True love requires commitment, and many times unending sacrifice. . . At the tender age of eighteen, Brandi Vargas watched the love of her life drive out of Emerson Pass, presumably for good. Though she and Trapper Barnes dreamed of attending college and starting their lives together, she was sure she would only get in the way of Trapper’s future as a hockey star. Breaking his heart, and her own … and her own in the process, was the only way to ensure he pursued his destiny. Her fate was the small town life she’d always known, her own bakery, and an endless stream of regret.
After a decade of playing hockey, a single injury ended Trapper Barnes’ career. And while the past he left behind always haunted him, he still returns to Emerson Pass to start the next chapter of his life in the place his ancestors built more than a century before. But when he discovers that the woman who owns the local bakery is the girl who once shattered his dreams, the painful secret she’s been harboring all these years threatens to turn Trapper’s idyllic small town future into a disaster. Will it take a forest fire threatening the mountain village to force Trapper and Brandi to confront their history? And in the wake of such a significant loss, will the process of rebuilding their beloved town help them find each other, and true happiness, once again?
Fast forward to the present day and enjoy this contemporary second chance romance set in the small town of Emerson Pass, featuring the descendants of the characters you loved from USA Today bestselling author Tess Thompson’s The School Mistress.
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Had I known a family tree for Alexander and Quinn Cooper Barnes would be helpful, I would have started one when reading School Mistress of Emerson Pass. That is the first book in this new series which will have books from the original Barnes family at the turn of the century and books from their descendants.
Fast forward to the modern day Barnes family. Trapper Barnes is the great-great grandson of Flynn Barnes and subsequently the great-great-great grandson of Lord Alexander Barnes. Quick history – Trapper’s parents are Fenton and Rose Barnes. Fenton’s parents are George and Emma Barnes. He (George) is Flynn’s grandson.
Back to Trapper. In high school, he was a hockey star and the love of Brandi’s life. They made plans for after graduation which were suddenly changed. Trapper went to college and a professional hockey career while Brandi stayed in Emerson Pass, harboring a secret.
Ten years later, Trapper’s career is ended suddenly by an injury. He returns to Emerson Pass. There, he and Brandi have a chance to reignite their romance. That is interrupted by a forest fire threatening the area.
What happens during and after the fire, as well as what happens to some of their friends will leave the reader on the edge of her/his seat.
Author Tess Thompson has started another series that will draw you in and make you want the next book immediately because the reader needs to know what happens.
I thank the publisher and author for graciously providing me an ARC. All comments in this review are my own.
To say this was an easy book to read, would be a lie. I think i cried the whole book but couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want the book to end and cried some more whenever Brandi and Trapper finally got their happily ever after after all those years. I can’t wait to see what happens next in Emerson Pass and meet our friends from Cliffside Bay again. Tess definitely has me hooked on this series, just like she always does!!
This is the second book in Tess Thompson’s Emerson Pass series. The series follows different generations of families in Emerson Pass and this is in the present time. Newly-retired hockey player, Trapper, returns home to Emerson Pass. His high school sweetheart, Brandi, owns the best bakery in town. Once he comes home, they see if they can give their romance a second chance. Brandi has a secret that has been weighing on her heart for the past ten years though and she isn’t sure that Trapper will be able to love her once he knows what she has kept hidden.
This is a great second chance romance story. There are many other characters introduced to us in this installment that I’m sure we’ll get to know better in future books. I absolutely loved book one so it was nice to have parts of those characters’ stories intertwined nicely into this one, as well. I look forward to the next book and I highly recommend this one!
Tess Thompson has another home run with The Sugar Queen of Emerson Pass. With believable characters, a beautiful Colorado setting, and a sweet love story in the mix you will find yourself lost in this book. It is the second book in the Emerson Pass series, the first one written in the past about the founding families of Emerson Pass, and this one is written in the present about descendants of the founding family. The stories mesh beautifully, and I am looking forward to the third book which will again take us back to the founding families. I love everything about this series and I highly recommend it with five sparkly stars! Thank you to the author for an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.
