Back to You by Jessica Scott (excerpt, review, GIVEAWAY)

I am THRILLED that this wonderful story is in print and delighted to share it with you.

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Back to You by Jessica Scott (July 29, 2014; Forever Mass Market; $6.00)

He's in for the fight of his life . . . 
Army captain Trent Davila loved his wife, Laura, and their two beautiful children. But when he almost lost his life in combat, something inside him died. He couldn't explain the emptiness he felt or bridge the growing distance between him and his family-so he deployed again. And again. And again...until his marriage reached its breaking point. Now, with everything on the line, Trent has one last chance to prove to his wife that he can be the man she needs ...if she'll have him

. . . to win back his only love.
Laura is blindsided when Trent returns home. Time and again, he chose his men over his family, and she's just beginning to put the pieces of her shattered heart back together. But when Trent faces a court martial on false charges, only Laura can save him. What begins as an act of kindness to protect his career inflames a desire she thought long buried-and a love that won't be denied. But can she trust that this time he's back to stay?

Excerpt

His uniform scraped the edge of her cheek. His body was a solid wall beneath her skin and for a brief moment, she simply let him hold her. His strength wrapped around her, his scent pulled her close, reminding her that somewhere inside this man was the man she’d married. The man she’d loved.

She hadn’t meant to cry in front of him. Not again. But the truth had simply slipped free of the chains she’d attempted to bind it with, breaking her resolve until it emptied out of her, tearing free and leaving her drained.
 
It was a long time until the tears stopped. Her eyes felt swollen.
 
Now, she rested against Trent and closed her eyes. She simply stopped. Stopped fighting. Stopped arguing. Stopped resisting her stubborn heart that still loved this man no matter how many times he hurt her or lashed out.
 
His leaving, his anger: He wasn’t in control of those things. Not like she’d convinced herself he was in those dark days when the rumors and innuendos had been breeding like a live thing in the silence between them. But there was more at work here than her husband simply walking out on her.
 
He’d made a huge step by talking to the counselor. And he hadn’t needed to tell her about their conversation, but he had. Laura leaned back, refusing to believe the insidious voice in her head that said he was just telling her this out of sheer selfishness.
She lifted her gaze, looking deep into his eyes. She started to shift and pull away but Trent moved first, cradling her face with his palms. Gently, his thumbs caressed her cheeks, wiping away the tears.
 
“I’m so tired of screwing everything up, Laura,” he whispered. “I want to fix this. Not for the trial. For us.”
 
“It’s not that simple.”
 
“Yes, it is.” His voice was urgent and harsh. “I can’t fix what I’ve done. And I damn sure don’t deserve your forgiveness.” He lowered his forehead to hers, his palms warm and solid against her skin. “But I’m asking you to help me. Help me reset my normal. Help me learn how to be a dad again. A husband.” He blinked rapidly.
 
She pressed her lips together, biting back fresh tears. “And what happens when you leave again?” she whispered. “What do I do then?” She sniffed quietly. “You keep breaking my heart.” Her voice cracked.
 
His fingers crooked around her jaw. “I want to stop.”
 
They were tucked away in a quiet corner of the coffee shop. The couch was blocked by a high booth. No one could see them. Laura kept her eyes locked on his. Finally he’d laid his fears, his hopes, his dreams in her lap.
 
She could crush him so easily. A stronger woman might have walked away, doing to him what he’d done so many times to her. But she was not that woman. She wanted to end the pain between them, not prolong it.
 
She’d thought divorce was the right answer. Ending the sham their marriage had become, protecting their children from more pain. The kids were her life now and she would not apologize for that. For all intents and purposes, she’d been a single parent for years and that was okay because she knew how to do that. Now fear latched on to her heart. Fear that he would leave her again. That he would once again shatter her into a thousand pieces.
 
But he was here. At this moment, it was all she had. Without giving herself time to think about the consequences, she leaned closer and brushed her lips gently against his.
 
