The Innkeeper's Last Secret

Edisto Beach #1

by Sage Parker

Emily Costell's husband is dead, and the beachside inn he left her is falling apart.

Buried in debt with nowhere else to turn, she does something she swore she'd never she calls her sister Hannah. They haven't spoken in over a decade. But Hannah shows up anyway, and together the sisters begin restoring the crumbling inn on Edisto Beach, one outdated room at a time.

Then Emily discovers a locked journal among Henry's belongings. Before she can find the key, a woman arrives on her doorstep with two daughters and a marriage certificate.

Henry had another wife. Another family. A whole life Emily never knew existed...


The Innkeeper's Last Secret is a story of sisterhood, secrets, and second chances on the Carolina coast.
Book 1 of 4 in the series. Scroll up to read now!

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2026

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Costell's husband is dead, and the beachside inn he left her is falling apart.

Buried in debt with nowhere else to turn, she does something she swore she'd never do: she calls her sister Hannah. They haven't spoken in over a decade. But Hannah shows up anyway, and together the sisters begin restoring the crumbling inn on Edisto Beach, one outdated room at a time.

Then Emily discovers a locked journal among Henry's belongings. Before she can find the key, a woman arrives on her doorstep with two daughters and a marriage certificate.

Henry had another wife. Another family. A whole life Emily never knew existed...

This small-town second-chance starting over women's fiction beach romance is page-turning with exceptional world-building on the Carolina Coast, where the sunrises and sunsets are majestically painted across the sky in vibrant hues, and characters who are resilient, dealing with love/loss, captivating, and realistic. Their journey is enthralling with the innkeeper's last secret, chaos/drama, an affair that resulted in a secret family, heartfelt emotions/emotional depth that will leave readers needing Kleenex/Puffs to wipe away the tears that are threatening to spill down their cheeks, action, adventure, and more. I recommend reading this book by an extraordinary author who knows how to captivate her readers' hearts and attention with the innkeeper's last secret and a small-town second-chance starting over beach women's fiction romance that is sure to transport readers into a world that is wildly entertaining, intriguing, emotional, and unforgettable.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Costell lost her husband Henry to Parkinsons and she is left in a mound of debt. She and Henry were running the Inn that he bought that was his life long dream. Emily is in so much debt and depressed and doesn't know what to do about it. She left her family in California to marry Henry who was a friend of her father's and 30 years older than her. Her family has never forgiven her. She hasn't seen any of her family including her mother and father and her sister Hannah. She takes a chance and calls her sister and asks her to come and stay with her for awhile and she does. Emily can't believe she actually came. They work together and their relationship gets better and they slowly start to work on the Inn. Emily's friend Bea also has come to help, she stayed with Em when Henry was sick and has been by her side ever since. One day when Em was at the coffee shop. in town, she walks out of the shop and a guy spills coffee on her and it could have been the best thing that happened to her. He is Miles and is a handy man. It just happens that there is no hot water at the Inn and Miles comes to fix it for them. After this there is a heavy rain storm and the living room is full of water and they call Miles and he comes to the rescue and gets the problem solved. He then offers to take shares for payment on the renovating of the Inn. He pays for all the materials and anything that has to be bought to do the Renos. Things are going well and the Inn is ready for reopening. Emily comes back from town after being at the cemetery on the anniversary of Henry's burial and there is a woman and two children at the check in desk. Emily goes to introduce herself and finds out that it is Henry's other wife. Henry has another family. I didn't see this coming ! I can't wait for the next book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[June Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The widow, Emily Costell is dealing with grief, anger and fear of what her future holds after her husband died following a long illness that left her deeply in debt. She has been estranged from her family for a decade due to a falling out when she chose to marry Henry Costell, a man old enough to be her father, but is now torn between needing them and not wanting to see them, or possibly having to admit to them that they were right. Henry started out fine, but as time progressed Emily found he was not the wealthy English aristocrat that he wanted her to think he was.
This author has started another new series that I am sure I will love as I try to figure out what all the secrets are. Can’t wait to start the next book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carmela Dimattia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great way to start a new series. Emily Costell is alone after her husband has passed away and when she calls on her estranged sister to come stay with her at the inn that Emily owns they start some renovations with the help of a friend and soon Emily discovers some secrets that her husband had buried. The ending was a cliffhanger but I wonder how long it will take before more secrets start coming out and how they will effect Emily and her family. Will these secrets help her reconcile with her parents or will they add to their estrangement. Only time will tell but going by this first book we will be in for a massive emotional rollercoaster.

