*~~*ARC kindly provided from the publisher/author to me for an honest review *~~*

Full review to come

4 stars

** spoiler alert **

Ok... I’m not going to lie. I was kinda upset the next book in this series was going to be M/F. Since the first book was M/M I didn’t understand why the author would do that.
Especially to her readers that read strictly only M/M.

I read both. But when I go into a book/ series. I’m kinda picky about that. I hate when characters stories get mixed together. Or at least warn the reader that this series won’t be a straight M/M series.
I requested this book thinking that I would get a little continuation of Shane and Matt. Since the ending was kinda open. I wanted to read about how their new relationship was coming along.

I REALLY think Matt & Shane needed their own book!! Because getting little bits and pieces of them was horrible.
I absolutely hate that Matt and Shane only got a little part in this book. I mean... I devoured those little parts. It just made me all the more upset that this series went this way.

At the end of Loving A warrior Shane and Matt are together and live together. They are in different Seal teams. But happy!

As I was reading... Shane and Matt are broken up. And Shane is basically playing games dancing with a blond woman to get Matt jealous. Bringing a platinum blonde guy to a party to get Matt jealous!
I mean what!!!! Why!!!!

I absolutely hate that Matt and Shane relationship went this way!!! Just totally ruins it for me. More needed to be said about everything with them. How their whole situation came about. We literally jump right into them always fighting.

I’m extremely disappointed that this series is probably going to be just M/F. The next book in this series is Trusting A Warrior book 3.
And it’s about Lani and George. Lani’s Fiancé falls in love with another woman (this book. Rhys & Devon)... she’s heartbroken. And a surprise pregnancy.
George has issues of his own being a SEAL and a K-9 handler.

I’m not a fan of Lani. What she did at the end of this book was mean. And the reason why she did it was horrible! So no... I won’t be reading the next book in this series.

“When I saw those pictures Aaron took of you and Devon, I—” Lani swallowed hard, her voice going flat as she said, “I guess I just wanted to see how much power I still had over you, that’s all.”

The twist at the end between Devon and her attacker was just unbelievable. I mean... why even do that.

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. What Matt and Shane went through in this book needed more then what we got in this book. I wasn’t feeling Rhys or Devon. Especially when Rhys for a minute had a second thought about going back to Lani his Ex because he knew Devon was going back out on another tour. I mean what!!! They both had said I love you’s already! And they were just together!

“For the briefest of instants, temptation reared its ugly head. Why not try again? Devon’s leaving and there’s a good chance you’ll never see her again. Lani’s here...”

I’m just really shocked by this book. And overall how this story played out.

Keeping a Warrior is the second book in Melanie Hansen's Loving a Warrior series, but it's the first book in the series that I've read, and also the first book I've read by this author, and if this novel is an example of her writing, I'll be reading a lot more of her in the future. It gets 4.5 stars from this reader.

I love books about Navy SEALs, and didn't fully read the Netgalley blurb when I requested an advance reader copy of this novel, but I'm so glad I did request it. I've wondered for years, and suggested to some of my favorite authors in this sub-genre that I felt it was time someone addressed the rapidly growing issue of women in the military being raped, either by the men in their units, or the officers who had power over them, their careers and their future. Thank you, Ms. Hansen for being brave enough to tackle this issue, among others in this novel, and in a way that was both tasteful, emotionally moving, and spot on.

Devon Lowe, is a CST, a cultural support attache among a combined unit of Marines, Special Ops, and mostly Navy SEALs. She's just been sent to Kandahar, Afghanistan and is desperately trying to fit in and prove her abilities and fitness for the job to the men in her unit. Sadly, her previous deployment with a team of Marines ended badly when she was gang-raped by some of the men in her unit, men she trusted, and when she reported it, as I've learned that most women in her situation seldom do, she wasn't believed by anyone, including her superior who was the man she was sleeping with at the time, but that man, Jon, watched her being raped, and said and did nothing when she was called a slut, and "a walking mattress" who was "asking for it" when she went out drinking one night with her teammates, men she trusted, who took advantage of her when she was too drunk to consent.