She pulled away before he could deepen the kiss. Fear and awareness and arousal skittered through her veins, making her off balance, like a needful, sensual thing. She’d grown accustomed to the hugs of her children, their wet kisses and enthusiastic embraces.
 
What she craved now was something darker. The faintest brush of lips against lips had sparked something primitive inside her. Something deeper and richer. A long-forgotten need to be touched by a man. But not just any man—by this man. His hands, roughened by combat, sliding up her thighs. The coarse pads of his fingertips caressing her skin.
 
Memories bombarded her as she attempted to lean away and salvage the remnants of her pride.
 
But Trent was not operating under the get-some-space battle plan. He reached for her, his eyes rich with dark emotion. His palms scraped against her cheeks, his fingers strong as his lips claimed hers.
 
His breath was a gasp against her tongue and for a moment, Laura was stunned into stillness, unable to move beneath the assault on her senses. But then her body remembered his taste, her tongue remembered his touch, and a warmth awakened inside her. She opened for him, stroking his tongue with hers, her body folding into his like it was meant for him.
 
Her every nerve came alive. A cascade of long-denied arousal mixed with bittersweet memories of other homecomings, other farewells. It crashed into them both, driving them under a torrent of emotion.
 
This was the man she had married. A man who could make her body purr just thinking about him inside her. A man who knew exactly how to kiss her to drive her wild.
 
This was the man she’d been waiting for. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into his lap and have that urgent, passion-filled sex of first homecoming.
 
It was a long moment before the arousal faded and she became aware of the tender, sucking kisses he placed on her lips.
 
Another moment before he rested his forehead against hers.
 
An eternity passed before the words she’d never thought she’d ever say again slid past her lips. “I miss you,” she whispered.
 
And for once, he did not pull away.

Buy Links:

Amazon
B&N

IndieBound

Books A Million

iTunes

About the author:

USA Today bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer; mother of two daughters, She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View: Regarding War Blog, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and has served as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas. She's pursuing a PhD in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I also am happy to be able to offer a print copy of this wonderful title to one lucky commenter.  Please leave a comment with a valid e-mail address about whether or not you have a personal connection to the military (and we are grateful to all of you who have served and sacrificed).  A name will be chosen from those who leave a comment after August 5, 2014 using Random.org.




  **********************************



 
5 out of 5 stars


 
Back to You by Jessica Scott is the searingly emotional military romance that continues the ‘Coming Home’ series and finally explores the relationship between Trent and Laura Davila that imploded in “Because of You”, the first story in this compelling series. An impending court martial continues to loom over Trent’s head but that pales in comparison to the disaster that his marriage to Laura has become and he struggles to find a way to reach the woman he has not ceased to love, despite her demands for a divorce. Trent must find a way to deal with his discomfort with his family, his distance from everyone he cares about, his crippling guilt, and the impending destruction of all that he has held dear over the years. The question is whether any of it is reparable or have things gone beyond the point of no return?


There are some stories that just touch the heart and make one suffer right along with the characters and root for them to get through the heartache and difficulties in their lives. Jessica Scott has created a cast of characters that are vivid, not just because of the poignancy of the issues they face...the constant threat to their survival, the strain on their interpersonal relationships, the repercussions of breast cancer, amputation, survivor’s guilt, PTSD...but also because they are not perfect. 

The harrowing journey to find himself characterizes Trent’s role in this story but the strengths and weaknesses that are displayed in his interactions with others plus Laura’s own reactions detail the cost that is often extracted by war and its machinery. There are many poignant scenes in this story, that reflect the deep love shared by these two people who have become so scarred by their experiences that they have lost touch with what they had but there are glimmerings of hope as well...”The overwhelming love that he felt for her was there. Like a sleeping thing waking from a long dormancy. It was fragile. Malnourished. But there, stretching after a long slumber...”



