Review TBA. ( )

4.5 stars.

Annie England Noblin's delightful Cold River series is off to wonderful beginning with the first installment, Just Fine with Caroline. This absolutely marvelous novel is a poignant but uplifting story that I highly recommend to readers of contemporary women's fiction.

Caroline O'Connor left college before obtaining her degree to move back to her small hometown nestled in the Missouri Ozarks to help care for her mother after she is diagnosed with Alzheimer's. During the summer months, she runs her mom's bait shop in addition to caring for her mom. This summer is a little livelier than usual due to the unexpected arrival of Noah Cranwell, who plans to reopen his family's store, the return of Caroline's ex-boyfriend, Reese Graham and her cousin Ava Dawn's impending divorce. Despite living in a small town where everyone knows everyone else's business, the Cranwell family remains a bit of a mystery and Caroline is stunned to discover her family is harboring a shocking secret as well.

Caroline is struggling with the reality of her mom's worsening condition while feeling like her life is in limbo. While she does not begrudge assisting her parents' through this difficult time, she cannot help but feel like she is waiting for her own life to begin. At the same time, Caroline is a little frustrated with her emotionally distant father who is not handling his wife's diagnosis very well. Not exactly content with the status quo, Caroline just sort of drifts through her days until she meets Noah. She is quite drawn to him but will their burgeoning relationship survive once Caroline learns the truth about a long held family secret?

After several years in the military, Noah is finally ready to put down roots. He is soon caught up in renovating his family's long closed business while at the same time reconnecting with his grandfather. He is just as surprised as Caroline by their mutual attraction and although there is tension between their families, they enjoy getting to know one another. However, secrets do not always remain hidden and Caroline feels betrayed by him once her family's secret is revealed. Is their fragile relationship strong enough to withstand this stunning setback?

A secondary story arc featuring Ava Dawn's decision to leave her abusive husband, Roy, provides added depth to the main storyline. Her troubled marriage has to be the worst kept secret in town and although she has left Roy numerous times in the past, this time Ava Dawn is serious about divorcing him. Further complicating the situation is her involvement with a popular church and its minister, Brother Haiden Crow. Unlike Caroline who does not trust Brother Crow, Ava Dawn hangs on his word but does her involvement with him go beyond spiritual guidance?

Just Fine with Caroline is an incredibly moving novel that delves into the complicated dynamics of family relationships. Caroline's heartbreak over losing her mother to the vagaries of Alzheimer's Disease is realistically portrayed and will definitely resonate with readers whose lives have been affected by the ravages of the disease. The romance between Caroline and Noah is sweet yet steamy but misunderstandings and lack of communication threaten to derail their relationship at the first hint of trouble. he Missouri Ozarks serve as the perfect backdrop for this marvelous story and Annie England Noblin brings the town of Cold River and its inhabitants vividly to life. An absolutely charming first installment in a promising new series that I absolutely loved and highly recommend.
( )

Returning to her small, intrusive Ozark Mountain community, Caroline O'Conner cares for her Alzheimer's patient mother while navigating the challenges of her doctor father's frustrations, her brazen cousin's marital disasters, her deaf dog, a moonshining relative and a troubled ex-veteran.
Noblin’s books are pleasantly entertaining and romantic. ( )

Caroline is trying to be "just fine" but things are a bit dramatic in her life right now.
She is 25, she moved back home during her college years because her mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
Her friends are getting married and having families and Caroline is living with her parents again and running her parents' bait shop.
She has some close friends and a potential new love interest. Each with their own dramas, Court suffers from an unrequited love and an obligation to care for his widowed father, Ava Dawn is in a bad marriage and possibly involved in another scandalous relationship and Noah might be falling for Caroline but he's the grandson of a man her family dislikes.

Caroline seems very at home in her small town and she seems to be the very center of her circle of friends.

Cute story. You can tell that the author writes about a part of the world that she understands very well. The dialect and descriptions of the town feel genuine. ( )

enjoyed this very much ( )