As usually happens, instead of punishing the men who raped her, she was transferred out of that unit, and is now wary of every man in her new assignment, always carries a concealed knife, but senses kindness and decency from one man, Rhys Halloran, an air force corpsman and medic, a decent guy who's trying to end his stateside, relationship with his lifelong friend and former fiance, Lani, back home. They met briefly on a previous deployment but never had the chance to get close, since Rhys was faithful to Lani. What he offers Devon now is his friendship and support as she encounters new challenges in her role as a CST, new physical challenges, as she must keep up with her Navy SEAL teammates, all while fearing that what happened to her once might very well happen again, and all while dealing with the horrors of war and the desperate lives of the women and children in poor Afghan villages. In Devon, Ms. Hansen created a fully-rounded, complex and tough as nails heroine, with grit, determination, and depth. And in Rhys, Ms. Hansen created a handsome, kind, thoughtful and caring hero who was impossible not to fall a little in love with as the novel and their relationship progressed. I loved that Ms. Hansen gave us a slow-moving, slowly-developing friendship between Devon and Rhys, and took the time to let them get to know one another and for that relationship to grow into more.

Of course, there's other drama in this novel involving two gay team members, Shane and Matt, one man out of the closet and one still in the closet, and the stress that put on their relationship as well. I've learned that their relationship was introduced in the first novel in this series, and because Ms, Hansen treated their M/M relationship with so much emotion, depth, and understanding, I'm looking forward to backtracking to read their story too, and plan to follow this series in the future.

Be advised that this is a story that takes place in large part in a war zone, and there are triggers aplenty in this novel, war-related violence, sex-related steamy scenes, as well as rape flashbacks, betrayals, fear, sexism, bullying and the brutality and senselessness of war--but all are handled so well, so honestly, and so believably, that I couldn't find fault with any of it. My only issue with this novel, and the reason I gave it 4.5 rather than 5 stars is that a glossary of military acronyms would have made understanding some of those acronyms and military techno-speak easier to follow and understand.

Aside from the one minor flaw I mentioned, this novel was an excellent read, worked just fine as a standalone for this reader, and handled the touchy subject matter with such delicacy, honesty, and a depth of understanding that I think it's one of the best military romance novels I've read in years, and if the aforementioned triggers don't prevent it, I highly recommend that you get a copy and read it--it's that good.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.

I had a very difficult time putting down Keeping a Warrior by one of my current favorite authors, Melanie Hansen. It was emotional, powerful, and, most importantly, compulsively readable.

I find it very interesting that Melanie Hansen chose to switch her series from M/M to M/F in book two, considering that many readers stick to one kind of pairing. I read all romance with any pairing, so I was delighted to see where Melanie could take this series. And, truth be told, I enjoyed Keeping a Warrior much more than Loving a Warrior (though both pale in comparison to Point of Contact, which is on my all-time favorite list).

Keeping a Warrior was much more powerful than I was expecting, though I don't know why since Melanie Hansen is the master of powerful military romances. I really admired Devon's strength and resiliency, and my heart clenched and soared along with hers. I loved the main couple, and I liked the splashes of the couple from book one, on the whole, though I thought at times they had too much page-time in this story. I thought Devon and Rhys really had something special, and I liked the way they grew as individuals and as a couple.

An emotional read that really touched upon issues that women face in the military and in many areas of society, I think Melanie Hansen really delivered with this story.

I know that some readers are going to be thrown by the fact that Keeping a Warrior is not a M/M romance, especially since the first book in the series was. I really hope that even so, readers give this one a chance. There was a lot to love about Keeping a Warrior and for the record, both Shane and Matt from Loving a Warrior, play a big role in this one – along with their drama. The support they receive from both Rhys and Devon is amazing to see. I personally love it when an author branches out and doesn’t stick to one genre for everything they write.

Devon and Rhys were both broken and neither one of them were looking for romance. It was actually the furtherest thing from either of their minds. Devon had been hurt, both physically and mentally, by people she should have been able to trust. She loved her job and she had learned from previous experience how to be vigilant to protect herself. She knew in her heart though that Rhys was different. She felt close to him… safe… from the beginning. Rhys had baggage though and getting attached would be a mistake, especially since he was on the rebound.

Rhys had his own fears about getting attached, but the pull was too strong to ignore. He was happy being Devon’s friend, but that wasn’t going to make their inevitable parting any easier to take. Pieces of his heart were going to go with her and the closer they got the more dangerous that became.

I loved these two together, but I also loved the friendships that developed between them and the rest of the characters. They were a tight knit group and they ALL had each others’ backs. It was the way it was supposed to be and that did as much for Devon as the support she was getting from Rhys.

