It’s Always Been You

Scott’s fifth Coming Home contemporary (after All for You), set at Ft. Hood, starts out rushed but gradually settles down. Cheeky Capt. Ben Teague never wanted command, but now he has it, including a responsibility to discipline those who were once his peers. When soldier Escoberra beats his daughter until she requires hospitalization, Ben is shocked; it seems totally out of character. Maj. Olivia Hale, the attractive lawyer assigned to advise Ben, insists that the law should be strictly enforced, but Ben can’t shake the feeling that this situation is more complicated than it looks. The sparks of attraction lead Ben and Olivia into distinctly unprofessional situations, while Olivia has to navigate the scars of her own past. What starts as a rough, clunky premise develops into a pleasant and gratifying read, with the characters breaking from their clichéd starting positions near the halfway mark. Disappointing compared to the prior entries in the series, this is nevertheless a quality romance with a satisfying payoff in the finale. [em]Agent: Donna Bagdasarian, Publication Riot Group. (Apr.) [/em]