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Rosemary Mountain Mystery #1
Secrets in the Cottage
All she wants is the truth. Someone else just wants revenge.
Daphne Sullivan wants the truth, about the mother she never knew and the visions she was told were dangerous—visions that make her suspect her mother was murdered. After her father’s death, Daphne moves to her mother’s old cottage, determined to find the answers he never gave her.
In beautiful Rosemary Mountain, she finds the love and community she’s always wanted. Her elderly neighbor Fiona, a feisty herbalist who knew her mother, introduces her to the family gift of second sight. And Emerson, the attractive man on the lane with pain of his own, makes her feel like she might be exactly where she belongs.
But this town is full of secrets, and someone here is looking for revenge. When strange things start happening at the cottage, Daphne doesn’t know who she can trust—including herself. And if she can’t uncover the truth, she might end up facing the same fate as her mother.
Daphne Sullivan wants the truth, about the mother she never knew and the visions she was told were dangerous—visions that make her suspect her mother was murdered. After her father’s death, Daphne moves to her mother’s old cottage, determined to find the answers he never gave her.
In beautiful Rosemary Mountain, she finds the love and community she’s always wanted. Her elderly neighbor Fiona, a feisty herbalist who knew her mother, introduces her to the family gift of second sight. And Emerson, the attractive man on the lane with pain of his own, makes her feel like she might be exactly where she belongs.
But this town is full of secrets, and someone here is looking for revenge. When strange things start happening at the cottage, Daphne doesn’t know who she can trust—including herself. And if she can’t uncover the truth, she might end up facing the same fate as her mother.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2022
818 people are currently reading
601 people want to read
About the author
Nicole Gardner
10 books43 followersMystery + Romantic Suspense author. Writer of quaint towns with cozy vibes, romantic suspense, and plot twists you'll never see coming. Nicole lives in Arkansas with her husband, sons, and two dogs. If she’s not at her desk writing, you’ll probably find her in the garden or creating teas and tinctures in her kitchen.
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www.nicolegardnerbooks.com
Newsletter: https://nicolegardnerbooks.com/newsle...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
April 8, 2024
i literally just read this in less than 6 hours and i need some time to process
August 24, 2023
So much about this book that bothers me. I’ll get to what I like at the end.
A murder mystery in which the main character has “the second sight” is disappointing and a cop out. A requisite shout out to the Harry Potter generation, I suppose. Sarcasm intended. But it rather defeats the very purpose of a mystery.
The events take place in a little over a week. It’s not believable that relationships could have developed so deeply in that time. Or that events could have precipitated that quickly. A few months or a year would be more believable.
Then there’s the author’s portrayal of this fictional Appalachian town in East Tennessee. I know nowhere in Central Appalachia that fits that description. And both the main character and the locals call the holler she lives on a “lane”. No, honey, that’s a holler (spelled hollow, pronounced holler, and has nothing in common with a lane of any kind.) This shows the author is unfamiliar with the mountains of Appalachia and woefully unfamiliar with its language. So it makes the setting unbelievable.
She introduces us to a handful of extremely welcoming and friendly people and has her character become unnaturally close to these people in an unnatural amount of time and then later informs us that the locals “don’t like outsiders”. The only way both those attitudes could exist at the same time is if you were an unusually important person that the locals felt ought to be impressed during your stay. You cannot *move in* and have both be true. And in a little more than a week.
The thing I liked, that kept me reading even though the rest is so weak, is the whole attempt to convince the community that the main character was mentally unstable. But that, too, would take more than a week. And not be resolved just three or four chapters later by another character’s psychic dream.
There is potential here. It’s no small thing that I kept reading even though I could see so much wrong. So the author can engage you and keep you reading and more quickly than you normally read anything. If she applies that talent to tighter, more believable stories, she’ll be phenomenal someday.
A murder mystery in which the main character has “the second sight” is disappointing and a cop out. A requisite shout out to the Harry Potter generation, I suppose. Sarcasm intended. But it rather defeats the very purpose of a mystery.
The events take place in a little over a week. It’s not believable that relationships could have developed so deeply in that time. Or that events could have precipitated that quickly. A few months or a year would be more believable.
