Review & Giveaway: Love's Broken Road by Julie Coulter Bellon

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

After surviving an abusive marriage, Victoria Newel needs a clean slate for herself and her son. Taking a job as a math teacher, she moves across the country to the small town of Lincoln, Utah, where no one knows her and she can start over. However, her new colleague, Drew Dalton, offers her friendship and maybe something more. But has her heart healed enough that she could trust again?

Drew Dalton lost his wife to cancer years ago and he locked his heart away, throwing himself into his teaching job. But when Victoria Newel starts working at the high school, she awakens something in him that he never thought he’d feel again. Her gentle nature and quiet strength draws him to her, but it’s obvious she’s hiding something in her past from him. Can he open his heart to a woman who harbors so many secrets of her own?

My Review

Love's Broken Road is a character-driven book and focuses on their way of processing the trials in their lives. I appreciated that examples of healthy coping strategies were used by Victoria and that receiving assistance from a therapist was portrayed in a positive light. She was a little difficult to connect with in the beginning since she is so uptight and aloof (understandably so), but she warms up as Drew and those around her provide much needed support and kindness. Drew is fun and sweet, but has his own flaws as he navigates the new feelings that Victoria brings out in him. His sister Olivia was my favorite with her sassiness and loyalty to Drew. Some other teachers in the school serve as stumbling blocks to their developing relationship and the drama seemed a little cliche, so I was happy when deeper motivations were revealed and the resolution with them didn't go the predictable route. The plot moved at a steady pace with the up and downs, and I was engaged the whole time I was reading the book.

(I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher; all opinions in this review are my own)

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