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

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.

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This is the second book in this Riverview series.  I read and reviewed the first book not too long ago.  As a reviewer, I don't always love the books I am reviewing.  That goes without saying.  But, I do believe that when I read a first book by an author, and don't really love it, I should give them another chance.  Sometimes authors get better as they go, sometimes I get better as I go.  :)  Either way, I believe in second chances.  I didn't really love the first book in this series but I had already signed on to review this one and like I said before, I thought I would give the author another chance.  

Unfortunately, all the reasons I didn't really enjoy the first book were amplified in this book.  This book is told in first person from multiple points of view.  It drove me nuts.  Especially in the beginning when it jumped from person to person.  By the end of the book there was really only 3 alternating voices going on which was a relief, but I still would have appreciated it more if there weren't so many voices.  The problem, especially in the beginning was that I didn't feel any connection to any of the characters.  I didn't feel like I needed those alternating points of view to convey the information or emotion.  It was just distracting.

My other problem was the swearing and profanity.  The first book had a few mild instances, this book had a few more, some not so mild.  Not a fan of that.  The first book mentioned the couple not being ready for sexual relations quite yet, this book did the same but took things just a little bit farther.  

I will say that by the end of the book I really did like the main characters, Mia and Dylan.  Mia has a fantastic attitude toward life and it's always refreshing to have characters that sends out positive vibes.  This book also tackles the very tough subject of domestic violence and I thought the author did a great job of capturing the emotions of abuse.  I also liked the fact that this story was based on a real life event.  I enjoyed reading about that in the back of the book.

I think now that I have a pretty good idea of how this author writes and I just don't think it's a good fit for me personally.

A Healing Heart (Riverview Series #1) by Melissa A. Hanson

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.

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A Healing Heart is what I would summarize as a YA clean romance.  It is simplistic in delivery and told in the first person from multiple points of view.  I would say that the overall feel of the book would lend itself to be on the younger side of the YA range.

Bailey is a character you cannot help but have sympathy for.  She has suffered greatly in her young years and lost much.  As a reader, I could see growth in Bailey and that is always important.  Bailey really is on a journey of healing in so many ways.

I liked this book but I never really had that emotional connection to the characters.  It felt more like telling the whole time.  We did this and then we went here and then I did this and so on.  First person can be tricky that way, I think.  The book felt a little long to me but as I said before, I did like it.  

Content:  Some instances of mild swearing.  Mention of waiting for marriage to have sex.