It is cathartic to watch the healing start as Trent finally gets some help “...what he truly saw was her strength. The strength to love his children, to keep their home together. To walk away when he hadn’t been enough.” and a memorable description of something called an ‘emotional rucksack’ helps shed a little light on the sometimes impossible pressure that soldiers force upon themselves with incredibly harmful repercussions. “It means that we all have the capacity to deal with bad news. And when the first piece of bad news hits, we can stuff it down and keep going. But eventually, our bags get too heavy and there’s no more room to stuff things down anymore.”


This is a great novel which combines a fantastic love story with harrowing realism about the cost being paid constantly for participating in war and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. 
© Night Owl Reviews 

I received a copy of this title in return for an honest review.   



                       





 

Back to You by Jessica Scott (Interview, excerpt, review and GIVEAWAY)

                                         



I am delighted to be able to share a interview with you that gives insight into the wonderfully talented Jessica Scott.  Not only do we need to be grateful to her and her husband for their service to our country and to their family for their sacrifice but we should also be so appreciative to her for giving us these fantastic stories that give us insight into those brave souls who sacrifice so much to keep all of us safe.

 BACK TO YOU Pre-Launch Blitz Q&A

 
Q:  You first introduced Trent and Laura a few years ago and readers have been eagerly awaiting their story for a few years.  Did you always know when you first created them in Because of You that this was how their story would play out?  

JS:  I knew they would have a story to tell but telling their story in this particular way, no, I didn’t intend it. It took finding my amazing editor along with multiple attempts at trial and error to get them just right. I’m a nervous wreck about their story but I’m also really excited because I’m very happy with how their story turned out. Plus, hamsters. Who can argue with that, right?
 

Q:  Back to You is the incredibly emotional story of a marriage at the breaking point.  What or who inspired you to write this story?
 

JS:  I remember standing in the ops one day and one of the guys was on the phone with his wife. He was telling her how much he was sorry, how much he didn’t want to work late. Then one of the other guys remarked that he always says that but he doesn’t ever mean it. So I had this idea of a man who was so driven to get back to war that he let his entire family and personal life suffer but I also wanted a wife who people could relate to, as well. Laura is Trent’s perfect complement.
 

Q:  In your own personal life, you’ve been the soldier that has deployed to a war zone and the spouse that stayed home and has taken care of the family on the home front.  Which was more difficult for you in your experience?  And why?
 

JS:  That’s a much bigger topic than we have time for but I’ll say this: each one has it’s own unique challenges. Being deployed, not being able to get home when your kids are crying that they want mommy, that’s brutal. It rips your soul out. But then coming home and your reality doesn’t live up to the fantasy? In some ways, I think it’s worse and that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. As far as being the wife at home? I remember vividly lying awake at night, obsessively checking to make sure my ringer was turned on. I never cared when he called, I just wanted to hear his voice. So which one is worse? I can’t really say. But I’m grateful that we’ve made it through each one a little bit stronger, you know?
 

Q:  Which is your favorite story to write—a reunion romances like Trent and Laura’s where each scene is alive with their own history or a fresh romance where they meet for the very first time and everything is new?  Why?
 

JS:  I love a reunion story. I love the idea being able to forgive and love the person you’re with right then and not the memory of someone. I’m a huge sucker for reunion stories, honestly. I love the reconnection, the noting of how things have changed, of learning to love that person all over again, especially after a betrayal or things didn’t work in the past.  

Q:  Trent is such a compelling character and you do a beautiful job of showing his survivor’s guilt and the resulting anxiety and fear that provokes in him.  He’s both so alpha and strong and so very broken.  What inspired you to create such a complicated hero?  A real life person?  A culmination of your own experiences?  What you’ve seen yourself in the army?  And were you at all concerned about the way readers would respond to him?
 

JS:  Trent is going to be hard for people to read, I suspect. He comes close to crossing some boundaries and I wanted to do that deliberately: I wanted people to understand that coming home from war isn’t cured in a day or a week. It’s a process. Someone like Trent who has bled in combat isn’t going to be okay after a night of magical sex. I know that’s the fantasy but I wanted something more: I wanted the fantasy that the couple will be strong enough to make it. So for me, Trent is deeply, deeply personal because I’ve seen friends struggle with some very tough choices. And the truth is, there is no magical cure but there can still be a happily ever after if you have someone strong enough to stand with you.
 

