The Guest Cottage by Lori Foster was an absolute four star read for me. It took me a little while to get into the book but then I was hooked! Cute and cozy, and the perfect read to get you ready for summer!

The Guest Cottage is the latest book offering from Lori Foster and the first in her new series Firefly Summer. While Foster is well known for her romantic suspense novels The Guest Cottage is a lighthearted, emotional and charming small town novel about recently widowed Marlow as she strives to find her way and break free from her former life. Bramble, KY offers a delightful cast of local characters who will make you want to pack up and move immediately.

Marlow and Pixie were wronged by the same man. They become unlikely friends once Pixie shows up on Marlow's doorstep with a baby in tow from her now deceased cheating husband. The town on Bramble KY has some unusual rules for their small town. They don't allow new permanent citizens and no new buildings. Marlow hopes they'll make a exception for her but if not she'll roll with the punches. A good hearted story about people who care about each other and a town full of quirky different people who look out for each other. Parts of it were kind of boring and a bit too soft for me but overall i enjoyed the story. This might come across better in audiobook i think. Might have to check into that once it becomes available.

Find out more about Lori Foster and this book on her website here Lori Foster | New York Times Bestselling Author

Thank you #NetGalley for this free ARC of #TheGuestCottage by Lori Foster!

The Guest Cottage is a sweet, small-town escape filled with themes of healing, unexpected friendship, and second chances. Lori Foster brings warmth to the story of Marlow Heddings, a would have been divorcee turned widow reclaiming her independence, and Pixie Nolan, the other woman AND the last person Marlow expected to find herself caring about. The romance between Marlow and Cort adds a layer of sweetness and a bit of swoon. The pacing lags a little in places, and some of the conflict resolutions feel a bit too rushed, but overall, the story delivers cozy, feel-good vibes with just enough depth to keep things engaging.

If you want a happy read, The Guest Cottage is for you. Lori Foster created very likable characters. Even though you can pretty much predict the ending, you will still be happy at the end. Definitely read this book!

Lori Foster’s The Guest Cottage is a heartwarming and deeply emotional novel about resilience, unexpected friendships, and second chances. Set in the exclusive town of Bramble, Kentucky—where newcomers must be approved by the tight-knit community—the story follows Marlow Heddings as she embarks on a fresh start after betrayal and loss.

Marlow’s life took a devastating turn when she discovered her husband’s affair, only for him to die before their divorce was finalized. Tired of living under the expectations of her powerful in-laws, she leaves Chicago behind and seeks refuge in Bramble, renting a charming lakefront cottage. With a new dream of opening a boutique, she embraces the peaceful simplicity of small-town life. Her landlord, former Marine Cort Easton, is quiet, understanding, and dealing with his own past. Their easy connection soon grows into something more, offering Marlow a future she never expected.

Just as she begins to find her footing, an unexpected visitor arrives—Pixie Nolan, the nineteen-year-old woman who had an affair with Marlow’s late husband. Homeless, exhausted, and caring for a newborn, Pixie is desperate. Rather than rejecting her, Marlow makes the surprising decision to take her in, defying her controlling in-laws and forging an unlikely but profound bond. As Marlow helps Pixie find her own fresh start, she realizes that the life she was meant to live is unfolding right in front of her.

Foster expertly weaves themes of healing, redemption, and the power of human connection into this beautifully written novel. Marlow is an inspiring protagonist—resilient, optimistic, and full of quiet strength. Cort’s steady support and Pixie’s journey of self-discovery add layers of depth to a story that is equal parts heartwarming and raw. The town of Bramble, with its protective yet endearing community, serves as the perfect backdrop for this tale of reinvention.

The Guest Cottage is more than a romance—it’s a story of empowerment, forgiveness, and embracing the unexpected. Perfect for fans of small-town fiction and heartfelt storytelling, this book is a touching reminder that sometimes, the hardest endings lead to the best new beginnings.

What a wonderful start to a series. Marlow is the kindest most forgiving and strongest woman. She always sees the best in people. She left a bad situation only to end up in a town so beautiful she didn't want to leave.There is much for her to overcome The small town that is a tight knit group of people and really didn't want more outsiders. A landlord who is determined to stay to himself ,but couldn't help but like her. You will laugh and stay up late reading this one.I loved this book and believe you will too.

