Secretly Smitten

Secretly Smitten

by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, & Denise Hunter

About the book (from the publisher):

Summer, fall, winter, spring -- Smitten, Vermont is the place for love...and mystery! There's a secret in Grandma Rose's attic - a forgotten set of dog tags belonging to her first love. But David Hutchins was killed in action and never returned to Smitten. How did the dog tags end up in the attic? The mystery intrigues Rose's three granddaughters -- Tess, Clare, and Zoe -- and they decide to investigate, though their mother, Anna, warns against meddling. But as the seasons turn and as the mystery unravels, the three young women and their mother encounter some intriguing mystery men of their own. Has a sixty-year old puzzle sparked something new for this close-knit family of women? Join popular romance novelists -- and real life BFFs -- Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter for four delightful intertwined tales of mystery and sweet intrigue. 

My take:

I don't think I have ever read a novel that had 4 related novellas in it. I wasn't sure how it would work, but I found myself really enjoying it! I loved how each of the authors took a different character and developed her story within her novella. Of the four novellas, I enjoyed Denise Hunter's story about Clare the best. I related to her disliking change, and found myself agreeing with her character in a lot of areas! The funny thing is, though, that each time I finished a story, I couldn't imagine wanting to change point of view again. That always ended within a chapter or two though!

I also really enjoyed Rose Garner's story too, as it was interwoven throughout the whole book. I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the last novella, as it wrapped up the 4 stories quite nicely.

I give this book 4 1/2 stars and am looking forward to reading the next book that will be set in Smitten, Vermont! I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys inspirational romance.


About the authors:

RITA-finalist Colleen Coble is the author of several best-selling romantic suspense novels, including Tidewater Inn, and the Mercy Falls, Lonestar, and Rock Harbor series. Christy Award finalist and two-time winner of the ACFW Book of the Year award, Kristin Billerbeck has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. Her books include A Billion Reasons Why and What a Girl Wants. Denise Hunter is the award-winning and best-selling author of several novels, including A Cowboy's Touch and Sweetwater Gap. She and her husband are raising three boys in Indiana. Diann Hunt has lived in Indiana forever, been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, her dog, and, well, chocolate.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from BookSneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Scent of Rain

The Scent of Rain

by Kristin Billerbeck

From the publisher:

When deprived of her most prized sense, Daphne discovers a life she never expected, right under her nose. 

Daphne Sweeten has left Paris - and a career she loves - in order to marry a man she loves more. But when he stands her up on their wedding day, Daphne's left reeling. Trained as a professional "nose" or perfume creator, Daphne soon realizes that her sense of smell has somehow disappeared too. In the days following she moves to Dayton, Ohio, to take on a job creating fragrances for household products. Without her sense of smell, she must rely on her chemistry skills, and hope that her handsome new boss, Jesse Lightner, doesn't notice before she can figure out how to get it back. Despite her desire to return to Paris, she can't deny the way Jesse makes her feel. But when Daphne approaches former contacts, she learns her ex-fiance has somehow snagged her old job. As Daphne and Jesse work on a signature scent for their new line, she feels God at work in her life as never before. And the promise of what is possible is as fresh as the scent of rain.

My take:

When I first read the description for this book, I couldn't help but be reminded of Melody "The Nose" (played by Mimi Rogers) in my favorite Christmas movie, The Christmas List. I never realized that there really were people who could pick up the subtlest of scents within a perfume. This heightened sense of smell fascinates me!

Scent of Rain was an enjoyable read. I have read quite a few of Kristin Billerbeck's other books and this one didn't fail to disappoint. It started out a bit slow for me, but as I kept reading, I became more invested in the story line. I was especially interested to figure out the reason Daphne had lost her sense of smell and how she would recover it.

The other part of the book that drew my attention was the fact that it took place in good old Dayton, Ohio! I found myself wondering how Kristin came up with the idea for Dayton to be the main setting of the book. Being from Ohio myself, I enjoyed reading about Dayton.

If you are looking for a light fiction read, I would recommend this one! I give it 4 stars.

About the author:

Christy Award finalist and two-time winner of the ACFW Book of the Year award, Kristin Billerbeck has appeared on The Today Show and has been featured in the New York Times. Her books include A Billion Reasons Why and What a Girl Wants. She lives with her family in Northern California.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from BookSneeze. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."