Last Chance Matinee is the first book in a series about the Hudson sisters. This was my first Mariah Stewart book, so I didn't know what to expect. The story had me hooked within the first few pages and I was surprised at how easily the book flowed from one page to the next. The characters were fun, the setting was quaint and I couldn't wait to find out more.

The story follows three sisters as they find out that their father has passed away and that he had been living a double life. They have to deal with the loss as well as the new surprising idea of getting to know a whole other side of the family that they didn't know existed. One of the things I enjoyed the most about the story was the low amount of drama. It made the story feel more like a real life experience instead of the high drama of a reality TV show. I loved the characters and felt that each of them added a special something to the story.

As the story began to get closer and closer to the ending, I realized there was still so much that needed to happen. I started to panic a little bit because, hello... I needed MORE! Then I realized that it was the first in a series, thank goodness! As you can tell, I really loved the story and the characters inside. Last Chance Matinee is a story about love, forgiveness, and focusing on the importance of the life in front of you. I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to more books about the Hudson Sisters.

Fritz Hudson was a very wealthy businessman living a double life with two sets of families living on opposite coasts. Neither family was aware of the other, but that all changed when Fritz dies of cancer and his will is disclosed. At the reading of his will, his families find out that he was married to two women at the same time and he has three daughters. The two daughters raised in California , Allie and Des, meet their half sister Cara from New Jersey for the first time. They also learn that their inheritance will not be paid until certain obligations are met. The three girls are required to renovate Fritz’s family theater in his hometown of Hidden Falls, Pennsylvania. This must be done in person and requires them all to relocate to Hidden Falls to oversee the renovation. If any of the sisters leave, the entire inheritance will go to charity.

Cara Hudson is looking forward to living in Pennsylvania. She is recently divorced and needs a catalyst to get away from her ex-husband. She is enthusiastic about meeting her “new” sisters and sharing details from her father's secret life. Allie and Des were raised in California but as the years progressed, their relationship became strained. Allie is an out of work television producer facing serious financial difficulty. She is divorced and struggling to support her teenage daughter. She has little interest in connecting with either of her sisters but she is so desperate for money that she makes the move to Pennsylvania. Des lives by herself in Montana after experiencing success as a child TV star. She is free spirited and spends her time fostering and rescuing dogs. She is interested in meeting Cara and trying to repair her relationship with Allie. The three sisters come together to learn about their father, each other and themselves.
This book is narrated in Cara’s voice and includes a mix of family drama, love, and secrets. This is the first book of a trilogy and I suspect that we will see Allie and Des’s viewpoints in later books. I enjoyed this book by Mariah Stewart.

I tried to read The Last Chance Matinee a while ago and just couldn't get going with it. Yesterday, I decided to give it another chance and found I really enjoyed it! The characters ring true - some I really like and others that I really don't. The last Chance Matinee would be an interesting book to read with high school students. It has lots of opportunities to study character development and to make predictions.

THE LAST CHANCE MATINEE (The Hudson Sisters: #1) Written by Mariah Stewart
March 21, 2017; 432 Pages (Gallery Books)

Genre: contemporary, romance, fiction, series, small-town

(I received an ARC from the PUBLISHER via NETGALLEY)

Rating: 4 STARS

Fritz Hudson, a respected agent in Hollywood, quietly passes away leaving behind many family secrets. The biggest one being that he was living a double life. In California, he is the agent and husband to Nora, and father to their daughters, Allie and Des. He later meets Susa in New Jersey. They marry and have a daughter, Cara. Fritz goes the cowardly route and never confesses to his daughter. Instead he leaves it to his best friend and lawyer, Pete to reveal the truth to them at the reading of the will. Pete also has to tell them that their father has left a big condition on their inheritance. They must restore a theater in his hometown, Hidden Falls. The three girls must work together or they get nothing.

Cara, the youngest, runs a yoga studio and is recently divorced. In fact, her ex-husband is getting married to one of her bridesmaid and longtime friend in a few weeks. Hurt and betrayed, Cara is looking forward to being out of town while the big wedding happens in her small-town. Allie, the eldest, i/s angry over her latest show being cancelled and not being able to find any other directing jobs. After her divorce she is seeing less of her daughter, Nikki and is on the verge of losing her home. Allie needs this money so that she can pay her daughter's private school tuition and save her home. Des, the middle child, is now living off her investments from her time as a child actor. But she could use the money to work on animal shelters, but more importantly spend time with her eldest sister. Both Des and Cara go into this adventure hoping to learn more about their father and one another, while Allie resists everything. As the three women abandon their current lives for their father's small hometown they will start to bond whether they want to or not.

I have not really been able to read contemporary romance in the past year. I have read a few but it has been authors I know well. I was a bit weary in participating in this blog tour as I was afraid I would not be able to get into this novel. I have read Mariah Stewart's romantic suspense and have LOVED them. I didn't want to not like this book. As I hemmed and hawed I realized I needed to start reading this book now or I was going to be lat for this blog tour. I started this book last night and BOOM...I was SUCKED in!

The Last Chance Matinee does have a cliched plot, but it works. You know everything is going to work out in the end, and that is comforting and exactly what I want in my contemporary romance. What makes or breaks a contemporary romance, in my opinion, is the journey to the happily-ever-after. It doesn't have to be completely realistic, but have plausible situations and some big conflicts. We know that most likely the theater will get finished, but it is how the sisters come together and the things they discover along the way that interests me. Stewart has done a great job in creating the three main characters. I find myself very invested in them and what happens to them. The quirky cast of around them are just as well-written. The story is engaging and has you feeling the emotions right along with the women. I find one of my biggest pet peeves with romance novels is when the humour is forced. The humour in this book is balanced and funny when it should be. I highly recommend this one for any contemporary romance lover...or anyone that enjoys good writing. If you like the Lucky Harbour series by Jill Shalvis you will enjoy this one. Stewart's writing in this book reminds me of Susan Wiggs, Luanne Rice, Susan Mallery and Robyn Carr.

I've heard of Mariah Stewart, but sadly enough, I've never read her books until this one! And let me just tell you, reader friends, this one was fantastic! The premise is so different and interesting and I didn't want to pull myself away from how things would work out (or not) for Cara, Des and Allie.
I enjoyed getting to know these ladies. I liked getting glimpses of them before they started working together. They are building and mending relationship and figuring out a new way of life. I was immersed in their journey and couldn't wait to see what would happen with the theater. Were things as bad as they could be or manageable? I also enjoyed seeing things through a teenager's eyes. She had a lot of spunk and sparkle and was good for her mom. I liked that the book had all three women in it, but spent a little more time on Cara. I enjoyed watching her newfound relationships happen and I thought this book was a great start to the other books in the series. I'm definitely hooked and loved how this story flowed. It's not a cliffhanger per se, but I'm now anxiously awaiting the next book so I can learn more of their progress and see what is happening in their lives. Grab this book today!

The Last Chance Matinee is an thoroughly enjoyable read about the dynamics of family and the death of a parent. When the Hudson women lose their father they learn of the secrets he's kept; that he's had two families, two wives and his own siblings that he's only partially shared with them.

The dynamics between the three sisters is fascinating. Stewart quickly develops the backstories and personalities of Allie, Des and Cara as Fritzs' death brings them together in Hidden Falls. Cara is certainly the most engaging of the three. She's working through a deep betrayal but doesn't seem to hold any towards her father, and she's open to developing friendships with her sisters and spending the year working together. She's determined to try to understand her father better adding an element of mystery to the story.

Des and Allie share Honora as their mother and both have been fractured by Hollywood. Des has lived her life in a completely separate environment and has a hard time forming new romantic relationships, while Allie is bitter and hardened by work and personal failures. Bringing these three together, making them work as a unit, is going to be challenging.

Stewart does a great job building their relationships as they discover day to day common interests and shared experiences. The story is peppered with secondary characters, in particularly the effervescent Nikki, Joe, and aunt Barney, that drive activity and change the course of the sisters lives. And I have to say I love where the story left off. There's just enough to gleam what Cara's course forward looks like, and enough open to hope for a positive futures for Des and Allie.

I'm looking forward to following the story as the adventures of the Hudson sisters continues. 4 Stars and recommendation.

The inspiration behind this novel fascinated me, so I thought I would share the preface of the book before my thoughts.

Everyone is familiar with the adage “write what you know”; it’s a saying that has dictated much of my decades-long career in publishing. But this time, it was what I (or rather, my mother) didn’t know that formed the basis for this first book in my new Hudson Sisters series.



When my mother was in her mid-forties, she received a letter from a woman named Alice, the wife of her recently deceased cousin Bill. Alice thanked my mother for the sympathy card she’d sent her, and finished her note by saying, “You do know that Bill was your half brother, right?”



Ah, no. She did not.



…Of course, I was fascinated. My grandfather died when I was four or five years old, and I have very little memory of him other than his deep, hearty laugh. I’ve been thinking for years that this foundation of a love child and secret siblings would make a great story; but not knowing all the facts, I was free to fill in the blanks—and so I did. Years passed before I felt I had the right story in my head. This is that story. I hope you enjoy my version of what could happen under such circumstances.



—Mariah Stewart

Crazy, right?! When Last Chance Matinee begins, we’re introduced to three very different women; sisters Allie and Des and Cara. Allie and Des have no idea Cara exists and Cara wasn’t aware that her father had another family either. When their father, Fritz dies, the women are all present at the reading of his will. Pretty compelling way to start a book, and when they’re told the only way to receive their inheritance is to move to Hidden Falls and renovate an old family theater, to say they’re shocked, angry, and blindsided is a huge understatement.

Cara is recovering from a divorce, her husband Drew cheated with one of her bridesmaids and is now engaged and expecting his first child. Ouch. Her mother, Susa is also gone having passed a few years ago. Susa and Cara live in New Jersey and his other family lived in California. Cara has no idea if her mother was aware her father was already married to another woman and she’ll probably never know. Allie and Des have a strained relationship and rarely speak to each other. Their mother, Honora is also deceased so the opportunity to move back to their fathers hometown may be the only chance for the women to unlock old family mysteries.

This is the first in a new series and it sounds like each book will mainly focus on one sister, but the other two will still play a heavy role in the plot. This one is Cara’s story and she was an endearing character. She’s a free spirit and very loving, once the initial shock of her fathers betrayal wears off, she’s excited to get to know the sisters she never knew existed. She bonds with Des fairly easily, and she was another character that I quickly warmed to. Allie is a bit trickier, she’s also divorced and pretty bitter, and she has secrets of her own. Though she was pretty cold and standoffish, I was still completely interested in who she was. Aunt Barney was Fritz’s estranged sister and she was probably my favorite character of the bunch. She’s the town matriarch and seems like a really good person, and she has a pretty sparkling personality to boot. Nikki is Allie’s teenaged daughter and she breathed so much life into the story, she’s a vibrant and excitable kid.

I’m a sucker for family secrets and though there are still definitely some secrets waiting to be unearthed, Stewart revealed enough about the Hudson family to capture my attention. The town of Hidden Falls is a character unto itself and had so much magic and old school charm. There was a real sense of a simpler way of life, a throwback to the good old days. The Sugarhouse is the family theater the women have to restore and the descriptive writing was so rich and vivid, it sounds amazingly gorgeous. This is the perfect, solid start to a new series, Stewart really lays the groundwork for so many possible storylines, there is a ton to be explore. I can’t wait for the second book, it will be told from Des perspective and I’m eager to see what the Hudson family will get up to next.

Review: Last Chance Matinee by Mariah Stewart

What this book is about: This story follows the lives of three woman who discover that they are sister after their fathers dies and leaves behind a dying wish, a family legacy and a big family secret. When Agent to the stars Fritz Hudson passes away he leaves behind a will that draws together his three daughters, from two wives who never knew the other existed, and gives them a challenge to gain access to their inheritance, something they each need for different reasons. To earn their inheritance they must work together to restore an old theater that is part of their family legacy.

What I thought: I adored this book. The characters were well done, each with vastly different personalities and problems and the plot was well thought out. I enjoy stories that feature building renovations and this one was well done, including just enough about the renovation and building to keep things interesting but not over doing it. I also loved the budding romances and the complicated lives of each of the supporting characters. Just enough background to give them depth but not so much that I lost interest. Overall I found the book to be charming and lovely. I am looking forward to the next book in the series!

Four out of Five Stars! A fun, heartwarming read! Full of enjoyable characters to relate to, this cast has something for everyone. From an enigmatic aunt, to a hot project manager, to a self-indulgent drunk, to lovable stray dogs, THE LAST CHANCE MATINEE delivers a complete array of imperfection to love. 

The only reason I didn't give THE LAST CHANCE MATINEE five out of five stars is because I felt it was incomplete. I thought there should have been a little bit more at the end. I was left wanting. Having said that, I do know that there are more Hudson Sister books coming, so this is perhaps a moot point. I will most definitely need to purchase the next book in the series to find out what will happen between Cara and Joe - but I still wish there was more of this couple in this book.

Received an ARC of this book from Net Galley for an honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this first book in a trilogy about three sisters who inherit a run down theatre in their father's hometown. The characters each have their own distinct personalities and I enjoyed meeting each of them. This first book focuses more on the character of Cara, who to me was not quite as interesting as the other two sisters.

I really liked the author's description of this fictional town in the Poconos. Having been to that area many times, I felt she did an excellent job of making you feel you were actually there. I also liked that there is a bit of a mystery to this book---finding the truth about their father and his involvement in an accidental death.

I look forward to the other two books in this series...just sorry that I have to wait another year for the next installment!

Also reviewed on Amazon & B&N.

I think everyone need to start reading Mariah Stewart titles. She will always have fantastic stories that reader can relate to. She writes about common issues that most women face in their life that reader can know how much it took for them to be in a relationship.
She wrote a new series that it is going to be emotional read because there are going to major issues that people face that will be discussed. The Last Chance Matinee will introduce three new characters which happens to be sisters. It is definitely going to be hectic for these sisters but they did not know about each other until their father death. It is whole lots of drama going on that it is going to be a entertaining read for readers.
Each of these sister bring different personality that reader will like one of them. Besides their personalities, they will have problems going in their lives that reader definitely expect a book for each of them. For The Last Chance Matinee, it will explore Cara life.
Cara never knew that her father had another life and daughters that it become a hell of surprise. But she is definitely delighted about it. She always wanted sisters and now she has them. But it going to be a tough road for them because these sisters are a hand full especially Allie. But she is determined to make due because she is finally feeling at home.
It will be a tough road for these sisters because they are finally going to face their problems. But first, it is Cara. Cara will finally know who she is and what she wants in life.
The Last Chance Matinee will give a fantastic perspective about these sisters getting to know each other and their self. Five Stars!

The Last Chance Matinee is the story of three women who, upon the death of their father, discover sisters they hadn't known about before his passing. They meet at the reading of his will and are shocked to learn about each other. Des and Allie had the same mother and father. Cara grew up an only child of a free-spirited mother and Fritz who travelled for work much of the time. It all made sense now.

A stipulation of their inheritance is they must bring back to life the theatre in Fritz's hometown. The small town of Hidden Falls, Pennsylvania, situated in the Poconos, will become the women's home until the project is completed. That doesn't seem to bother Des or Cara but Allie has a huge problem since it will mean she has to leave her fourteen year old daughter who lives with her ex-husband part of the time. Allie is angry about many things and deals with her problems by drinking.

Des is a former child star (who never wanted to be in television) who found the quiet life as an adult in Montana and devoting herself to animal rescue. She's excited about the renovation project and the prospect of starting a rescue in Hidden Falls.

Cara left her New Jersey shore yoga studio (and her former husband who was now engaged to a former friend) in the care of her co-worker. Knowing it's in good hands she looks forward to being project manager on the theater rehab. She also loves the idea of having sisters, an aunt, and a niece when she thought she had no family at all.

The Last Chance Matinee introduces the characters and the storyline of Mariah Stewart's new series. There's a focus on Cara getting a new chance at life and love which I enjoyed. I liked reading about the resurrection of the theatre and all it meant to everyone involved.

Recommended to fans of Mariah Stewart and contemporary fiction. I look forward to reading what happens in the next book!

I really enjoyed this book - it was charming, heartwarming, and I wish I would have read it back when my own father passed away.

The book begins by introducing readers to our 3 main characters - Cara, Des, and Allie. We get a short look into where each of them are currently at in their lives before they find out about their father's passing. This book is extremely slow, which I actually didn't mind because it's a character driven story. And I adored all of these characters, especially the Hudson sisters.

Each sister is fighting their own battle and are in different stages of their lives. There's Cara, the carefree yoga instructor who is searching for answers to who her father really was. Des feels like the most responsible one out of the 3, and through her love of rescuing dogs we can tell she has deeper issues she needs help with. Lastly, my favorite, is Allie. She is so complicated, like her mother, she drinks away her problems. Underneath her snark and sarcasm is a woman who has just been hurt and loves deeply, especially for her daughter. The sisters make a great set of characters! No matter where you are at in your life, you are sure to relate to at least one of them. They are so flawed and feel incredibly human, it's hard not to connect to their story.

So, these 3 meet for the first time when they find out that their father passed away. Des and Allie have the same mother, but they meet their half sister, Cara, and it's a bit of a surprise. Okay, so the same thing happened to me (finding out I had half siblings when my father passed away) and I'm happy this story included this because I thought I was alone here! I loved this aspect of the story. But, the girls find out that in order to inherit anything from their father then they must complete his last wish: live in his childhood home while restoring their family theater.

Once all 3 sisters are settled, the story finds a steady pace between digging deeper into the characters but still moving the overall story along. I loved all of the characters introduced, especially Barney! There is also a bit of romance, which is sweet and never takes over the story so I liked it. And the writing was great, such wonderful descriptions when it came to the theater. I felt like I was standing in that lobby with the girls and seeing its beauty, too. The dialogue could get a little bit long at times, but that was the only thing that I didn't always enjoy.

This book is told through a mix of POVs even though it's technically Cara's book. As the book comes to a close, it doesn't leave us with a cliffhanger but there's still a lot of unanswered questions. As for Cara, I think her personal journey is somewhat concluded but I'm sure we'll see more developed for her through the other books. I'm super excited for Allie's book, which seems to be the last one, but that's okay! I love Des just as much, and if anyone deserves a happy ending it's her. I can't wait for the rest of these books!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was authentic and truly heartwarming given that it was such a family driven story. I loved that, it was refreshing to read for me. If you're looking for a book that digs deep into its characters then this book is for you. There's at least one character you are sure to relate to!

This is going to be a hard review to write because I'm really trying hard not to gush. You know those books that are just easy to read? The kind where you're immediately pulled into the world and can just visualize the characters? The kind where you want to know what happens next and want to sneak off to read just a few pages more? This was one of those books for me. Right from the start I was completely pulled into the story. I loved seeing the sisters' relationship with each other and themselves grow. Des and Cara are easy to like but Allie is super prickly and not so easy. However, my heart broke for her because she's trying so hard at things she can't win and holding grudges that just make her miserable. At the beginning of the book she's so incredibly unhappy and doesn't even fully realize it.

With the sisters building new relationships and trying to figure out how to get started with the renovation of the old theater the romance between Joe and Cara is kind of just a side plot but it is fully developed. We get to meet Joe and understand some of his motivations and see his relationship with his family and particularly his sister. He's a good guy who is straight forward about his interest in Cara and it was funny to see Cara, who is typically open and relaxed suddenly go prickly.

While this first book is about all the sisters there is a slight focus on Cara who I really enjoyed getting to know. She's a smidge on the granola-y side but very much a live and let live person. Watching her relationship with Des grow was really wonderful as was the development of her relationship with Joe.

I really loved this book. It has heart and warmth and humor and was just a delight to read. My only complaint is that I have to wait a year for the next book!

Mariah Stewart has blown me away with her new series featuring the Hudson sisters. The Last Chance Matinee is a multifaceted story of family and what happens you put three sisters together to bring their father's dream to reality.

When Allie and Des come together to hear the reading of their father's will they learn of their half-sister Cara. The three girls are stunned to learn about their father's double life. Add to that revelation, his will indicates that they must head to his hometown to restore their family legacy: the Sugarhouse Theater. The only way to ensure their inheritance is to complete the restoration without bailing on the project. So the girls head to Hidden Falls, Pennsylvania to fulfill Fritz's dying dream: for the girls to know each other and their heritage.

The Last Chance Matinee lays the foundation for the series while simultaneously highlighting each of the sisters' personal situations and revealing the secrets of their father's past. To further engage readers there's romantic tension, of course, and the drama of three blindsided sisters getting to know each other. This complex storyline will suck you in immediately, because Mariah Stewart is just that good! On top of all the details she must have amassed to write a vivid, emotional story Allie, Des, and Cara are distinct characters that each have their own stories. Though The Last Chance Matinee places Cara at the forefront of this novel, the voices of all three sisters are heard throughout the story. When I realized how the story was set up in the outset of the novel I knew that I was going to breeze through. Even as Stewart juggles these three storylines the story is well-planned and easy to follow.

There's something about plots set in small towns that make for the most memorable and entertaining stories. Mariah Stewart's creation of Hidden Falls is no exception. Between the 'everyone knows everyone' connections and its quaint appeal I was really hoping that Hidden Falls was a real place I could go visit, especially since it's still firmly stuck in my head! Just as readers are able to paint a vivid mental picture of Hidden Falls, the Hudson sisters find bits and pieces of their father's childhood to paint a picture of the man he was before death. Not only are they beginning to solve the mystery of his actions, they learn the history of their descendants. Stewart knows how to keep you reading while providing a full, rich plot. Every scene leads somewhere interesting and by the end of the novel you'll know there's more to come.

I've only read a couple of Mariah Stewart's previous novels. The Last Chance Matinee seems to be written in a similar vein to the Chesapeake Diaries while also offering something different for long time fans. It would even appeal to readers of Kristan Higgans or Sophie Kinsella. I highly recommend this story to Chesapeake Diaries fans and even readers who haven't yet given Mariah Stewart a chance!
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*

The Last Chance Matinee is an intriguing start to the new Hudson Sister Series by Mariah Stewart. It is a good thing that Fritz Hudson, the sisters’ father is no longer in this world because Hh really pulled an underhanded thing waiting until he died for the duplicity of his life to come to light. The ground work on a new series is carefully built in this first book. The betrayals, secrets, and individual flaws with less than stellar personal feeling of self-worth all are exposed, while giving the feeling of hope at the same time. That in itself is amazing. This is women’s fiction with some romance thrown in. So well written, I could easily see this made into a movie.

The three sisters moved to Hidden Falls, to fulfill the demands of the will but along the way find a charming town, family and love. For the most part the Allie, Des and Cara find a way to work and live together a small amount of drama. While this their story, it is more Cara’s. By the end, I was thinking like Cara maybe Father Fritz did know what he was doing after all; he just should have come clean sooner.

The Last Chance Matinee starts off with a bang. The reader is introduced to Allie, an alcoholic, out of work television producer, Des, a former child star who now is takes in foster dogs and helps with rescue organizations and Cara, a free-spirited yoga instructor who is still reeling from her divorce and the death of her father and mother. It is at the reading of a will that a bombshell is dropped, their father had two wives and two families. His East coast and West coast families and all 3 women are sisters. But what shocks them even more is the stipulation but on the will. Allie, Des and Cara have to live in their father’s hometown and restore a theater. If any of the sisters leave before the renovation is complete, then none of them get their inheritance.

I am going to say, I really liked this book and I really liked Fritz. He had such a huge presence in the book and he genuinely had his daughters’ best interests at heart…even if they didn’t think so. I kinda felt bad for him too. He was in a marriage that he felt that he couldn’t get out of and he made mistakes that he was trying to make up for in his last months. I think giving them the theater to restore was his way of getting them together so they could get to know each other.

Allie, I couldn’t stand. She was such a witch with a b and she was so freaking negative. Listen, I totally get that she was upset when she found out about Cara but she was such a jerk to her afterwards. I mean, Cara had nothing to do with the choices that her father made. Actually, she was a by-product of those decisions. I so wanted to yell that into the book. She was also very much so hung up on her ex husband and I couldn’t believe that she started pumping her daughter, Nikki, for information about a woman that she suspected he was dating. Helloo, they are divorced and he can date whoever he wants. Let’s also not forget her drinking. That is a huge problem. Oh and she is very resentful of Des, too. Going back to when she was 12 and Des got her own TV show. Woman needs a therapist, stat.

Des, however, I really liked. I actually connected with her on so many levels, it wasn’t even funny. She was very accepting of Cara and she dealt with Allie beautifully. She also had a passion for rescuing/fostering dogs which I really enjoyed reading about. She understood that her father wasn’t happy with her mother and she understood (well kinda understood) why he did what he did.

Cara, I felt awful for. Her ex husband left her for a very close friend, they are getting married and then she finds out that her father was a bigamist and she has 2 sisters. But she dealt with it graciously but she didn’t take anything from Allie about her mother being “the other woman”. She was a free spirit too, thanks to her hippie mother raising her that way (it isn’t a bad thing) with a wonderful outlook on life. I mean, she celebrated her ex getting married with a bottle of champagne with Joe….lol.

There was a twist in the book that took me by surprise and it went beautifully with the end of the book. I honestly can’t wait to see what book 2 brings and to see if it lives up to book 1!!!

How many stars will I give The Last Chance Matinee: 4

Why: I enjoyed reading this book. It was fast-moving with characters that I could connect to. It would be a perfect beach/pool book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language. Otherwise, a pretty clean book.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

When Cara McCann's father dies, it's the topping on a crap sundae that her life has become after her husband dumped her for her now pregnant best friend. Then she discovers that her father was leading a double life and she has two sisters who were his legitimate offspring from the first wife he conveniently forgot to divorce. When Allie and Des, her half sisters meet Cara for the first time at the reading of the will, they discover that their dad had one last trick under his sleeve. He expects them to return to his hometown and refurbish an old theater.
I loved the set up for this book, the perfect way to push the sisters together on an equal playing field. It also introduces other family members and provides a way for the sisters to meet new people. Cara is the focus of this book along with Joe, the man who becomes the contractor for the theater.
This is a story of three women who all are in difficult spans of their lives and who get unwelcome news that forces them to uproot all they knew and start to rebuild those lives. There are moments of happiness but also frustration and unhappiness. Their problems don't magically disappear and their lives become sunshine and sugar. This story shows that it is hard work to work past your problems and it is easy to rely on other people or alcohol to deal with pain. It is also a story of how a loving father could be a coward in life but hope that he put in motion the path to happiness for his daughters after his death. Add a little mystery to the mix and you have a great read!
I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see where these women have progressed on heir journey.

I received an advanced copy thanks to Netgalley. How would you react after your father passes away, you learn you have sisters you never knew of, an aunt you never knew of and a whole town that your family practically owned?

This is the story of the Hudson sisters - Cara, Des & Allie. Brought together after their father's passing, their dad will give them their inheritance, but first they must go back to his hometown to restore the family's old theater.

Along the way, they meet their father's sister, Barney. They meet the townsfolk that are such a part of Hudson family history. And they get to know each other and work together.

I really loved this book. It took me some time to get into it, but then I couldn't put it down. I loved the story, the story of the town, Barney's story. Just the sisters getting to know each other and the history of the theater. I loved it and I can't wait for the second book!

I sure hope we don't have to wait long for the next book to come out. I am now hooked into this story and I want to see what happens next. I really like the characters, but Allie is a little bit hard to like sometimes. Not sure how it would be to find out that your father had a whole other family that you didn't know about. Good story and I want more. Love it!