Q:  Laura is such an amazing character because she’s done the best for her family at every turn and supported her husband.  But when all communication breaks down with her husband and he just keeps deploying, she serves her husband with divorce papers while he’s serving.  It seems like such a taboo to serve papers while your spouse is deployed—is that true?  And why did you choose to have Laura, the ultimate good wife, respond this way?   

JS:  Laura sending Trent divorce papers while deployed I think is the ultimate prohibition. It’s just wrong on so so many levels and yet, I wanted to give readers a sense of what could drive someone to their breaking point. Laura is such a strong woman and yet, she broke. The strongest of us all have our breaking points. I wanted to show people how hard the war has been on everyone: not just the soldiers deploying but on the kids, on the spouses but I also wanted to give people hope, too.
 

Q:  Agent Chaos and Fluffy, the family hamsters, almost steal the show with their disappearing acts and they add the perfect amount of cuteness and comic relief.  What inspired you to add them into the story?
 

JS:  Ah, Fluffy and Agent Chaos. So for readers who don’t know, we have hamsters. It all started when we volunteered to buy the pre-k class pet. I didn’t realize that this would include home visits for the holidays. Fluffy was the first hamster and she promptly escaped within the first 24 hours. After that, we’ve become a multiple hamster household and well, when they escape, it’s madness because we have dogs and cats who, by some miracle, haven’t actually ever managed to capture one of the little buggers.
This story badly needed something to lighten it up. I thought adding in some escaping rodents would be the perfect thing to break up a really tough interaction between Trent and his kids. They provided a bridge for him to cross, a way to reach them while he was still getting used to them.
 

Q:  Big wedding or small?  Hamsters or dogs?  Sweats or lingerie?JS:  Small wedding. Both hamsters and dogs and cats. Sweats all the way.

 

Q:  Emma and Ethan, Trent and Laura’s kids, are adorable and watching Trent learn how to be a dad again is an amazing thing.  How do you think Trent got so detached from his family?
 

JS:  Coming home to be a parent again is probably the hardest thing soldiers do. The kids have changed, they have their own wants and needs and, well, they’re not your soldiers. They don’t listen like your soldiers have to. The noise and the chaos and the constant needs are really tough to get used to again so I think Trent just ran away because it was too much to deal with.
 

Q:  Since this is such an emotionally charged story, was it difficult for you to write?  Or did it come easily?
 

JS:  It was very, very difficult to write. I wanted to push boundaries and create at least a glimpse of what it’s like to come home. I wanted to give readers a taste of the emotions that people go through, the fear, the uncertainty but also the love and the hope and the relief that their loved one is home safe.
 

Q:  Since you’ve been in Trent’s shoes, what is the hardest thing about readjusting to civilian life after a deployment?
 

JS:  The crowds and the entitlement. To this day, I won’t go into crowded stores or wait in crowds. It’s suffocating. And it’s funny because when I first came home, I was so annoyed at people complaining about lines and traffic and school starting. I was just so grateful to be back. Now, I’m much more sympathetic to everyday gripes and groans. I think it’s just part of how we get through our days.

Excerpt:  

 “So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit?” she asked, minimizing her e-mail to be able to focus.
 

“Don’t throw me out of the office,” he said, trying to keep his voice light. “But I need to talk to you about Trent’s case.”
 

Laura leaned back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest, and started counting to ten.
 

“I know you’re having a hard time with him.”
 

Laura sucked on her top lip for a moment before answering. “I wouldn’t necessarily call filing for divorce a hard time.”
 

“And that’s what I need to talk to you about.”
 

“Patrick…”
 

“Just hear me out, okay?”
 

She ground her teeth but after a moment nodded.
 

“Listen, there’s no case against Trent. It’s weak at best. With the Article 32 about to start, we have a good chance of getting it stopped here before it goes to court-martial. But I need to plant doubt that the allegations against him are true.” He met her gaze. “I need you to do that.”
 