I received an arc copy via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Innkeeper's Last Secret, Book 1, is the first book in the Edisto Beach series which finds Emily grieving for her older husband of 10 years who dies from a prolonged chronic illness leaving her with a run down B&B Inn. Emily contacts her estranged sister, Hannah, asking for her to be with her during her time of grieving. Miles is the local handyman who has an accident with her over coffee and negotiates a contract with her to renovate the Inn. This well written book is a great beginning to what looks like an excellent series with family dysfunction, grief, renovation, secrets, mysteries and a potential romance. The book has a cliffhanger leading to the second book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stox4story · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Title Says It All ...

This first book in the series sets the stage … and what a stage it sets! Emily’s husband dies of Parkinson ’s disease, and truths start to be revealed. Her husband may have died and now is buried but his secrets remain alive and are being resurrected. Look for:

✓ Estranged Family … in more ways than one

✓ Sisters Reunite

✓A Handyman… but is he ... really?

✓ OW with Children

✓ Locked Journal

As mentioned above… this book sets the stage and what we learn here makes me wonder what on earth will be dug up next?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Debdutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Innkeeper’s Last Secret (Book 1)” by Sage Parker

-A tender story of grief and resilience as Emily Costell fights to save the seaside inn she once shared with her late husband, Henry. I received a free copy and am voluntarily sharing my honest thoughts.

With her sister Hannah and steadfast friend Bea, she begins to rebuild both the crumbling property and the fragile bonds of family. Miles, the steady handyman with a generous heart, brings warmth and hope—until a shocking revelation about Henry changes everything and leaves the future uncertain.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Innkeeper's Last Secret is the first book in a new series Edisto Beach by Sage Parker.
This book has set readers up for a fantastic journey. Emily has inherited a run-down inn from her late husband. The decision to fix it up or sell it is weighing heavy on her, but she decides to restore it. Little does she realize this one decision will change her life.
The events that happened had me pulled in so much and the cliff hanger at the end was one I did not see coming.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barb Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emily is feeling desperate. She is overwhelmed with debt and hasn't spoken to her sister in 10 years. She reaches out to Hannah and tells her all of her troubles. She lost her husband and the inn is in need of repairs with no money to do it. Hannah comes to help and they begin the work. Just as things start to look up, a woman with 2 daughters shows up claiming to also be married to her deceased husband. What will this mean? I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Booksprout, and this is my honest review.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed finding out about Emily’s complicated back history after her much older husband Henry dies. Secrets are coming to the surface so we follow the supportive friends and her sister Hannah in helping her navigate unknown territory. An unexpected offer from a stranger adds to the dilemma but the biggest shock of all comes at the end of this first instalment …how I hate cliffhangers!!! Roll on book two!

Received this as an Advanced Reader Copy from Booksprout and this is my own opinion given voluntarily.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book #1 in the Edisto Beach series by Sage Parker.

Emily Costell married an older man which led to an estranged man with her family. Years later, her husband has died and left her with a B&B and a mountain of debt. She decides to renovate the B&B and reaches out to her sister to help. Much to her surprise, there’s a knock on the door and a woman claiming to be her late husband‘s wife and 2 daughters are at the door.

I enjoy Sage Parker’s writing and I can’t wait for what comes next!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Roslyn Simonin Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily Costell (33 y.o.) has been widowed for 4 months after her 10 year marriage to Henry (63 Y.O.) who died of Parkinson's disease.
Mike Pierce was the local handyman(so she thinks) , met accidently after me spilled scalding coffee on her. They talk and end up striking a deal for his help in restoring the Inn.
What a winding read.
Great beginning Sage.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Suze82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

heritage
What a heritage Henry left behind for Emily, facing Sarah the other wife and her daughters Alyssa and Gemma surely is an unwelcome surprise adding to her struggles to put the inn back up to running smoothly. I liked the supportive atmosphere created by friends and her sister and I can´t wait to read more about the development of the wifes´relationship and the mysterious journal - a great start to a gripping series.

