Love's Journey Home

Lincoln Love Stories, Book 2

By: Julie Coulter Bellon

Narrated by: Brianne Vega

Length: 6 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Olivia is a D.A. with a job to do. Mick is a man with a hidden past. When their lives collide, choices must be made - and nothing will ever be the same.

Olivia Dalton has a reputation in the DA's office - tough, thorough, and fierce when she's closing a case. Those skills are essential in the courtroom, but not in the relationship department - until Mick Donovan crosses her path. Everyone thinks he's a player, but when an unexpected situation arises, she glimpses an honorable man instead. Olivia is drawn to him, but he pushes her away, unable to shake the past that still haunts him.

Mick Donovan learned at a young age never to let anyone close because those you love never stay. Keeping people at arms-length has never been hard for him - until he meets Olivia Dalton. Mick is caught up in a case she's prosecuting, and he can't deny his attraction to her, but when she uncovers the past he's kept carefully hidden, he's sure she'll turn away. Yet, even with all his secrets in the open, Olivia reaches out. Can he let his guard down long enough to let her in and take a chance on love?

©2018 Julie Coulter Bellon (P)2022 Julie Coulter Bellon

Sweet redemption

A sweet romantic story that really spoke to my heart. As an adoptive mom through foster care- this really resonated with me. The struggles from trauma are real. And I love seeing the hope played out here.

Another winner from Julie Coulter Bellon

Julie Coulter Bellon is one of my favorite suspense authors, and she’s made a smooth transition to love stories. I really enjoyed Love’s Journey Home, and started and finished this in one day. I loved this book! Love wins! I love Ms. Bellon’s character development, and her ability to write about a sensitive topic. The narrator did a great job with this heartwarming, romantic, and funny story. Highly recommend!

Tender story

Mick works to overcome a tragic childhood by reaching out to young Will who also has a tragic childhood. Along the way, Mick finds love with Olivia. Both Mick and Will end up with families in the end. The story was sad at times but ultimately had a satisfying ending.

The family we choose

Family can bring us joy or bring us pain, and sometimes both. However, the families we choose and the ones we make can complete us in ways we never imagined.

I loved this second book in the Lincoln Love Stories series. While we get glimpses of Tory and Drew in this book, this time, the focus is on Drew's sister Olivia. She and Drew's colleague Mick encounter a young boy named Will, who is in need of their help. Yet their opinions of what that help should look like are completely opposite on another.

As a D.A., Olivia is adamant that legal channels be followed, while Mick grew up in the foster care system with some of the worst excuses for foster parents around.

But while they each fight for a future for Will that will ensure his happiness, they discover things about each other too. And mending this little boy's heart may be just what they each need to mend their own hurting hearts as well.

If you enjoy redeeming stories of love and family, you won't want to miss this story!

Clean romance

Happy to be sappy is the phrase my husband and I would use for this book, meaning there is some sappiness but we like it that way. The story didn't go exactly as I expected it to go. I mean the romance did but other elements didn't turn out like I thought it would especially judging from the front cover.
I really liked Mick and the fact that he could be so caring about people even while cutting himself off from them. I was confused by Olivia's occupation. Maybe I don't know anything about it at all but it often felt like she was a detective/cop instead of a lawyer.
The story has some difficult issues but we didn't have to see the details of most of those hard things. Things like drug addiction, drug rings, physical and emotional abuse, abandonment were all a part of the story but are either referred to as part of past experience or very little of it is detailed on the page.

Potential triggers: abuse, neglect, abandonment, addiction

Sex: kisses
Language: no
Violence: off page
*I received a complimentary Audio version of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

Excellent

A delightful heart warming story, with finding and opening to love. Family, and new families and friends. They both had emotional scars, being open and honest, brought love. A delightful book to read and good characters. The narration brought the story to life and with a good voice to enjoy. Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

Tender story of healing and love!

I listened to this book while driving home from a trip a few days ago. The opening caught my attention and had me wondering how these two characters would be connected. Mick is a real gentleman and truly cares for others. Although he comes off as a player, he really isn't.

Olivia has seen Mick around since he works with her brother. Her first impression, and second and third and several others don't show him in the best light. But I loved when everything came to a head just a little bit into this book that they interact more. She takes a chance at trusting him. There are some back and forth moments between these two as he's trying his best to help offer protection and stability for a little boy and she's trying to do the same.

I loved watching their relationship further develop the more that Olivia drops her assumptions of Mick and truly see him and his goodness. He has some hard things in his background and upbringing that she discovers. I loved watching the understanding and compassion and healing that occurred throughout this whole book. Between Mick and Olivia but also between other characters.

It was a very sweet listen and helped broaden my perspective of others and not jumping to conclusions. One of my kiddos listening to the story with me afterwards was telling a sibling that it was such a good and sweet story. It made me smile!

The narrator kept the story flowing smoothly as she transitioned from character to character. I enjoyed the way she brought the story to life even more.

Content: Clean. There are aspects of foster care discussed in the book. Some of it deals with some not so pleasant aspects that has unfortunately happened in foster care. But I think the author did a great job of being sensitive to the subject and helping bring awareness and understanding. Nothing overly graphic in regards to it. No explicit scenes or language.

I received a copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Olivia, Mick & Will

I found this story interesting dealing with Mick who grew up in foster care, Olivia who is a district attorney, a mother who gets sucked into drugs & her son Will. The mother loves her son but she makes wrong choices that cause Will to be placed in foster care. The characters & storyline are well developed. I am glad it mostly has a happy ending. I enjoyed listening to Ms. Vega as she read the story. She has just the right voice which is very pleasing. I was given this audible copy. This is my voluntary opinion.

Wonderful

Oh my after Love's Broken Road didn't think Mick and Olivia's story could be so good.
If you read Book 1 you don't want to miss Book 2 and see how Mick's heart gets won over.

Sweet Contemporary Romance

I am so happy Olivia got her story! I enjoyed this sweet contemporary romance and the narration was good too!