I’m loving the Loving a Warrior series and I’m kind of hoping that there’s more to come. Regardless, I need to go back and read Loving a Warrior. Seeing them in Keeping a Warrior made me want to go back and see if there’s anything I missed. Any excuse for a re-read, right? 😉

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Military Romance
Triggers: Rape, Murder

This is the second book in the series, but I don't believe that it's necessary to read book one in order to understand what's going on in book two.

Devon is one tough lady. I absolutely loved her character. She's complex and tough, but also has a tender side and wants to feel confident in showing it. But in the military, she knows that she's odd man out. I love that she can keep up with the SEALs and really enjoyed watching her put other men in their place. When she comes up against a trauma that she knows she has to work through, she puts on her brave face and does what she can to overcome the tragedy.

Rhys is a great soldier, but he is also one who needed a break from it. When he first meets Devon, not only is he impressed, he never forgets her. When they meet again, Rhys can tell that she's been through something bad, but doesn't want to pry. Instead, he does everything he can think of to earn her trust. What ends up happening is that they form an unbreakable friendship.

These two burn up the sheets, but both aren't sure if they will ever want a full-on relationship. Since they both understand their jobs, both know that to live in the moment is the best for them. But when the future is fast approaching, can they both leave their romance on the battlefield?

I really enjoyed this book and loved Devon's character. I do wish more had been done with her trauma, as it felt unresolved. However, I understand that sometimes, that's what happens – things remain unresolved. I can't wait to see who gets their story next.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
Triggers: sexual assault

This book is one of the best books I've read all year. It explores all elements of the trauma that both men and women face daily, including those that serve our country.

Devon's strength in continuing her military career in spite of the trauma she's been through is a huge testament to her character. Rhys' patience and understanding makes this friends-to-lovers story that much more remarkable.

4.5 stars.

A quote:
“Not all war stories are heroic, you know.” [Devon Lowe, the female protagonist in “Keeping a Warrior”]

I really liked this book and its author, Melanie Hansen; it was my first time reading Melanie Hansen and I enjoyed her voice and was pleased and often surprised with the original outlook the author lends on military life and operations and war.
I found the hero, Rhys, and the heroine, Devon, the most refreshing military people I’ve read in ages. Their romance is also refreshingly different, with a slow burn where we get to see them going from friends to lovers, and to feel – to smell – the sheer sensuality of attraction and desire.
Rhys is strong, earnest and protective; his frankness and steadiness are so alluring. Devon is strong and tough, too – she has to be, she’s a female in a traditionally male environment. I loved her work as an Army Cultural Support Team member. I was not totally convinced with the way she overcame some of the extreme difficulties she faced, but I felt overall satisfied with the result.
We get to see the best - the camaraderie – and the worst of military life.
I loved Shane and Matt and how they tried to fight the affection and love and eventually surrendered. I love to see this kind of intensity and tenderness between two male characters.
Once Rhys and Devon settled as a couple, the pace of the story slowed a bit which in itself wasn’t that bad.

Not going to lie, I signed up to review this title without reading the blurb for two reasons- I grab everything the author releases and I assumed it was the continuing story of Matt and Shane from the first book of the series. When I realized Keeping a Warrior featured a new couple, I’ll admit I wasn’t initially as enticed...but then it’s this author and I had no doubt she’d deliver a great story. In the end, I got the best of both- new characters and a story that addressed an important topic in today’s military while delivering a good romance, as well as significant updates about Matt and Shane over the course of the book.

I loved the pairing of Rhys and Devon, and liked how many of the “typical” relationship norms didn’t apply for these two. I also loved how much quiet strength they lent each other. Keeping a Warrior was definitely a love story vs a lust story and I appreciated the slow build of friendship and trust between Devon and Rhys. Though this wasn’t a romance that left me swooning, it was impossible to miss the deep connection the couple shared, not to mention their chemistry in the bedroom.

Per usual with Miss Hansen, it was the characters’ stories in Keeping a Warrior that won me over. One thing I love about this author is her accurate portrayal of life and life’s hardships- especially within the military. That honesty meant Devon’s story was as heartbreaking to read as it was uplifting when she battled back and wrote herself a new story. Though not quite as in depth as the BUD/S training chronicled in Loving a Warrior, there are a lot of military specific scenarios depicted in Keeping a Warrior which lend insight and authenticity. In other words, if you want a fantastical, sugar-coated military romance, this may not fit the bill. However, if you like seeing strong, tenacious heroines who rise above adversity and are their own champions, then I’d definitely recommend Keeping a Warrior.

