Trusting a Warrior by Melanie Hansen

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melanie Hansen will be awarding a $50 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Five things you probably can’t guess about me:

1. I’m way older than I look! People tell me that all the time, and they’re usually shocked when I say I’m 52. I’m proud of looking younger, but catch me first thing in the morning and I do look every second of that age, ha ha.

2. I’ve never read the Harry Potter books *ducks* or Lord of the Rings books *ducks again*. I haven’t seen any of the movies either! I fall asleep during most movies, to be honest. Must be my age.

3. Back in my 20s, I used to be an avid camper and backpacker. I’m talking roughing it—filtering my own water, no bathrooms, days without a shower, etc. Now my idea of roughing it is when there’s no coffeepot in my hotel room!

4. I spent thirteen years as a court reporter. I’ve worked on murder trials, pharmaceutical trials, federal and state grand juries, stays of execution, all of that. I’ve flown on private jets and seen bullet holes in lawyers’ office windows put there by disgruntled clients. It was a fun, interesting, and never-boring job, that’s for sure! It might sound crazy, but I also don’t miss it at all.

5. My husband recently retired from the Navy, and during the first twelve years of our marriage, we moved eight times! My boys went to three different elementary schools. Now that he’s retired from the military, we’re finally able to put some roots down here in Arizona. I secretly love moving, though. Don’t tell my family!

Thanks so much for hosting me today!

George Monteverdi always had one goal, to become a navy SEAL. Now that he's both a SEAL and a K-9 handler, saving lives is his priority. When tragedy touches his own life, he handles it—with the help of his crew and his dog, Bosch. Having those guys by his side means he’ll never be alone…though any sort of romance feels like a faraway dream.

Heartbroken after her fiancé falls in love with another woman, Lani Abuel seeks comfort in the arms of a stranger, only to find herself pregnant and alone. She’ll do whatever it takes to be a good mother, which means finally facing the trauma in her past. The last thing she expected was a warrior with wounds all too similar to hers finding his way into her heart and loving her child as his own.

As their worlds entwine, Lani and Geo find the joy and redemption they’ve been seeking. But despite the sanctuary they’ve created, a forever love seems impossible. A K-9 handler who spends most of his time deployed with his SEAL team, staring danger in the eye, is far from what Lani—or her baby—needs, and Geo can’t imagine a future doing anything else.

Read an Excerpt

When they reached the reception hall, Geo and Lani stood just outside the pool of light, watching while the wedding couple danced together on the gazebo. The bride was radiant in a light pink cocktail dress, her groom in khaki pants, the sleeves of his matching pink button-up shirt rolled to his elbows.

“Aww, they look so beautiful and happy together, don’t they?” Lani whispered. “Best wishes to them both.”

Loud laughter drew their attention to a knot of young men leaning against a nearby railing, bottles of beer in hand, their boisterousness and camaraderie instantly recognizable. Geo nodded at them. “Team guys.”

She grimaced, her pleasure at the sight of the happy couple draining away. The bride had not only married her husband, she’d married the whole community and the demands it brought with it. It wouldn’t be an easy or glamorous life, not by a long shot.

“Well, good luck to them both, then,” she said. “They’re gonna need it.”

Geo quirked his lips at her. “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt, huh?”

“Hell, yeah, I got the T-shirt.” Tugging on his arm, she steered them past the wedding and on down the beach. “How about you? What sort of relationship skeletons do you have in your closet?” She’d said it lightly, teasingly, and was surprised to feel his biceps tense.

He didn’t say anything for a few beats, then, “I lived with someone for about a year once. His name was Jake.”

It took a moment for his meaning to sink in. Careful to keep both her face and voice neutral, Lani said, “His name?”

“I’m bi. So yeah, ‘closet’ is a pretty good word for it.”

Risking a glance up at him, she could see how rigid his jaw was, his lips compressed into a tight line. How much trust had it taken for him to reveal that? A pang shot through her. More than she’d ever know.

About the Author:

Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.

Trusting a Warrior Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Warrior-Loving-Book-ebook/dp/B07SJ72DS7/

Website: https://melaniehansenbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009084006829
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelJoyAZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13505006.Melanie_Hansen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Everything Changes by Melanie Hansen

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melanie Hansen will award a randomly drawn host a $25 Amazon/BN GC. Click on the tour banner to see the rest of the stops.

Two battle buddies. One fateful deployment. Two vastly different sets of wounds. One friendship changed forever.

A childhood in foster care taught Carey Everett to hold tight to what he has. Enlisting in the Marines gave him purpose, but a life-threatening injury ended his career—and took his leg. Now fully recovered, Carey’s happier than he’s ever been. He has a fulfilling job, a chosen family and, best of all, a cherished friendship with Jase DeSantis, the platoon medic who saved his life.

Despite Jase’s heroism in combat, he’s haunted by his actions overseas. Playing music with his band keeps the demons at bay, but it’s a battle he’s starting to lose.

