The Last Chance Matinee by Mariah Stewart is a 2017 Gallery Books publication.

I have all three books in this series- which started in 2017- and for some reason I never got around to reading them. The trilogy sounds like a great summer/beach series- so I decided to satisfy my ‘beach read’ craving and mark a few books off the TBR pile at the same time.

This first installment introduces us to the Hudson Sisters- estranged sisters-Allie and Des who, after their father dies suddenly, discover they have a half-sister named Cara- they knew nothing about. Cara, too, was ignorant of her father's double life and only met Allie and Des at the reading of her father's will. To add insult to injury, the will stipulates that for the women to inherit their father’s vast estate they will have to follow through on his final wish… to restore an old theatre in the Poconos. Naturally, this goes over like a Led Zepplin- but if one of the women backs out none of them will inherit a dime. So, like it or not the three women leave their lives behind to bring the old theatre back to life…

This is a solid enough start to the trilogy- this first installment truly belongs to Cara. Cara is out to get to know her sisters- even if they aren’t exactly reciprocating- and to find out who her father really was- not just the side he showed to her and her mother- plus fulfill her duty to the restoration of the theatre. This keeps her very busy- while she tries not to think about her ex-husband’s upcoming nuptials to one of her best friends. Still, it looks as though Cara has an admirer- Can she put her insecurities aside and trust her judgment enough to take another chance on love?

This is a continuing storyline instead of the more common approach in which each sister would get her own story without any lingering threads. So while everything wraps up nicely for Cara as far as closing the doors to her past and finding a new love- she still has few loose ends to deal with as the restoration continues.

But this chapter also sets up the other two sisters for stories of their own. Usually, this would be a very good idea- but… well… Allie was just a bit too much for me. I realize hers is the big story of the three- and that she’s dealing with an awful lot. But...

I’ve known bitter people who took out their discontent on every person in sight- but mostly bitterness is aimed at a narrower target- like an ex-husband or men in general perhaps- but Allie is rude to every single person she encounters- except her daughter and to her aunt -for the most part.

To me,though, there is never an excuse to speak to people the way she does. Her personality overpowers all the other characters and now, after realizing her personal story will wrap up the trilogy, I’m not as excited to get to the next installment as I might have been if we could get her attitude adjusted sooner rather than later.

That said, I am intrigued by the mystery left to be unraveled and I want see them all find contentment and a steady path forward- even if I have to put up with Allie’s disposition a little longer…

Overall, I liked Cara a lot- she handled her disappointments with life and relationships in a much more mature fashion- though she had to overcome her fear that any and all men would probably let her down so that she could allow feelings to develop with the right guy, I still found her to be optimistic, dedicated, open to learning and much more mature than her older sister- almost like a breath of fresh air by comparison. So, following her journey was rewarding and her HEA was lovely to see!

3 stars ( )

Finished, it was feel good great and on to the next one!!) ( )

Great book and likely the start of a great series.

When Fritz dies, he admits a huge secret in his will.
Cara has lived her entire life thinking she's Fritz's only child. It turns out, she is just his only child with her mother Susa.
Allie and Des were raised by Honora and a somewhat distant Fritz.

It turns out, Fritz had two families and never told either one the truth.
He makes his best friend disclose the truth after his death.

The women are introduced and are told another whopper. If they want their inheritance, they have to restore their family's movie theatre. They must live together and work together on the theatre until it's done.

I liked the characters Des and Cara best. They are supposed to be the more likable sisters.
Aunt Barney is also a great character.

This book focuses on Cara's story most and I am definitely looking forward to the next story that will focus on Des.

This was a good find. I've never read this author before and I really enjoyed this story. I am going to enjoy this series, I'm definitely not ready to let go of the characters, the town of the movie theatre yet. ( )

It turns out the celebrated and successful Fritz Hudson, had some very big secrets. Unbeknownst to his three very different daughters (or their mothers) he had a family on each coast. After his death, the reading of the will brings the three wary women together. Naturally, there are stipulations to their inheritance, and renovating the old theater in Hidden Falls, Pennsylvania, while living in the old family home is the biggie. All three, Cara, Des and Allie, hope to find more about their father and those family secrets while they are there. The small town atmosphere is described very vividly, as is the condition of the formerly bustling theater. Another thing I really liked was that it didn't suffer from a one character for this book, one for another. Although it wasn't hard to figure out that this was Cara's book overall, Stewart takes care to introduce and maintain relationships with everyone. In fact, the arrival of Allie's daughter for a week long school break was a fun breath of fresh air. I found the story so engrossing, that I was surprised to suddenly reach the end. I will definitely be looking forward to the next story set in Hidden Falls. ( )

This small-town setting of three estranged sisters put to task to receive their sizable inheritance from their dad, feels so real with the emotions each sister brings to the project. Normally, I read a happy ever after and romance being at the forefront. This story with all its woven parts, complex emotions and feeling we all could have in our own settings, is a most worthy read. It's well written and entertaining. I’m certainly eager to read how the sisters change, how they are challenged to be someone who they thought they couldn’t be, and find they can have real sisterly love.

I like the contemporary setting, yet provides history of the early 1900’s. It is a shock for sisters to learn their father lived two lives, two women who bore him children he loved equally, one on the west coast, one of the east. How would you deal with that? Each sister handles it differently.

Barney, an older woman, aunt to these sisters lives in the house they are supposed to live in for as long as it takes to renovate an old theater their grandfather built. Although each of the sisters want to get in and get out, no emotion tied to any of it, soon find out life isn’t that way. They just can't pick up their lives as they were before.

The heart attaches itself tentatively for all three. Cara, the daughter of the second wife seems more grounded. Cara needs to start over. Her husband divorced her, then marries her best friend. Allie, has recently been divorced, her ex is remarrying and she’s insecure since her daughter needs to live with her dad, leaving Allie, the odd man out. Jealousy, as happens with many sisters, wedges itself between Allie and Des. Nikki, Allie’s daughter, is your typical teenager who loves constantly being busy. She is a wonderful part of the story, a beacon of hope. Des wants to return to her work with the animal shelter, taking care of animals who need her. I don’t think Des feels needed by people, which makes her gravitate to animals.

Cara snags the interest of one Joe Domanski. Joe is a man who’s very level headed, a man who lives in this small town to be close to family. I enjoy the relationship which grows between these two. But can Cara trust a man again? So there is some romance to the story, but it doesn't overtake it.

I'm ready for book two!

I received this book for review from the publisher. All opinions and comments are totally my own. ( )