The Empress of Cooke County tells a riveting story of Posey Burch Jarvis, a woman who believes the world has jilted her in more ways than one and that of Callie Jane Jarvis, Posey’s daughter, attempting to find herself in a world that appears to be too cruel.
Posey has spent the last near-20 years pining after a man named CJ, whom she had a week-long affair with when she was 19-years-old, culminating in a pregnancy and Posey all alone. That pregnancy resulted in the sweet, mild-mannered Callie Jane. Now 18-years-old and ready to get on with the life she dreams of, Callie Jane finds herself unwittingly engaged to her childhood best friend Trace.
The results of this story ends with Posey having the world she’s known forever ripped out from under her by her own actions, and Callie Jane coming to terms with her own life and learning that she must live that life by her own terms, and not anyone else’s.
In this story, you will be rooting for Callie Jane to grow a backbone and be able to stick up to her mother, the woman you will loathe from the very first page. This author has an uncanny way of getting you to hate one of the two main protagonists from the very first word written on the page. You will spend the rest of the 300+ pages wondering if Posey will learn that consequences come with the actions she has chosen, and cheering when that happens.
Well done to Elizabeth Bass Parman on a wonderful, coming-of-age story for Callie Jane and a guidebook on not what to do with your life from Posey. I originally chose this book as an ARC specifically because Cooke happens to be my maiden name, so I immediately was drawn to it, and I’m so glad that I did. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did.
Thank you to Harper Muse, Netgalley and author Elizabeth Bass Parman for this complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review

This book follows mom, Posey, and daughter, Callie Jane. It takes place in 60’s Tennessee. Posey is all about keeping up appearances and she just wants three things in life - be loved by her daughter Callie Jane, own a mansion, and marry CJ.

When a long lost aunt leaves Posey her mansion, she now has two out of three! But owning a mansion isn’t all it’s cracked up to be if that mansion is dilapidated. Posey will fake it until she makes it because in her mind this mansion is how she will finally make CJ see that she is doctor wife material.

Callie Jane - well she’s accidentally engaged and feels completely trapped in the small town of spark where she was born and raised. How does one get accidentally engaged? You’ll have to read this gem to find out!

There’s some laugh out loud moments in this one, and I definitely found myself empathizing with Callie Jane. She’s just a young girl who is trying to find herself but struggling with the fact that Bri by true to herself might mean hurting the people around her.

Don't hate me, but I just didn't love this one like I thought I was going to! I don't think it was the books fault either, I think based off the description and the cover I was expecting it to be something other than what it actually was. Unfortunately I was more looking forward to what I had imagined it to be than what I got, but I do think it's still worth reading! It still kept me wanting to know what happened!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse for my early copy!!

In this interesting and fascinating dual-perspective new historical fiction novel, readers explore the lives of Posey Jarvis and her daughter Callie Jane as they live a mundane life in Spark, a town in Cooke County, Tennessee. As the self-proclaimed empress of the county, Posey is invested in idolizing Jackie Kennedy, avoiding her husband Vern, and controlling Callie when she inherits a derelict mansion from an aunt just in time to host her twentieth high school reunion. Callie Jane, accidentally engaged and worried about her wedding, is fed up with her mother and has no desire to remain in Spark for the rest of her life. Following two very different women who are desperate to escape their real life for the rose-tinted past or a far-away future, this novel is definitely not what readers are expecting, but Elizabeth Bass Parman absolutely delivers on the characters, setting, and twists and turns in this Southern historical fiction novel. The tension between Posey and Callie Jean is well-written and adds a great layer to the novel, while their internal struggles humanize them and further develop Spark and its community. Incredibly written and definitely fascinating, readers will struggle to put this new historical fiction title down.

This was ok to start. I really didn't like the main character, Posey, right from the beginning. It seemed like there was some hopefulness with some of the other characters but I hated the ending and what Posey did. Not that great of a book.

"The Empress of Cooke County" is a fun story about Posey, a woman who wants to be the most popular lady in her small Tennessee town in the 1960s. But things get complicated with family troubles, nosy neighbors, and a creepy stalker. This book has lots of funny and exciting moments, plus you'll get to know some interesting characters. If you like stories about strong women and a bit of mystery, you'll probably enjoy this one!

A delightful read based in the snall town of Spark, Tennessee in the 1960’s. As a child of the 60’s this book resonated with me. I loved the characters and their dilemmas. There are several twists in this charming and entertaining story, which is sure to keep the reader engaged.
Many thanks to Harper Muse and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

What I liked most about this is that the points were driven home by a few really well done allegorical characters and in a short amount of pages. I've been into short reads lately and I really enjoyed every minute of this tale from a small town in the backwoods of Tennessee. Very much a story about wanting more than we have and ignoring what we do have - I loved almost every part of this. I smiled so many times while reading and then in the very end clapped my hand over my mouth in the most Southern way possible at the turn of events!!

The story centers around a fiercely independent woman navigating life in a small town, and Parman's sharp wit and vivid descriptions really brought the setting to life.

I loved the way Parman mixed humor with poignant moments, making the characters feel relatable and real. However, the pacing felt a bit uneven at times, especially in the middle where it dragged a little.

Overall, The Empress of Cooke County balances charm and depth beautifully, offering a heartwarming and thought-provoking story. Definitely a gem for anyone who loves character-driven narratives!

Be ready to be transported to the 1960's in small town Tennessee. The main characters in this book, Posey and Callie Jane, are well defined and though not necessarily likeable, they are relatable. It is the cast of supporting characters that give the book it's fun, and keep you reading.

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.