Review: Because of You by Jessica Scott

Because of You (goodreads.com)

By: Jessica Scott (author website)

eBook, 262 pages

Published November 14th 2011 by Random House Publishing Group (first published 2011)

ISBN 13: 9781448111411

Source: Author, for the purpose of an honest review

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Military

Series: Coming Home, book #1

Stars: 4

Flames: 3

The night before Shane leaves for deployment he meets an amazing woman, Jen. Jen leaves him feeling that he actually has a reason to come home this time. It was a brief encounter, but they both knew that there could possibly be something there. Due to an attack Shane is coming home much sooner than he ever expected. Severely wounded Shane finds himself a patient at the hospital Jen is a nurse at.

I really enjoyed Jen and Shane’s story. They worked great as a couple. They both have wounds that need healing. Jen and Shane needed the other to point out that the wounds that need healing in fact exist, even though they each have some hitches when it comes to acknowledging them.

I liked that Shane and Jen were not the only couple I got to know while reading. Jen and Shane have some amazing friends who were given small side stories. Vic and Nikki, and Laura and Trent, are great additions to this book. Vic and Trent’s lives as military men and how it affects their relationships with their wives was a great added contrast while reading the budding new relationship between Jen and Shane.

Because of You was a different type of romance for me in many ways. This book comes with an immense slice of reality that most people know exists, but probably never knew it existed to this extent. That part of the book is sad and heartbreaking. Shane brings some baggage to an awkward and very new relationship. He doesn’t know that Jen has her own baggage. They have a very sweet love story that takes readers down a long, emotional road. I was so happy that they found a way to overcome the numerous hurdles in front of them.

If you are looking for a fantasy romance and a break for the real world, this is not the book for you. It is very realistic and deals with some very heavy topics. I would not describe the book as depressing, but Because of You is definitely heartbreaking at times, the realities that the men and women of the military and their loved one face are described with accurate detail in this book.

The next book in the series Until There Was You will be out October 8, 2012. I am looking forward to reading it.