ARC REVIEW : Loving a Warrior by Melanie Hansen

Title : Loving a Warrior
Author : Melanie Hansen
Genre(s) : contemporary gay romance
Publication Date : November 26th 2018
Rating : 3.5/5 Stars

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.

Matt turned to bury his face against Shane’s shoulder. “Why are you so perfect for me?” he said raggedly. “Why?” He clutched on to him, twisting his fists into Shane’s damp shirt. “Because you are. Perfect.”

This is the story about Soup and Clown, two strangers who become brothers in arms during the hell weeks on special training…

I thought that it would be some battles scenes in this book, but it seems I’m totally wrong!!

The story mostly only about the BUD/S training and how Matt and Shane spent their hell weeks together during the training before they become SEAL and a glimpse of the life outside the base camp. And I must admit it’s kinda disappointed me a bit and more less affected my mood because I was hoping to find some battle scenes and love story in the middle of secret missions and conflicts that will squeeze my heart while reading it.

The interactions between the MCs were good and so tense right from the beginning. Their growing feeling, the connections, the push and pull all written in slow and heartwarming way. How they support and encourage each others during the rough Hell-weeks on DUI/S training, the UST and strong attraction between the two, the denial, the conflicts and their dynamic and growing relationship all feels so natural and convincing enough. Good plot combine with the slow pace, good writing and loveable characters had made this story become enjoyable enough to follow.

Thanks to all the documentaries and some movies I’ve watched about how hard and brutal the SEAL Team training is, I can picturing all the DUI/S training weeks with no problems at all.