I did not read the first book of this series, but I was still able to enjoy this one. Mariah Stewart did a good job of having a little background sprinkled throughout the book so you aren't completely lost if you missed the first one. I'm assuming the first had some focus on Cara & her relationship with Joe. This one had more focus on Des & her relationship with Seth. There is enough about Allie throughout to set up the next book. The theater that they inherited from their father had sustained some damage from a storm & is pushing their funds to the limit. I'm curious to see what ends up happening with this theater although I have my own theories. :-) I found this to be a very enjoyable read. I look forward to seeing what happens to the Hudson sisters in the next book.

This is the second installment in the Hudson Sisters series. You can always count on Mariah Stewart for a heartwarming and engrossing story. I'm really loving this series, can't wait to read more.

The Sugarhouse Blues is the second part of Stewart's trilogy about three sisters who are charged with restoring the family theater in small town Pennsylvania. It's a charming read, replete with a 4th of July parade, cookout, a sexy mayor who is also a farmer and a Harley rider, and lots of cute animals that never misbehave. Sheer perfection as far as plot and character development. I can't wait for the next book.

Like the book preceding it, Sugarhouse Blues is a departure from Stewart's lighter fare, but still so good! You really feel for Des and her journey, and there is so much foreshadowing to the next book. I cannot wait until next year.

Fritz Hudson left his three daughters a fortune, on condition that they return to his hometown and refurbish the family theater, the Sugarhouse. Allie and Des were never close, and half-sister Cara comes as a complete surprise to them, so they have relationships to renovate as well. In the few months since his death, they have made good progress, both on the theater and on becoming true sisters. But the money he set aside for the theater is not enough, and they find themselves having to scramble.

Middle sister Des is the viewpoint character in this second volume. As she works to save the project, she also finds herself growing closer to the town mayor, although Seth is very much not her type. In addition, she misses her home in distant Montana and the dog rescue work that she did there.

Despite the romance, this is not quite a romance novel. The focus is more on the sisters and their relationships with each other, their newly found aunt, and themselves.

Well written, with appealing characters. Recommended.

The Sugarhouse Blues
Mariah Stewart
Available: May 15, 2018

Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Second in a trilogy (who are we kidding here – 3 sisters = 3 books, don’t call it a series), yet very different that the first book. Now that the sisters have been living in Hidden Falls for a few months, the newness of each other, their inheritance, the theaters has dimmed and, like in the immortal words of MTV’s The Real World, “Its about to get real.”
Not really…. But it a good follow up to the first story even its it’s a little preditable with the 2nd sister falling in love (and gee, I have no idea who will fall in love for the 3rd book) and it does show a little more of life outside of the theater.
What I loved: I can see where this is going – and I’m hoping I’m right in the that the estate across the street from Barney’s will become a wonderful new animal shelter for both dogs and cats within the Hidden Falls city limits. Seth is a true Renaissance man and I think he will be a great partner with Des.
What I didn’t love: Can we please finally deal with Allie’s drinking? Or is it all going to be reshashed in the 3rd book?
What I learned: Finder’s keepers on a emerald necklace? I’m throwing my hat into the ring.
Overall Grade: B

www.FluffSmutandMurder.com

This is book 2 in the Hudson sister series. The 3 sisters learns of their Father’s two families at the reading of his will. Sisters Des and Allie haven’t been close for years and now they find they have a half sister Cara. Their Fathers will requires that all 3 of them live together and restore a family theatre. If one leaves they all lose their inheritance. Each has their own reason for needing the inheritance. There is enough of the back story from the first book that this book could be read as a stand alone. This is a sweet romance set in a small town. It is also a story of a family learning about each other, growing closer and learning to forgive and let go of the past. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

It is such a delight to read this series! This is the second book, I read the first one and I was hooked! Cara, Des and Allie are sisters with the same father but Cara has a different mother. Their father, Fritz, had two families, and the sisters only discovered this when Fritz’s will was read. Their job was to renovate an old theatre Fritz owned as part of their inheritance. The first book focused mostly on Cara, this book focuses more on Des. The characters are amazing and just draw you into the story, like a magnet. I just love the chracters and I also enjoy seeing the progress on the theatre renovation. A great series!

I received an ARC for my honest review. I loved this continued story of the Hudson sisters and their renovation of the fabled Sugarhouse. This book focused on Dez, while still keeping us in touch with Cara and Allie. The characters are wonderfully real, and the relationships formed are deep and real. This book left open many loose ends, which I am assuming will be tied up with the third book featuring Allie. The story draws you in and keeps you with humor and drama, quirky characters, and just enough mystery to keep you waiting for the answers. I have thoroughly enjoyed these first two in the (I assume) trilogy, and cannot wait to get my hands on the next.

Wow! I really enjoyed reading this book! It is my first book by this author and I loved it! The Sugarhouse Blues is charming and well written and the characters feel like good friends. There were a few times I just wanted to dive into the conversations. Definitely pick this book up! The Sugarhouse Blues is a sweet small town romance that will leave you wanting more of the sisters the story is about!

After meeting an aunt that was kept secret from them by Fritz, Three estranged sisters brought together through their father’s last wishes begin renovations funded by a trust set aside by their father. When a smooth operation hits a few snags, it is clear the process is going to be more tedious and time consuming than the sisters originally thought. As they spend more time together, the sisters begin to grow closer and find their strengths alone as well as with one another.

