What do you think?
Smitten Novella #9
Love by the Book
The century-old "Gentlewoman's Guide to Love and Courtship" is no ordinary book club choice. But for the little book club in Smitten, Vermont, it might be their best book yet!
This book club selection reads like a mystery to Heather. But when Paul comes back into her life, their mystery leads to romance.
Heather is the Smitten Book Club's most devoted mystery-genre reader, a single mom, and the resident organic gardener. When she discovers a decades-old tome at a library sale, she thinks it might hold clues leading to buried gold-exactly what one of the members needs to keep her home. She can't resist a mystery that could lead to treasure.
Paul and Heather have history-history she would rather forget. But when he comes back to his hometown of Smitten, he's determined to put down roots. He soon becomes the architect behind a town community garden and enlists Heather's help there in exchange for his own help looking for hidden gold. As they dig into the earth and the clues, they discover something amazing: lasting love.
"Coble is a great writer, she knows what readers want and she does not disappoint." -"Romantic Times"
This book club selection reads like a mystery to Heather. But when Paul comes back into her life, their mystery leads to romance.
Heather is the Smitten Book Club's most devoted mystery-genre reader, a single mom, and the resident organic gardener. When she discovers a decades-old tome at a library sale, she thinks it might hold clues leading to buried gold-exactly what one of the members needs to keep her home. She can't resist a mystery that could lead to treasure.
Paul and Heather have history-history she would rather forget. But when he comes back to his hometown of Smitten, he's determined to put down roots. He soon becomes the architect behind a town community garden and enlists Heather's help there in exchange for his own help looking for hidden gold. As they dig into the earth and the clues, they discover something amazing: lasting love.
"Coble is a great writer, she knows what readers want and she does not disappoint." -"Romantic Times"
- GenresRomanceContemporary
76 pages, Paperback
First published January 14, 2014
About the author
Colleen Coble
152 books6,887 followersUSAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 31, 2020
Nope. This one's not for me. It's only a 2 hr audio book but I could only handle 45mins.
July 21, 2019
Ok novella, probably my favorite by Coble among her 3 Smitten offerings. Still felt the ending was a bit too abrupt.
April 6, 2025
A decades old book and a new love.
September 1, 2015
Colleen Coble returns to Smitten with her novella, Love By The Book, featuring Extension Agent, Heather, and architech, Paul. Heather shamefully remembers throwing herself at Paul four years prior and falling for his good looks and cool attitude. Paul had rebuffed her leaving her feeling so poorly about herself that she accepted the first marrage proposal that came her way with a man who left her abused and six months pregnant. Paul was a ladies man and full of big dreams. But living in the city has shown him that he wants something more meaningful in life, a permanent home and family. Returning to Smitten he meets Heather and hopes she may be interested in him again. But meeting her 3 year old son, leaves him believing she's married and unavailable. As they work through a community project together, Paul and Heather learn to forgive and trust and maybe, just maybe fall in love.
This was a nice story, but I felt it ended a little flat. Placed with the other Smitten Book Club novellas, it works well, but as a stand alone novella it didn't end as solidly as many of Ms. Coble's other stories. Also thought that the feeling of abandonment from Heather's failed marriage would play a larger factor in the story, but it seemed to be mentioned briefly and forgotten. That being said, I realize this is a novella and there is limited time to tell a story with deeper details.
This was a nice story, but I felt it ended a little flat. Placed with the other Smitten Book Club novellas, it works well, but as a stand alone novella it didn't end as solidly as many of Ms. Coble's other stories. Also thought that the feeling of abandonment from Heather's failed marriage would play a larger factor in the story, but it seemed to be mentioned briefly and forgotten. That being said, I realize this is a novella and there is limited time to tell a story with deeper details.
January 19, 2023
Love by the Book is an adorable sweet romance novella that takes readers back to the idyllic small town of Smitten. As the first of the four novellas included in Smitten Book Club, it introduces a bit of a bigger mystery that will play out over the course all four novellas, and gives a bit of background info as to who will be this collection's four main characters.
We mainly follow Heather, a young single mother who has trouble taking another chance on love after her husband abandoned her while pregnant. When Paul, an architect she has an embarrassing hidden history with, comes back to Smitten, she's not prepared for the rush of emotions his presence is about to bring back. As the two end up working together on a town project, and stumble upon a mystery that may help a friend who has recently lost her husband, feelings start to emerge that neither may be prepared to deal with.
A cute and swoon worthy novella that I read practically in one sitting, Love by the Book is a wonderful story, and a great introduction to another round of these delightful novellas.
