First of all I just have to say Kristen Billerbeck is one of my all time favorite authors, I love her humor as well as her faith that comes through in her books.

The book has four different authors bringing to life back into Smitten, Vt. which had become a dying town. The lumber mill had closed and with no hope of another industry taking its place, leaving the townspeople thinking there is no hope for Smitten. Four friends come up with a plan to turn Smitten, VT into a honeymoon destination.

Four awesome authors write a quarter of the book, and they are individually focusing on one of the four characters in the story. Each story is intertwined with the other, the four sections give you a better picture of the four best friends. And little do they know their own lives will be touched by a love of their own

I really enjoyed this book and would read it again, these ladies really pulled this off, four different authors pulling together an amazing story of romance and bringing a small town of Smitten, Vt. Into your world, even for a short time. Sit back in a quiet place and let them take you into their story of Smitten, love and bringing a town and their residents back to life.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers (booksneeze.com) as part of their book review bloggers program. ( )

Several of my favorite authors come together to each write a novella to complete the captivating story in Smitten. Through each novella you gain more insight into the town of Smitten, although each story could stand alone. The central theme is "love is in the air" and follows a group of four friends who each find love in their own story. I was looking forward to seeing how each author represented their character and relationship. Two of the stories followed a similar path which I found a little disappointing. But even with that hiccup, I would recommend this book for an easy read on the beach, poolside or in a cozy chair. ( )

Smitten by Colleen Cable, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter
Natalie Birthday Wishes by Colleen Cable
Smitten is a town in VT that has to close the mill down. The women talk about how to attract business and agree that it should be a love type business that would enhance the name of the town. Everything catering to the honeymooners and lovers. Their every wish come true. She even has the mayor on board now and is helping him redo his cabinsand they start going on dates. She doesn't really think he is the father of her sister's baby that she's had custody of for over 5 years.Her sister only calls when she needs money. Like how her friends are more than aware of her having to eat gluten free food and they cater to her needs. She finds herself in love with the mayor and the little girl, Mia also loves him. She looks to the bible for guidance inthe scriptures.

Julia: small town, big dreams by Kristin Billerbeck
Julia had worked in an upscale spa in NY but now lives in Smitten, where she takes care of her mother. She still has the insight when it comes to transposing things like someone makeup on their face. She's called her friend Devlin to come look at the town to not only inspire her but to monetarily fund the transformation.Her brother Greg has asked Zak-the body builder who's local to keep an eye out for her. He doesn't feel he has any chance of catching her eye, he's not as high class as her.She needs more faith and hope in her life to help her get over herself and let others help where they can. Or is she gonna head back to the big city? Her women friends have a lot of faith in her and the ending is a total surprise.

Shelby: You've Got a Friend by Diann Hunt
Shelby's shop is called Social Graces where she teaches girls how to become ladies.
Nick is a local fireman and he's helped put out a fire at Shelby's house. On his way back to her house he gets a call that his ex-wife has passed away so now he needs to make plans for his young daughter and bring her to live with him.Roses house had a flood from the hot water heater and now Shelby can't use her house for the classes.Nick has come to the rescue by allowing her to use his outbuilding where in season, he sells Christmas trees and decorations. Things happen that leave her watching Nick's daughter while he settles the trust fund for Willow. Her own child would've been the same age as her but her dad had ordered her to get rid of the baby.

I'm in heaven-Willow knows how to knit and crochet!
Like how in every story Mia has provided the lavender wreath meaning eternity and having faith in the towns survival, connects them all together.Another thing I really like was in each story there is a daily walk/run/rollerblade exercise and talk with the 4 women. Each day a different person gets to choose the type of exercise.Only God can help when Willow has run away.