Laura chewed on her bottom lip, playing his words over and over in her head, not understanding what he was asking of her. “What do you mean, you need to plant doubt?”
 

“The primary witness against your husband, PFC Adorno—”
 

“Oh, we’ve met,” Laura said dryly.
 

Patrick’s smile was humorless. “Yes, well, that’s part of the prosecution’s problem. She’s alleging that Trent was inappropriate but the problem is that she and Lieutenant Randall were caught in their shenanigans downrange.”
 

Laura frowned. “So you think this is a ploy to get herself out of trouble?
 

“Her and her husband. If they were working together to steal the missing weapons systems, then what better way to get out of trouble than to make this stuff up against Trent? Takes the focus off her and her husband completely.” Patrick leaned forward, tapping his index finger on the desk. “If I can cast Trent as a sympathetic family man who would never do anything like what she’s alleging, this case is all but dismissed. I’m not attacking her. All I have to do is make Trent look better than the story she’s telling and we’ve got a win.”
 

“And you need me to paint on a happy face and be the loving wife.”
 

Patrick shook his head. “No, I need you to be one half of a loving couple. And I need you to do it publicly where everyone can see it—in the PX, in the chow hall, everywhere. I need the officers on this board to believe exactly what I’ll be telling them on the day of the hearing.”
 

She looked down at her empty ring finger, absently rubbing the bare skin beneath the bandage. “Everyone knows that we’re having problems, Patrick.”
 

“Then make sure everyone knows you’ve fixed it.” He leaned back. 

“I wouldn’t ask you to do this if I didn’t think it was our best shot at getting this whole thing thrown out.”
 

She looked up at him. “Why didn’t Trent ask me to do this?”
 

Patrick swallowed and looked away. “He refused to drag you into this,” he said quietly. “For what it’s worth, I don’t in a million years believe the allegations against Trent. I don’t think he would ever, ever be unfaithful to you.”
 

Laura pressed her lips together in a flat line. “You’re wrong, Patrick. He’s been cheating on me for years. It was just with the army instead of another woman.”
 

“Laura—”
 

“Let me think about it,” she said quickly. “I won’t say no out of hand but I can’t make this decision on a whim.”
 

Patrick leaned across the desk, gripping her hand. “I know this is hard for you, Laura. I know what I’m asking you to do.”
 

She said nothing for a long moment and he gave her a sympathetic but firm smile. “Give it some thought, okay?”
 

When she was alone, she sat there, staring at the picture of her family. Wondering how she was going to bring him back into the kids’ lives and then rip him out again. What he was asking wasn’t fair. He had no idea what this was going to do to her family.
She glanced at the photo on her desk as she typed furiously, trying to get ahead of the flood of e-mails in her inbox.
 

There was a quiet rap on her office door. “I’m not here,” she said quickly, looking up.
 

Her fingers froze on the keyboard. Her heart stopped in her chest.
 

Trent stood in the doorway. He had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. His glasses hid the darkness of his eyes. There was a streak of dirt on his cheek. An assault pack hung limply from his left hand.
 

A thousand emotions ripped through her all at once, rioting for supremacy as she drank in the sight of her husband.
 

Ex-husband, she reminded herself. Or at least he was supposed to be.
 

She wished that this were a normal homecoming. One where she would rush across the small space and crash into him. His arms would come around her and she would inhale the strong spicy scent of his skin. Feel the heat of his touch. Savor that first, wild kiss.
Instead she had this. This empty chasm between them, echoing with loneliness.
 

And she had no idea how to cross it.

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

Bookish

iTunes

About the author:

USA Today bestselling author Jessica Scott is a career army officer; mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs; wife to a career NCO and wrangler of all things stuffed and fluffy. She is a terrible cook and even worse housekeeper, but she's a pretty good shot with her assigned weapon and someone liked some of the stuff she wrote. Somehow, her children are pretty well-adjusted and her husband still loves her, despite burned water and a messy house.

