Noblin (Just Fine with Caroline) returns to Cold River, Mo., in this sweet tale of coming home after life goes awry in the big city. The three Hemingway sisters all head home for the funeral of their last living relative, Aunt Bee, with each leading very different lives from the last time they were in Cold River. Hadley is the wife of a senator, Pfeiffer works as a book editor in New York City, and Martha is a famous Nashville country singer fresh (and secretly) out of rehab. After the deaths of their mother and sister in a tornado, the sisters all left Cold River as soon as they came of age, each expecting to never return. In contrast to the stress and pressure of their new lives, the slow pace of Cold River and the easy familiarity of small-town life provide the sisters the opportunity to let their guard down. But when they chance upon a gruesome discovery that upsets what they thought they knew about their family history, they will have to face not only their own demons, but also the late Aunt Bee's. With fun cameos of previously introduced residents of Cold River, Noblin's heartwarming story of the strength of family will please fans and newcomers alike. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Sisters Hadley, Pfeiffer, and Martha have each gone separate ways since the deaths of their mother and young sister Mary 20 years ago. They are brought back to the family home in the Missouri Ozarks by the death of their Aunt Bea, who had been the one to care for them after the tragic tornado that long-ago day. Each sister is holding on to her own secrets and pain: Pfeiffer has been fired from her job in publishing and is down to her last dime, Hadley is ready to end things with her congressman husband, and Martha is just this side of rehab and a fall from the grace of country-music stardom. As they decide what to do with the old family farm, more secrets are literally unburied and lead the sisters to discover the truth of their own family history. This is a fun, quick read for anyone who loves a family drama, with wit and heart to go around. Recommended for fans of Susan Mallery.--Diana Platt Copyright 2018 Booklist

Noblin's fourth novel, second in the "Cold River" series (after Just Fine with Caroline), set in Cold River, MO, carries over some of the characters from the first book and adds a new family. Three sisters-Hadley, Pfeiffer, and Martha Hemingway-return to Cold River when the great-aunt who raised them has died. Hadley is a senator's wife, Pfeiffer a New York-based book editor, and Martha a Nashville star, but they're all keeping secrets that are slowly revealed. This forced reunion in their old home, and the discovery of some family skeletons, causes them to reconnect and find the truth of their past, including what really happened to their mother and younger sister years before. When Pfeiffer discovers their great-aunt's journal, they begin to put all the pieces together. VERDICT Combining sibling rivalry, romantic story lines for each sister, a strong cast of supporting characters, and a realistic, colorful Ozarks setting, this well-paced story will appeal to those who enjoy family dramas. Its warm, engaging tone and happy ending for all will appeal to readers of Susan Wiggs or Mary Alice Monroe.-Melanie Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont. © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.