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Book Review: The Guest Cottage by Lori Foster
Publish Date: May 27, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women’s Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Format: ARC provided by NetGalley
Lori Foster’s The Guest Cottage is everything I want in a contemporary romance—soulful, character-driven, and quietly powerful. The moment I saw this title offered as an ARC, it was an immediate shelf-add. Foster never disappoints, and this story is no exception.
Set in the charming town of Bramble, Kentucky, the novel introduces us to Marlow Heddings, a woman in search of more than just peace and quiet. After personal upheavals leave her emotionally depleted, Marlow rents a secluded lakeside guest cottage to regroup and reset. But healing has a funny way of arriving with unexpected company.
Cort Easton, the cottage’s owner and a former Marine, lives next door. He’s calm, private, and grounded—exactly the kind of presence that slowly chips away at Marlow’s emotional walls. Their chemistry builds naturally, with shared meals, long conversations, and subtle moments that feel deeply intimate without being forced.
What makes The Guest Cottage especially compelling is how it weaves together personal transformation with the slow unraveling of emotional armor. Marlow doesn’t come to Bramble to fall in love—she comes to reclaim herself. Yet, from the first awkward but meaningful encounters with Cort, it’s clear that connection can bloom even in the most guarded hearts.
The narrative takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Pixie Nolan, a young woman linked to Marlow’s past in a surprising and emotional way. Their developing bond shifts the tone of the story in a beautiful direction, illustrating themes of redemption, chosen family, and unexpected mentorship. Watching Marlow extend grace to Pixie was deeply moving and added another layer of emotional resonance.
The town of Bramble itself becomes a comforting presence—full of nosy but lovable neighbors, unspoken traditions, and the kind of everyday peace that allows real healing. Whether it’s the quiet lakeside mornings, shared meals, or meaningful silences, Foster invites us into a world that feels like an emotional retreat.
Notable Quote:
“Sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to lose everything you thought you needed.”
“In Bramble, strangers become friends, and friends become family.”
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