Spotlight & Giveaway: A Hero’s Return by Carrie Nichols

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Carrie Nichols to HJ!

Hi Carrie Nichols and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, A Hero’s Return!

Thank you so much for having me. I’m thrilled to be here and to speak to and with readers.
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

A Hero’s Return is about second chances and found families. The story, set in a fictional town on the Oregon coast, is the first in a new series for me. The heroine Cassie and her daughter have settled in Sandy Shores hoping for a new start after leaving heartache and memories behind. Braden has returned to his hometown after a long career in the military. Each must overcome their past to fully embrace and allow themselves to become vulnerable in order to embrace this new love they’ve found.
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

The heroine’s daughter is a big part of the story and I think this thought from her describes a lot about how the hero and heroine are also feeling:

Mom thought moving to a new place might help and at first Amelia thought so too. But how could it? No matter where they lived, Dad was still dead and she was crap at making new friends.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

Despite the above quote, A Hero’s Return is a funny, uplifting story. There’s a handsome chocolate Lab named Cary Grant and a giant Flemish rabbit named Gulliver.
My working title was Braden & Cassie. It even says so on my contract. But I think A Hero’s Return is a much better title and I thank Harlequin for it. One of the influences for the book is a favorite show of mine (and please don’t think any less of me for admitting this!) is AIR DISASTERS on the Smithsonian Channel. I have watched every episode of all 24 seasons. My husband says you might not want to sit next to me on a flight. One day I heard a recording of a pilot on the cockpit voice recording telling his wife and daughter he loved them as the plane was crashing. I knew then I had to write a story about how something like that could impact a family. Once again, I apologize for making this sound like a depressing story when truly it isn’t. It’s about finding love and joy again after a disaster.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

The heroine is attracted to him despite his being unpleasant to her at their first meeting because he sticks up for his dog when it becomes apparent the dog is frightened by the giant rabbit. The hero is attracted to her because she retains her sense of humor despite his boorish behavior at their first meeting.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

I laughed during the “spider in the bathroom” scene. Braden valiantly offers to dispatch the giant spider and Cassie hands him an index card and a red Solo cup.
From the book:
“What’s this?” Braden looked down at the items Cassie had shoved into his hands.
She’d assumed the items spoke for themselves. Evidently not. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other in impatience. “Our bug evacuation kit.”
“Your what?” He shook his head as if that would improve his hearing.
“Guys? Could someone hurry up?” Amelia called from outside the bathroom door.
“Hurry up before it disappears from sight.” Cassie pushed on his shoulder, urging him down the hall toward the bathroom.
“Uh…” He started walking but turned his head to look over his shoulder. “What exactly do you expect me to do with this?”
“Capture him and throw him out the bathroom window. That’s what I do.”

Readers should read this book….

because it’s funny and poignant and filled with realistic likeable characters.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

I have MY HEART BELONGS TO THE MAVERICK (A Montana Mavericks story) releasing on January 27, 2026 and book #2 in the Finding Forever in Sandy Shores series. It’s called THE VETERAN DAD coming out in March 2026. And I’m working on book #3 in the Sandy Shores series with a grumpy police chief and his new neighbor who epitomizes sunshine and her precocious young daughter who proposes shared custody of a stray cat. In other words, she’ll take care of it and he’ll pay any vet bills.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: I’d love to give away two autographed copies of A Hero’s Return to two lucky readers from the Us and a digital copy if you live outside the US. I don’t mind picking two US readers and one or two international readers!

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: What are your favorite tropes? I love grumpy/sunshine—as if you couldn’t tell. LOL!

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from A Hero’s Return:

Damn, but now he felt like a heel, and he hated that he was responsible for dimming the light in those pretty eyes. Admitting the embarrassing truth was his penance. “If you must know, he’s named for Cary Grant.”
Awesome. That’s cool too. I’m not a film noir expert, but I do love all those old classics.”
Of course she did, because that was the way this whole encounter was unfolding. Ruthie had loved classic movies too. He rubbed his chest, hoping to ease the tightness gathering there at the reminder of Ruthie.
“Not only did I enjoy that kiss last night, I was awed by the efficiency behind it,” she said with a smile.
What? Was she some sort of mind reader? He groaned inwardly; pretty sure he hadn’t given voice to his desire to kiss her. How did she know? Maybe if he stopped staring at her mouth… No, don’t go there. How had they gone from oversize rabbits and dog names to kissing? “What kiss? What are you talking about?”
She blushed, which made her freckles—the ones he didn’t want to touch—stand out even more. “It’s um…it’s a line from To Catch A Thief.”
That engine in his brain was revving again but not getting him anywhere.
“Cary Grant? Grace Kelly? Hitchcock? The French Riviera? No?” She shook her head, the ponytail swishing back and forth. “It’s a Grant classic and I assumed since you named your dog after—”
“I can’t be held responsible for your misguided assumptions.” The words came out before he could prevent them.
Now he’d gone and done it. Probably angered her beyond—But she surprised him by laughing. A big, hearty guffaw that had him staring, mesmerized.
“Touché,” she said, once she’d recovered.
Okay, so she had a sense of humor. He never realized how appealing that was, but he wasn’t going to think about that. Or those freckles. Nope. Not one thought. She was a widow, so she was the marrying kind, and he wasn’t. Not anymore.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

He knows how to be brave on a battlefield
Now he has to be brave with his heart
Years of military service taught decorated veteran Braden Sullivan how to be strong. It didn’t teach him how to be vulnerable. Back in his Oregon hometown, with a job as a helicopter pilot and a two-family home to renovate, he’s not at all prepared for his heart to take flight after meeting his tenant, Cassie Donovan. The widowed single mom is beautiful, charming…and terrified of loving another pilot after losing her husband in a crash. Overcoming her fears and his own uncertainties will take courage—but isn’t that what a hero soldier is for?
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Meet the Author:

Carrie Nichols loves to travel, is addicted to British crime dramas, and knows a Seinfeld quote appropriate for any occasion. She has one tolerant husband, two grown sons, and two critical cats. To her dismay, Carrie’s characters–much like her family–often ignore the wisdom and guidance she lovingly offers. She writes stories that contain heart, home, and humor.
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