Book Review ~ Secretly Smitten by Coble, Billerbeck, Hunt and Hunter 5/5!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review as part of a Litfuse Publicity Blog Tour.  To see more about the book, author, and other reviews please click HERE.

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Title:  "Secretly Smitten"
Series:  Smitten #2

Author:  Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter
Publisher:  Thomas Nelson Publishing
Publication Date:  1/8/13

Pages:  400

Buy From Amazon:  HERE

Book Description:

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.

My Overall Feeling of the Book:

I recently read "Smitten" and am glad that I did because I was already in love with the town of Smitten before I started "Secretly Smitten".  I learned how the town had been transformed from a manly logging town to a romance destination.  So fun!

This book featured 4 more of the women of Smitten as well as an older generation of Smitten women.  I love how the mystery of the dogtags is woven throughout all the stories and ended so romantically just as it should :)

Main Characters:

Anna Thomas:  Anna is the mother of 3 grown daughters.  Her husband left her years ago and she has learned to support herself and keep her heart safe from danger.  She owns the "Sit 'n Knit", a yarn and craft store where she teaches lessons as well as gives a place for women to socialize.

Tess Thomas:  Tess is Anna's oldest daughter and owns the "Lookaway Village Books".  She is very self-conscious and deprecating.  She starts the search for more information about the dogtags and find love in the process.

Zoe Thomas:  Zoe is Anna's youngest daughter and is getting ready to open a matching making business called "Cupid's Arrow" because she hates seeing people alone.  Her building has some safety issues that the new town manager sees as a serious danger and could keep her from opening on schedule.

Clare Thomas:  Clare is the middle child and has a green thumb.  She has been working at the same nursery since her teens.  She is very into her routine and structured.  She has a hard time learning to loosen up and be spontaneous.

One of My  Favorite Scene(s):

I love the scene when Ethan first sees Clare's back yard.  She has made it into a beautiful garden using her talents.  I could envision the beauty and wish it were real!

A Brief Excerpt:

A frown crouched between Natalie's eyes.  "Are those dog tags?  What on earth...there haven't been any soldiers in our family, have there, Tess?"   She held out her hand.  "Let me see them, Mia."

  Page 5

The Cover:

The cover really helps me get a "feel" for smitten and actually really reminds me a lot of the Downtown Mall in Cumberland, MD where I used to work.  The buildings, the bricks, the trees, and even the church are very similar!

Other Notes:

~I found myself wondering which of the businesses featured throughout both Smitten books I would most like to own and run.  I think it is a draw between "Sit 'n Knit" and Lookaway Village Books.  Actually, I think I would combine them and have the best of both worlds :)

Rating

5/5

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On to the next book,