Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter

How delightful to receive the ARC (advanced reader copy) for this book during a recent writers’ conference. Smitten is a novella compilation with four novellas written by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter. It releases December 20, 2011.

Let’s begin with the back cover copy:

Four friends devise a plan to turn Smitten, Vermont, into the country's premier romantic getaway—and each finds her own true love along the way.

With Smitten Lumber closing, residents wonder if their town can stay afloat. Then four friends and local business owners—Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese—decide the town is worth saving. How will they do it? They'll turn Smitten into a honeymoon destination!

As Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese work to save the town, each discovers romance in her own life. Meanwhile, the faith of a little child reminds the whole town what it means to have real faith in the God who is the always and forever Love.

Discover a novel written by four of Christian fiction's most popular romance novelists- friends in real life who've drawn an amazing story of four friends! Includes a Reading Group Guide as well as "Conversation over Coffee with the Authors."

And now, my review:

In the authors’ note for this book, we learn about how the project came together. One of the things the authors mention is that they each wrote a character who was a lot like themselves. So, in reading the novellas, you get a glimpse of both their relationship with each other as well as their own personalities. I loved that aspect of this book. The authors are a group of dear friends. What a thrill to see the photographs from the same writers’ conference (a year earlier) when they signed the contract for this book, and then to see the close-to-final product last month.

These four best friends (the characters, not the authors *smile*) are gearing up to save their small town from financial ruin following the lumber mill’s closing. Along the way, they each fall in love. The stories overlap, so you’ll probably want to read them in order. I began with the first story (read most of it, though I didn’t finish it), tried the second and third stories and couldn’t get into them, then skipped ahead to the fourth story which I really enjoyed! (You could blame this on my love for Denise Hunter's books. *wink*) I laughed aloud, related with the heroine, loved the hero, and delighted in the twists of this reunion romance. The fourth novella made the book for me.

I think fans of each of the authors will enjoy this book as well, for the same reasons. And the other authors may gain new fans as people pick up the book due to a certain name on the cover. I’ve always liked reading novella compilations because each story is “bite-sized” if you will. Same’s true for this Thomas Nelson offering. If I’d had more time, I may have finished all of the novellas. As it was, I had several books awaiting me so I felt rushed. Most readers will probably be able to relax and lose themselves in the lovely setting.

I’ve heard mention there may be a Smitten 2 (with a different title, probably) coming next year. I’ll be watching for it.

The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble

What's not to love about this cover?? *grin* Here's the back cover copy:

At a lavish estate in Mercy Falls, California, Addie Sullivan finds danger-and quite possibly the love of her life.

Growing up as the lightkeeper's daughter on a remote island at the turn of the century, Addie Sullivan has lived a hardscrabble life. When a long-lost and wealthy relative finds her and enlists her to work as a governess at a lavish estate, she hopes to discover the truth of her heritage. But at Eaton Hall, nothing is as it seems. Not the idyllic family she hoped for, not the child she was hired to help, not even the aloof man she's immediately attracted to. Soon she must turn for help to Lieutenant John North, a man who views her with suspicion.

As Addie edges closer to the truth, danger threatens even as her romance with John blossoms and together they unravel a decades-old mystery. As Addie faces down her enemy, she discovers that faith in her one true Father is all she needs.

And now, my review:

This was my first Colleen Coble read and her first historical, so we’re both trying something new. Her romance thread is highly enjoyable. I liked how the hero and heroine were “allowed” to build their relationship throughout the story, rather than waiting for everything to come together at the end. Of course, she keeps it wholesome, but it’s worth mentioning how she doesn’t remain in a formulaic pattern for this thread. One of my favorite aspects.

Her heroine is very likable. She’s naïve and outspoken and I rooted for her, both in her goal to find and belong to her family, as well as sympathizing with her pursuit of acceptance. Well done.

I understand Colleen writes suspense, but I felt the tone of this novel didn’t strike me as a suspense at first, so when the first threatening situation happens, it seemed forced. Even the book’s back cover copy doesn’t mention suspense—you know, right there near the bar code and genre specs. However, this thread doesn’t detract from the overall story, especially when it kicks into high gear later in the story.

I liked the setting and timing of the story: lighthouses and the early Twentieth Century. Lighthouses, in my opinion, are always a great setting for a novel, especially a historical.

One of Colleen’s spiritual themes was trusting God. Her heroine gets into some scrapes, of course, and she chooses to trust God to get her through them. I felt this was handled perhaps a little too simplistically, because of course the situation gets resolved within a few pages. Life isn’t always that simple; God doesn’t always answer with a “yes.” Still, for the sake of a timely story, it worked. And it’s a worthy theme.

Finally, the cover. I know, books aren’t all about covers, but I absolutely love this cover. The colors and setting, the sky and lighthouse. All of those intrigued me enough to give this book a try. Readers who enjoy suspense, romance and historical settings will enjoy this story. Nicely done.