New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster is back with the first entry in her delightful new series, Firefly Summer.

THE GUEST COTTAGE opens on a rainy day in May. Marlow Heddings is burying her estranged husband, Dylan. After discovering his infidelity, Marlow had begun divorce proceedings that dragged on for about a year before his untimely death in a car accident. She finds herself in an unusual position; she already has mourned the loss of her marriage, but she still has to play the part of the “grieving widow.”

"Like lounging in a hammock on a bright summer day, fans of Robyn Carr, Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery will ease into Lori Foster’s appealing story of reinvention, love, friendship and community."

In addition to handling all of the arrangements, Marlow must manage her difficult in-laws, Sandra and Ashton Heddings, who doted on their only son and are beyond bereft after his death. Marlow certainly empathizes with them, but she is more than ready to put her old life in the rear-view mirror. But where should she go?

After doing some research, Marlow settles on Bramble, Kentucky, a tiny lake town that’s less than a blip on anyone’s radar. But she dreams of settling somewhere and starting a small business all on her own...and this time, she doesn’t have to take into account her husband’s wishes and desires.

Dylan’s affair and eventual death have lifted the veil on what Marlow’s life had become: “Because he’d made her the person she’d become. He’d made their major decisions as a couple. Where they’d live, how they’d live, and which social functions were advantageous. She’d allowed him to take the lead, to guide their marriage and their future. And in doing so, she’d morphed into someone different --- an uptight, rigid woman who always followed the rules of etiquette and never caused a scene.”

Despite her mother-in-law’s protestations, Marlow is done with all of that. She puts her house on the market, sells off most of her possessions, packs up her car, and sets her sights on Bramble. New life, here she comes!

During the research phase of her next chapter, Marlow has rented a small lakeside cottage from Cort Easton, a former Marine handyman who owns several homes along the lake, including his own right next door. Cort proves to be a godsend for Marlow. He moved here with his mom some years ago, also fleeing a tragic past. As her health deteriorated, the town banded together to help look after her, especially when Cort was on active duty with the Marines. After his last deployment, he returned to Bramble to care for her until she passed away.

Cort has become the go-to handyman for everyone in this close-knit town, who adopted him as one of their own. He has set up Marlow in the cutest cottage kitted out with a lovely dock where she can watch the sun rise, which is a favorite pastime of his as well. He introduces her to the townspeople, who take a shine to her, including tavern owner Herman, who hires her as his new waitress. Before she knows it, Marlow has fallen in love with Bramble and, quite possibly, Cort as well.

But when a young woman arrives on her doorstep with a big secret that could threaten this peaceful new life she has built for herself, Marlow’s ideas of forgiveness and kindness are put to the test. She recognizes 20-year-old Pixie Nolan immediately as the one with whom Dylan was having the affair.

THE GUEST COTTAGE is a charming mix of “Virgin River” and “Sweet Magnolias.” Like lounging in a hammock on a bright summer day, fans of Robyn Carr, Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery will ease into Lori Foster’s appealing story of reinvention, love, friendship and community.