Then there’s the author’s portrayal of this fictional Appalachian town in East Tennessee. I know nowhere in Central Appalachia that fits that description. And both the main character and the locals call the holler she lives on a “lane”. No, honey, that’s a holler (spelled hollow, pronounced holler, and has nothing in common with a lane of any kind.) This shows the author is unfamiliar with the mountains of Appalachia and woefully unfamiliar with its language. So it makes the setting unbelievable.
She introduces us to a handful of extremely welcoming and friendly people and has her character become unnaturally close to these people in an unnatural amount of time and then later informs us that the locals “don’t like outsiders”. The only way both those attitudes could exist at the same time is if you were an unusually important person that the locals felt ought to be impressed during your stay. You cannot *move in* and have both be true. And in a little more than a week.
The thing I liked, that kept me reading even though the rest is so weak, is the whole attempt to convince the community that the main character was mentally unstable. But that, too, would take more than a week. And not be resolved just three or four chapters later by another character’s psychic dream.
There is potential here. It’s no small thing that I kept reading even though I could see so much wrong. So the author can engage you and keep you reading and more quickly than you normally read anything. If she applies that talent to tighter, more believable stories, she’ll be phenomenal someday.
April 5, 2024
I had so many theories while reading this book. I trusted NO ONE and was always suspecting someone else. I really enjoyed being unsure of who might be the "bad guy".
With that being said, I feel like the book was supposed to be about Daphne learning about her mom but quickly got distracted by the plot of Don being killed and Daphne being the main suspect. I wonder if this was the author's original plan because there were so many things that were left unexplained. We never found out about the journal that she had the vision about, we never learned what Daphne was being drugged with, and we never found out why Katie didn't like Emerson + why Emerson acted weird when Katie was mentioned to him. Like I said, I wonder if the author had planned for the book to go one way then got the idea for the current plot and decided to make a book 2 lol.
Even though I was disappointed that we didn't learn about Dapne's mom and honestly was disappointed that the reason for Don's death didn't even have anything to do with it, I do think the author did well in making me second guess literally every single person that Daphne came in contact with. Because of that, I give this book 3.5 stars!
With that being said, I feel like the book was supposed to be about Daphne learning about her mom but quickly got distracted by the plot of Don being killed and Daphne being the main suspect. I wonder if this was the author's original plan because there were so many things that were left unexplained. We never found out about the journal that she had the vision about, we never learned what Daphne was being drugged with, and we never found out why Katie didn't like Emerson + why Emerson acted weird when Katie was mentioned to him. Like I said, I wonder if the author had planned for the book to go one way then got the idea for the current plot and decided to make a book 2 lol.
Even though I was disappointed that we didn't learn about Dapne's mom and honestly was disappointed that the reason for Don's death didn't even have anything to do with it, I do think the author did well in making me second guess literally every single person that Daphne came in contact with. Because of that, I give this book 3.5 stars!
September 2, 2023
I absolutely loved the cozy, autumnal atmosphere of tis book. The twists and turns in the plot were great too! Can’t wait to read the rest in the series.
October 23, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Even though the plot was very predictable to me, I couldn’t put it down. Makes me a little angry that I’ve finished the book without knowing what happened to Daphne’s mother and thinking the whole time that Don’s death was connected to it. But no. This saga has 3 books. I will be pissed if I don’t know what happened do Daphne’s mother in the next book.
Even though the plot was very predictable to me, I couldn’t put it down. Makes me a little angry that I’ve finished the book without knowing what happened to Daphne’s mother and thinking the whole time that Don’s death was connected to it. But no. This saga has 3 books. I will be pissed if I don’t know what happened do Daphne’s mother in the next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 12, 2024
Rosemary Mountain is home to many secrets. Daphne Sullivan has moved into her parents' old house to uncover the truth about her early childhood. As Daphne begins to develop friendships in her new area, she finds that she has unwittingly made enemies—enemies who really have it out for her.
There are so many layers to this mystery and I'm glad the author decided to take this to a trilogy rather than shoehorn every little thing into one book. I was surprised that the main event arrived at the 40% mark, but I'd been so enthralled with the story that I hadn't noticed that "something" was missing. It's such a good read, that I'd recommend it even if the reader doesn't progress beyond the first book; I'm confident that the temptation to continue will be too hard to resist!
