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!

Melissa Hanson: Does She Have Voices Helping Her Write? And a Giveaway

Yesterday I posted my thoughts on this wonderful book. You can read them here. Today, I have Melissa here answering the question I like to ask authors. Let's see what she has to say about 'voices'.

When you are done reading that, be sure to enter the giveaway for 2 e-books (Kindle, Nook or e-pub) that Melissa has generously offered to send to two lucky people.

Thank you, Melissa!

So Melissa ~ I have heard other authors say that they 'hear voices in their head' and that is how they write their books: the characters are telling their stories. Not being a writer myself, that concept has always intrigued me.

When some people hear voices, we get them medical attention, others end up becoming writers. Does this happen to you? How do you come up with your stories?

For me I guess the question is a little more complex, for the past 20 years my chosen career has been architecture. While I was in high school I loved writing and for awhile that's where I was headed. I wanted to write books, and go into journalism or something along those lines. Then a small little sidetrack into the world of architecture and for the most part my writing got set aside. I had always loved reading and that was something I never gave up.

At the end of summer in 2010 I had just finished a set of books which I flew through in less than a week, by the time I finished the last page I just had this burning urge to write again. I couldn't get it out of my mind, it was there taunting me when I was driving, at work, laying in bed. I tossed ideas around in my head for a few weeks and then one evening sitting on the couch watching tv I grabbed some paper and before I knew it the prologue was there on the paper. A couple days later I had a rough draft for an ending and from that moment on it was something I knew had to be written.

I spent almost every weekend for the next 6 months writing, not during the day, but usually in the middle of the night when the house was quiet, one chapter after the next unfolded. I would sometimes formulate a rough outline ideas for what might come next, but for the most part all I can say is that it was an experience. I would sit at my computer and the story just unfolded I don't know where it came from for the most part. The images would come into my head, the words poured from inside through to my fingers as they flew across the keyboard. 

Sometimes though I'd sit and write, then delete, write and then delete, but most of the story just came easily. I remember sitting thinking, what is the character feeling right at this moment? What do they see, hear, smell...and the words just came. I remember thinking on several occasions, am I crazy?? Is the story any good? The few people I let read as I wrote were all encouraging, but I always wondered deep inside were they just being nice because they didn't want to hurt my feelings. But I kept at it, and when I was done I went into editing, and had someone do my copy writing for me. But I designed everything, the cover, the text, the fonts, the format, everything. I guess it is the designer in me that just wanted total control. Seeing it out there and having others enjoy it and be touched has been one of the most exciting things for me.

I know I will write again. I have some other ideas, if it's continuing Bailey and Collin's story, or a spin off with one of the other characters, or something totally different is left to be seen. I guess it will probably just hit me and I'll know when it's right.

Thanks Melissa. I sure hope you write another story. 
I would love to read it!

A Healing Heart on Facebook

Buy the book

Amazon | B&N

I received a copy of A Healing Heart

from the author for my honest review.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Healing Heart by Melissa A. Hanson and a Giveaway

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 new found 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. ~~ synopsis from Goodreads

My thoughts on A Healing Heart ~~ and come back tomorrow when Melissa talks about how A Healing Heart flowed from her head on to the keyboard.

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!  

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!

I received a copy of A Healing Heart
from the author for my honest review.

A Healing Heart on Facebook

Buy the book

Amazon | B&N

Melissa has generously offered to give away 2 e-books of
A Healing Heart. (Kindle, Nook or e-pub)

Thanks so much, Melissa! 

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