She's written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View: Regarding War Blog, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and has served as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas.

She's pursuing a PhD in Sociology in her spare time and most recently, she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

********************

My review:


Back to You by Jessica Scott is the searingly emotional military romance that continues the ‘Coming Home’ series and finally explores the relationship between Trent and Laura Davila that imploded in Because of You, the first story in this compelling series.  An impending court martial continues to loom over Trent’s head but that pales in comparison to the disaster that his marriage to Laura has become and he struggles to find a way to reach the woman he has not ceased to love, despite her demands for a divorce.  Trent must find a way to deal with his discomfort with his family, his distance from everyone he cares about, his crippling guilt, and the impending destruction of all that he has held dear over the years.  The question is whether any of it is reparable or have things gone beyond the point of no return?


There are some stories that just touch the heart and make one suffer right along with the characters and root for them to get through the heartache and difficulties in their lives.  Jessica Scott has created a cast of characters that are vivid, not just because of the poignancy of the issues they face...the constant threat to their survival, the strain on their interpersonal relationships, the repercussions of breast cancer, amputation, survivor’s guilt, PTSD...but also because they are not perfect. 

The harrowing journey to find himself characterizes Trent’s role in this story but the strengths and weaknesses that are displayed in his interactions with others plus Laura’s own reactions detail the cost that is often extracted by war and its machinery.  There are so many poignant scenes in this story, that reflect the deep love shared by these two people who have become so scarred by their experiences that they have lost touch with what they had but there are glimmerings of hope as well..."The overwhelming love that he felt for her was there.  Like a sleeping thing waking from a long dormancy.  It was fragile.  Malnourished.  But there, stretching after a long slumber...”

It is cathartic to watch the healing start as Trent finally gets some help “...what he truly saw was her strength. The strength to love his children, to keep their home together.  To walk away when he hadn’t been enough.” and a memorable description of something called an ‘emotional rucksack’ helps shed a little light on the sometimes impossible pressure that soldiers force upon themselves with incredibly harmful repercussions.  “It means that we all have the capacity to deal with bad news.  And when the first piece of bad news hits, we can stuff it down and keep going.  But eventually, our bags get too heavy and there’s no more room to stuff things down anymore.”

This is a great novel which combines a fantastic love story with harrowing realism about the cost being paid constantly for participating in war and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.

(If you are not fortunate enough to win a copy in the contest, I highly recommend that you get a copy for yourself but be forewarned...despite the myriad of things I needed to do, once I started reading this...I pretty much couldn't stop!)

I'll Be Home for Christmas (review and suggestions for helping soldiers)

                                        

I'll Be Home for Christmas by Jessica Scott is a wonderful novella that includes characters introduced in the novel Because of You.

My review:

I’ll Be Home for Christmas by Jessica Scott is a poignant novella from the ‘Coming Home’ series that gives a glimpse of some of the costs of war, both physically and emotionally.  Much of the story is told from wisecracking Vic Carponte’s point of view and it is particularly emotional as a life-changing experience is told from his perspective.  There are hints dropped about events that take place in the novels which are part of this wonderful military romance series but this particular novella can be read as a stand-alone with no problem.

Military romance tales are unique in their combination of pulse-pounding action and their glimpse into a strictly regimented world that is populated by those who push themselves beyond the limits that average people comply with.  The really well-written stories allow those of us who have little or no experience with this arena to get an idea of what takes place when human frailty encounters lofty (or not so lofty) ideals.  This author does a wonderful job of immersing us in this world, undoubtedly due to her own personal experiences and this novella is a shining example of her dexterity.  Those who are new to her writing will be drawn into the series and those of us who are already fans will enjoy the chance to get another view of some of the characters we have grown attached to.  I was delighted to get a chance to get to know the man behind the lighthearted facade even as I ached for the challenges he and his wife face and I look forward to reading more of the exciting stories that continue the saga of all of these personable characters.