There are so many layers to this mystery and I'm glad the author decided to take this to a trilogy rather than shoehorn every little thing into one book. I was surprised that the main event arrived at the 40% mark, but I'd been so enthralled with the story that I hadn't noticed that "something" was missing. It's such a good read, that I'd recommend it even if the reader doesn't progress beyond the first book; I'm confident that the temptation to continue will be too hard to resist!
October 13, 2024
You need to find out the truth
A good read. Full of adventure & hopelessness. Daphne has found out the secret that her father kept from her. She had another mother that she knew nothing about. She needs to find out what really happened all those years ago. She knows buying their old house makes no sense but she needs to find out the truth about her death. But not everyone is do welcoming as people have secrets. She finds an old friend of her mother's that tell her about what she has forgiven. She meets Emerson but any relationship is doomed as he doesn't believe her. And someone wants to make sure that she disappears for good. Will she ever find out the truth about her mother's death?
Great characters even the ones that whisper about Daphne.
A good read. Full of adventure & hopelessness. Daphne has found out the secret that her father kept from her. She had another mother that she knew nothing about. She needs to find out what really happened all those years ago. She knows buying their old house makes no sense but she needs to find out the truth about her death. But not everyone is do welcoming as people have secrets. She finds an old friend of her mother's that tell her about what she has forgiven. She meets Emerson but any relationship is doomed as he doesn't believe her. And someone wants to make sure that she disappears for good. Will she ever find out the truth about her mother's death?
Great characters even the ones that whisper about Daphne.
February 12, 2025
I simply loved this book. I am eager to read the other 2 in the series. It took me a while to figure out who the killer was. It all made sense when I figured it out. I loved all the twists and turns in the book. I found it well written and easy to follow.
October 11, 2024
🖍️ Secrets in the Cottage was written so well, that I regret that I could not read it in one sitting. In fact, it took me several days to read it cover to cover because Life kept interrupting me 😀. Kidding aside, Secrets in the Cottage has a solid plot for the setting in the mountains of East Tennessee, and although some scenarios and characters might be stereotypical, it all works. Nicole Gardner's writing style is impressively good, and some of the characters, well, I will say that although I could not stand Fiona, Joe, and Katie, in particular, they had their rightful place in the story.
Daphne Sullivan tells her story of discovering who her mother was, and what really happened to her. She finds herself on a mission to find the true reason her mother died years ago. Daphne might even have that ‘second sight’ (clairvoyance) that her mother had. Booga booga booga.
Of all the characters, Fiona Flanagan was the most irritating, rude, pushy, and intrusive one of all; an obnoxious, nettlesome biddy who made it “clear that [she] enjoyed gossip.” I kept hoping that naïve Daphne would catch on and dump her. Yet, that would not do, since Fiona is integral to Secrets in the Cottage. Without her, there would not be a link to Daphne’s past, nor the sidekick position to Daphne’s ‘detective’ role.
Emerson Jones, Daphne’s new love interest, came across sort of milquetoast-y to me. But, hey, this is the era of redefining masculinity, isn’t it? 😀 Sure, Emerson might just be a nice enough fella, yet he is not my idea of a strong man—
Katie, Daphne’s neighbor, was the perfect, not-a-hair-out-of-place youthful wife of a much older doctor. Katie came across as the ditzy neighborhood trollop to me. She is someone you should not know, but you still want to know what she is up to.
Joe, the retired sheriff, seemed like a guy who just could not let go of his tough-guy glory days. My opinion on the current sheriff, Greg Morrison, is neutral.
Don and Julia Kistler are a strange couple; he a questionable minister, she an odd mouse of a woman.
Rosemary Mountain, where this story takes place, is the type of small town that I lived in once upon a time, and never desire to return. I know this type of place well. Rosemary Mountain is a town where everyone knows everyone’s business – or they think they know everyone’s business. It is the type of small town where people don’t give you a moment’s peace – nearly walking into your home at any ol’ time. Privacy – true privacy – is rare. Busybodies abound.