Dans cette suite, nous suivons Devon et Rhys. Devon est membre du Cultural Support Team et travaille dans l'équipe de la SEAL. C'est une jeune femme qui a vécu un certain traumatisme et qui a du mal à faire confiance aux hommes. Sa rencontre avec Rhys, parachutiste, lui fait ressentir des choses qu'elle ne veut plus ignorer, sauf que Rhys sort d'une séparation assez compliquée...

M'immerger dans ce genre de livre n'est jamais de tout repos avec Melanie Hansen car elle nous immisce dans ce monde militaire, comprenant déjà des termes avec lesquels je ne suis pas du tout familiarisée, mais aussi tout ce monde de camaraderie, de choses dures et moins dures...
J'ai beaucoup apprécié les personnages. Devon est une battante et en tant que femme, elle se doit d'aller jusqu'au bout, de montrer son ambition, sa motivation et surmonter ses craintes.
Rhys est un homme hyper attachant aussi. Sa rupture avec son ex le perturbe, mais d'un autre côté, il veut aller de l'avant... Il va être touché par Devon et sa fragilité.
Par contre, si j'ai vraiment aimé les deux personnages séparément, leur romance ne m'a pas vraiment emportée, même si je percevais l'intensité de leurs sentiments.

Quel plaisir de revoir aussi Matt et Shane du tome précédent ! J'ai adoré les passages les concernant, cette scène de jalousie de Matt et puis la suivante ! Ahlala... pour le coup, ils ont carrément volé la vedette au couple principal de ce tome-ci !

Il m'a manqué un petit quelque chose pour que je sois complètement emportée par l'histoire du couple formé par Devon et Rhys, même si, comme je le disais, j'ai vraiment aimé les personnages. Mais je poursuivrai la suite de cette saga avec grand plaisir ! (3,5/5)

Devon Lowe grew up with a father in the Air Force and has always wanted to serve. She joins the armed forces and obtains a position providing cultural support on missions, especially in Afghanistan. She trains hard and she works hard, but being a woman amongst Navy SEALS comes with its own set of problems. Devon is a survivor, though, and she proves herself time and again. Yet, when she is betrayed by her own team, Devon knows she can’t show fear in her new post, but so much damage has already been done.

Rhys Halloran is a pararescueman in the Air Force. He crossed Devon’s path years ago on a mission in Afghanistan and admired her skills. Rhys has just broken up with his fiancé, Lani, a woman he has known all his life, and Rhys is certainly feeling unsettled. When Rhys and Devon are once again teammates, a friendship grows leading to small sparks. Devon still has trauma and trusting a man again wasn’t in her plans and Rhys doesn’t want something casual as he knows the two of them will go in opposite directions for their careers. But slowly, a relationship between the two of them could lead to the start of something worth fighting for.

Keeping a Warrior follows up Loving a Warrior and revolves heavily around life in the armed forces. The first book in the Loving a Warrior series featured two men and while this book is M/F, it keeps the continuity of the series. Where Matt and Shane were in training to become Navy SEALS in that first book, Rhys and Devon have different roles. This book overlaps Matt and Shane’s story during the time the two were separated and I appreciated having had already read their story to understand the dynamics here. Devon’s story also ties in to Matt and Shane’s as well.

Devon is a strong woman across many areas. She is consistently the only woman on her teams and has to work even harder to keep up and fit in. Devon provides cultural support during missions in Afghanistan where the local women would not be able to talk to a man and she is able bridge some gaps, if only for a moment. This is also the story of sexual assault against women in the military and while Devon’s story doesn’t play out in graphic detail on page, it is a theme throughout the entire book as Devon is now a survivor of rape by men she trusted.

Devon and Rhys’s story is set against their missions and training and you would want to be interested in reading about this as it is the main focus of the book. I did find it interesting, but not quite as interesting as Matt and Shane’s story, and I did find myself at times having to puzzle out exactly what the missions were and exactly what was expected of both Devon and Rhys. They both gravitate toward each other from the start, but Devon is understandably hesitant and Rhys is coming off of a breakup, doesn’t want to overstep with Devon, and doesn’t do casual.