A charming book about a family who find their way back to each other to resolve their differences. There is one more book on this intriguing trilogy about the most conflicted sister of the three. It will bring all the stories to a close and I am sure will be another book readers will not want to miss.

You can always count on Mariah Stewart for a truly wonderful and heartwarming book. Book 2 in this series was just as good as book # 1 if not better. Can't wait for book # 3. This is a beautiful book about messy family dynamics and secrets and 3 women trying to find their way. I read this is one day because I did not want to put it down. You will absolutely love this book and love these 3 ladies !! Such a great book ! Get into this series, you will be glad you did !

I received an ARC of this book for a review. It is the second in the Sugarhouse series by Mariah Stewart. I did not read the first book, and did not feel out of step. This book focused on the relationships of three sisters, Cara, Alli, And Des, who have inherited an old theater and some funds to repair it from their father. The inheritance doesn’t come without strings however. They must stay living in the small Pennsylvania town that was founded by their coal mining ancestors and complete the repairs on the theater before collecting their inheritance. Alli and Des share the same mother and have old issues stemming from a dysfunctional family. Cara has a different mother and the half sisters are just getting to know one another. I enjoyed the sometimes messy relationships between these women.

This book begins with a huge infodump. I'm not invested enough in the characters to be able to read this much backstory this soon.

This is the 2nd book in the series about the Hudson Sisters. The story picked up from the first easily, but could also have been read as a standalone book. Whereas the first book focused a lot on the restoration of the old movie theater that the sisters inherited, this story was more focused on various relationships - within the family as well as romantic interests. There was still some progress on the theater restoration which I found entertaining, and I'm going to be eager to read the next book in the series.

I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
4.5 Stars
This the second of The Hudson Sisters series. Book One introduced us to the three Hudson sisters, Allie, Des and Half-sister Cara. They met at the reading of their father’s will where they learned he had two wives and families. In order for them to receive their inheritance, they must all live together and restore the family theatre. Book one focused on Cara and her budding romance with Joe, the project manager. Book two focuses on Des and Seth. Des was a former child star, who has never married and finances a dog shelter in Montana. She met Seth in book one, but dismissed him as a suitor because he is a tall, bald, cigar smoking Harley rider. Does eventually learns that there she shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. What is enjoyable about the book are the development of the characters and all of their relationships. Allie is the most complex character of the three sisters. She is really unpleasant in the first book. As you see more of her, she is more complex and you do see her start to grow. I am looking forward to her story in book three. The only minor quibble I had with the book was that since it was a continuation of the prior book, not a stand alone, a lot of rehashing of the prior book was included. I would definitely recommend this series.

I've been waiting for this book since the 1st one ended, and it didn't disappoint!

It's not every series you read, or even every book, where you just so wholeheartedly connect. You connect to the characters, you connect to the place, you connect to how it feels, how it wants you to feel. This book did all that for me.

It picks up where the last one left off. Long story short, 3 women discovered they shared the same father, but only discovered this after he died. 2 of the women, Des and Allie, shared a superstar mother and grew up together (dad was a Hollywood agent) and then Cara lived on the other side of the country. To receive their father's inheritance, they must renovate an old theater in their father's hometown together.

Cara and Joe are going strong and she's decided that she'll stay in Hidden Falls after their job is complete. This installment revolves more so around Des and Allie, their lives, their pasts, and their dynamics with each other.

While this book can easily be read as a stand alone, I want you to read the first one too. Meanwhile, I'll be impatiently awaiting the final book.

Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
https://www.goodreads.com/work/editions/56664428

I normally love Mariah Stewart's book but this was not one of my favorite books or series. It just seemed to drag a lot and I could not get interested in the story line

This was a great addition to the series. It picked up where the first one left off without a problem. It was nice revisiting with the sisters and Barney. Looking forward to the next one.

The Sugarhouse Blues is the second installment to author Mariah Stewart's Hudson Sisters novels. The Sugarhouse Blues takes us immediately back into the lives of Des, Allie, and Cara and their endearing new town. After the shocking but welcoming news that their father had a sister, Bonnie, or "Barney', the girls continue to take on their individual roles in restoring the old Sugarhouse theater.

In the second book, Mariah slowly reveals more of the sisters' character traits, secrets, and personalities. I still love Allie most though because she seemed to be so misunderstood and so often wrongly judged. She definitely has a big chip on her shoulder but life hadn't always dealt her a fair hand. However, with the acceptance, guidance, and love from aunt Barney, Allie is slowly realizing who she really is - or should be. Then there's Des, who is sort of the main narrator of the story and Allie's sister. She's hiding from a past that she hasn't quite gotten over yet and the reader is given tidbits on what it might be. It isn't until towards the end of this book that we realize why she is so hesitant on a real relationship with men or why she can't trust so willingly. The third sister, who is the half sister, Cara, is still sweet and optimistic and her love story with Joe carries from the first book. Not much is going on with Cara in book two as it seems to focus more on Allie and Des.
When it comes to sequels, I am always impressed at how authors can make them interesting enough to the readers to continue reading the series. I wasn't sure what to expect with The Sugarhouse Blues but was delighted that the story carried on smoothly and kept me interested in reading towards the very last page.
You don't necessarily have to read book one, The Last Chance Matinee as there are good references throughout book two, but it is highly recommended.
The Sugarhouse Blues ended on a good note and I am even more intrigued with the brewing love/hate relationship between the town Sheriff, Ben and Alllie. There is definitely something interesting going on between these two!
Thank you to NetGalley and Mariah Stewart for the ARC! Eagerly waiting for book 3!