The Sugar Queen of Emerson Pass by Tess Thompson
This book is so sweet! It is so well-written. The story just comes alive. You will want to stay up reading way past your bed time.
The characters are well developed. The back story in carefully interlaced into the story in a way that is believable and relatable. You want to cheer for Brandi and Trapper. On the other hand, I wanted to wring Brandi’s mother’s neck.
I can’t wait to see where Tess takes us in the next book as we journey back to an earlier time in Emerson Pass. I am looking forward to the book after that too to see what characters we will get to know more about from this current book.
This is such a great series. Well done Tess Thompson. Well done.
The Sugar Queen of Emerson Pass is a beautiful second chance romance that gripped my heart and soul. Trapper and Brandi will just steal your heart. My heart hurts for everything Brandi goes through. I love her strength and her heart. The emotions really build once Trapper is back in her life. You just feel everything when it comes to Trapper. Those little nods to the past families in Emerson Pass is fantastic and really ties the series together. Brandi and Trapper are everything and I can’t wait for you to meet them. They have a second chance. There are secrets that will pull at your heart. I just couldn’t get enough of this one. I cannot wait for more books to come.
I was thrilled when I heard that there was going to be a Book 2 in the Emerson Pass series written by Tess Thompson and this book most definitely exceeded my expectations! Please know that I recommend that you read Book 1, “The School Mistress, before you read this second book in the series, “The Sugar Queen”, as the main characters, Brandi and Trapper, reference excerpts from the diaries of the characters in Book 1. Having this background knowledge will allow you to experience these poignant moments. This book is the ultimate love story that encompasses moments of betrayal, fear, confusion, mistrust, love and forgiveness. All of the characters and their life stories are believable. I highly recommend this book and know that you will not be disappointed. I am so looking forward to Book 3 in this series to find out what happens next!
The Sugar Queen of Emerson Pass is book 2 of Tess Thompson’s Emerson Pass series and will be issued on May 19th. I was able to secure an early copy and feel so blessed. The first book was set in the early days of Emerson Pass’ establishment. This book opens in present day. Many of the residents in Emerson Pass are descendants of the early families which affords a sharing of historical letters sent to their homelands. We are in present day, but revisit the past as letters are shared.
The Sugar Queen has been in Emerson Pass all of her young life and fell in love with her high school sweetheart. Trapper graduated high school and left home for college and for a contract with a professional hockey team. She, his high school sweetheart stayed in their home town and established the town’s bakery. Trapper has returned home – retired and ready to resume his life in Emerson Pass. There is so much catching up to do. So many tangles in these young lives that will test their friendship, heal their breakup and open the secrets never shared.
You must read The School Mistress of Emerson Pass Book 1 first – just to establish a knowledge of time of the ancestors – who are, by the way, not to be missed.
Tess Thompson has a way of telling stories that pull her readers to keep on reading…..to want more.
I completed the read last night – the characters invaded my dreams. This morning has been a reel of photos created to tell the story. Don’t be disappointed. Beautifully done, Tess. Beautifully done.
This was the second book in the Emerson Pass series but the first set in present day. While the first book in the series revolved around the founders of Emerson Pass and this book is centered around the later generations of those founding members.
Brandi Vargas is the Sugar Queen, she owns the local bakery and has been heartbroken since she sent the love of her life, Trapper, away to fulfil his dreams 10 years ago. During those 10 years Trapper lived the life as a professional hockey player but after an injury he is now retired and has decided to come home to Emerson Pass. He has never stopped loving Brandi and is determined to win her love again. What Trapper doesn’t know is that Brandi has a secret and she is scared she will lose Trapper all over again if she tells him.
This book was everything I wanted and more of a second chance romance. Brandi and Trapper were tugging at my heart strings right from the start and pulled me along all the way to their happily ever after.
I am so excited to see where this series will go!