As far as the relationship in this one, I found it a little lacking for my tastes as well. I didn’t really feel the connection between the two of them. The story was so focused on their missions, as well as Devon’s trauma, it then didn’t always fit in for me to then see them thinking about how good looking they thought the other was, and there was just something here that didn’t click for me as a romance. We don’t see Devon dealing with her trauma at all other than locking it down. The end was also abrupt for me as it ended at 87% and a new thread was opened at the end involving Rhys’ ex. But, besides that, I didn’t have a great sense of Devon and Rhys as a forever couple.

I have read many books by Hansen that I have enjoyed and while this was okay, it wasn’t my favorite from her. The series will continue later this year and although we did not get a glimpse of who the next MCs will be, I am still interested in returning to this world once again.

4* Another well-written book by this talented author, and her first published MF, I believe.

Book 2 in the Loving A Warrior series is a MF tale. Technically it could be read as a standalone, but as Matt and Shane appear in this quite a bit, and Rhys, the lead from this new tale, was a side character in book one, so it's best to read all in order so that you can keep track of who's who. And, I suspect that there will be more from this series, as some ends aren't totally tied up, so yay!

Devon is possibly one of the strongest female leads I've read about. Ever. She is both hard as nails and soft, but that softness has had to be deliberately buried due to a horrible incident in her past, that yes, gets revealed in the tale. Thankfully, though, it's talked about but not told in explicit detail, though the name of the act itself and the fact that its perpetrators - there was more than one - got away with it, is horrifying. There's an Author's Note at the end of the book with some more information about how 'justice' is done in the (US only? I'm not sure) Armed Forces and boy, does it need to change, by the sounds of it.

So, Devon's a wounded warrior, and she's on her guard at all times, and the gentle, emotionally wounded Rhys is a revelation to her. A guy who's not after getting into her pants immediately, who's open and honest and caring, and I think it confuses her after years of her holding guys in distrust. It's not to say that they don't get it on - Devon can compartmentalise and isn't shy about saying what she needs/wants/won't do, which is so, so refreshing; most authors would have had a female lead with a past like hers as broken and/or traumatised. She knows her mind, her body, her needs and her wants and she and Rhys start a relationship and it's one of friendship and trust. It's not the most passionate of relationships that I've read by MH, but it is one that I think suited both guys because for both, the mission came first, and, because of past hurts.

There's a lot of emotional baggage in this, as there's no support and no close friendships for Devon, despite her liking and trusting Shane and Matt, whose relationship has changed from book one (you'll have to read and see, no Spoilers from me). She comes to trust them because they love each other and have no interest in her, but still she can't let her guard down entirely, nor can she with Rhys until quite far into the tale. And, until close to the end, there's no other female officer (sorry if 'officer' isn't the right terminology) for her to bond with or unburden herself to, and she carries everything within herself, locked down tight. Had she had counselling, would that have made a difference? I'm not sure, whether said counselling might have been independent or organised by the military, as she'd have been even more vilified and ostracised than she already is, and she'd still have to live-work in the same environment, so I don't think she could/would have ever let down her guard. Until now. And, there's emotional baggage from Rhys, and a fair bit of two-fro between him and his ex-fiancee, as they've been in each other's lives, in differing ways, for a long, long time.

I didn't love these guys as a pairing. That's not a criticism of the tale or because I don't love MF these days, but I didn't get as much full-on romance that I'm used to in a novel that's primarily aimed at readers of romance. That's on me, because to do anything else, to write these guys any differently, wouldn't have been true to the tale that MH wanted to write. I see it as a tale set in a military background, with characters who end up having a romance, not a romance with characters who are in the military. I think MH got her leads right. I admired Devon's ambitions and plans, her mental and physical strength, but I didn't feel I got to know her other than what was revealed of her past to make her as she is. I'd have liked to see more of the old her, I think. I'd have liked to see Devon, The Woman. I liked Rhys and his views on romance and sex, but don't think I got to see enough of him as a strong guy, separate from the emotional stuff he's been dealing with. TBH, he's totally (slightly disappointingly) not an alpha male, which I think helped he and Devon work, as she's totally an alpha female; still I have doubts about them lasting, as she's the boss of them, and he just goes along with things... Hopefully when I see them next, they'll be more solid. I do wonder how their relationship will end up playing out, as both will be separated by their jobs, which is a given in the military. Hopefully, they'll be pragmatic, committed and will make the best of the time they do have together.

