Release Day! A Healing Touch by Melissa A. Hansen ~ My Thoughts #AHealingTouch

Happy Release Day!

Congratulations Melissa

on the release today of

A Healing Touch!

A Healing Touch by Melissa A. Hansen

(Riverview Series #3)

New Adult & College Romance, 292 pages

Published February 24, 2024 by mah

A hazy night rips away nineteen year old, Natasha Wakefield’s innocence. Weeks from the end of what had been a great freshman year in college. Natasha no longer feels safe and finds herself withdrawing from her friends and family. Instead of returning home to Riverview for the summer, Natasha lands a dream internship at a local architecture firm. She focuses on work and tries to ignore the pain and bury it, but there’s someone watching her, unwilling to let her forget.

Twenty-three year old, Troy DeLuca, is following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, and has been trained since childhood to take over the family architecture practice. The day Natasha is hired as an intern, his well-planned life is beginning to flip upside down. There’s something oddly familiar about the quiet, subdued girl. Painful past memories that he thought he’d buried years before, are now flooding his present.

Will Troy’s touch be enough to heal the angry and raw wounds that Natasha carries? Will she continue to shut herself off and run? Or will she find the strength to take her life back?

A story about stolen innocence and the struggles to forget, forgive, and move forward.

“Some content in this book may be upsetting for some readers. This book contains references to rape and suicide.”

     

My thoughts about A Healing Touch ~~

(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)

First lines—"The party was raging out of control. The two-story house was beyond hot and stuffy."

First off, A Healing Touch is book 3 in Melissa's wonderful Riverview Series. It totally can be read as a standalone but why would you do that? Go ahead and read the first two books so that you can enjoy the depth of the characters. It was wonderful to be immersed in this series again and reconnect with the close group of friends surrounding Natasha. It felt like old times. 

Natasha is off to college and as a way to come out of her shell and meet more people, she attends a party with her roommate. Well, the unthinkable happens and Natasha's world is shattered. Her wonderful network of friends quickly surround her to help her heal. 

I absolutely loved this story—although it did cover some tough topics—which sadly, is all very common among young people today. I had conflicting feelings about some of the characters throughout the book, wondering if they were good or bad influences in Natasha's world. So many emotions! And I had to sit back and process it all when I finished the book. I love when that happens!

A lot of new characters were introduced in this book and I would really love to see what the author might be able to do with some of them. More books in this series would be a wonderful thing!

Like I said, I loved A Healing Touch and I loved the other books in this series, as well. I highly recommend them all! 

I received a copy of A Healing Touch from the author and this is my honest opinion.

Read my thoughts about book 1, A Healing Heart here.

Read my thoughts about book 2, A Healing Spirit here.

 

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About the author

Melissa A. Hanson lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. Growing up in Southern California, inspiration for the city of “Riverview” is based on her hometown, Redlands.

Melissa's journey to writing began with a passion in reading that started in sixth grade. In high school she started writing, but writing took a back seat when she decided to pursue a career in architecture. Almost twenty years later, her first novel was written.

“A Healing Heart” was her first completed novel, and is book 1 of the Riverview Series. It is Bailey and Collin's story.

“A Healing Spirit", is book 2 of the Riverview Series. It is Mia and Dylan's story.

"A Healing Touch" book 3 of the Riverview Series will be released in Feb 2024. It is Natasha and Troy's story

Each book is a stand-alone novel.

While Melissa spends most days designing buildings, she still loves reading and creating stories. ~ Goodreads

Connect with Melissa

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

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Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Cover Reveal! A Healing Touch (Riverview #3) by Melissa A. Hanson #AHealingTouch @mahwriting

A Healing Touch by Melissa A. Hanson

(Riverview Series #3)

Teen & Young Adult Coming of Age Fiction

Coming soon!!

A hazy night rips away nineteen year old Natasha Wakefield’s innocence. Weeks from the end of what had been a great freshman year in college Natasha no longer feels safe and finds herself withdrawing from her friends and family. Instead of returning home to Riverview for the summer Natasha lands a dream internship at a local architecture firm. She focuses on work and tries to ignore the pain and bury it, but there’s someone watching her unwilling to let her forget.

Twenty-three year old Troy DeLuca is following in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps and has been trained since childhood to take over the family architecture practice. The day Natasha is hired as an intern his well-planned life is beginning to flip upside down. There’s something oddly familiar about the quiet, subdued girl. Painful past memories that he thought he’d buried years before are now flooding his present.

Will Troy’s touch be enough to heal the angry and raw wounds that Natasha carries? Will she continue to shut herself off and run? Or will she find the strength to take her life back?

A story about stolen innocence and the struggles to forget, forgive, and move forward.

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Read my thoughts about A Healing Heart here

Read my thoughts about A Healing Spirit here

Amazon link for the series

Goodreads link for the series

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Be sure to check the sidebar for all of my current giveaways!

On Tour: Riverview Series by Melissa A. Hanson, a $.99 Sale and a Giveaway!

