Through Love's Trials

Canadian Spy Series, Book 1

By: Julie Coulter Bellon

Narrated by: Keith Michaelson

Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Attorney Kenneth King can't wait to get away on vacation and leave the courtroom behind. He only has one last errand to do for his boss: drop off a flash drive to fellow attorney Emma James. But as soon as the drive is in his hands, his boss is murdered and Kenneth becomes the next target. With nowhere left to turn, he reaches out to Emma for help, but that only puts them both in danger.

Emma James just wants to settle into her new job and provide a good life for her little girl. That is all threatened when she gets a flash drive with information on it that points to an imminent terrorist attack on US soil. With her choices dwindling and her vulnerabilities made crystal clear, Emma is pushed to the limit by those who want her dead, and the rest of the country to suffer. How far will she be forced to go to save the lives of everyone around her, including those she loves?

Kenneth and Emma have to find a way to work together to stop the terrorists, but it's the most difficult trial of their lives - and the verdict will be life or death.

©2004 Julie Coulter Bellon (P)2015 Julie Coulter Bellon

Heart Pounding Action & Suspense

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Interesting, realistic action & suspense. A nice romance that first started off as practically enemies. Great detail that really puts you in the story.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Through Love's Trials?

When Kenneth goes to Emma's house,when she doesn't show up for their meeting together.
He arrives just in time to fight off the Sleazy Guy that broke into Emma's house, and still was there attacking her.

Have you listened to any of Keith Michaelson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Haven't heard him before.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My heart was pounding when they were being chased down and when their lives are in danger.

Any additional comments?

Was easy to relate to and connect, by just being a parent, and having the concern when one of your children are lost or in danger.
I avoid movies and books that have violence. This book did have fighting and even people dying, yet not all the gory, gross details of it all.

Great escape

Would you consider the audio edition of Through Love's Trials to be better than the print version?

This review is from my wife:
Have not read the print copy.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kenneth. Strong male lead always helps. He wasn't ex-special forces or SEALs, just an attorney. Everyday kind of guy with strong sense of morality. Emma was also good but seemed a bit weak at times. Maybe timid is more the right description. She does have her shining moments though. Julia, the daughter, was hilarious.

What does Keith Michaelson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Never had to wonder who was speaking. The female voices were so much better than I would have thought. I forgot it was a guy narrating during their dialogue. The diversity of voices was great.

Any additional comments?

Great escape from the daily grind. Lots of romance books feel like soap operas or they have that retarded love triangle. This one did not. The characters were real, dealing with everyday challenges. Made them feel relatable to me. The twist at the end with Kenneth (no spoilers don't worry) was pretty good.

Wasn't sure what to expect but wasn't disappointed

We don't often get stories that combine romance with danger found in current events along with acknowledging the amazing cooperative and peaceful relationship between the US and Canada that's lasted for 205 years. We share a border nearly 9,000 miles long (the world's longest international border between just two countries) but regardless of which side of the border one is on, it still feels like home. I hope the author has more stories planned in this series.

romantic suspense

Wow!!! This book hooked me from the beginning and kept me until the very end. I lost sleep listening to this book because I just couldn't stop. It is full of action, romance, suspense and a bit of nail biting. Definitely a fast paced adventure. An amazing mystery that kept me guessing. Love wins out in the end with a really good ending. The narrator did a good job of switching voices and had me seeing who was talking except for the little girl's IMO.

Characters and sweet story!

This could have been longer but was still good! I could totally see the story in my head. the narrator was pretty captivating as a storyteller. I'm so happy to have a good romance that's clean!! Glad I took a chance on this book.

Suspense and romance

I will not summarize this story because it was already given in the description of this book and I do not want to give any of the plot away. The purpose of this review was to give potential readers information to make an informed decision about reading/listening to this book.


What engaged me in this story:


• The author caught my attention right from the beginning with the anniversary celebration of Paul and Emma that went terribly wrong.
• Emma and Kenneth were the type of characters that you wanted to discover more about as you listened to the story.
• The situation that Emma and Kenneth found themselves in pushed the plot along.
• The plot had many twists and turns.
• There was a lot of action and suspense.
• There was a romance between Kenneth and Emma that developed believably.
• The minor players in this story added depth to the storyline.
• The descriptions of locations and emotions were well done, easy to visualize, and to feel. I felt a part of the scenes.
• The pacing of the story was neither too slow nor too fast.
• There was a smooth, coherent flow to this book.
• This story had a satisfying ending.
• The narrator did an excellent job in differentiating the various characters' voices. He did an amazing job.
• This was a clean story.

I was given a free audiobook by the author. My review was voluntary and my opinions were my own. I will be listening to or reading more books by this author. I will also keep a lookout for books narrated by Keith Michaelson.

Well Read

This audio book is well done. It's not my favorite of the author's stories, but it's entertaining. The romance seems a bit rushed but they do make a point of saying how it doesn't feel like they've known each other such a short time with all they've been through together.

Fantastic romantic suspense

This book had me hooked right from the prologue! The suspense kept building throughout the book, and I liked the twists and turns. I love Ms. Bellon’s ability to write clean, realistic romantic suspense. I thought Keith Michaelson did a great job narrating - love his voice! Once you start listening to Through Love’s Trials, you won’t be able to take a break!

Romantic adventure

This story takes off at the very beginning and will keep you enthralled to the very end. Great narrator.

Fast paced, quick listen

Would you listen to Through Love's Trials again? Why?

Probably. Story was good, narration was good. It really moved along at a good pace. The intensity was easy to feel.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Through Love's Trials?

The prologue really was emotional. Really pulled me in. There's a scene [spoiler alert] where Emma is attacked. It was angering and gripping at the same time. Some of the jumps in the relationship between the two main characters were a little forced, but it didn't bother me too much. Even though this is the first in a series, it seems, the book works well as a stand alone. I'd pick up the next book when it comes out.

What about Keith Michaelson’s performance did you like?

Have not heard him before. Voice is rich, performance consistent. As I said, the prologue was really was emotional. I think the performance had a lot to do with that and kept me listening.

Any additional comments?

This wasn't sappy romance. It's clean, ok for a family to listen to on a trip (as we did). Good humor as well here and there (I like Pepper). I could have done with a little more action, but it holds its own as an adventure/romance. The "court" scene at the end made me smile. Clever.