The idea that Daphne has something called a ‘second sight’ fits well into the story where it seems that many of the characters believed in such hoodoo that one might expect from Appalachia. Or not. Yet, all of that is part of the story, and without it, it would not bring the mysterious setting. Pour yourself a glass of mountain dew (slang for moonshine, don’t you know!), and you’re fittin’ in with the In Crowd.
I laughed that in Daphne’s house (she calls it a cottage), “The guest bath is just down the hall to the left.” I laughed because there is a running joke in my family that everyone’s guest bathroom is “on the left” no matter whose house you’re in. We’ve been laughing at that for more than 40 years.
On the whole, Secrets in the Cottage was a entertaining story, and Nicole Gardner presented memorable characters with a fun cozy detective-style story.
🟣 Kindle.
✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎
Daphne Sullivan tells her story of discovering who her mother was, and what really happened to her. She finds herself on a mission to find the true reason her mother died years ago. Daphne might even have that ‘second sight’ (clairvoyance) that her mother had. Booga booga booga.
Of all the characters, Fiona Flanagan was the most irritating, rude, pushy, and intrusive one of all; an obnoxious, nettlesome biddy who made it “clear that [she] enjoyed gossip.” I kept hoping that naïve Daphne would catch on and dump her. Yet, that would not do, since Fiona is integral to Secrets in the Cottage. Without her, there would not be a link to Daphne’s past, nor the sidekick position to Daphne’s ‘detective’ role.
Emerson Jones, Daphne’s new love interest, came across sort of milquetoast-y to me. But, hey, this is the era of redefining masculinity, isn’t it? 😀 Sure, Emerson might just be a nice enough fella, yet he is not my idea of a strong man—
Katie, Daphne’s neighbor, was the perfect, not-a-hair-out-of-place youthful wife of a much older doctor. Katie came across as the ditzy neighborhood trollop to me. She is someone you should not know, but you still want to know what she is up to.
Joe, the retired sheriff, seemed like a guy who just could not let go of his tough-guy glory days. My opinion on the current sheriff, Greg Morrison, is neutral.
Don and Julia Kistler are a strange couple; he a questionable minister, she an odd mouse of a woman.
Rosemary Mountain, where this story takes place, is the type of small town that I lived in once upon a time, and never desire to return. I know this type of place well. Rosemary Mountain is a town where everyone knows everyone’s business – or they think they know everyone’s business. It is the type of small town where people don’t give you a moment’s peace – nearly walking into your home at any ol’ time. Privacy – true privacy – is rare. Busybodies abound.
The idea that Daphne has something called a ‘second sight’ fits well into the story where it seems that many of the characters believed in such hoodoo that one might expect from Appalachia. Or not. Yet, all of that is part of the story, and without it, it would not bring the mysterious setting. Pour yourself a glass of mountain dew (slang for moonshine, don’t you know!), and you’re fittin’ in with the In Crowd.
I laughed that in Daphne’s house (she calls it a cottage), “The guest bath is just down the hall to the left.” I laughed because there is a running joke in my family that everyone’s guest bathroom is “on the left” no matter whose house you’re in. We’ve been laughing at that for more than 40 years.
On the whole, Secrets in the Cottage was a entertaining story, and Nicole Gardner presented memorable characters with a fun cozy detective-style story.
🟣 Kindle.
✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎
October 5, 2022
Where do complex relationships of all kinds, mystery, romance, an herbalist, paranormal abilities, and small-town community life come together? Why, Rosemary Mountain, of course!
Nicole Gardner is a master storyteller who weaves all these elements into one heartbreaking and heartwarming tale. You will find yourself paging back through to re-read clues that you missed the first time around and second-guessing your deductions, until the last few pages when the main storyline is resolved. There are side-plots, however, that will leave you wanting to know whodunit.
I especially loved the attention to detail in the relationship that the main character and her mom have and how that changes throughout the book. The descriptions, wording, and feelings were all authentic and raw, giving both sides the attention they deserve. Nicole Gardner's background in psychology allows her to delve into the minds of her characters and portray them realistically.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Nicole Gardner is a master storyteller who weaves all these elements into one heartbreaking and heartwarming tale. You will find yourself paging back through to re-read clues that you missed the first time around and second-guessing your deductions, until the last few pages when the main storyline is resolved. There are side-plots, however, that will leave you wanting to know whodunit.