Welcome to my stop on the Riverview Series by Melissa A. Hanson Blog Tour! Today, I will be featuring both A Healing Heart and A Healing Spirit.

I have read both of these books and loved them. Read my thoughts here (A Healing Heart) and here (A Healing Spirit).

Be sure to check out the special sale being offered by Melissa in honor of this tour!

On a bitter cold winter night Bailey Walsh’s family was killed in a traffic accident. Two years later as she lives with her aunt and uncle in Southern California, Bailey is still plagued by the nightmares of that terrible night. Everywhere around her are reminders of what she lost. Even her aunt, in a cruel twist of fate, is not just her mom’s sister, but her identical twin.

Babysitting Riley, a spunky two-year old, is a sweet distraction and one constant light in her life. One day as she takes Riley to the park she meets Collin McKenna, a senior at her high school and her life is changed forever as he helps her find herself and realize her life is worth living.

As the romance between them grows her broken heart begins to heal. However, still nagging in the back of her conscious is the fear that her newfound happiness could come crashing down and she could lose everything she loves, yet again. Outside forces begin to tear them apart and Bailey must learn to trust in herself and realize that she is worthy of happiness. That sometimes love and healing comes in unexpected forms.

A Healing Heart is a story about first love, life’s unexpected tragedies, and the miracles that make it possible to move forward.

E-books Only $0.99 or Signed Paperbacks Just $6!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

Buy a Signed Paperback Here!

A freak ski accident brings nineteen-year old Mia Kinney within minutes of death. Hurt and scared, Mia is calmed by the southern drawl and clear green eyes of her rescuer.

Twenty-one year old Dylan Blackburn is one of the first Ski Patrol members on the scene. As his patient is airlifted to the local trauma center, he can’t shake her from his thoughts.

As Mia fights for her life, Dylan, is haunted by the blonde hair beauty, and knows he needs to make sure she’s going to be okay.

With a troubled past Dylan has vowed never to completely open himself up to another girl, but Mia continues to knock down every wall he’s constructed. When his past arrives at his front door and threatens once again someone that he loves, will Dylan be able to save Mia yet again? Or will he be too late this time?

A story of love, friendship, and the determination to turn a horrible experience into something worthwhile.

E-books Only $0.99 or Signed Paperbacks Just $6!

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

Buy A Signed Paperback Here!

A Peek Inside the Books

About Melissa

Website | Facebook | Twitter |Instagram

Melissa A. Hanson lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. Growing up in Southern California, inspiration for the city of “Riverview” is based on her hometown. Melissa enjoys scrapbooking and reading when time permits.

A Healing Heart was her first completed novel, and book 1 of the Riverview Series. It is Bailey & Collin's story.

A Healing Spirit, book 2 has now been released and is book 2 of the Riverview Series. It is Mia & Dylan's story.

Each book is a stand-alone novel.

Riverview Series Tour Giveaway

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

A Healing Spirit (Riverview Series #2) by Melissa A. Hanson

The Healing Spirit

A Healing Spirit (Riverview Series #2) by Melissa A. Hanson

Paperback, 288 pages

Published August 16th 2015 by mah

A freak ski accident brings nineteen-year old Mia Kinney within minutes of death. Hurt and scared, Mia is calmed by the southern drawl and clear green eyes of her rescuer.

Twenty-one year old Dylan Blackburn is one of the first Ski Patrol members on the scene. As his patient is airlifted to the local trauma center, he can’t shake her from his thoughts.

As Mia fights for her life, Dylan, is haunted by the blond hair beauty, and knows he needs to make sure she’s going to be okay.

With a troubled past Dylan has vowed never to completely open himself up to another girl, but Mia continues to knock down every wall he’s constructed. When his past arrives at his front door and threatens once again someone that he loves, will Dylan be able to save Mia yet again? Or will he be too late this time?

A story of love, friendship, and the determination to turn a horrible experience into something worthwhile.

My thoughts about A Healing Spirit ~~

I enjoyed A Healing Spirit, book 2 in the Riverview series just as much as I did book 1, A Healing Heart. I was so excited to journey back to this world that I reread book 1 again before I started book 2. I am so glad I did. The characters and story were so fresh in my mind and I loved that I could just continue on with the story and learn more about one of the character's lives. But ... you definitely don't have to read one to enjoy the other.

Melissa's stories start off with an intense scene that just makes the reader want to continue. Mia has a terrible accident and you just have to keep reading to make sure everything is going to be okay. Dylan is the Ski Patrol member who helps Mia through her trauma and he can't seem to get her out of his mind. He feels an instant connection to her.

'You know what I always say ... things happen for reasons. We just don't always know why. Follow your instincts, honey. Listen to your heart.'

As Mia and Dylan get close, Mia can feel that Dylan has something in his past that he can't get over. She just wants to help him but he won't talk about it.

'Whatever happened to him had hurt him deeply, and I might never know what the cause for that pain had been.'

Then the past rears its ugly head and their lives become pretty intense. Let me tell you, you will not want to put the book down when you get to this part!

