Carlie Ann Davidson only has $167.29 in the bank. She's 10 years late on college and 37 lbs. over the ideal weight chart. When she's not in her college classes, she's stocking shelves at the Dollar General Store in Commerce, Georgia, and wondering why SO many people eat pork n beans. But Carlie has dreams, dreams of love and literary success. With the humorous and engaging backdrop of small town characters and culture, Carlie realizes she's not a loser at all. Just a late bloomer. The good news? Sometimes there are rewards for late bloomers.

Ashley Harrison is a movie star. But she's not your typical diva. Even though she's nominated for an Academy Award, she passes on the designer dress and wears a $276 dress straight from the rack of her Aunt Millie's discount bridal shop in Birmingham. When entertainment magazines get word of Ashley's unconventional ways, they react as though Mars has exploded and contaminated all of North Dakota. Can Ashley's best friends, Doug and Carlie, help her manage stardom while maintaining small town roots? Can Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Bart attend an Oscar party without their pet raccoon? Can a young...

"Every social event is an opportunity for education, that's what I always say. The Friday night fish fry at Dave and Ashley's was no exception. By the end of the evening, here's what I'd learned: Sarah Simpson got her front tooth fixed and wore new capri pants, which makes me think she's ready for my matchmaking services. Tom Hanks plays Ashley's wealthy uncle in the upcoming movie. Aunt Charlotte is now mourning the death of a calf she wasn't supposed to have in the city limits anyway. Cora Belle Mathis pretends to believe in reincarnation even though she's a Baptist. And Matthew Prescott?...