[Jodi Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily is at a crossroads. Her husband has died and she doesn't know what to do about the Inn and she reaches out to her sister. Hannah comes to help get the inn up and running again. Then there is a knock on the door and it is Henry's wife, only she was Henry's wife so what is going on here? What a great read and Sage does a great job of running these series with cliffhanger after cliffhanger until the last book. I will say it is always worth the wait.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so many unexpected secrets in this story that makes for very interesting reading. The dynamic between the two sisters is an interesting take because they have not spoken to each other for over 10 years and now they have to work together. Hanging out that her husband had a second family and life is unexpected . Like the setting and background of the story. Makes for some interesting reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dianne Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story.

Loss, grief and redirection are interweaved into this intriguing story as Emily rebuilds her life after her husband's death.  She suspected he kept secrets, but never in her wildest dreams did she see the drama about to unfold.  I enjoyed reading this book.

I read this book as part of an advance reader team.  I am voluntarily writing this review.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily has recently become a widow. Henry her late husband had bought a bed & breakfast and now it was in disrepair. Should she sell it or fix it up? She’s got Henry’s journal but it’s got a hefty lock on it. She knew he’d kept secrets from her. Another mystery to solve.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jacqueline Johnston Cotton]

Big secrets, family, colorful characters and a beachside inn equals an awesome story. I couldn't put it down! There will be plenty of surprises in store with this interesting saga and I'm here for them all! Wonderfully written, entertaining and full of all kinds of goodness, this is going to be an amazing series! Bring on book 2!.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily is a recent widow that is left with a crumbling inn. She reached out to her estranged sister. She is taken by surprise when an unknown lady shows up. I can't to see how the story unfolds in the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[PW · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has potential but it is a VERY slow start for me. Getting into the MFC is just ok. I’ll keep going to get to more interesting things. The supporting character Bea has more nuances for me. I am a little intrigued to see how things play out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beulah Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Innkeeper’s Last Secret by Sage Parker is an engaging blend of mystery and emotional storytelling. The author skillfully explores grief, betrayal, and reconciliation through Emily’s journey. The coastal setting is vivid and immersive, while the unfolding secrets keep readers invested. A strong and compelling start to the Edisto Beach series.

[Nicole Rogerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sage Parker delivers a heartfelt and intriguing novel that balances family drama with suspense. Emily’s struggle to rebuild both her life and her inn is deeply moving. The shocking revelations about her husband add tension, while the sisterly bond provides warmth. A beautifully written story of resilience and second chances.

[Kelley McNeill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel stands out for its emotional depth and captivating storyline. Parker creates complex characters whose struggles feel authentic and relatable. The mystery surrounding Henry’s hidden life is compelling, and the gradual restoration of the inn mirrors Emily’s personal healing. A satisfying and memorable read.

[Jacob Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Innkeeper’s Last Secret is a touching and suspenseful story that keeps readers hooked. Sage Parker masterfully combines elements of mystery with heartfelt family dynamics. The relationship between Emily and Hannah adds emotional richness, while the twists surrounding Henry’s past create a strong narrative drive.

[Brenda Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sage Parker’s writing shines in this layered and emotionally resonant novel. The story unfolds at a steady pace, revealing secrets that reshape everything Emily thought she knew. The coastal backdrop enhances the mood, making this both a relaxing and gripping read. An excellent introduction to the series.

[Brown Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

With its blend of intrigue and emotional storytelling, this book offers a compelling reading experience. Emily’s journey is filled with heartbreak and hope, and the mystery element keeps the plot engaging. Parker’s attention to detail and character development makes this a standout contemporary novel.

[Merry Christmas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written novel that combines suspense with heartfelt storytelling. Parker’s ability to weave together mystery and family drama creates a compelling narrative. The characters are well-developed, and the setting is vividly described. This book leaves a lasting impression and invites readers to continue the series.

[Mache John · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Innkeeper’s Last Secret is an absorbing and well-crafted story filled with emotional complexity. Sage Parker expertly builds tension while exploring themes of loss and healing. The unexpected twists and strong character dynamics make this a memorable and rewarding read for fans of contemporary fiction.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Her husband had been keeping secrets. It was the catalyst in this story. She is surprised by this revelation.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Baby Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I can tell by this first book that Sage has created and written a winner. I cannot wait to see where this story goes. Book one had me glued to my kindle, so I look forward to reading book two.