obvious that the author is skilled in not only the facts and details but in how to tell the story.
I loved this book and am anxious to read the next ones in the series as there were some unresolved issues involving a few of the secondary characters. It's an extraordinary story and one that I highly recommend.
November 27, 2011
3.5 Stars
There was a lot of buzz about Because of You before it’s release since it’s the 1st new release of the revitalized Loveswept line and I was really looking forward to reading this. I was a big fan of the Loveswept line of books back in the day and I’m glad they’re making a comeback.
I found this book to be quite a heavy, angst-filled book. I personally wouldn’t recommend reading it if you are looking for a light, fun-filled story or if you are feeling even slightly depressed.
There is some comic relief in the book in the character of Vic Carponti, but even all his antics seemed liked a defence mechanism to hide from the pain he was experiencing. But the naming of his penis TC and what that stands for made me laugh out loud.
I will admit to being intrigued by the heroine Jen St. James and her physical handicap. I found it very realistic and not usually something you read about in romance novels. Jen’s been through her own hardships with her health, so she knows a little something about having experienced a massive low point in her life. It makes her the perfect person to be right by Shane’s side for his recovery and rehab when he returns home from the war - barely alive, his body broken and his spirits hanging on by a thread. His whole identity is so closely tied to who he is as a military leader and now he’s the last person who can be there for his men.
I’m not going to lie - I found this story to be a bit depressing, but maybe that was because it hit too close to the truth...about the pain and suffering men (and women) returning home from war go through.
There is a second book in the series Back to You and I will probably read it because of the set up for Trent and Laura’s story- I do want to see how it gets resolved.
There was a lot of buzz about Because of You before it’s release since it’s the 1st new release of the revitalized Loveswept line and I was really looking forward to reading this. I was a big fan of the Loveswept line of books back in the day and I’m glad they’re making a comeback.
I found this book to be quite a heavy, angst-filled book. I personally wouldn’t recommend reading it if you are looking for a light, fun-filled story or if you are feeling even slightly depressed.
There is some comic relief in the book in the character of Vic Carponti, but even all his antics seemed liked a defence mechanism to hide from the pain he was experiencing. But the naming of his penis TC and what that stands for made me laugh out loud.
I will admit to being intrigued by the heroine Jen St. James and her physical handicap. I found it very realistic and not usually something you read about in romance novels. Jen’s been through her own hardships with her health, so she knows a little something about having experienced a massive low point in her life. It makes her the perfect person to be right by Shane’s side for his recovery and rehab when he returns home from the war - barely alive, his body broken and his spirits hanging on by a thread. His whole identity is so closely tied to who he is as a military leader and now he’s the last person who can be there for his men.
I’m not going to lie - I found this story to be a bit depressing, but maybe that was because it hit too close to the truth...about the pain and suffering men (and women) returning home from war go through.
There is a second book in the series Back to You and I will probably read it because of the set up for Trent and Laura’s story- I do want to see how it gets resolved.
April 24, 2020
Jessica Scott’s Coming Home series is beautifully written and totally gut-wrenching. Her characters are powerful, often damaged by experiences that no one should ever have to endure, and their emotions ring as true as only someone who has lived through the chaos of war and the wrenching adjustment to life in the so-called “normal” world could possibly understand—and write in a manner that makes the story all too real. This amazing author, an Iraq war veteran, an active duty army officer as well as a mom and a wife pulls the reader into the minds of men and women whose struggles had me in tears more than I expected when I started the book—a tribute to the author’s skill in creating emotional depth that is all too real.
BECAUSE OF YOU is the first in the Coming Home series. Sgt. Shane Garrison and Jen St. James are both damaged—they each wear their own scars, inside and out, but they’re such admirable people, both of them as different as night and day, yet sharing a core of goodness that is uplifting in spite of the pain that defines them. I really could not put this book down. It’s a special release, as the author says, to mark ten years since she returned from Iraq and began her own journey back into some semblance of normal.
One thing I will say about Jessica Scott’s writing...it is so far beyond “normal” as to create its own level of amazing. I definitely recommend this book, I encourage you to read it and be prepared to read the entire series, and anything else this author has written. Truly a beautifully told story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the final page.
BECAUSE OF YOU is the first in the Coming Home series. Sgt. Shane Garrison and Jen St. James are both damaged—they each wear their own scars, inside and out, but they’re such admirable people, both of them as different as night and day, yet sharing a core of goodness that is uplifting in spite of the pain that defines them. I really could not put this book down. It’s a special release, as the author says, to mark ten years since she returned from Iraq and began her own journey back into some semblance of normal.
One thing I will say about Jessica Scott’s writing...it is so far beyond “normal” as to create its own level of amazing. I definitely recommend this book, I encourage you to read it and be prepared to read the entire series, and anything else this author has written. Truly a beautifully told story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished the final page.
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