Denial isn't just a river. . . Raedella Rollins left the dusty town of Sweet Poke, Arkansas, on a Texas-bound bus with four mismatched suitcases, a newsroom job offer, and a promise to herself: never look back. Now, less than a decade later, she's a top-rated talk show host, a celebrity news anchor, and fiancée to Houston's star councilman. The future looks bright for Rae, and Sweet Poke is nothing more than a distant memory. . . . and she's paddling as fast as she can. But now that she's reached the top, her ragtag family comes knocking. Mama Tee, the grandmother who raised her, calls with unwelcome family updates; and Shondella, her jealous older sister, guilts her into sending money. To Rae, nothing could be worse than an unexpected reunion with her over-the-top relatives.