Melissa has written a very enjoyable, entertaining, sweet story with enough drama going on that was a non-stop read for me. Thanks Melissa, for another wonderful trip to Riverview. I hope there will be more!

'Her spirit had been infectious, as it weaved into my heart.'

About the author

Melissa A. Hanson lives in Southern California with her husband and two sons. Growing up in Southern California, inspiration for the city of “Riverview” is based on her hometown. Melissa enjoys scrapbooking and reading when time permits.

A Healing Heart was her first completed novel, and book 1 of the Riverview Series. It is Bailey & Collin's story. A Healing Spirit, book 2 has now been released and is book 2 of the Riverview Series. It is Mia & Dylan's story. Each book is a stand-alone novel.

Connect with Melissa

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon

A Healing Heart

Riverview Series #1

My thoughts about A Healing Heart ~~

(orginally posted August 7, 2012)

This book grabbed me from the prologue, the first 2 pages of the book. The prologue sets up the basis of the story and recreates the car accident that wipes out Bailey's whole family. Her mom, dad, brother and sister, all gone. Just like that! How intense!

Bailey then goes to live with her aunt, her mom's identical twin sister. Oh my, that must have been heartbreaking. To 'see' your mom everyday, but it's really not your mom. Just a reminder that she is not there anymore.

One day at school Bailey runs into Colin. Literally. She runs into him in her hurry to get to class. And after that her life starts to change. That encounter starts a friendship that helps Bailey get through her dark days. Colin has his own demons and together they find happiness. But .... as in every relationship, they have their ups and downs. Oops!

I really loved A Healing Heart. Melissa does a wonderful job of portraying a teenager's life and the issues that they have to go through, complete with all the self-doubt and romance angst that everyone has suffered.

And did you notice the lovely necklace on the cover? I know I didn't until I was reading the story. It is so symbolic to what is happening to Bailey and Colin and it is such a gorgeous piece of jewelry. I want one!

(Here is the original cover with the heart necklace I was referring to.)

All in all, this is a beautiful story of 2 teenagers who find out that the other one is just what they need to heal their heart. How can you not love a story like that? I know I did!

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? September 14, 2015

Hello! Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? This weekly meme, hosted by Book Journey, is where we share what we have read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and to discover books to add to your own To Be Read list. You never know where that next great read may come from!

Click on the book image to read more on Goodreads. 

What I'm currently reading/listening to

Moonlight on Butternut Lake: A Novel (The Butternut Lake Trilogy #3)
by Mary McNear 


The Seacrest
by Aaron Paul Lazar (audio-book)

What I recently finished reading

A Healing Spirit (Riverview Series #2)

by Melissa A. Hanson
My thoughts will be posted soon.

A Healing Heart (Riverview Series #1)

by Melissa A. Hanson
You can read my thoughts here. 

What I am going to read next

The Child Garden
by Catriona McPherson
Isn't this cover amazingly creepy?

I love my reading life!

What's going on in your reading world this week?

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? September 7, 2015

Hello! Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? This weekly meme, hosted by Book Journey, is where we share what we have read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and to discover books to add to your own To Be Read list. You never know where that next great read may come from!

Click on the book image to read more on Goodreads. 

What I'm currently reading/listening to

 

A Healing Heart (Riverview Series #1)

A Healing Spirit (Riverview Series #2)

by Melissa A. Hanson

Book # 2 in this series just came out. I read book #1 in 2012 and I just received book #2. I decided to go back and reread A Healing Heart. What a great series! 

Read my thoughts about A Healing Heart here. 

The Seacrest
by Aaron Paul Lazar (audio-book)

What I recently finished reading

The Art of Crash Landing 

by Melissa DiCarlo

Wonderful story! My stop on it's tour is September 10th.

The Middle of Somewhere
by Sonja Yoerg
Loved this one! Read my thoughts here. And there's a giveaway for a copy! Check it out!

What I am going to read next

Moonlight on Butternut Lake: A Novel (The Butternut Lake Trilogy #3)
by Mary McNear 
I have been wanting to read this series. I've heard they can be read as stand alones so why not jump in and read the last one first.

I love my reading life!

What's going on in your reading world this week?

Be sure to check the sidebar for my current giveaways!

Winners @ The Book Bag

I am happy to announce some winners here 
@ The Book Bag! 

First up are the 2 winners for e-book copies of 

A Healing Heart. 

#4 Fiery Na - A Healing Heart Facebook Fan 

#7 - Debbie Griffith - A Healing Heart Facebook Fan

Next we have the 3 winners of e-book copies of 

The Black Shard

#9 Monica Gutierrez - The Book Bag Facebook Fan

#11 Lora Campbell Roberts - Easy Entry 

 

#6 Natasha - The Book Bag Facebook Fan

Congrats to all of you!

I will be emailing you soon.

I do have another giveaway going on right now, for a few more days. 

I think this is one of the best books I have read this year!

You can read my thoughts here. 

Click on the image to enter the giveaway. 

(US/Canada only)