The Sugarhouse Blues by Mariah Stewart
Published by Gallery Books on May 15, 2018
Genres: Literature & Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 400
Format: ARC
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Mariah Stewart’s second novel in the Hudson Sisters series…
Allie, Des, and Cara, each having her own reasons for wanting a share of their father’s estate, meet in the grand Victorian home in which he grew up, only to be greeted by another secret he purposely hid from them: his sister Bonnie. The women reluctantly band together to take on Fritz’s challenge, working with a local contractor to begin the renovations financed by an account Fritz had set up for the task. While the restoration appears to go smoothly at first, it soon becomes apparent that the work will be more extensive than originally thought, and Des, elected to handle the money, needs to find ways to stretch out the remaining savings while searching for new sources of funding.
As strangers linked only by their DNA try to become a family, the Hudson sisters also try to come to terms with the father they only thought they knew. In the process, each woman discovers her own capacity for understanding, forgiveness, love, and the true meaning of family.
When I started this book, I realized that it was book 2 to The Last Chance Matinee. Now that I’ve finished this book, I’ll definitely be going back to read The Last Chance Matinee to learn more of the back story for this book, even though I did feel like The Sugarhouse Blues served as a standalone.
The three Hudson sisters, Allie, Des, and Cara are obligated to work together and renovate their family’s old theater, the Sugarhouse, as a condition of their father’s will so that they can receive the inheritance. They are living temporarily at their aunt’s home in Hidden Falls, Pennsylvania and are combining forces to get the renovation done.
Between the three of them, they dig into the history of the theater and they learn about their father’s hidden lies and secrets that were buried with him. As the days go by, they learn of ceiling leak damages and suffer a financial setback as a result of the need to repair it. With the rising costs of construction, there might not be enough money to finish this renovation, unless these sisters can work together and find a way.
The Sugarhouse Blues is a story of sisters working together, and discovering their own capacity for forgiveness, understanding and love, while gaining the the restoration of family and building memories together. As I stated above, I’m definitely going to read book 1 while I wait for book 3 to come out!
Mariah Stewart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of twenty-six novels and three novellas and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal. She is a RITA finalist in romantic suspense and the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO Award for excellence in women’s fiction, and a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times Magazine. A three-time winner of the Golden Leaf Award presented by the New Jersey Romance Writers, Stewart was recently awarded their Lifetime Achievement Award (which placed her in their Hall of Fame along with former recipients Nora Roberts and Mary Jo Putney — very excellent company, indeed!) After having written seven contemporary romance novels, Stewart found true happiness writing murder and mayhem. She considers herself one lucky son of a gun to have landed the best job in the world: getting paid for making up stories. At home. In sweats and J. Crew flip flops. Could life be sweeter?
A native of Hightstown, NJ, Stewart is a member of Novelists, Inc, Thriller Writers International, Sisters in Crime, PASIC, the Romance Writers of America, the New Jersey Romance Writers, the Valley Forge Romance Writers, and the Washington Romance Writers. She lives with her husband and their two dogs — a geriatric golden retriever and a rambunctious rescue retriever mix — amidst the rolling hills of Chester County, PA where she savors country life, tends her gardens, and tries to avoid running the Amish buggies off the road with her SUV.
I received an advanced readers digital copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review, but I did because the book was great!! Thank you NetGalley!
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