**3 Stars – A Story of Healing and Moving On**

This book is a straightforward tale of starting over after betrayal and loss. Marlow Heddings leaves her cheating husband and his powerful family behind, seeking a fresh start in a quiet lakeside town. She finds solace in her new home and a possible romance with her landlord, Cort Easton.

The story takes an unexpected turn when Pixie, the young woman Marlow’s husband cheated with, arrives needing help. Instead of shutting her out, Marlow offers support, leading to an unlikely bond. While the themes of healing and renewal are strong, the characters felt distant, making it hard to fully connect. The plot had potential but didn’t fully hold my attention. An okay read for those who enjoy slow, introspective journeys of moving on.

I loved this book so much! This might be one of my favorite romance novels I have ever read. Being from Kentucky, I always love a novel set in a small Kentucky town. Bramble captured my heart right away and I thought the population law barrier for the relationship in the book was unique and clever. My biggest pro for this entire book is that the female main character and the male main character are MATURE and walking green flags. I love how protective, caring, chivalrous, stable, and honest Cort is with Marlow throughout the novel. There was no relationship drama and no absolutely pointless break-up between them - which always bothers me in other romance novels. Both main characters knew what they wanted, communicated openly and honestly, and the relationship that blossomed from that vulnerability was absolutely beautiful and addicting to read about.

Somehow Lori Foster also makes you fall in love with "the other woman" in this book and shows a humble and eye opening perspective on an unexpected female friendship. I really appreciated the way the women in this book were portrayed and how neither of them let pride or drama or anything else get in the way of helping someone in need. Marlow and Pixie's relationship shows such an unconditional love and I enjoyed getting to be a part of that.

I couldn't put this book down. The only reason this is a 4 star for me and not a 5 star (really more 4.5) is because the ending seemed abrupt, and I didn't love that it ended with an interaction with Sandra instead of ending with a romantic moment between Cort and Marlow. Other than that - I haven't stopped thinking about these characters or this town since I put it down and I can't wait to be right back in Bramble, Kentucky as soon as possible!

Thank you so much to NetGalley for a ARC of this book!

Be ready for another wonderful story by this talented author.
This past year, Marlow Heddings has been turned upside down more than once.
First she discovers that Dylan, her entitled husband, had an affair with a young woman. That unfaithfulness led her to seek a divorce. Just when things were finalizing, Dylan is killed in an accident.
Ready to get away from all the judgmental stares in Chicago, and her in-laws, she leaves the city and travels to a rental in the small town of Bramble, Kentucky.
Marlow, a woman with her own wealth, is ready to have a new beginning. Not only in this town but also starting a new business.
Whom she never expected to meet was her landlord, Cort Easton. A former Marine, whose once abused mother, found a home with kind people in Bramble. Now he too is considered one of them. A real accomplishment in a town that refuses to accept outsiders.
In the midst of it all, the young woman with whom her husband had an affair, shows up at her doorstep.
Pixie showing up was a shock and a surprise. Will Marlow help this young woman in need?
At times heartbreaking as well as heartwarming, this engaging story was one filled with new beginnings, hope , and second chances in life and love.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and Kensington Books. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

Probably more of a 3.5+ rather than a 4 stars but really enjoyable overall.

It is a great story for a couple of afternoons when you are looking to relax and enjoy a simple but rich story where the characters and their interactions are more important than the actions themselves.

In my opinion, there are two things that could be better. The most important is the length of the story; it is a little bit too short for my taste and even when there are not gaps in the plot, adding more context at some points would have been a plus to completely understand the backgrounds of some of the characters.

The second issueis the transition from one scene to the next. At the beginning of the story there were parts where a character was speaking about their past and immediatly in the next sentence the same character was in the present at a different time. Not that it is poorly written but it was a bit confusing.

For a non-native English speakers, the story is easy to follow, and you won’t need to stop every two words to look up vocabulary.

I loved this small town romance. It was a delightful read that made me smile
I love a strong female character and the hero is dreamy and such a wonderful part of this story

Such a nice twist on a small town romance and keep me reading

This was a strong story in the romance genre, it had that feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the women's relationship between this. The plot was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed getting to read this. Lori Foster wrote this in a way that worked and am excited to read more.

this book gave me the feels. i was drawn by the title of the book and then i was sucked in completely. really liked this and want to find more of her books.