Book Review: Secretly Smitten

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

Secretly Smitten is the second installment in a series written by a group of real-life BFFs. In the Smitten series, Coble, Billerbeck, Hunter and Hunt, each with best selling books of their own, come together to tell the stories of the residents of Smitten, Vermont. What results is a collection of short stories intertwining with each other, creating a rich, deep story about each character. If you’ve been reading my blog for any amount of time, you know that I really enjoy reading books that have intertwining stories and this one did not disappoint.  I was already a fan of the majority of these authors before I stumbled upon Secretly Smitten and I was super excited to partake of their collaborative efforts. The stories flow well together and I found myself completely immersed in the story, wishing I could take a trip to Smitten and meet the characters.

In Secretly Smitten we follow the stories of the women of the Thomas family, Tess, Clare, Zoe and their mother, Anna. We learn about their own stories and follow along as a family mystery unravels after a set of dog tags are found in an attic. The dog tags belong to Anna’s mother’s first love who supposedly never returned from war. As Tess, Clare and Zoe set out to solve the mystery the uncover deep family secrets.  These are the kinds of secrets that can destroy families and the bonds they share. But do they separate the family or draw them closer together?

Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Denise Hunter and Diann Hunt have a collaborative blog, too.  If you’d like to check it out head on over to http://www.girlswriteout.blogspot.com.

Disclaimer:

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

Buy the Book:

If you’re interested in checking out this book you can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Book Review: Tidewater Inn

Tidewater Inn
By
Colleen Coble

About the Book (from thomasnelson.com):

Welcome to Hope Beach

Where the sea breeze is fresh, sun sparkles on sand . . . and trouble appears with the force of a hurricane.

Inheriting a beautiful old hotel on the seaward shore of Hope Island could be a dream come true for Libby. The inn cries out for her restorer’s talent and love of history. She’s delighted to learn of family she never knew she had. And the handsome Coast Guard lieutenant she’s met there on the island could definitely be the man of her dreams.

But Libby soon realizes that only way she can afford the upkeep on the inn is to sell it to developers who are stalking the island. The father who willed her the inn has died before she could meet him, and her newfound brothers and sisters are convinced she’s there to steal their birthright. Worst of all, her best friend and business partner has been kidnapped before her eyes, Libby’s under suspicion for the crime, and her handsome lieutenant clearly doubts her innocence.

Libby’s dream-come-true is becoming a nightmare. Can she find her friend and establish her innocence? Must she sell Tidewater Inn and lose her family again? Or can she find a home for her heart on the beautiful shores of Hope Island?

My Thoughts:

This was the third book I’ve read by Colleen Coble and I loved it just as much as I loved the others. She has a way of combining mystery, suspense and adventure and wrapping a love story right up in the middle of it. Her stories aren’t usually predictable unlike many others in the genre; just when I thought I knew where she was going, she threw another twist into the story.

The characters in the story are lovable and their quirks and personalities really help make the story enjoyable and interesting. This was another book that left me wishing there was a sequel, I’m always interested to know what life is like for the characters after the last page is read. Thankfully I just realized that this is the first book in a new series by Coble, the Hope Beach series. Maybe that means I’ll get to catch up with some of these characters in the future! I highly recommend this book as well as the other novels I’ve read by Coble, Lonestar Angel and The Lightkeeper’s Ball.

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Book Review: Lonestar Angel

Lonestar Angel
By
Colleen Coble

Is it just me or does the title Lonestar Angel make you think this book is going to be just another romantic cowboy story?  This book is all that and so much more!

Clay and Eden Larson’s young marriage fell apart when their infant daughter was kidnapped and thought dead. Five years later all that changes when Clay pops back into Eden’s life with the news that their divorce was never finalized and that he suspects their daughter is actually alive and he knows where to find her. At the drop of a hat, Eden goes with Clay on an interesting adventure to find her; they encounter Columbian drug lords, face demons of the past and an uncertain future. Will they actually find their daughter?  If so, will they both survive the journey they’re on to get her? If they do, what will their future as a fractured family look like?

Colleen Coble crafts a beautiful story in Lonestar Angel, the 4th book in her Lonestar series. Each chapter holds new twists and turns, keeping the reader engaged and eager to see what happens next. As usual, I stayed up way to late reading this book night after night; I just couldn’t put it down. Previously I reviewed Coble’s novel, The Lightkeepers Ball, and found it just as engaging and a pleasure to read. She combines romance, mystery and suspense seamlessly. I look forward to reading more of her work.

If you’re interested in checking out this book you can find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this review. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.

 

Book Review: The Lightkeeper’s Ball

The Lightkeeper’s Ball
By
Colleen Coble

I chose this book because I thought it would be your typical historical fiction; I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the pages held so much more than that.

When Olivia Stewart learns that her sister has died after moving across the country to marry, she sets out on a journey to Mercy Falls, CA to see where her sister lived and died. What she finds when she gets there is beyond anything she imagined; as she learns details about the circumstances surrounding her sister’s death she begins to question whether it was an accident, suicide or murder. As she spends more time with her late sister’s fiancé she becomes more and more confused about what happened. Little by little she learns more about her family, her sister’s death and family member she never knew existed. Will she ever find out the truth?  And will she give in to true love.

The Lightkeeper’s Ball is a tale of romance, suspense and mystery that keeps the reader fully engaged in the story and eager to turn the next page. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, a new piece of information was revealed that totally threw me for a loop. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading other books in the Mercy Falls series.

This book can be found at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, as well as many other retailers.

Disclaimer: A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.