ARC Review & Spotlight: After I Fall by Jessica Scott

Title: After I Fall (Falling, #3) Author: Jessica Scott Publisher/Publication Date: Jessica Scott; March 21, 2017 Format/Source: eARC, Publisher Genre: Contemporary Romance Readers who want an extended sample can download here: Kindle     epub Purchase links: iBooks     Nook     Kobo     Amazon     Play Book Summary Her entire life has been a lie. Being with Eli is the most honest thing she’s ever done.  Parker Hauser lives the perfect life and knows exactly where she's been and where she's going. Parker has to be perfect. Perfect grades, perfect body, perfect life.  Until she meets Eli Winter.  Eli throws her entire life into chaos when he denies her the one thing she wants from him.  One chance encounter stokes her desire for the man who refused to touch her and left her questioning everything.  When Parker tries to help his new business, the spotlight turns on Eli's military record. And the war he's tried to forget may  destroy them both. Teaser Parker "What do you want?" A murmured question that feels like a demand. The single word I need is lodged in my throat. It’s thick and heavy, filled with potential and promise. "You," I finally say. "Why?" Such a complicated question. I search his face, looking for an answer, a lie, something simple to fill the space left by his question. I lift my hand, afraid he'll see it tremble. It takes every ounce of willpower I've got to slide my fingers over his forearm. I'm surprised by the raw power beneath my touch. I expected the tattoos to be physical manifestations of the violence on his flesh. His skin is hot and smooth. My hand looks pale and small against it. "You seem…" I lift my eyes to his, never removing my hand. "You seem like a straightforward kind of guy." A man with rough hands and dark ink carved into his skin. A man so unlike the men I'm used to, it's not even funny. I lift my hand to his cheek, just above the edge of his beard. I've never touched a man with facial hair before. He is still beneath my touch. A moment before I'm about to press my palm to his cheek, he grips my wrist. Not hard enough to hurt, but he definitely gets my attention. "Not here." I swallow. My mouth is suddenly dry. "Where?" He jerks his chin toward the dark hallway behind us. I follow him silently, wishing he was already touching me, making me feel, letting me pretend I matter, even if it’s only for a few minutes. He leads me through the maze of small tables and patrons at various stages of intoxication. Away from the noise and the smell of fries and smoke and cologne and all the good things that bars have.We step out of the noise and into shadows and silence. He doesn't pounce, doesn't push me against the wall and run those rough hands over my skin. Instead, he leans against it—a casual, arrogant male. Waiting. I know for what. For me to make the first move. For me to step into the space between us. For me to touch him first. I want to. But I am paralyzed. Rooted to the damp concrete beneath my feet. The cool night air might as well be chains, holding me, restraining any thought or movement. He doesn't move. His arms are folded over his broad, heavy chest, his T-shirt straining against his body. The silence hangs on, stretching and thick and tight. "Scared?" he finally whispers. A dare. A terrible, wicked promise in that single word. "Should I be?" My throat is tight and dry. His answer is nothing I expect. And everything I want.  My Thoughts At first it was difficult to get into After I Fall by Jessica Scott—I just couldn't see where the plot was going. As it progressed and more information was revealed about Eli’s and Parker's histories, the story quickly began to turn around. While this book was super steamy, it was the characters that made the story. I like the fact that Scott chooses characters outside of the norm to be the heroine and hero. And I love how the secondary characters are incorporated into the story. The multilayered relationships added a touch of realism.  Scott put Parker in a situation in which she was a prisoner of her circumstances. Her history involved being in both controlling and abusive relationships. I appreciate the fact that the author brought other forms of abuse to light—especially when dealing with people in a position of power. I can't say much more about the story, because I don't want to include spoilers. However, I do recommend picking up a copy, because it's worth the read! Rating 4/5 I received a copy of After I Fall from the Publisher for this review. About The Author Jessica Scott is an Iraq war veteran, an active duty army officer and the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America’s Army. She is the mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, and wife to a retired NCO. She is the bestselling author of the Homefront series and the Falling series, both about soldiers and veterans adjusting to life after returning from the wars in Iraq & Afghanistan. Her bestselling Falling series features soldiers integrating into life on college campuses. She's also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice. She's holds phd in morality in Sociology with Duke University and she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012. Jessica is also an active member of the Military Writers Guild. Her debut novel Because of You launched the return of Random House's Loveswept digital imprint and launched the start of the ever popular contemporary military romance genre.  Check Out More Books from the Series!!! Before I Fall Break My Fall After I Fall

ARC Review: Break My Fall by Jessica Scott

