Great book although not as I expected. Marlow's soon to be philandering ex-husband is killed in a car accident and she not only leaves his families business but also moves away to Bramble, Kentucky to start fresh. Just as she's falling in love with her new simpler life and the town that doesn't allow new permanent residents, a surprise turns up on her step. While I would be upset and turn the person away, she embraced them and took them under her wing as they needed it. That then turns into a great friendship. While all these things are happening Marlow is starting a relationship and a business. I enjoyed watching it all come together and am so happy that it's part of a series because I'm ready for book 2.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Welcome to Bramble, Kentucky! Marlow fights to move there permanently after the death of her almost ex. Cort was a great guy and helps Marlow (and then more). These were great characters and it was a quirky town. More women's fiction, less romance, but still a good heartwarming tale.

This was such a great read!

I finished this book in a lovely Sunday reading session and loved it. Great characters that I genuinely liked, awesome small town vibes and enough feels to keep me invested. It was perfect for a stress free binge.

Foster always creates the most warm and comfortable towns that makes me want to immediately move to them!
A Marine who can also fix most anything knocked me off my feet instantly and I knew Cort was a keeper!
Marlow was waaaay too too nice. Just once I wanted her to lose her cool and go off on someone!
I didn’t care for any of the Heddings, present or past.
I loved Herman and wanted to squeeze him. I hope a future book includes more of him,
It’s a great launch for a new series!

There might not be a lot of surprises in this small town romance that's really about second chances in life but the storytelling and characters will keep you turning the pages. Marlowe chose Bramble as a place to heal after her marriage fell apart. She certainly didn't expect to find new love. Nor did Cort, her landlord who has his own backstory. When Pixie, Marlow's husband's much younger girlfriend appears, she helps her and they bond into family. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This has good characters and a positive outlook that will be familiar to Foster's fans and that new readers will enjoy as well.

What a heart wrenching story.

After being cheated on by her husband Dylan and then having him die in a car crash before their divorce is final, Marlowe is leaving her high level job with her husband's family and heading out to just be Marlowe. The family is angry, but Marlowe must leave for her own peace of mind. She lands in a tiny town and rents a cottage on the lake.

Cort, the landlord and town hero, just wants to get his cottage rented. When he meets Marlowe, there might be more that he wants! He does just want to be supportive in the beginning.

As Marlowe and Cort begin to dance around their attraction for each other, the OTHER WOMAN comes knocking on Marlowe's door. Finding out her husband's girlfriend did not know he was married and she has a surprise on her hip makes Marlowe angry all over again. She just can't leave Paige on the doorstep when Marlowe has the ability to help this young woman.

Such a wonderful story of kindness, temperance, and opening yourself up to do the hard things. Five stars. A wonderful book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review. I absolutely love her books and The Guest Cottage is no exception. Everything about this book is what I love to read. The story is centered around Marlow. She is a very successful business woman in her husbands family company. She is devastated when she learns her husband has cheated on her. While in the process of a divorce, her husband dies unexpectedly. After the funeral, she packs up and moves to a small town to escape it all. This story is full of emotion and discovering how to start over with many surprises along her journey. I highly recommend this book.

The Guest Cottage by Lori Foster is a wonderful story of love and forgiveness. After a twist of fate, Marlow Heddings is starting over. She leaves the betrayal of her husband and the expectations of her job at the family company for a fresh start in tiny Bramble, KY. She trades her Dior for denim and begins to find herself in this precious town, while staying in an adorable lakeview cottage - with a handsome former Marine landlord, Cort Easton. Yet her dreamy new life is about to be shaken up by a shocking secret, when Pixie Nolan, her husband's "other woman" arrives on her doorstep, with nowhere else to turn. Will Marlow turn her away or help Pixie find a fresh start? Will she open her heart to a second chance at love?

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed and I loved seeing how each person experienced some level of growth throughout the story. While the story does have a pretty significant plot twist, it flowed very well. The best thing about this book is how the central theme of love and forgiveness touches everyone - this is a theme that we need more of in real life as well! If you like cozy beach reads, stories of love after heartbreak, and found family themes, you will love this book.

While this book does have references to intimacy, all of the scenes are closed door.

This is the first book in the Firefly summer series. I love my small town romances and this one ticked all the boxes for me. Especially the second chance. Great characters, a book that I will never forget.

Marlowe moves to Bramble Kentucky after her husband has an affair. She is looking for a place to open her dream boutique and she loves her cottage by the lake.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity.!

This is a solid 4 star for me. Its a great summer read, and really set the tone for the change of the season.

It started a little slow for me, but i am so glad i stuck it out because once it hooked, it hooked. Its a small town romance, that really gave me hope. It was written really well, and had you rooting for most of the characters.

I love an unlikely friendship trope. It always feels true to real life. Betrayal and Loss can point you in directions you wouldnt expect, and sometimes that includes people you wouldnt expect to connect to. That part of the story was my favorite.

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!