I especially loved the attention to detail in the relationship that the main character and her mom have and how that changes throughout the book. The descriptions, wording, and feelings were all authentic and raw, giving both sides the attention they deserve. Nicole Gardner's background in psychology allows her to delve into the minds of her characters and portray them realistically.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 4, 2022
📖 𝕖𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 📖
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘳
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘻𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺
𝙋𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨: 312
𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯 - 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
*** Thank you to the author @nicolegardnerbooks and 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵 for giving me a change to read this book.***
___________💭𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭_____________
"𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩."
This was an amazing read. The story pulls you in from the first page. It was so interesting and amazing to me that I read this book in a day.
The came together in a such surprising way that I didn't see coming, and that rarely ever happens. I am so excited for the next books in this series.
"𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦"
I definetly recommend you read this book during Spooky season. It is a perfect read for this time one year.
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
𝙏𝙞𝙩𝙡𝙚: 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦
𝘼𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧: 𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘎𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘯𝘦𝘳
𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙚: 𝘚𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘻𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘺
𝙋𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨: 312
𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
𝙎𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯 - 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯
· · • • • ✤ • • • · ·
*** Thank you to the author @nicolegardnerbooks and 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵 for giving me a change to read this book.***
___________💭𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜💭_____________
"𝘏𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩."
This was an amazing read. The story pulls you in from the first page. It was so interesting and amazing to me that I read this book in a day.
The came together in a such surprising way that I didn't see coming, and that rarely ever happens. I am so excited for the next books in this series.
"𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦"
I definetly recommend you read this book during Spooky season. It is a perfect read for this time one year.
September 1, 2025
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶
Tropes: Past Family History, Murder Mystery, Second Sight, Slow Burn Romance
Trigger Warnings: Death of a Loved, Grief, Mental Health Issues, Mention of Self Harm, Grooming
This book has a lot to unpack! I really enjoyed the story, and I felt so bad for Daphne. She experienced so much trauma without giving too much away, and I even felt the frustration she was going with.
I do like Daphne as a character. She has a good head on her shoulder despite what's happened to her and her family situation. Emerson is still a mystery. It's clear he really likes Daphne and wants to be with her, but something else is definitely going with him, and I guess we'll learn more in the next book.
I could make a list of all the characters I didn't like, but that would give away too much, so I'll leave with my favorite one instead, Fiona. She's a complete badass grandma, and I love it!
Spice Level: 🌶
Tropes: Past Family History, Murder Mystery, Second Sight, Slow Burn Romance
Trigger Warnings: Death of a Loved, Grief, Mental Health Issues, Mention of Self Harm, Grooming
This book has a lot to unpack! I really enjoyed the story, and I felt so bad for Daphne. She experienced so much trauma without giving too much away, and I even felt the frustration she was going with.
I do like Daphne as a character. She has a good head on her shoulder despite what's happened to her and her family situation. Emerson is still a mystery. It's clear he really likes Daphne and wants to be with her, but something else is definitely going with him, and I guess we'll learn more in the next book.
I could make a list of all the characters I didn't like, but that would give away too much, so I'll leave with my favorite one instead, Fiona. She's a complete badass grandma, and I love it!
November 29, 2025
Keeps the Reader Guessing
I almost gave up too soon on this novel. The actual mechanics of the writing seemed rough, and the story took off so quickly that the heroine didn't feel believable. Fortunately, I kept reading and was soon swept up in the mystery, and all the characters became very real. Among all the possibilities, the real villain was certainly not obvious. Maybe it's a sign of our times, but I loved the fast pace of the novel and came to appreciate that part of the awkwardness in the beginning was the minimal back story that allowed the story to quickly move into action. I thought the final climatic scene was a stretch, and was also disappointed in the explanation of the retired sheriff's past action, which had a major flaw. As warned in the blurb, this is a cliffhanger and not all is resolved.
I almost gave up too soon on this novel. The actual mechanics of the writing seemed rough, and the story took off so quickly that the heroine didn't feel believable. Fortunately, I kept reading and was soon swept up in the mystery, and all the characters became very real. Among all the possibilities, the real villain was certainly not obvious. Maybe it's a sign of our times, but I loved the fast pace of the novel and came to appreciate that part of the awkwardness in the beginning was the minimal back story that allowed the story to quickly move into action. I thought the final climatic scene was a stretch, and was also disappointed in the explanation of the retired sheriff's past action, which had a major flaw. As warned in the blurb, this is a cliffhanger and not all is resolved.
September 20, 2025
A quick read. Daphne Sullivan goes back to the small town where her parents had lived when she was small. Not even knowing about her biological mother, she gets caught up in trying to find answers to what had happened to her mother. In the meantime she meets a variety of locals and begins to fall for the place. Some romance is involved, some psychic experiences and more issues for Daphne. I loved the setting in the mountains and felt enveloped in nature and the climate. The cottage sounded cozy and I could picture everything so well. So the descriptive writing was spot on. A few things seemed to happen so quickly to be believed, and some things were left unanswered but all in all an entertaining read on a rainy afternoon.
June 27, 2025
2.5 stars. I really enjoyed this book until the very end. And then it was just a huge letdown. I believe the author was trying to create a cliffhanger for the book. But the person responsible for Daphne’s mother’s murder is never revealed. And the book just kind of cuts off mid scene and conversation. And not only are answers not found in the next book, but apparently it’s not addressed again until book 3!
I don’t mind cliffhangers when done well, but this wasn’t. And it irritated me enough that I doubt I’ll read the rest. So just be aware that this is part of series if you decide to read it. And that the answers to the major questions will be a long time coming.
I don’t mind cliffhangers when done well, but this wasn’t. And it irritated me enough that I doubt I’ll read the rest. So just be aware that this is part of series if you decide to read it. And that the answers to the major questions will be a long time coming.
November 26, 2022
I was a bit hesitant when I realized this book fell under the “paranormal” heading, but the way the author presented it suspended my disbelief, and I found it added a nice element to the story.
The plot pulled me in very quickly, leaving me eager to find out what happened next. The character of Fiona, in particular, is so vivid that she jumped right off the page and into my mind. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
P.S. I highly recommend grabbing a glass of red wine when you sit down to begin the book. You’ll absolutely be craving some soon!
The plot pulled me in very quickly, leaving me eager to find out what happened next. The character of Fiona, in particular, is so vivid that she jumped right off the page and into my mind. I can’t wait to read the next installment!
P.S. I highly recommend grabbing a glass of red wine when you sit down to begin the book. You’ll absolutely be craving some soon!
January 1, 2023
Secrets in the Cottage was perfect in plot, characters, and all writing conventions -- I completely adored it from beginning to end. This book was written by an author local to my area, and I felt like I could really connect to everything because of that. The characters feel like friends at this point, and I'm looking forward to future books and getting to know them even better! I literally had fun reading this book--especially coming to the end of a chapter and absolutely having to read on... exhilarating mini-cliffhangers were such a joy. Highly recommend!
September 29, 2025
This earned a 3 star because the plot was interesting enough and the characters weren't cut outs.
I quit at 52% for the following reasons.
1. The character admitting to Second Sight to just about everyone is unrealistic for a small town setting. That gift turns you into a 'crazy person' or a witch shunned and burned.
It honestly felt like a narrative tool employed too early to kick off conflict.
2. The instalove was too...fast. Even for instalove.
I wanted to like the trilogy but the amateur writing is subpar and I cant help but wonder where the editor was.
I quit at 52% for the following reasons.
1. The character admitting to Second Sight to just about everyone is unrealistic for a small town setting. That gift turns you into a 'crazy person' or a witch shunned and burned.
It honestly felt like a narrative tool employed too early to kick off conflict.
2. The instalove was too...fast. Even for instalove.
I wanted to like the trilogy but the amateur writing is subpar and I cant help but wonder where the editor was.
November 23, 2024
This is my first book by Nicole Gardner. I enjoyed her writing voice. It was a refreshing change from other books I've read of late where waiting for something to happen was their hallmark. The story kept me engaged, and I felt like I understood the characters and their motivations. Every discovery moved the story forward. The location sounded like somewhere I'd want to live. The positive experience I had with the first book prompted me to purchase the second book in the series.