My only complaints were the fact that the romance and the ending are both a tad rushed, but that's usually to be expected in a novella length word count.
It was still a lovely story, and I look forward to continuing on with the other novellas in this series.
Final Rating: 4/5.
We mainly follow Heather, a young single mother who has trouble taking another chance on love after her husband abandoned her while pregnant. When Paul, an architect she has an embarrassing hidden history with, comes back to Smitten, she's not prepared for the rush of emotions his presence is about to bring back. As the two end up working together on a town project, and stumble upon a mystery that may help a friend who has recently lost her husband, feelings start to emerge that neither may be prepared to deal with.
A cute and swoon worthy novella that I read practically in one sitting, Love by the Book is a wonderful story, and a great introduction to another round of these delightful novellas.
My only complaints were the fact that the romance and the ending are both a tad rushed, but that's usually to be expected in a novella length word count.
It was still a lovely story, and I look forward to continuing on with the other novellas in this series.
Final Rating: 4/5.
April 30, 2014
Love By The Book by Colleen Coble
Town of Smitten as in prior books in this saga. The Gentleman's Guide to Love and Courtship, this book is the basis of this anthology.
Molly has lost her fireman husband, Curtis in a fire and the others try to raise money to help her. The book club sells books and Heather finds an old book guiding one how to attract the opposite looks appealing and a letter drops out that promises clues to the gold mine are in the book. Paul comes to aid to help in the book sale.
Advice is given at the beginning of each chapter and discussed during the chapter as the women go through Pearl's old photo albums to find more clues to the mine. Paul has returned and he's working on an organic farm project and Heather can help him-she's not gotten over him since they split. Lots of secrets.
Although there are other books that build the characters and town, you can get a good idea from the current events in this book. Authors don't leave you in the dark about the past.
Heather is afraid that she still cares for Paul but then she sees him kissing Isabella....
Won this book along with 9 other copies in a Facebook contest. I have read the other Smitten books and liked them.
Town of Smitten as in prior books in this saga. The Gentleman's Guide to Love and Courtship, this book is the basis of this anthology.
Molly has lost her fireman husband, Curtis in a fire and the others try to raise money to help her. The book club sells books and Heather finds an old book guiding one how to attract the opposite looks appealing and a letter drops out that promises clues to the gold mine are in the book. Paul comes to aid to help in the book sale.
Advice is given at the beginning of each chapter and discussed during the chapter as the women go through Pearl's old photo albums to find more clues to the mine. Paul has returned and he's working on an organic farm project and Heather can help him-she's not gotten over him since they split. Lots of secrets.
Although there are other books that build the characters and town, you can get a good idea from the current events in this book. Authors don't leave you in the dark about the past.
Heather is afraid that she still cares for Paul but then she sees him kissing Isabella....
Won this book along with 9 other copies in a Facebook contest. I have read the other Smitten books and liked them.
February 12, 2014
Review originally published on i blog 4 books: http://iblog4books.blogspot.com/2014/...
This novella starts the book off well. The town rallies around Molly in her time of need, and I'm interested to see how that story continues to play out later. Heather is a sweetheart of a character, and I loved how giving she was. When Paul comes on the scene, I could see where this story was going, but I enjoyed the journey, quick as it was. Great start to the collection! [4 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.
This novella starts the book off well. The town rallies around Molly in her time of need, and I'm interested to see how that story continues to play out later. Heather is a sweetheart of a character, and I loved how giving she was. When Paul comes on the scene, I could see where this story was going, but I enjoyed the journey, quick as it was. Great start to the collection! [4 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.
April 25, 2014
This was just as good as the original Smitten. It follows the same format and has a mystery that is somewhat addressed throughout. I love the format of the whole story being broken up into small romances. Each complete yet the next one begins where the last one left off and still follows to a final ending. I found it hard to tell that each of the stories was written by a different author. They all blended together well and were very similar. The later ones even included characters from the previous stories.
They are all feel good stories about the struggles to obtain that right relationship. It was fun to have the mystery finally unfold in the end.
Just a fun read.
They are all feel good stories about the struggles to obtain that right relationship. It was fun to have the mystery finally unfold in the end.
Just a fun read.
May 30, 2014
Story one in Smitten Book Club:
Heather and Paul have a history. When Paul returns to Smitten Heather let's him think she is married to keep him away. But when she finds that he wants her to work with him it's best to come clean and learn to get along.
Heather and Paul have a history. When Paul returns to Smitten Heather let's him think she is married to keep him away. But when she finds that he wants her to work with him it's best to come clean and learn to get along.
January 23, 2015
loved it
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews