Title: The Last Chance Matinee- Series: The Hudson Sisters #1
- Author: Mariah Stewart
- Genre: Contemporary Fiction
- Pages: 384
- Published: March 2017 – Gallery Books
- Source: Publisher; NetGalley
Description: When celebrated and respected agent Fritz Hudson passes away, he leaves a trail of Hollywood glory in his wake—and two separate families who never knew the other existed. Allie and Des Hudson are products of Fritz’s first marriage to Honora, a beautiful but troubled starlet whose life ended in a tragic overdose. Meanwhile, Fritz was falling in love on the Delaware Bay with New Age hippie Susa Pratt—they had a daughter together, Cara, and while Fritz loved Susa with everything he had, he never quite managed to tell her or Cara about his West Coast family.
Now Fritz is gone, and the three sisters are brought together under strange circumstances: there’s a large inheritance to be had that could save Allie from her ever-deepening debt following a disastrous divorce, allow Des to open a rescue shelter for abused and wounded animals, and give Cara a fresh start after her husband left her for her best friend—but only if the sisters upend their lives and work together to restore an old, decrepit theater that was Fritz’s obsession growing up in his small hometown in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Guided by Fritz’s closest friend and longtime attorney, Pete Wheeler, the sisters come together—whether they like it or not—to turn their father’s dream into a reality, and might just come away with far more than they bargained for. (publisher)
My take: 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!
Praise for The Last Chance Matinee:
“The combination of a quirky small-town setting, a family mystery, a gentle romance, and three estranged sisters is catnip for women’s-fiction fans, and the backdrop of the faded movie palace adds a fascinating element to the story. Stewart’s lively, warmhearted series starter [The Last Chance Matinee] will have readers eagerly awaiting the second installment.” —Booklist
“A good read, with a nice blend of mystery, family drama, and romance. Readers will look forward to the next installment.” —Library Journal
About Mariah Stewart:
Mariah Stewart is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of numerous novels as well as several novellas and short stories. She lives with her husband and two rambunctious rescue dogs amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania, where she savors county life and tends her gardens while she works on her next novel. Visit her at mariahstewart.com and follow her on Facebook.com/AuthorMariahStewart and on Instagram @mariah_stewart_books.
Note:
Mariah Stewart’s separate series, the bestselling Chesapeake Diaries, has been a favorite with readers since 2010. The eleventh installment, The Chesapeake Bride, will publish August 29, 2017.
THE LAST CHANCE MATINEE
by Mariah Stewart
- Publication Date: March 21, 2017
- Publisher: Gallery Books
- $16.00 Trade Paperback Original
- ISBN: 9781501144905
- Fiction
- Book 1 in the Hudson Sisters series
Look for Book 2 in 2018 and Book 3 in 2019!
Blog Tour:
March 21st
USA Today Happy Ever After – Down & Dirty Q&A
March 22nd
March 23rd
The Librarian (Authors on the Air Global Radio Network) – Interview 7:00 pm ET
March 24th
March 25th
March 26th
March 27th
March 28th
March 29th
March 30th
March 31st
April 1st
April 3rd
Visit @xoxoafterdark for Monday Matinee Giveaway! #MondayMatinee
April 7th
April 10th
Visit @xoxoafterdark for Monday Matinee Giveaway! #MondayMatinee
April 14th
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
April 17th
Visit @xoxoafterdark for Monday Matinee Giveaway! #MondayMatinee
April 21st
April 24th
Visit @xoxoafterdark for Monday Matinee Giveaway! #MondayMatinee
May 25th
Review in First for Women magazine’s June 19th print issue, on stands May 25th!
Events with Mariah Stewart:
Tuesday, March 21st, 7:00 pm
- Barnes & Noble
- Concord Mall
- 4801 Concord Pike
- Wilmington, DE 19803
Sunday, March 26th, 4:30 pm
- “An Afternoon With The Author – Mariah Stewart”
- Hockessin Bookshelf
7179 Lancaster Pike
Hockessin, DE 19707
Wednesday, April 5th, 6:30 pm
- The Doylestown Bookshop
- 16 S. Main Street
- Doylestown, Pa 18901
Tuesday, April 11th, 7:00 pm
- Towne Book Centre
- 220 Plaza Drive – Ste B3
- Collegeville, PA 19426
Bookfan 
Didn’t I just say that you keep reviewing well-known authors that I’ve never read? Well, you did it again. C’mon, Mary, give me a break!
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Sorry, Lloyd *not really*
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Another good one 😀
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This sounds like a fun book!
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Wow that must be something to discover your father had a whole other family! Sounds like a great start to the series.
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It opens up a lot of plot possibilities!
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I love the cover…I kind of want that red dress. I love your take on this book.
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Thanks!
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I have been eyeing this book, and I do enjoy a story about unexpected siblings drawn together for a unique project. I feel a bit sorry for the one sister who has to leave her daughter, though. But I can see that the added stress will bring out interesting side effects.
Thanks for sharing…and for bringing another author I haven’t yet read to our attention!
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I think you’d enjoy this one, Laurel!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! I absolutely loved it too! Can you believe we have to wait a year for the next one?? I’m hoping I read the release schedule wrong because I want the next one now!
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I was surprised by the pub schedule for the next books. I want them NOWWWW 😉
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Oh sounds like you got hooked by this one, I love it when siblings find out about each other and have to work together in some way. And nice to know you can’t wait for the next one. I think I have read one of her books but not totally sure.
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I’m hooked, for sure 🙂
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I am a big fan of Mariah Stewart and I already have this book requested at the library. Can’t wait to get my hands of it.
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It’s really good!
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[…] Review: The Last Chance Matinee […]
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I really liked the “Dead” Romantic Suspense series by this author. I hadn’t tried any of her contemporary, small town works. The theatre aspect of this sounds like a fun element. I am seeing favorable reviews and I’m glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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