Review: Compelling Story of Broken but Strong Characters
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 25, 2012
With it's compelling story and broken but strong characters, Because of You is a story of finding love and the courage to move forward.Some days, I am so happy to be an adult. I've always been a bit of a "genre jumper, bouncing back and forth based on what I want to read on any given day. But sometimes, I just want a good adult romance with an alpha male and the woman who can break down his walls. That's exactly what I got with Because of You. Contemporary Military Romance is a new sub-genre to me. I can already tell that I like it, though. The underlying issues with military life lends extra drama to the story. Because of You takes the reader on a gripping journey as Shane and Jen meet right before deployment, to the Middle East while Shane is on tour, and back home with him returning broken and defeated, and under Jen's care. But they physical healing is only half the battle. Jen and Shane both have emotional baggage they must work through if they ever want to have a relationship.Shane is a tough, respected leader amongst men. But without a family at home, his fellow soldiers are his only family. Keeping them as safe as possible, bringing them back home is his focus in life. He considers every loss on the battlefield as a personal failure. He sees his broken body as a failure. As a reader, someone on the outside looking in, it's so easy to listen to Shane beat himself up and say "Snap out of it!". But we all know guilt is a tricky thing, and Shane's is understandable and realistic.But Shane is also a man. A man who wants the woman who is nursing him back to health. And I promise you, that leads to some very funny, vulnerable, and sexy situations. Ultimately, I  fond Shane to be kind, honorable, and sexy as hell.Jen has some tough issues of her own. After a tough battle of her own, her confidence in her appearance is shot. She's a character that is easy to identify with, even without sharing her experiences. I didn't feel as if I knew her quite as well as Shane, but a lot of her story revolves around helping him. I did admire her strength and resilience, and the fact that she doesn't fight what happens between the two.Because of You was exactly what I needed, when I needed it. The story was heartbreakingly authentic. I loved Shane and Jen, rooted for them to get their happily ever after. Author Jessica Scott is a fantastic writer and I am looking forward to reading more from her in the near future. If I had any gripe about Because of You, it would be that a major issue with two of the secondary characters, Trent and Laura, was unresolved. I really liked Laura and wanted to know what happened next. Luckily, these two are getting their own book! I can easily say that if you are a lover of Contemporary Adult Romance, you will enjoy Because of You.