Title: Break My Fall Author: Jessica Scott Series: Falling #2 Genre: New Adult Release Date: February 15, 2016 Format/Source: E-ARC, Author Get More information at: Goodreads  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes Book Summary Violence.  I’m addicted to it. It’s how I feel alive. It’s the only thing that’s real any more. And now I have to sit around and discuss it like it’s physics or calculus. I can’t do it. I can’t pretend that it’s some sterile academic topic.  Violence isn’t sterile. It isn’t calm. It’s pulsing. It’s alive. It’s my drug. Until I met Abby, I never wanted anything beyond the next fight. Never considered that I might finally find a way back to the land of the living. Now? Now I find myself dreaming of a woman with golden eyes. But I can never be with her. Because I am not whole. And I never will be again. But I cannot stay away. And loving her might finally be what breaks me.  My Thoughts Break My Fall by Jessica Scott is an emotionally charged story with excellent character development. Josh and Abby’s story is written in first person with alternating point of views.  Although presenting a story in first person doesn’t always work for contemporary romance novels, Scott excelled at bringing real life issues into the story and Josh to life as he struggled with anger, rage, and dealing with life outside the military. Abby also had struggles of her own. She was presented as a character who thought she could fix everyone else’s problems and was captivated by the mystery behind Josh’s apparent inner turmoil. As a result of their life experiences, there was realistic tension between them. Their pasts had really shaped them and showed who they were as characters. Despite the fact that they both had their issues, they complemented each other well. And I simply loved how these characters transformed over time. Overall, Break My Fall is an excellent read. I’d definitely recommend it to readers who are looking for a contemporary romance novel that’ll take you on an unforgettable emotional ride. Rating 5/5 I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Release Week Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway! Break My Fall (Falling, #2) by Jessica Scott

BREAK MY FALL by JESSICA SCOTT For Josh Douglas, broken by the impotent rage of combat and loss, pain is the only thing that feels real until he meets Abby Hillard.  In Josh, Abby sees a puzzle for someone else to solve even though she deeply feels the pull to free the darkness that cloaks him. BREAK MY FALL by USA Today Bestselling author, Jessica Scott, is the second book in an emotional new adult series about a group of young veterans adjusting to life away from the military. They've got a lot to learn about life away from war - and college may or may not be the place for them to learn it. Title: Break My Fall Author: Jessica Scott Series: Falling #2 Genre: New Adult Release Date: February 15, 2016 Synopsis Violence. I’m addicted to it. It’s how I feel alive. It’s the only thing that’s real any more. And now I have to sit around and discuss it like it’s physics or calculus. I can’t do it. I can’t pretend that it’s some sterile academic topic. Violence isn’t sterile. It isn’t calm. It’s pulsing. It’s alive. It’s my drug. Until I met Abby, I never wanted anything beyond the next fight. Never considered that I might finally find a way back to the land of the living. Now? Now I find myself dreaming of a woman with golden eyes. But I can never be with her. Because I am not whole. And I never will be again. But I cannot stay away. And loving her might finally be what breaks me. Excerpt 3 He's watching me. I want to step closer to him but I can't. I won't. Because I'm not blind to the darkness in Mr. Douglas. It's there, just below the surface. Like a pot of water just before it boils. The tension is back, now. A slow burning anger I should be getting as far away from as I possibly can. "What?" I finally ask, needing something to break the spell between us. "Why do you care why I got angry in class? You don’t even know my name.” I narrow my eyes at him and open my mouth, then snap it closed, mirroring his earlier action. I didn't expect the question and I have no idea how to answer. Because in reality, I don’t have an answer for why I’m standing here at the moment. Damn it. My brain finally latches onto the first thing I come up with "Wookie life debt. Payback for you helping me the other night." I try to leave then. Hoping that he’ll let me go and put all my curiosity away. For good. "Hey." His voice tugs at me to stop. I won't look at him now. Because I'm ashamed of what he'll see if he looks into my eyes. And I can't stand the thought of him seeing the needful loneliness that has become my constant companion since Robert ripped my heart out and left it bleeding on the cobblestone sidewalk. "What's your name?" His voice is low and quiet. Steady now. Almost calm. I turn, unable to avoid looking at him now. It dawns on me that no, I don't know his name. I stand there for a moment, hesitant. The last time this happened, I fell too far, too fast. This time will be different. Because I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. It's like standing too close to an electrical current. The simplicity of the question is deceptively benign. I'm drawn to him in a way that is unhealthy and dangerous. He's already consuming my thoughts, drawing my attention away from the matter at hand and luring me down a dark corridor where only dark thoughts and whispered need twist together. I hold up one hand, needing to break the spell or whatever is going on between us. My hand collides with his