Review: A Powerful Journey
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 31, 2012
Until There Was You by Jessica Scott, is a realistic and intense, yet heart-warming Contemporary Military Romance. It is the second book in her Coming Home Series, the first being Because of You. The story is essentially a `behind the scenes' view of the tension faced prior to deployment at a Military training base. However, it's also a poignant look at the personal difficulties Military personnel can encounter both within the war and out of it. It is a reminder that people join the armed forces for many different reasons, some include running away from `real' life and others to supplement self esteem and purpose in life.Sexy, no nonsense, by-the-book Company Commander Evan Loehr and feisty, intelligent and luscious Captain Claire Montoya are our Hero and Heroine. Both Evan and Claire have suffered incredibly damaging losses and past traumas, which through years of practice have created seemingly impenetrable walls of isolation and unacknowledged loneliness. She saw him as Captain America, the man with the steel faade, unflinching in his ruthless need to follow the rulebook at all times. He saw her as reckless, a rule breaker.Yet, despite what appears as two people being so diametrically opposed in their opinions on warfare, the instant heat of attraction and lust was almost primal. The sexual tension between the pair was well written, as was their intense, sensual love-making. Despite not feeling particularly feminine nor beautiful, Evan had a way of looking at Claire, that made her feel radiant. Through Claire's tender care, Evan felt desired and for the first time in his life, "he dared to want something without the overwhelming need to control it".As with any relationship, trust and compromise is crucial. Evan and Claire who have spent five years mostly in conflict with each other, now face a different path, with choices to make, misconceptions to overcome. Their journey is not easy. Their struggles, fierce. What ensues is a perfect balance of conflict, romance and passion and a chance to heal past pain with love.The storylines were not all wrapped up neatly with a bow at the end, which makes you suspect and hope for a third book in the series, one in which you can continue to track the complex lives of the many flawed characters you've begun to love.For those of you who have no frame of reference into Military terminology, you might, like me, become a little lost at times, bogged down in unfamiliar territory. It wasn't distracting enough to deter interest, yet the jargon did at times feel unnecessary?My other bug-bear? This probably sounds absurd, but when the Hero's chest is described as hard, sexy and with dark, soft hair, why does the cover photo not reflect that?? Do most men in the Military wax their chests? I know, silliness!The book is worth a read, if you can deal with tension, flawed characters and deep, complex issues, mixed with raw passion and naked desire.