Wow! THE EMPRESS OF COOKE COUNTY was not at all what I was expecting. It was much darker than the description and cute cover suggest, which is not usually my cup of tea, yet I found myself racing through pages because I had to know what happened next. Parman's plotting kept me guessing, and the ending was mostly satisfying. I found the characters to be nuanced and realistic. I especially enjoyed seeing Callie Jane find her voice and inner courage, and Posey Jarvis is the type of complex woman you love to hate but equally pity. I also appreciated the subtle symbolism of numbers in the characters' lives and how the Empress tarot card mirrored the contrast between Callie Jane and Posey's personalities, adding a unique layer of depth. Overall, Parman's thought-provoking debut is an incisive, Southern story I certainly won't forget any time soon.

Loved this story!
Posey is the self proclaimed Empress in this story. She trying hard to overcome her roots and this leads us to a take of family secrets! Meanwhile her daughter is just trying to fit in.and her husband just is going along- until he doesn’t!
A fun southern take full of laughs and “no she didn’t” moments.



#TheEmpressofCookeCounty #NetGalley

The Empress of Cooke County was a terrific read. I was hooked from the beginning, and the story flowed with same level of pleasure through to the end.
The book was a bit of a surprise for me, as I was expecting a light and perhaps silly tale. Rather, I found a much deeper and thoughtful story about a family in a small town in Tennessee who deal with many real life's challenges and then some. I grew to love dad, Vern, and daughter, Callie, but was totally disgusted with mom, Posie, the self-appointed "Empress of Cooke County". There were other surprises that I will save for readers to discover. The ending is a bit bittersweet, but satisfying.
I would highly recommend this title to fans of small towns, the '50's, interesting personalities, independent spirits, difficult family relationships, and love conquering all. My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. I'll be watching for more from Elizabeth Bass Parman.

This was a debut that bodes well for the success of the author. From the cover I was expecting a light-hearted southern romp and it was...for the most part. This is the story of a dysfunctional mother/ daughter relationship and the man that's caught in the middle. The author certainly kept me reading as I just had to know what was going to happen to Posey and the mansion that she had inherited. While parts were much darker than expected I enjoyed the story overall and recommend it.

Enjoyed this more than I expected to! I founder her super relatable in the grumpiest of ways. Enjoyed this writing style and will be on the lookout from more from this author.

The Empress (or Posey) is a woman who lives a delusional life thinking that she can control outcomes based on the stories she tells herself. I loved the characters. Posey and Vern and their daughter Callie The author has developed every one of them including all the ancillary people into real personalities.
Callie is the result of a fling Posey had years ago with a married guy who was well above her station. Posey thought it was love but of course it was a momentary thing.
She becomes pregnant and when she tells him, he tells her he wants nothing to do with her or the baby. This is when Vern comes into the story. An upstanding member of the small town they live in, he owns the Emporium (a store selling used items). He marries Posey and raises her daughter but Posey is always thinking of how to become good enough for her fling to divorce his wife and marry her.
No spoilers here but the character development is excellent and the descriptions of the 60s small town south are right on.

I was glad to finally have read this. It was interesting to see the 1960s dynamic in the South, and honestly, how little has changed. It was a fun read and I know just who to recommend it to in my group!

I had such high hopes for this book. I had recently read Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and had high hopes for a similar experience. This book did not deliver that level of enjoyment, to the point that I couldn't bring myself to finish it. It just wasn't engaging for me, and I didn't get attached to any of the characters.

This book was a little over the top for me and it was really hard to get past some of the plot points. The daughter is so unhappy and no one notices or seems to care. This was not the book for me.

This book is a great read! I am from the Deep South and felt so many themes that are prevalent and relevant and brought the reality to the pages. I was a little shocked by how the book ended, but not really surprised. If you have ever lived in a small town, you know the characters of this book well. I would recommend this book for anyone who likes coming of age stories, and also somewhat of suspenseful reads.

I loved this book! At times laugh out loud funny and at times utterly heartbreaking, this story portrays one woman's desperation to return to the past she imagined while her daughter longs for nothing more than spreading her wings toward the future. Thanks #NetGalley #HarperMuse

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!

This was a very fun read, and sure there is a little tragedy thrown in towards the end but overall it was a joy to read. It's about a mother and daughter who are so very different in personality and temperament that they don't know what to do with each other. Posey, the mother figure is shallow and conniving but I still liked her because she was so self unaware that she was funny. Calle Jane, Posey's daughter is the polar opposite of her mother and has to learn to stand up for herself to realize her own happiness. I loved that the story is based in the south, I love good southern fiction. I highly recommend this delightful and heart felt story by Elizabeth Bass Parman. 5 solid stars.

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!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book drew me in with its small town charm and delightful characters. As the story continued, I was intrigued by the mystery of the "Creeper" but began to feel less sorry for the main character Posey who seemed to want to make everyone around her miserable. I grew to love her husband and daughter and hoped they would find their own happiness. The unexpected plot twist threw me for a loop. At the end, I loved the subtle reminder that even through sadness, people can find a way to make their own happiness.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Empress of Cooke County by Elizabeth Bass Parman. This is the story of some larger than life southern characters, in the 1960’s. Posey wants to be the most popular person around, and when she inherits a dilapidated estate, she thinks maybe it will happen. We meet her daughter who finds herself engaged at 18 to a man who is not the man of her dreams. And her husband, who is a good man but not in a good marriage. I did finish this one, but did not love it. Definitely a light read, maybe good for vacation or beach. #theempressofcookecounty #elizabethbassparman #netgalley #bookstagram #booklover #lovetoread #takeapagefrommybook #readersofinstagram #readallday #tbr #advancedreadercopy

Small town Southern to the core. Was it cute, was it funny, not really and not what I thought it would be. I managed to finish it, but didn't particularly care for it. Posey Jarvis was envious and gossipy. and her daughter Callie Jane is engaged to someone she doesn't want to marry. That's just the beginning Small town drama, peeping tom’s, rich aunts dying and leaving you a mansion! This book could not compete with the likes of Fannie Flagg! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lacks the Flair of a Southern Writer

I originally thought this would be a light-hearted beach read. Then I wrongly assumed it would have some depth and provide an interesting plot to surprise the reader. Unfortunately, it did neither.

The main character Callie Jean, is a perfect daughter and friend. She is very close to her kind father, Vern. Her mother is a liar and a social climber and to no one’s surprise, she could not maneuver those in her small world to give her the life she felt she deserved.

Callie Jean is the product of a fling with a married man. Her mother, Posey, settled for Vern when she discovered she was pregnant with a married man’s child. She treated kindly Vern terribly and her goal was then to become an “empress” and it almost came true through an inheritance. None of these moves made sense.

The plot was not convoluted but it became hackneyed at the conclusion.

My gratitude to NetGalley and Harper Muse for this pre-published book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Posey sees herself as the Empress of Cooke County. A Jacqueline Kennedy enthusiast, she secretly drinks a lot to combat the boredom of her life in rural Tennessee. Her nineteen-year-old daughter Callie Jane and Posey's husband run the local Emporium. While Callie Jean dreams of California and a bigger life, Posey wants to rule where they are. Set in the late 1960's, Callie Jane and Posey's opposing dreams come to a head.

I really, really liked this one. It is a dark comedy, felt very "Southern fried", and had great characters. I loved to hate some and just loved some. It's not lighthearted in tone overall but was a good read. It felt a little like Mary Jane by Jessica Anya Blau, in a very good way.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.