"Secretly Smitten" Review

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 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.


Check out the websites of these four authors below!


Colleen Coble - http://colleencoble.com/

Kristin Billerbeck - http://kristinbillerbeck.com/

Diann Hunt - http://diannhunt.com/

Denise Hunter - http://denisehunterbooks.com/


These authors also have a blog together at - http://www.girlswriteout.blogspot.com/


My Take:

In Secretly Smitten, each author tells the story of one of the women in the Thomas family. The small resort town of Smitten, Vermont, is the setting for each of these tales, and it was fun to revisit this quaint town. (You can read my review of Smitten here).

I thought Smitten was a fun read, and Secretly Smitten was the same. The authors’ writing styles are similar enough that each story flowed into the next one, which made for a smooth and easy read. Each character had her own insecurities to work through, and this was done well, especially considering that this had to basically be done within a novella.

Colleen Coble’s story was my favorite, but this is probably just because I am used to her style of writing, since I have read many of her other books. I also felt more connected with her characters for reasons that I can’t seem to put my finger on.

The mystery aspect to this novel is told well throughout all of the stories, but these stories are mostly based on the romance. As I said in my review of Smitten, this novel was a little bit too perfect and syrupy-sweet at times, but it was a nice diversion from some of the overly emotional and more drama-filled books I’ve been reading lately. And I always like a little mystery added to any story!

Secretly Smitten is a collection of fun, easy-to-read romantic stories with a little bit of mystery woven in.

I will give Secretly Smitten … 3 ½ BookWorms.

Secretly Smitten
by: Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, & Denise Hunter
Thomas Nelson Publishers
400 pages
Release date: January 8, 2013



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