Reese, all along by Denise Hunter
She is ready to start on the renovations with the local contractor: Griffen.
She will run the new outfitters shop in town in hopes the tourists that come will find something to do with their time, athletically. She wants to make Griffen jealous but her plan backfires and he wants to step in and make her old boyfriend jealous that he missed out on her.
Really great how the whole book was brought together at the end, fantastic!
I rate this one a 5 ( )

Take four women who are some of the best authors of Christian Fiction, and have them collaborate and design four unique characters, each with a bit of their own personalities, create a storyline and a place and put it all together and you have the makings of the novel, Smitten. It was written by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter with each of them writing a specific chapter geared around the small town of Smitten, Vermont, who has come under hard economic times. Faced with the mill closing which employs 500 people, the town rallies around the idea of creating a play on the word of their town's name, Smitten, which they believe implies the feeling of love.

Their idea is to create a tourist town that will draw people to it, honeymooners, lovers, people celebrating such milestones as weddings and anniversary's and those simply looking to find love to the town of Smitten. Most of the town is excited about the prospects this could mean for new business opportunities but also a great place to call home. However when Carson Smitten hears about the idea, he is greatly opposed and thinks there is a better way, but he can't quite come up with one that will work fast enough and slowly the town's residents begin to warm his heart up to the idea.

In the first installment of the book, "Natalie: Birthday Wishes" by Colleen Coble takes the story first when the idea is presented to the town council. Natalie Mansfield, is the owner of Mountain Perks, and who is also raising her niece Mia, now 5, since her mother, Lisa abandoned her and left town. Rumors circulate that Carson Smitten is the father, although he denies ever being with Lisa long enough for that to happen, but Natalie can't help but wonder why he won't subject himself to a paternity test to prove it. While working together to find ways to remodel the town for the new look of love, she finds herself working closely with Carson to help renovate his fishing cabins which remain seriously outdated and less than booked for the season. Natalie learns that Carson's brother has a great idea to help kick start the town's new launch and it may boost more love in the town than anyone recognized.

In the second installment of the book, "Julia: Small Town, Big Dreams" by Kristin Billerbeck, the emerging story of the character of Julia we caught a glimpse of earlier in the book continues to grow with her story as one of Natalie's closest friends. Julia Bourne is trying to do her part with the town of Smitten to redefine itself as a romantic destination and desires to open a upscale spa. Since leaving New York, she reaches out to contact Devlin Stovich, a successful New York spa owner and someone who has the money she needs to invest in her idea. When he agrees to come to Smitten, he finds the location of Smitten Grill, a former restaurant geared to the logging industry as the perfect location that now lies abandoned and vacant. However upon closer inspection they both learn that the owner, Zak Grant has ideas of his own on how to renovate the space. Will they be able to work together for the good of the town or will Julia be sent back to New York instead?

In the third installment of the book, "Shelby: You've Got A Friend" by Diann Hunt, we meet the third in this group of 4 best friends, Shelby Evans who arrives to her home in Smitten and meets the local fire department there to put out a fire in her Victorian Home. Nick Majors, a volunteer fireman stops her from entering along with her Shih-poo, Penelope until it is safe to go inside. Shelby was using the downstairs for Classes for Social Graces, a program to help young girls become ladies while she lived upstairs. She learns through Nick, that she is responsible for leaving a glue gun unattended and apparently there are more that just sparks flying between the two of them. Will romance be fanned into flames or will they simply be smitten with one another but remain friends?

In the final installment of the book, "Reese: All Along" by Denise Hunter, we get the opportunity to meet Reese Mackenzie, the local girl who is your all around sports enthusiast who is trying to launch her own business of opening a sporting goods store and is working with her friend, Griffin Parker. What makes this difficult for Reese is that the whole town is rallying around recreating their town and making it the newest romantic destination to compare with the Poconos but in addition to this is the celebrity wedding to their town's newest country star, Sawyer Smitten, Reese's former boyfriend, who is planning on using the town to host his own wedding. Will Reese be able to define her own feelings for Sawyer or is she about to be smitten with someone from her past instead?

I received Smitten by these amazing and talented authors compliments of Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for my honest review. I really enjoyed these individual but connected mini romances found inside the cover of this book. You truly feel like you're getting 4 books in 1 and this is one of the reasons I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars. This novel is geared to the hopeful romantic in all of us. ( )

This book was very easy to read. It had four complete stories that were tied into each other in it. Each story could be read alone or as a whole. I would definately reccomend this book! ( )