Smitten by Colleen Coble, Kristen Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, Denise Hunter

Natalie, Julia, Shelby, and Reese share more than just a really close friendship. The four women are as close as sisters. They pray for each other, support each other in their various adventures, and they each want to find love. When the lumber mill closes and it appears that their little town is going to die, they formulate a plan to turn their small town into the romance capital by capitalizing on the name of the town, Smitten. Along the way, a little girl's faith, a country sensation hometown hero, and four different men help the girls to not only believe in the town but to also find their own happily ever afters.

I've read several novellas in the past that were written by various authors. None of them had the cohesiveness that this one shared. I've read books by Colleen Coble, but never anything by the other three authors in this book. I found the stories to be funny and unique. Each story itself tells of one particular couple - Natalie & Carson, Julia & Zak, Shelby & Nick, and Reese & Griffen. Yes, they are all in the others' "story" as well, but what also makes this book so different is that the story of the town and it's struggle and growth carries through all four stories.

The authors are real life best friends and I loved reading the interview with them about how each heroine is a little like one of them. Perhaps that's why this book worked so well when other novellas haven't. The authors really know each other and are familiar with their personalities. I look forward to reading the next Smitten book due out next year.

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.