Smitten" - another one!

When I was trying to find the romance novel, "Smitten," that Janet Evanovich wrote before her Stephanie Plum novels, I came across "Smitten - Love Is On The Way," at my library and decided to check it out.

It is written by four female romance novelists who are also good friends having discovered one another in their early days of writing at workshops, etc.  The authors are Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt, and Denise Hunter.  They are also all Christians and this novel has a lot of "God" talk which may or may not turn readers off.  I tend to pass over parts of books that don't interest me -- like the explicit sex some novelists feel has to be there to sell romance (and which I loved as a teenager!) or, in this case, a lot of the God talk.

There is a section at the end of the book that is a conversation among the four authors and their editor and it is clear how much they care for one another as "sisters" so it was with sadness I learned that Diann Hunt has since died.  She mentions in the conversation what a support these women have been to her since she was diagnosed with lymphoma then later ovarian cancer.  You can read more at girlswriteout.blogspot.com.

Each of the four authors wrote a different segment of the book which centers on four friends in the town of Smitten.  The local mill is closing down and they come together with an idea to save the town by turning it into a destination resort for weddings, honeymoons, and lovers.  Each has a particular interest that they will pursue to make the transformation of the town happen.  One already owns a coffee shop and another teaches classes in domestic arts.  One is going to open a spa using her background from when she worked in New York and the fourth, who is very athletic, is opening a store stocking outdoor activity equipment.

Each section of the book focuses on one of these women, her private life, and eventually the love that comes into her life.

It's a light hearted, easy read but definitely not what I typically choose.  pazt