I read this book in a beta incarnation, and again now as an ARC, and am so pleased that MH changed Devon's personality a little. I hadn't liked her - though I'd still admired her and understood her - as much as I did in this version. And, there's another reason this book was a bit painful for me, but I can't reveal why, or it'd Spoiler both this and an upcoming tale. But, I have faith in MH and giving her characters HEAs, though some might be more implied than others. I can safely repeat that if she writes it, I'll read it, MM or MF, or anything else.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

I was very excited to read this new book by Ms. Hansen. I devoured her Resilient Series and know the caliber of her writing skills. I have not read any books by her that weren't strictly mm so I was unsure what to expect at first. I was so drawn into these characters.and yes there was a gay couple that had a prominent part of this book. I have not read her first Warrior novel story that featured Matt and Shane but it did not keep me from understanding the story line. I must confess after reading about Shane and Matt I purchased her Loving a Warrior book featuring the two headstrong Navy Seals. I mention Shane and Matt as being important because the two couples featured in this riveting story develop a strong and meaningful friendship and become a crucial part of each others lives.

The story Keeping a Warrior revolves around Rhys an air force medic that deploys with the Seals. Devon is a cultural support team member which is crucial when dealing with the cultural imbalance in Afghanistan. Women are treated horribly there and with Devon being a liaison, the military can work easier with the locals. Don't let her title fool you. Devon is one strong lady that trains as hard as the Seals, Rhys met Devon several years ago and had nothing but admiration for her grit and strength. They are now back together in Afghanistan dealing with the people and the horrific conditions they live in.

Devon is battling her own personal demons and once again I tip my hat to Ms.Hansen. She writes about such devastating topics and appears to have a vast knowledge on trauma and the lasting affects that can cause people to live in agony. Somehow even with these serious topics she allows her characters to find hope and grow past their fears. The authors writing is believable and if you are looking for a fluff story full of made up angst these realistic love stories (remember Matt and Shane) will definitely shock you system, but trust me in a good way.

I am so looking forward to the next book in her Warrior series. Thank you Ms. Hansen for a memorable read.

KEEPING A WARRIOR by Melanie Hansen is an incredibly
emotional journey of MST in today's military forces. A very real issue in all branches of the services. Prevalent in both enlisted and officers ranks. It is a fast paced story with lots of action and drama. Definitely a five 🌟read!

This book pulls you in from the beginning, the character's are very believable and seem to be people all of us would know. The struggles are real, and the author did a great job of describing life in the military for females. I totally enjoied this book and would recommended reading it.

I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback, the opinions expressed within are my own.

Melanie Hansen is a new author to me and I hadn’t really known what to expect with ‘Keeping a Warrior’ when I got into it, only that it was heavily woman-focused, so to speak, despite it being touted as a military romance.

Much of this ended up being a story about Devon Lowe as a solitary woman in a testosterone-driven man’s world and in this role-reversal—her love ‘em, leave ‘em ways, her sometime-recklessness, her prickly behaviour, calling the shots and all—, Hansen eagerly showcases her capability in the military and how she can excel in every training exercise that all the men can do. There’s plenty of action, a close look at how the platoon trains, the SEAL brotherhood and the assumed places of men and women in the military, which can be quite engaging.

And it’s all written—uniquely, you might say—through the eyes of a woman and how she copes with all of it.

If it isn’t a nod to girl-power or the #metoo movement, I don’t know what it is. Cheering for the constant insistence on female equality aside however, I wasn’t used to, or frankly, wasn’t sure if I liked what I thought of as the role reversal, of an alpha heroine in the driving seat all the time and an admiring and smitten beta hero who mostly defers to her.

I’ve nothing but admiration for Hansen’s attempt to focus on sexual assault in the military and its impact on women in particular but the constant dick-waving and posturing got me tired, including—yes, shoot me for it—Devon’s every attempt to one-up the men in trying to prove herself worthy with a very slow-burn romance on the side as Rhys Halloran struggles with his own failed relationship and takes his own form of baby steps around Devon.

In fact, I liked the volatile, cutting sexual tension between Matt/Shane more than I liked the Devon/Rhys pairing. Even as a secondary, estranged pairing (I hadn’t read their story in the first book, which is making me want to check them out now), they were the show-stealers and every fraught moment between them made me want more. As a result, ‘Keeping a Warrior’ left me with very mixed feelings, especially since I was more invested in the secondary characters more than the protagonists.