Because of You

Because of You is the debut novel my author Jessica Scott, and the first book in her Coming Home series. From the author’s website.~

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.

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 (FYI, sexiest catheter removal scene I've ever read). 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.