Jessica Scott ~ Until There Was You: A Review

ISBN: 978-0-345-53389-0

Published by : Loveswept

Available at these ebook retailers:

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; Barnes & Noble,

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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, battleworn

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 had a hard time getting into this one ~ the writing is superb, and while I do love me a military hero, I didn't connect with Evan, and I felt this book was maybe TOO detailed on military info? 

 

I struggled getting past the first 20% ~ It was pretty dry, but once Claire & Evan started really striking sexual sparks off one another the story started to pick up, but I just never wamed up to them in way I wanted to.  I had really high hopes, since I'd heard such awesome things about book 1.  For me, the back story of the military training excercises overrode the romance.  I love a good military romance, but I want the romance OR the suspense to be the focal point of the story, not the military deets. 

 

You know how you SAY you like you to read about something, but you don't want the really harsh reality deets?  That was one of the things that ... was kind of like sand in my shoe w/ this one.  I know they're true, but I don't want to read about it in my romance books.  And that really took away from Evan and Claire for me ~ if you like that, or don't think you'd have a problem with it, please don't let this bias you.  It's totally my opinion, and I didn't even realize it was such a hang up!  But many things like the fact that Claire isn't supposed to be friends w/ her best friend because she's an officer really bothered me.  And the fact that Evan had a problem with Claire for that ~ Ugh.  I know it's reality, but I don't want it in my fiction. 

 

Claire and Evan strike sparks off one another form the first time they meet ~ she calls him Captain America for his perfectness ~ but it takes quite a while for her to realize there is actually a man under the uniform.  And I get that that is a lot BECAUSE they are both all about the job ~ because it IS their lives until they find each other.  And I loved that part, and it's what made me say the writing is superb in the story ~ you can feel the emotions of the characters emanating off the pages, and I can't even convey the clarity with which the story came across to me.