Not really my cup of tea, but I was entertained.

It gave " Crazy Rich Asians" vibes

Hope to read another of the author and see the improvement

I found this book a little confusing, but I don't think it's the author's fault. The book description and especially the cover make this feel like a quirky book about gossipy housewives. In fact, the book is quite dark.

The book alternates between Posey Jarvis, a housewife who is obsessed with winning back her married ex boyfriend and Callie Jane, her daughter who feels stifled by the future laid out for her. I enjoyed Callie's perspective a lot more than Posey's.

Posey is a sympathetic character up to a point. She is the daughter of an affair and has never felt wanted. This does not excuse her terrible behavior throughout the book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book, but was a little taken aback by the turn of events.

Brittany Pressley is a great narrator. She does a good job distinguishing the two points of view.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Muse Audio for this audiobook arc. This follows the mother daughter duo Posey and Callie Jane who don't see eye to eye. This book is duo pov set in the 1960s. I will start off by talking about the story then move into the audiobook. I was exactly sure where this story was going to lead me since it felt just like a small town socialite read. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story and wanted to keep listening. Overall, I didn't find it to be amazing but it was medium paced and it kept me wanting to read to find out what would happen in these characters lives.

The audiobook itself was very enjoyable. I thought the accents were spot on and the story was easy to follow.

I love a good family drama! Set in the south in the 1960's, the story is told in alternating chapters by Posey and Callie Jane and was entertaining. Posey could be pretty annoying with her snobbishness and her aspirations of becoming the real empress of Cooke County no matter who she has to step on in her quest. The story got much darker than I imagined at the beginning. None of the characters had a particularly nuanced sense of morality. and Posey, with her sense of entitlement, was a little off-putting.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

Duality POV
Small Tennessee Town
Southern Fiction
1960s
Family Drama
Mansion Renovation

If you love a good Southern fictional debut then check out The Empress of Cooke County. Set in a small town in Tennessee during the 1960's, this novel is filled with humor, Southern charm, and quirky characters. It's the perfect blend of family drama and social satire.

The plot revolves around 38 year old Posey Jarvis, a woman who considers herself the "empress" of her rural town. When Posey inherits a dilapidated mansion from her eccentric aunt, she decides to host her high school reunion in an attempt to rekindle her past romance. However, her plans don't go as smoothly as she hopes. Her daughter Callie Jane becomes more determined to escape her overbearing mother and small-town life. Callie Jane's journey, especially her struggles with a looming wedding and her desire to break free from her predetermined future make her a character you will root for throughout the book.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. I love the cover, and the synopsis was right up my alley in reading. This was just a letdown. I didn't like any of the characters. The mother was absolutely disgusting and selfish. I was really into this book until about the halfway point.

Perfectly Southern and I loved the characters! As a Southerner myself, I could not only see myself (head in hand) but others I know. It was a great read and I loved it!

Posey had dreams of a life of champagne, caviar and status. Things have not turned out that way for her. She decided that she is going to change things and hatches a plan when an opportunity comes her way. Her plan makes for an entertaining listen. There is some truth to the old adage “never wish for what you want for you just may get it”. A throwback to the south in the ’60’s, a tumultuous time in our country, a lot of “what if’s”, an interesting and often difficult mother daughter relationship, a mother who wants to completely control her daughter, a daughter who wants to be her own person and make her own life choices and more. A lovely debut novel.

I love southern lit….make it mid century southern Lit and I will devour it! Not since The Help, or The Gods of Alabama has there been a novel about the frenemies that line the small streets of southern living.
You know how some books have a twist towards the end you may or may not have predicted? Well in this one that twist comes in the first few pages and Posey plays it off as part of her master plan. She has and gives zero “blank” about anything not part of her plan. Her plan being she fantasizes daily about the life she wanted , not had. So don’t read this thinking it’s a sweet small town memoir or simply Women’s Literature.
There are dark elements of lying, cheating, alcoholism, and mental health…which no one addressed in 1960s , let alone below the Mason-Dixon Line.
Quite possibly my pick for novel of the year.

The Empress of Cooke County
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was a nice light read. The narrator was really good. I enjoyed the book. It started a little slow for me, but I had just finished an intense book. It had a predictable ending but it was a cute story. It is what I expected it to be.
Thank you NetGalley!

I have love-hate feelings for this mother and daughter story set in Cooke County, Tennessee, in 1966. I was rooting for the daughter and groaning over the mom's cringey, selfish behavior.

I didn't know what I expected going into this book, so it was hard to be disappointed. I thought about giving up on it around 70%, but then it got really interesting. I would call this a dark comedy, but it was more sad than funny. There is a happy ending, justice is served in the end...not sure what else to say.

