Guest Review: Loving a Warrior (Loving a Warrior #1) by Melanie Hansen

BUD/S: six months of the most intense training there is. It’s survival of the toughest, and Matt Knytych is determined to come out the other side a navy SEAL.

Distraction is life or death. And just the sight of former marine Shane Hovland is enough to shake Matt’s concentration.

Shane came to BUD/S training ready to prove himself—again. Semper Fi is forever, but he needs a new start. Not this dangerous heat with a man he barely knows.

Everything they’ve ever wanted is riding on a thin, punishing line. And they’ll have to fight for more than just each other if they want to make it through intact.

After all, the only easy day was yesterday.




Reviewer: Annika

I might be in minority here, because this book has got raving reviews left and right for months now. So going in, I had some pretty high hopes - and maybe that's on me - but when I realised that there wasn't much more happening in the book beyond what the blurb described I have to say I was disappointed.

BUD/S is not for the faint hearted but Matt Knytych and Shane Hovland are determined to make it through the toughest six months of their lives. Six months of training where only a few will come out on the other sides and can call themselves SEALs. The training is intense, back and bone breaking, but without the team there's no hope of making it.

The story in itself was a good one, it was well written and with some great characters. It was all just a bit too much, too many training details that didn't really bring the story forward. Get wet and sandy - yes we get it, please don't hit us over the head with it. The readers really understood that it was a brutal and gruelling camp and describing each part in so much details was unnecessary. Some of them were absolutely necessary but not all of them. All it did was increasing the word count and made me space out a few too many times.

From the first moment Matt and Shane lay eyes on each other there's a definite zing in the air. The UST and chemistry between them is off the charts and watching them dance around each other was very entertaining and among my favourite parts of the story. There was just not enough of it. Sure I understand that BUD/S is extremely time consuming and leaves you with very little time for romance, but I still wish there was more of a balance between the parts. Less detailed training details and more of the guys together. I also enjoyed watching them grow, both as individuals, part of a team and as a couple. The ride wasn’t always smooth - far from it but in the end they were stronger for it.

Loving a Warrior is the first in a series and more books will be released. However, while this book was enjoyable I'm not sure that I will pick up the other books, I want more romance in my romance novels.

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.


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