4.4 Stars Out Of 5
4.4 out of 5
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4.6 out Of 5
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4.4 out Of 5
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Meets Expectations:
4.4 out Of 5
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97%
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Displaying items 21-25 of 34
  1. Shoopette
    Indiana
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    "Secretly Smitten" Review
    April 19, 2013
    Shoopette
    Indiana
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 4
    This review was written for Secretly Smitten, Smitten Series #2.
    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.

    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.
  2. ChristianFictionLover
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    Enjoyable Anthology
    March 14, 2013
    ChristianFictionLover
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 4
    This review was written for Secretly Smitten, Smitten Series #2.
    I like novellas because they're bite-sized stories. They read fast, they're romantic, and they're satisfying. I liked this sequel to Smitten!

    The setting–small-town Smitten–is delightful. The setting ties these novellas together, as does the family connection. Each story zeroes in on one of the sisters, and one tells the mom's love story. I related with every single heroine, at least in some respect. One of the other elements that tied the stories together was the grandmother's love story. Her granddaughters (all adults now) discover her first love's dog tags in the attic. But the grandmother hasn't ever seen them. How did they get there? Hadn't the man died in the war? This mystery kept me reading through the novellas as well. I especially enjoyed the introduction to the underlying (first love) thread in novella one, the tenderness of story two, that story three centered on a mother of 20-somethings and turned a cliché situation (not wanting to trust in love following divorce) into a believable and heartfelt storyline, and the setting and hero of story number four.

    I gave the collection four stars because I was lost a few times in the first story (due to POV) and had a hard time getting past the overuse of "that" (around location #970-#980 e-Book) in the same story, etc.

    Looking forward to any further Smitten books that come along. Enjoy!
  3. DUCKgirl
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    March 5, 2013
    DUCKgirl
    Age: 25-34
    Gender: female
    This review was written for Secretly Smitten, Smitten Series #2.
    Secretly Smitten

    By Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter, and Diann Hunt

    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.

    This book is delightful and easy to read. The characters are approachable, charismatic and easy to relate to. Even though there are four different authors, the book is seamless and the end result is impressive.

    Sometimes when a book of novellas has more than one author the story line can become rather confusing. These four authors did such a fine job that I moved from one novella to the next forgetting that I had started reading the writings of a different author. The plot was well developed and the dialogue was so real and true to life. Through the character development in each story, I felt that each character was a personal friend. All human emotions were covered in the descriptions and scenes making me feel as if I were living each character's life. The romance in the stories made them great stories but the mystery of the dog tags just added to my enjoyment of the book. I did not want the book to end for I felt as if I were leaving my friends and wanted to know more about their lives.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would recommend to everyone who likes a great romantic story that also has an intriguing mystery. I plan to go back and read the first book in the Smitten series and am eagerly awaiting the third book.

    I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. 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."
  4. uncommon girl
    North Carolina
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: Female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    Sweet and entertaining
    February 1, 2013
    uncommon girl
    North Carolina
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: Female
    Quality: 4
    Value: 4
    Meets Expectations: 5
    Secretly Smitten is Christian fiction and this is a genre that isn't my typical read. I was pleasantly entertained by this book which is actually considered a novella. If you are not familiar with the term, novella is fiction that is shorter than a novel but longer than a short story. Secretly Smitten is a collection of four novellas each written by a different author. The stories are "Love Between the Lines", "Make Me a Match", "Knit One, Love Two", and "Love Blooms". The stories have the same characters just with a shift in the main characters. Each is a romance. The book is number two in the Smitten Series but it can be read on its own. At the back of the book is a reading group guide. I'm thankful for the Christian-minded romance stories of Secretly Smitten; it was sweet and entertaining. This was the first book I read on my Kindle and that made it quite fun, too!
  5. Cara Putman
    Indiana
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    4 Stars Out Of 5
    Return to Smitten with this collection
    January 20, 2013
    Cara Putman
    Indiana
    Age: 35-44
    Gender: female
    This review was written for Secretly Smitten, Smitten Series #2.
    Secretly Smitten is a collection of four novellas that return to the authors' created town in Vermont. The town is still trying to find ways to stay alive. And four young women are on their way to discovering romance. These novellas tie together with those in Smitten, the other collection by these authors and friends. Have no fear, you can read this collection on its own.

    I love how real the characters are and the way I want to join them at Mountain Perks for a good conversation and update on their romantic adventures. I also enjoy the cameo appearances by characters in the earlier collection and the way the characters carry over from story to story. Because there are four novellas in this book, each can be read in a long sitting and it's the perfect book to take along on a spring break trip. Easy to put down when you need to do something else, but also engaging enough, you'll want to return often to this delightful town.

    Do keep in mind that this book contains four shorter works. While longer than a short story, they are not full length novels. Yet each story gives a full romance.

    I received a copy of this book from the publisher, but the opinion is mine alone.
Displaying items 21-25 of 34