(offered to Night Owl Reviews
A copy of this title was provided in exchange for an honest review)

This delightful novella is only $0.99 and is a great way to get to know this author's writing style and become enamored with some fantastic characters.  (Be advised, if you click on this link and purchase ANYTHING during this visit, I will get a small percentage of the sale...so thank you!)
I'll Be Home For Christmas (Amazon link)

Don't forget that Jessica has a 'Spread the Cheer' contest going on at this link

The other titles in the "Coming Home" series:


                   




Suggestions on how you can reach out to some of our deployed soldiers who appreciate support and contact with those of us they are representing and keeping safe:


Operation Holiday Card...please contact Kim, at the SOS Aloha Blog.  For more details please see this link.


AnySoldier.com  It is heartbreaking to read through the requests for basic things like shampoo and deodorant (although be warned that some of the wishlists get pretty expensive, maybe suitable for fundraising efforts?).  Make sure you investigate what kinds of things can be used...e.g. only certain kinds of very thick cotton socks are appropriate and be advised that food items must be prepackaged.  Link  You will need to register on the site and to send the site managers themselves a donation to help keep the site itself running.

Soldiers' Angels  I am much less active in this organization than I used to be (and I am thankful that the folks I adopted through this site have returned home safely!) so please make sure you pay attention to all of the hoops that have to be jumped through.  There is a section specifically for letter writing if your funds are tight but you have the time to reach out to a soldier or two.  Link

Books for Troops  I am not as familiar with this organization but was told about it by Her Royal Hotness Sabrina York, lol. Please contact Ebony at this link for more info.

Wounded Warrior Project is always looking for donations to help support our wounded veterans.  Link

Operation Paperback also helps provide books to both deployed soldiers and their families here at home.  Link

And, last but not least, the brave souls and inspirational couple that I keep an eye on through their blog are the amazing Taylor and Danielle.  My blogpost about them is at this link and you can read postings about their life at this link. Their courage and cheerful attitude continues despite the immense sacrifice they have made for our country.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions about logistics of packing a care package to send to soldiers or for tips about what include or not include in either the letters, cards or care packages.  There are definitely rules to comply with!  Donations are always welcome because, be advised, the shipping itself can get pretty costly.

Because of You and Until There Was You

Because of You and Until There Was You
 
 
are two wonderful but intense military romance titles.  These are not the books to read if you are in search of a light airy romance but rather if you want intense characters dealing with realistic issues who are struggling to balance a life and an overwhelming desire to serve their country no matter the cost to themselves.  None of the characters presented is perfect and most have tragedies in their respective backgrounds that have helped form them into the flawed but heroic fighters that they are.  The author deftly provides us with a glimpse into the grittier results of war and helps sensitize us to the myriad of issues that face any person who serves.

I confess to being fairly annoyed that the first book in the series ended without resolution of something that was fairly major to my way of thinking but I was temporarily mollified by the knowledge that I fortunately had the second book in the series waiting to be read.  Hah!  The two are not directly connected and it turns out that the exposition I am waiting for will not be until the third book...which won't be published until next year!  Grrr.   That being said, am I sorry that I read these?  Definitely not!  I actually became caught up again in the stories immediately when I referred back to my notes before writing the reviews (yes, there is a problem when one lets 8 or more books stack up before writing their respective reviews, lol).  I certainly hope that we will see more of all of these fascinating souls in future tales.

This author has a terrific ability to pen an emotional tale that is immersed in realism (although I confess that some of the military logic escapes me and I am woefully naive about command structure and the like).  I thank the author and her husband for their service and salute their respective families for the sacrifices that they have undoubtedly made. 

My Amazon review for Because of You is at this link.
My Amazon review for Until There Was You is at this link.
A 'yes, this was helpful' vote is always greatly appreciated, especially given the 'reviewer wars' that seem to be taking place on Amazon!  I sincerely thank those of you who take time out of your busy days to vote.

There is a Goodreads giveaway (until October 16, 2012) at this link.
Happy reading!