This wonderful read is all about the emotions and you best prepare yourself for the serious case of “The Feels” that this book is going to give you. Brandi and Trap’s story is as beautiful as it is heart wrenching. My heart simply ached for these two as they faced their past and fought for their future. This is a powerful story about love. The kind of love that endures, self-sacrifices and forgives. A truly remarkable read. Of my own accord I am posting a sincere review.
After reading The School Mistress, Book 1 in Tess Thompson’s Emerson Pass Series, I just had to read this book. Book 1 was a turn of the (20th) century read and this book is a contemporary romance featuring the descendants of the first book. I absolutely love this concept and couldn’t wait to see where the author would take us.
Book 2, The Sugar Queen is a second chance romance read. Young and very much in love, high school sweethearts Trapper and Brandi go their separate ways right before starting their first year of college. Unbeknownst to Trapper, Brandi is pregnant and unwilling to ruin his life’s goal of becoming a professional hockey player, so she breaks up with him and refuses to have anything to do with him.
On the inside she is dying and when her parents discover her condition they force her to hide and keep the pregnancy a secret. In the interest of keeping this a spoiler free review I will just say that when, ten years later, Trapper returns home for good, the ex sweethearts are still madly in love with each other and reunite, but Brandi’s secret could tear them apart.
Watching these two navigate their way to a sweet happily ever after makes this a fitting companion read to Book 1. TBR and enjoy, I HIGHLY recommend you read Book 1 before reading this book in order to appreciate the story more.
I loved The Sugar Queen of Emerson Pass, the second book in the Emerson Pass series from Tess Thompson. While the first book was set in 1918, the second is set the current day.
Ms. Thompson weaves a story of second chance love and loss with richly developed characters I felt I had known and loved forever. My attention was grabbed in the first pages and I didn’t want to put the book down until I reached the last page. I laughed and cried with the characters and am already counting days until the release of the next book in the series.
While you can read this book without reading the first one, starting with the first book gave me a deep love and understanding of Emerson Pass and the people who are still revered by the characters of Emerson Pass 100 years later.
As I reached the end of the story, I was left wanting more and am already counting the days until the next book in the Emerson Pass Series.
I requested an Advanced Copy of this book from the publisher and was not asked to give a positive review. The views and thoughts in this review are my own, and not influenced by the publisher or receiving the advanced copy.
I really enjoyed being back in Emerson Pass, this is the second book in this series and it was great. We meet the ancestors of the characters we met in the first book. Trapper Barnes and Brandi Vargas were high school sweethearts. They had hopes and dreams, but things didn’t go as planned and Brandi sent Trapper away to follow his dreams of becoming a professional hockey player. Fast forward ten years and Trapper is back. Can they get past old hurts, secrets and even a fire to find each other again. Lots of new characters, can’t wait to hear Garth and Crystal’s story. Great book, highly recommend.
From the past to the present, the residents of Emerson Pass prove they have staying power. The women are courageous, the men are determined and the residents are as endearing as they come. Thompson wrapped my heart around her finger and cleansed my soul. Brandi and Trapper are one heartache away from ever after. Will they make their peace with the mistakes in their past and grab the brass ring to their future? Beautiful agony becomes an inspirational welcome home for the heart.
I just love reading Tess’s books! What a great idea to write about one town in two different eras!!! It is easy to love the characters and really get invested with their lives. Can’t wait to travel back to Emerson Pass!!
I was given this ARC for an honest review.
What can I say other than this book gives me all the feelings! Such a sweet book with moments that make you mad, sad, and most of all happy. A great series and we are only in book number 2!
Tess Thompson has a way with words that makes me fall in love with the characters and locations in her stories. This second installment in the Emerson Pass series is another excellent read. Be sure to have a box of tissues ready, because you’re going to need them.
Trigger Warning: This story does deal with a stillbirth. It is respectfully and beautifully written, but I feel that this should definitely be a consideration for some people before reading.
All in all, I give it 5 stars and Two Thumbs Up.