Great narration. The warm Southern accents of the characters transported me. This is probably one of the least helpful reviews I've ever written, but I guess I'm just still feeling conflicted about whether I liked this book or not. 😅

The Empress of Cooke County (Audio book) by Elizabeth Bass Parman
Naration byBrittany Pressley

In Stark, Tennessee, you have an interesting dynamic of a small town where gossip flows and whispers carry. At 38, Posey Jarvis is not where she wants to be and drowns her sorrows in gin. Her daughter, Callie Jane, is dreaming of escaping the town she feels “stuck” in. After a short-lived surprise engagement, she finds a friend and plans her escape.
Callie’s relationship with her father is her anchor while her mother in volatile in angush. Posey only has a goal to share her unhappiness and a quest for notoriety. She sees herself as the “Empress” of Cooke county.
There are some surprises but the overall plot scheme is somewhat predictable and falls flat. Callie Jane is definitely the heroine here finding her own path and her voice in the shadow of her controlling mother.
All in all it was a pleasant read but I wanted more. The characters fell flat in development while a few started out strong. I just expected more overall.
The cover is wonderful!
Brittany Pressley did a phenomenal job as a narrator giving voice to the individual characters and bringing personality to the scenes. Brilliant job! Her narration definitely added to the experience of the book.

I give the book an overall 3.5/5⭐️.
I did enjoy it and I would recommend it for a light “fluff” read but I would not promote it personally.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC.

Excellent book!
I will highly recommend this one to everyone I know.
And the narrator, Brittany Pressley was wonderful!
I truly enjoyed this one.
Thanks to all for approving my request to listen.

I could not get invested in this story. It was a lot of characters and a lot of jumping around. I had a hard time following.

Thanks Harper Collins for the ARC and Audiobook!

This one was so easy to read, I flew through the audiobook in less than a day! Britney Pressley can do no wrong and listening to her is like listening to an old friend talk!

I usually don't love southern vibes, but was surprised with how much I enjoyed this one! I think this will be a big hit! I'm always down for this kind of women's fiction and for mother/daughter drama and genre blends, so this fit the bill for me!

This is out now!

The Empress of Cooke County by Elizabeth Bass Parman, narrated by Brittany Pressley, is a captivating audiobook that weaves together themes of family, loss, and small-town life in a way that feels intimate and heartfelt. Pressley’s narration really elevates the story, bringing out the emotions of each character with a rich and nuanced performance. Her voice fits perfectly with the tone of the book, and she manages to differentiate between the characters subtly, making it easy to follow their dialogues and perspectives.

The pacing of the narration was well-suited to the story’s unfolding—neither rushed nor too slow, which allowed me to really sink into the world of Cooke County. Pressley’s warm delivery added a layer of comfort to the more tender moments, and she brought just the right level of intensity to the scenes that needed it.

As for the story itself, The Empress of Cooke County paints a vivid picture of complicated family dynamics and the weight of personal history. While the plot is engaging, there are moments when the emotional depth truly shines through, making it much more than just a tale of a woman returning to her roots. Parman’s writing has a nostalgic yet reflective quality, which Pressley captures beautifully in her narration.

Overall, this audiobook is a wonderful listening experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys character-driven stories with strong emotional undertones. The combination of Elizabeth Bass Parman’s heartfelt writing and Brittany Pressley’s skilled narration makes this one worth the time.

I loved this debut novel and look forward to reading more! I enjoyed the 1960s atmosphere, the small-town vibes and Callie Jane's story. Her mom Posey is a woman who has spent her life wanting something more & not appreciating what she had. The two have a messy relationship, however Callie Jane has a beautiful relationship with her father and friends. I did not expect the ending at all but liked how it played out. Great book!

The Empress of Cooke County by Elizabeth Bass Parman is a captivating novel that blends humor and suspense with unforgettable characters. The story revolves around Posey Jarvis, a manipulative southern woman whose life is filled with small-town gossip, star-crossed lovers, and misplaced expectations. Although the book has humorous moments, it also carries a tragic undertone, making it a compelling yet bittersweet read. It's an engaging tale from the first page, offering an enjoyable and memorable reading experience.

#netgalley

The Empress of Cooke County* is a captivating story about a mother and daughter who couldn’t be more different. One of the strengths of the book is how the author masterfully makes you root for one of the main characters, while finding the other deeply unlikeable—yet you remain equally invested in both. This dynamic adds a richness to the story that goes beyond your typical family drama.

The family dynamics are well-explored, offering a mix of tension, emotional depth, and a few shocking moments that caught me off guard. There were even a few events I wouldn’t have expected in a book like this, especially given the genre. While it was a simple and easy read, it still kept me engaged and left me thinking about the characters long after I finished.

Overall, I found *The Empress of Cooke County* to be a very enjoyable book and I rated it 4 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to listen to and review.

The Empress of Cooke County was narrated wonderfully! I was so impressed at how the narrator drew me in and helped me picture all of the characters in this small town. I started off wanting to get to know more about Posey, but as the novel continued, I found myself disliking her more and more. This book definitely has twists and turns (especially with the introduction of a mysterious Peeping Tom). The plot twist was something I was not expecting!