🏡 Book Review: The Forgotten Cottage by Sage Parker (Kindle Edition, Mountain Secrets Series #1)
A heartwarming blend of small-town charm and historical mystery—Sage Parker opens her Mountain Secrets series with a cozy, emotionally resonant tale about healing, belonging, and the secrets that shape a place.
🧠 Overview
Published on May 13, 2025, The Forgotten Cottage follows Sunnie Cameron, a woman seeking a fresh start after a painful divorce. She moves into a run-down cottage in the quiet village of Hazelwood, hoping to leave her past behind. But the town is more curious than welcoming, and the cottage itself holds secrets of its own.
When a bookshelf collapses during renovations, Sunnie discovers a hidden room untouched for nearly a century, filled with forgotten journals, love letters, and clues to a long-buried story the town seems determined to forget.
With help from her quirky neighbor Mrs. Dalloway and Oliver, a charming bookstore owner with secrets of his own, Sunnie begins to unravel the mystery—one that might change everything she thought she knew about her new home… and herself.
✨ Key Themes & Highlights
- 🏡 Fresh starts – Sunnie’s journey is one of emotional renewal and rediscovery.
- 📜 Historical mystery – The hidden room and its contents anchor the story in intrigue.
- 💞 Community & connection – Relationships with Hazelwood’s residents add warmth and complexity.
- 📖 Found family – The bonds Sunnie forms feel earned and deeply comforting.
- 🌲 Atmospheric setting – The mountain village and creaky cottage evoke a sense of timelessness.
💬 Reader Reception
- 📖 Early readers praise the book’s gentle pacing, emotional depth, and cozy mystery elements.
- 🧾 It’s described as perfect for fans of small-town fiction, second chances, and uplifting stories with a touch of suspense.
⚠️ Considerations
- 📄 Series starter – Introduces characters and themes that will likely evolve across future books.
- 🧠 Low-stakes mystery – More emotional than thriller; ideal for readers who prefer introspective storytelling.
🏁 Final Verdict
The Forgotten Cottage is a quietly captivating read that invites you to settle in with a cup of tea and let its secrets unfold. With its mix of emotional healing, historical intrigue, and small-town relationships, it’s a lovely beginning to the Mountain Secrets series—perfect for fans of authors like Debbie Macomber or Viola Shipman.