chest, and I am flush against the stark reminder of this man's strength and power and capability to do violence. There's a small cut over his left eye, from the other night. Before the rational part of my brain kicks in, I brush my fingertips gently over the bruised and damaged skin. He goes still beneath my touch. That full bottom lip opens a little. A tiny space, but I can feel the heat of his breath on my wrist. His eyes are locked on mine. I'm trapped, unable to move. I'm not sure I want to. I'm furious for him but I'm frozen, burning where my fingers touch his skin. I cannot move. Cannot look away. "I'm Josh," he whispers. An answer to an unasked question. Get More information at: Goodreads  | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes About Jessica Scott Jessica Scott is an Iraq war veteran, an active duty army officer and the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America’s Army. She is the mother of two daughters, three cats and three dogs, and wife to a retired NCO. She and her family are currently wherever the army has sent her. She's also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice. She's pursuing a graduate degree in Sociology in her spare time and she's been featured as one of Esquire Magazine's Americans of the Year for 2012. Jessica is also an active member of the Military Writers Guild. Connect with Jessica at: Website | Facebook | Twitter| GoodReads | Amazon | Instagram Rafflecopter Giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Launch Day Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: All For You by Jessica Scott

ALL FOR YOU by Jessica Scott (February 4, 2014; Forever E-Book; $2.99) 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 . . . Buy Links Amazon B&N iTunes Excerpt         “So how many of you think that behavioral health is for pussies?”          Half the room burst out with coughs attempting to cover laughter. The other half were busy picking their jaws up off the floor. It had been a reckless gamble, one that would have made her father cringe in shame, but one that worked because the tension snapped, fizzling a little bit. Granting her an opening she might not have had otherwise.          “Be honest.” She glanced at the sergeant major, who looked ready to brain the first officer or sergeant that raised his hand. “Never mind, don’t answer that.” She shot a quick grin at the sergeant major and a few more chuckles drifted out of the crowd. “Look, we all know that I’ve got you held captive for an hour and we can stand here and stare at each other or maybe we can talk about what’s going on that we’ve got so many soldiers willing to hurt themselves.”          She made the mistake of looking in Reza’s direction.          He was watching her, his dark gaze intense, his mouth flat. At least he wasn’t glaring at her. That was progress, she supposed.          She gripped the pen in her hand and motioned toward the men before her. “So maybe we can put aside the canned slides and talk about why you hate the shrinks. And maybe I can explain what it is that we do. And maybe, if we work together, we can save a life.”          The silence was back, a wet blanket settling over the room. She glanced around as the brief opening she’d attempted to walk through shriveled and shrank.          “I have a question.” Reza raised his hand. His eyes glittered darkly. “Sergeant First Class Iaconelli, ma’am. My question is: Why do we have to spend so much time chasing after the shitbirds who are smoking spice or some other shit that’s not meant for human consumption and then when we try to throw them out, you all stop the process and tell us they have PTSD?”          “Ike, your attitude is part of the damn problem.” All eyes turned in the direction of a hard-looking sergeant first class. He had no hair and there was a hint of a black tattoo ringing his neck. Sergeant First Class Garrison was a big man. “Intimidating” was too light a word for him. And yet, on his left hand, a wedding ring shone bright gold. Someone had tamed this man. She found herself wondering at the woman who’d married him then pulled her thoughts sharply into focus. “You can’t run around calling our soldiers shitbirds. They’ll always do what you expect and if you expect them to screw up, they’re going to live up to your expectation.”          “I don’t expect them to be smoking it up in the barracks on the weekend,” Reza snapped.          Emily held up one hand. “Sergeant Garrison, thank you for getting straight to the heart of the matter. What you’re talking about is not simply about drug abuse. You’re talking about soldiers who are self-medicating. Instead of using the proper channels to seek care, they’re choosing instead the easier path of smoking marijuana, or what is it you called it? Spice?”          “It’s synthetic marijuana, ma’am,” Garrison said.          She’d had no idea there was such a thing, let alone that soldiers were smoking it. “Thank you. Regardless of their drug of choice, the reason for using is often to deal with symptoms of anxiety that they’re otherwise managing or not managing very well.”          Reza lifted his hand and she swallowed the flit of nerves in her belly as she pointed at him. “Yeah, well, I’ve got real warriors who need help who won’t go to the damn R&R Center because there’s all these slick-sleeved little punks in there trying to get out of drug charges.” It was a cold statement, one that shook her, reminding her that this was not a sympathetic room. And that Iaconelli was not a sympathetic man.          “You raise an interesting point, Sergeant Iaconelli. The facts are that most of our suicides over the last two years have been among first-term soldiers who have never deployed,” she said, speaking loudly to cover the nervous waiver in her voice.          Garrison straightened where he’d been leaning against the wall. “Y’all know I got blown up a little over a year ago. I had a really tough road back. The thing I learned over that time is that our boys are struggling. Whether we see it or not, our boys need our help.” He turned his gaze to Emily.          Reza scowled and shook his head. “Look, Garrison, you’re not the only one who got blown up downrange. But the point I’m trying to make is that it’s our boys who won’t go get the help because of all the ash and trash taking up the appointments.”          Emily held up her hands but Garrison interrupted her. “Ike, you need to shut your damn mouth. Just because you drink yourself to sleep every night as therapy doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t need a different way to cope.”          “Fuck you, Garrison,” Reza spat. “I’m the reason the rest of your platoon came home from the last deployment.”          A red-haired sergeant stood. His right hand was bunched in what looked like a perpetual half grip and it took Emily a moment to realize that it was a prosthetic hand. Her skin went cold. She’d never seen physical evidence of the war this close before.          “Girls, girls. Can we please listen to the good captain explain to us the services she offers? I for one would like more information on how to not accidentally almost kill myself in the future.”          The room groaned beneath the joke and Emily saw his name tag. Staff Sergeant Carponti. His eyes lit with an impish grin and she wished she knew the story behind how the young sergeant was able to defuse the anger between the two big sergeants with such ease.          “That’s not funny, Carponti.” Reza settled back against the wall.          “It was my accidental overdose. I’ll make jokes if I want to,” Carponti said. “You can’t because that would just be wrong on multiple levels. But I can make all the inappropriate jokes I want.” He turned and grinned in Emily’s direction and she instantly liked him. “How do we fix this shit, ma’am?”          “There are no easy answers,” Emily said once everyone’s attention was off the two combatants. “But while Sergeant Iaconelli mocks the issue of bad homes, the simple fact is that the generation of soldiers we are dealing with have been raised differently than many of us were. A large portion of our force comes from broken homes, have been victims of trauma at a very young age.” She deliberately avoided looking in Reza’s direction. “What I’d like you all to think about is the fact that many of you are combat veterans. Many of you have lived through terrible experiences as adults. But how would your life be different if you’d been beaten as a child? Or sexually abused? You can mock the younger generation and say they’re weak.” She paused, scanning the faces of the warriors in front of her, looking for any sign that her words were breaking through their hardened shells. “Or you can look at the fact that some of them are even functioning as an act that takes the greatest strength.” 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 Giveaways a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pre-Launch Day Blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway: Back to You (A Coming Home Novel) by Jessica Scott

Title:  Back to You (A Coming Home Novel) Author:  Jessica Scott Publisher/Publication Date:  Forever, January 7, 2014 Genre:  Contemporary Romance Book Summary 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?  Buy Links Amazon     B&N     Bookish     iTunes BACK TO YOU 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. BACK TO YOU Pre-Launch Blitz Q&A  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? 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? BACK TO YOU is the incredibly emotional story of a marriage at the breaking point.  What or who inspired you to write this story?   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. 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?  That’s a much bigger topic than we have time for but I’ll say this: each one has its 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? 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? I love a reunion story. I love the idea of 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. 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?   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. 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?  Laura sending Trent divorce papers while deployed I think is the ultimate prohibition. It’s just wrong on 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. 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?  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. Big wedding or small?  Hamsters or dogs?  Sweats or lingerie?  Small wedding. Both hamsters and dogs and cats. Sweats all the way. 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?   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. Since this is such an emotionally charged story, was it difficult for you to write?  Or did it come easily?  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. Since you’ve been in Trent’s shoes, what is the hardest thing about readjusting to civilian life after a deployment?  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. 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  Rafflecopter Giveaway Click on the link below to enter for a chance to win a digital copy of Back to You. a Rafflecopter giveaway