Because of You

(Coming Home #1)

by: Jessica Scott

Publishing Date: 11/14/11

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Genre: Military Contemporary Romance

Source: Provided by Author

Buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Description:

From the war-torn streets of Baghdad to the bittersweet comforts of the home front, two wounded hearts navigate the battlefield of coming home from war in this explosive eBook original from newcomer Jessica Scott.
Keeping his men alive is all that matters to Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison. But meeting Jen St. James the night before his latest deployment makes Shane wonder if there’s more to life than war. He leaves for Iraq remembering a single kiss with a woman he’ll never see again—until a near fatal attack lands him back at home and in her care.
Jen has survived her own brush with death and endured its scars. And yet there’s a fire in Shane that makes Jen forget all about her past. He may be her patient, but when this warrior looks her in the eyes, she feels—for the first time in a long time—like a woman. Shane is too proud to ask for help, but for Jen, caring for him is more than a duty—it’s a need. And as Jen guides Shane through the fires of healing, she finds something she never expected—her deepest desire.

My Review:
We were contacted by Jessica Scott last month to read and review "Because of You" for an honest review.

May I just say...I have found yet another author who can make my emotions go haywire.  There were times I was smiling, laughing (where I almost fell out of my chair), and of course crying (because this book was a tearjerker at times) when reading this on my Kindle.  
I fell in love with both of the characters, Shane and Jen because both characters had been scarred in someway and of course they're trying to deal with their problems in their own way.  Shane is a sergeant first class in the army and all he wants to do is go back to the sandbox with his boys and make sure they all come back alive.  Jen is the nurse he meets one night at a bar with his friends.  The minute he meets her...he knows she's something special.  Shane has dealt with a lot in his past.  He's trying to forget about his divorce with his wife and move on...but to move on...he considers deploying a lot with his fellow soldiers, the best way to heal.  Instead...he ends up injured and sent home.  That is when Jen comes into his life fully and he helps him deal with what happened to him in the sandbox.  Unfortunately, Shane is not having it.  He just wants to heal and get back with his men because in the bottom of his gut, he knows something is happening in his platoon and someone is not doing their job right and is blaming some of the casualties on Shane and his unit. 
Then there's Jen..and how she has her own problems, she's trying to deal with.  (Her story touched my heart once I found out what happened to her)  I don't think I've cried so hard in my life.  Between and her Shane's inner and outer demons...I had to have tissues near by.
Jessica Scott does a great job on telling the parts about the military and of course the problems that come with the military at times.  She also includes other characters in the book, that touch your heart also.
What I want to know is what happened to Trent?  That was one serious cliff-hanger.  Trent is one of Shane's best friends and he's also a Officer in the Army.  He is having his own issues to the book and his wife...oh boy...no won't go there because I will spoil the book.
I really do not want to spoil this book for anyone who is wanting to read it or now is thinking about reading it.
I'm really looking forward to the 2nd book now that comes out in October. Jessica Scott has a fan for life.  And by the way...I just love the fact that she is serving in the Army while she is writing.  =)  Thank you for serving, Jessica.
I recommend this book to readers out there that love military contemporary romances, love to read about scarred heroes/heroines (because they always touch your heart), and  readers who just want a book that takes you through an emotional roller coaster.  (Just a warning ahead of time, be prepared with tissues)

Jessica Scott's "Because of You" touched my heart in so many ways because she happened to address some issues that are happening in our military nowadays...one being the major concern, which is suicide and another one being divorce.  Being a veteran, myself, who served in the Navy for 10 years I witnessed so much in the military that civilians do not know about.  The one thing that always concerned me was the suicide rate in the military branches, especially during and after an deployment. =(  I wish they provided more help to the soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen that come back from a combat zone...especially when it involves family.  There are programs out there...but they really need to address it more.