November 27, 2024
Genuine surprise ending
Very engaging story from the first paragraph. I liked that the characters were real and believable. I also liked that there was no vulgarity or overly descriptive gore or sex scenes. I feel comfortable recommending this to my teenage daughter whereas so many books, anymore, I just can't. And I really didn't figure out who the "bad-guy" was, a nice change from the last several mysteries I have read.
Very engaging story from the first paragraph. I liked that the characters were real and believable. I also liked that there was no vulgarity or overly descriptive gore or sex scenes. I feel comfortable recommending this to my teenage daughter whereas so many books, anymore, I just can't. And I really didn't figure out who the "bad-guy" was, a nice change from the last several mysteries I have read.
October 6, 2022
After Daphne Sullivan's Father dies she finds out that her Mother is not her real Mother. She sets out to find out everything she can about her mothers death. That means heading to Rosemary Mountain. This is an exciting new series by Nicole Garner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 8, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this, it does what I was hoping for in a mystery book. It was a great start to the Rosemary Mountain Mystery series. I enjoyed the characters in it and getting to know their world. I look forward to reading more in this series as I enjoyed this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 11, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. I tend to be a bit of a slower reader, but I devoured Secrets in the Cottage. It was such a great mystery—and especially perfect for fall.
I also want to give a little love to Daphne. She is a fiery, relatable, and a lovable character. I loved getting caught up in her story. I can’t wait to see where she goes in the next book!
I also want to give a little love to Daphne. She is a fiery, relatable, and a lovable character. I loved getting caught up in her story. I can’t wait to see where she goes in the next book!
May 26, 2023
A happy surprise!
This book pulled me from the beginning to the end. I kept telling myself that I would stop after just one more page. The author knew just when to provide exactly what I was hoping for the characters with regards to help or information. I never write book reviews but had to this time.
This book pulled me from the beginning to the end. I kept telling myself that I would stop after just one more page. The author knew just when to provide exactly what I was hoping for the characters with regards to help or information. I never write book reviews but had to this time.
October 9, 2024
Lots of exciting twists and turns!
I instantly felt as at home as Daphne did at her cabin! I was actually very surprised by many of the twists and was trying hard to figure things out but a few I just didn't see coming. A good engaging read with personable characters and solid story line with just enough mystery left to want the next book!
I instantly felt as at home as Daphne did at her cabin! I was actually very surprised by many of the twists and was trying hard to figure things out but a few I just didn't see coming. A good engaging read with personable characters and solid story line with just enough mystery left to want the next book!
October 27, 2024
Fantastic start to this trilogy. I was pulled right in when the FMC learns that the life she knew wasn't really what she thought. Secrets abound and who could she trust. It was exciting, intriguing and a wonderfully done romantic suspense. You might think you know the culprit but the twists and turns will get you.
November 9, 2025
Two murders 20 years apart in a little mountain town
A young woman' s father dies and on the afternoon on the day of the funeral she finds a mysterious key in her father's desk. Turns out that the box that the key belongs to, has proof that her real mother is someone she's never heard of, and is dead, the woman that she thought was the stepmother that she never knew she had.
A young woman' s father dies and on the afternoon on the day of the funeral she finds a mysterious key in her father's desk. Turns out that the box that the key belongs to, has proof that her real mother is someone she's never heard of, and is dead, the woman that she thought was the stepmother that she never knew she had.
October 4, 2022
This one was a little different from what I usually read, but I enjoyed it. It was interesting and I'm really curious about the rest of the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 14, 2022
Great read filled with mystery, romance and suspence.
Outstanding first novel for this author. I read much too late into the night because I just had to read one more page, then another, then another. You get the idea. I'm looking forward to upcoming books in the series.
Outstanding first novel for this author. I read much too late into the night because I just had to read one more page, then another, then another. You get the idea. I'm looking forward to upcoming books in the series.
February 22, 2023
Nicole Gardner's first book and I loved it! I love how she weaves each character together into this unexpected mystery that had me trying to figure out who did it, and surprising me at the end. Can't wait to read Murder in the Mountain.
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