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Book CoverStevie‘s review of All for You (Coming Home, Book 4) by Jessica Scott
Contemporary Military Romance published by Forever 25 Nov 14

I’ve been wanting to read something by Jessica Scott for a while; she seems to have been picking up rather a reputation for realistic military romances. As it turns out, I dived right into the middle of a series, but it wasn’t hard to pick up who’s who, and this book seems to be starting off a new story arc anyway. So far, so good, but what of the actual story?

Reza is an interesting character, especially given that his mother’s family were Iranian immigrants to the US, and much of his career has been spent fighting in the Gulf. Although the book is set a few years ago, as a Brit I still find it a little jarring to read references to the US being ‘at war’, as opposed to being ‘involved in a war overseas,’ but I suppose that comes from having a national history of fending off invasions and regarding anything where British soil isn’t directly threatened as more of a conflict – or as someone else’s war that we happen to be helping out with.

Putting that niggle aside, I quite like the status reversal of this story in that Emily is of a higher rank and from a more privileged background than Reza, even if he is considerably more experienced in army life. Reza’s and Emily’s story takes place against a background of bullying within the army base where they’re both stationed, and I would have liked to have seen those issues explored further, although I suspect the story arc is scheduled to be resolved in later books of this series.

Reza himself is suffering from a degree of PTSD, which he attempts to combat with alcohol – something that Emily alternately tries to help him with and walks away from for the sake of both their mental states. She also tries to get more of an insight into the lives of Reza and his men by taking part in a training exercise – which makes me warm to her more as a character, although I get the impression that over here, at least, our medics would undergo such activities during basic training anyway.

Sadly, what I don’t buy is the concept of Reza and Emily as a long-term relationship prospect, and I don’t feel enough engagement with any of the supporting cast to want to read their stories in order to find out how the bullying plot is eventually played out.

Probably a book that would work better for US readers than for this UK reviewer.

Stevies CatGrade: C

Summary:

Can a battle-scarred warrior…

Stay sober. Get deployed. Lead his platoon. Those are the only things that matter to Sergeant First Class Reza Iaconelli. What he wants is for everyone to stay out of his way; what he gets is Captain Emily Lindberg telling him how to deal with his men. Fort Hood’s newest shrink is smart as a whip and sexy as hell. She’s also full of questions-about the army, its soldiers, and the agony etched on Reza’s body and soul.

…open his heart to love?

Emily has devoted her life to giving soldiers the care they need-and deserve. Little does she know that means facing down the fierce wall of muscle that is Sergeant Iaconelli like it’s just another day at the office. When Reza agrees to help her understand what makes a soldier tick, she’s thrilled. Too bad it doesn’t help her unravel the sexy warrior in front of her who stokes her desire and touches a part of her she thought long dead. He’s the man who thinks combat is the only escape from the demons that haunt him. The man who needs her most of all…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:
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