Book Review: Until There Was You by Jessica Scott

Title: Until There Was You (Coming Home #2)
Author: Jessica Scott
Release Date: October 8th 2012
Publisher: Loveswept (A Loveswept Contemporary Military Romance)
Source: Received from the author for an honest review

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.

My Thoughts

I read Jessica Scott's first novel in her Coming Home series, Because Of You and you can read my review here.

I started reading Until There Was You, hoping for a similarly well written story and well defined characters that the author had presented with her first novel.
Unfortunately, I found myself floundering and feeling let down by its distinct lack of the afore mentioned qualities.

I did not like, nor was I able to connect with Claire. She's pushy and rude, and while I understand that there is a certain need to be strong willed and stoic in the military, she just came across as a bitch.
And while Evan is described as a rigid officer who puts the rules before everything else, he actually comes off as more of an uptight coward who hides behind the rules.
I just struggled to find anything to like about either of the MC's.

The story also, was far more about their training and getting ready for deployment than it was about a building romance. I was bogged down with military drills and procedures, infighting amongst the ranks, and the senseless drivel presented by the secondary characters that I guess was supposed to strengthen the main storyline.

I just felt that the whole book needed another edit, the story fleshed out some more, the characters built up and refined, and more romance and feeling added because I just didn't feel anything, and therefore I didn't enjoy this book on any level.

I do however think that Jessica Scott can write a good story, but this one needed more work, and in order to be a romance there needed to be more attention spent building the attraction and sexual heat between her characters, that was evident in her first book.
 
For me, this was a disappointing follow up, 2 Stars :|

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