Title: Until There Was You
Series: Coming Home bk 2
Author: Jessica Scott
Genre:Contemporary
He plays by the rules, she’s not afraid to break them. Now these two strong-willed army captains will prove that opposites attract . . .
A by-the-book captain with a West Point background, Captain Evan Loehr refuses to mix business with pleasure—except for an unguarded instance years ago when he succumbed to the deep sensuality of redheaded beauty Claire Montoya. From that moment on, though, Evan has been at odds with her, through two deployments to Iraq and back again. But when he is asked to train a team prepping for combat alongside Claire, battle-worn Evan is in for the fight of his life.
Strong, gutsy, and loyal, Captain Claire Montoya has worked hard to earn the rank on her chest. In Evan, Claire sees a rigid officer who puts the rules before everything else—including his people. When the mission forces them together, Claire soon discovers that there is more to Evan than meets the eye. He’s more than the rank on his chest; he’s a man with dark secrets and deep longings. For all their differences, Evan and Claire share two crucial passions: their country and each other.
I’m a sucker for great military story so when I was given the opportunity to read Until There Was You I knew that I was going to like it because Jessica has actually lived and still lives the life she writes about.
One of the things I liked loved about this story was how real it felt when it came to the military and how the people in the Army associate with each other. From how Evan and Claire can be together to how Claire shouldn’t have a friendship with her best friend simply because she was an officer and he was enlisted. Also the language they use. I have to admit I’ve read a lot of military romances and I’ve never heard half of the terms that are used outside the military shows my family loves to watch.
The story takes place over a couple of weeks while they are on a training mission, to prepare a unit for deployment. Because of the way Claire and Evan view orders they but heads a lot. All while trying to ignore the sexual tension between them.
I’m a sucker for damaged heroes and Evan is carrying around some massive trauma from when he was a teen, so much so that he struggles with letting anyone in. Until Claire railroads past his defenses.
It took me awhile to warm up to Claire, but once I did I really liked her, and understood why she wouldn’t turn her back on her friend and also why she had a problem letting people in.
One of the problems between Evan and Claire is how Claire is dealing with her best friend who is an enlisted man. I loved this story line and wanted more of Reza. I was really bummed when there was no real resolution to his story until I found out he is getting his own book.
I do have to admit that this was a romance unlike any romance I’ve read and I liked that about it. Neither Evan or Claire are hearts and flowers people. They are soldiers who have spent plenty of time in war zones and know what really matters in life. When Claire, for reasons you find out in the book finally makes her decision it is simple and very much in tune with who they are as people.
This is one book I can honestly say had me wanting more as soon as I finished it.
Grade B+