After a week of sun and fun in San Diego, Jase and Carey’s connection takes an unexpected turn. With change comes a new set of challenges. For Jase, it means letting someone else into his deepest pain. For Carey, it’s realizing love doesn’t always equal loss. In order to make their relationship work, they’ll have to come to terms with their pasts…

…or risk walking away from each other for good.

Read an Excerpt

“Mmm.” Jase wrapped his arms around Carey’s waist, his chin resting on his shoulder. “That was pretty darn good. No. Better than good. Beautiful. Sexy.”

“Ha. I think you have beer goggles on, my friend.”

“You…are…so…” Jase punctuated each word with a brush of his lips to Carey’s cheek, “…beautiful it hurts.” Then he took Carey’s earlobe between his teeth, worrying it lightly. “And you’ve got me twisted in all kinds of knots.”

“You’re not the only one,” Carey rasped. “Knot city, here.”

“Mmm, I can tell.” Jase splayed his palm over Carey’s chest. “Your heart’s beating like a drum.”

Carey couldn’t help the tiny sound of protest that escaped when Jase let go of him, but all he did was grab the audio remote and change the song to a slow, poignant country ballad. Then he held out his hand. “Dance with me?”

Time slowed down as Carey gazed at him, the sands of change shifting precariously beneath his feet. Fear and uncertainty welled up in his throat, but the patient understanding in Jase’s eyes and the steadiness of his hand made Carey reach out and place his fingers in his.

His lips trembling, Carey took a tiny step closer. “I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered.

“Never.”

“I’m a little scared.” He took another step. “A lot scared, actually.”

“I know.”

One more step, until Jase’s chest was just inches from his. Carey sucked in a breath. “Jase, I—”

“Hey. It’s only a dance, okay? Nothing more. Just dance with me.”

About the Author:

Melanie Hansen doesn’t get nearly enough sleep. She loves all things coffee-related, including collecting mugs from every place she’s visited. After spending eighteen years as a military spouse, Melanie definitely considers herself a moving expert. She has lived and worked all over the country, and hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to the love stories she gets up in the wee hours to write. On her off-time, you can find Melanie watching baseball, reading or spending time with her husband and two teenage sons.

Everything Changes Buy Link: https://amzn.to/2Y7nf07
Website:https://melaniehansenbooks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009084006829
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelJoyAZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13505006.Melanie_Hansen

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Melanie will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

There'd forever been a thread running through Trevor Estes's life—his son Riley, strong and constant like heartbeat. But when Riley is killed in combat, everything in Trevor's life unravels into a mess he doesn't know how to mourn.

Until Jesse Byrne, Riley's friend and platoon mate, arrives on his doorstep with a box of Riley's things. Jesse's all-too-familiar grief provides an unlikely source of comfort for Trevor; knowing he's not alone is exactly what he needs. Trevor never imagined he'd find someone who fills his heart with hope again. As the pair celebrate Riley's memory, their unique bond deepens into something irreplaceable—and something neither man can live without.

But diving into a relationship can't be so simple. Being together means Trevor risking the last link he has to his son...leaving Jesse to wonder if he'll ever be enough, or if Trevor will always be haunted by the past.

Read an Excerpt:

Trevor reached up to brush Jesse’s tears away, letting his thumb linger along his cheek. “So thank you. Thanks for letting me see my son through you.”

Jesse’s lips trembled. “I miss him. I miss him so much.”

Trevor slid his hand to the back of Jesse’s neck. “I know.”

With a small sob, Jesse reached out to wrap his arms around Trevor, pulling him close. His body was shaking, tremors of grief Trevor knew only too well wracking him from head to toe. All around them the world ebbed and flowed, oblivious to the fact a twenty-year-old boy had been torn from it, leaving behind two people who’d loved him and who now clung together, their shared pain a strange sort of comfort.

Trevor stroked Jesse’s hair as he shuddered against him, biting his own lip against the tears that stung his eyes. This was Jesse’s fight, and Trevor marshaled every ounce of composure he could, determined to be strong in return for this man who’d given him so much.

“It’s okay,” he murmured over and over. “It’s okay to miss him. I miss him, too.”About the Author:

Melanie Hansen likes to consider herself a cynic, but at heart she’s a hopeless romantic. Every morning she gets up before dawn to spend time with her characters, creating stories that are deeply emotional, sometimes heartbreaking, but in the end where love always wins. Melanie’s proud of the fact that two of her books have been named as RT Book Reviews Top Picks. She grew up with an Air Force dad, ended up marrying a Navy man, and has lived and worked all over the country. Melanie hopes to bring these rich and varied life experiences to her stories about people finding love amidst real-life struggles.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009084006829
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelJoyAZ
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13505006.Melanie_Hansen
Website: https://melaniehansenbooks.com

Book Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Point-Contact-Melanie-Hansen-ebook/dp/B076ZQR4F9/ref=sr_1_1

a Rafflecopter giveaway