This was great! Posey Jarvis seems at first just like a busybody woman in rural Tennessee that’s not too likable. As the story grows, Posey reaches for her gin more and more, and she becomes more unlikeable. All the while, Posies daughter Callie Jane and her husband Vern continue to grow and seek their own happiness, apart from Posey.

Eventually, after inheriting a large home from her aunt, Posey sets a new plan into motion. She manipulates those in her life to get what she wants. Except her plans don’t work out and sadly, every one of the Jarvis’ pay the price.

As always, the audio performance for this book by Brittany Pressley was perfect!

Advance reader copy provided by Harper Muse and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

The Empress of Cooke County was engaging from the start! Set in a small town I loved seeing the town come alive and alternating mother daughter prospectives! I laughed out loud listening to this book as I folded laundry. It was such great company and very entertaining!

It has been a LONG TIME since a book has made me audibly gasp and this one had my jaw dropping (but seriously my mouth was actually open). I usually see twists coming, but this book surprised me and I loved it! It went darker than I thought it was going to, but I’m not mad about it. This was an excellent debut novel and I hope to read more from @elizabethbassparman in the future! This comes out Tuesday! (9/3/24) NOTE: the narration by @britpressley was stellar, as per usual ❤️

The Empress of Cooke County is such a great book. I will definitely be recommending this. Once I started I could not stop. I loved the small town vibes and that some characters were not what I expected. I definitely did not predict the ending on this one.
I listed to the audiobook and I thought the narrator was great.

I started listening to the audio for 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 and was immediately drawn into all the family drama. I was so drawn into the story during my commute that dove right into my physical copy as soon as I got home!

👜𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I found myself really enjoying following Callie Jane‘s story as she begins to open her eyes to the world around her and starts looking towards her own future, while finding her voice and what she wants for herself. As for Posey’s character (Callie’s mom)…man this woman gets my hackles up!

I also could not get enough of the wild drama Posey created in her own life and wondering where her next train wreck would take the story.

✔️𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁:

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

📖𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

This is a fast paced story that I could not get enough of!

👜𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

I still can’t believe this is Elizabeth Bass Parman debut book and I’m already excited to see what she writes next. Y’all definitely have got to dive into this gin fueled story full of atmosphere, drama and humor!

There are not many books that "have it all", but this one most certainly does! I absolutely loved this book! It was fun and quick paced and had elements of romance, mystery, suspense and family drama. It ended up being SO much more than what I expected going in. I thought I was in for a light, fun, warm-fuzzy kind of read and holy smokes, I got all that and SO, SO, SO much more. It was an awesome surprise and made me love this book even more.

The audio narration was excellent - Brittany Pressely does it again. Overall, I enjoyed everything about this book and I highly recommend adding to your TBR list. You'll definitely not be sorry you did!

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 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.

I really enjoyed this one.

Posey’s daughter is 18 years old and she helps her dad run their family shop in town. Posey can’t wait for Callie’s wedding to her childhood best friend. Callie’s soon to be husband is on the fast track to opening a chain of grocery stores and will make a dependable and capable husband. Posey wants Callie to have a better life than she did. She wants Callie to have a big house and lots of babies. Callie dreams of moving away from their small town in Tennessee and exploring a different way of life. Callie and Posey are complete opposites and can’t really understand each other’s point of view.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I loved the family dynamics. This book kept surprising me. This family was full of secrets and I couldn’t put this book down.


Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book.

I loved the setting, timeframe, and all the characters. A wild ride with a great ending. Thanks NetGallery!

Elizabeth Bass Parman’s *The Empress of Cooke County* is a rich, witty, and poignant tale that brims with Southern charm, unforgettable characters, and the timeless tug-of-war between expectations and self-discovery. Set in the small town of Spark, Tennessee, during the upheaval of the 1960s, this audiobook weaves a dual narrative about a mother and daughter grappling with identity, love, and the ever-elusive quest for happiness.

At the heart of the story is Posey Jarvis, the self-proclaimed "empress" of Cooke County—a 38-year-old Jackie Kennedy devotee whose life is as messy as the derelict mansion she unexpectedly inherits from her eccentric Aunt Milbrey. Posey is a wonderfully complex character, at once laughably self-absorbed and deeply vulnerable. Her plan to host her high school’s twentieth reunion at the crumbling estate is less about nostalgia and more about rekindling a romance with the man who broke her heart nineteen years ago. Posey’s obsession with perfection—whether in her image, her social standing, or her makeshift empire—forms the backbone of her hilariously flawed but ultimately endearing quest for validation.

Meanwhile, her 18-year-old daughter Callie Jane is desperate to break free from the life her domineering mother has mapped out for her. Engaged to a man she’s not sure she loves and facing a future that feels suffocatingly small, Callie dreams of escape—California, freedom, and a fresh start. Callie’s perspective offers a tender counterpoint to Posey’s antics, grounding the story with moments of quiet rebellion, heartfelt longing, and the bittersweet uncertainty of forging your own path.

Parman’s writing is sharp and evocative, painting the town of Spark and its quirky inhabitants with vivid strokes. From the gossip-fueled gatherings to the stifling expectations of small-town life, the setting is alive with detail, perfectly capturing the era’s tensions and transformations. The humor is razor-sharp, but beneath the laughs lies a story about the complexities of love—between mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, and the communities that both support and stifle.

The audiobook narration is stellar, bringing Posey and Callie Jane’s voices to life with warmth and nuance. Posey’s dramatic flair and Callie’s quiet resolve are distinct and engaging, drawing listeners deeper into their intertwining struggles. The narrator captures the Southern cadence and personality of each character, enhancing the immersive experience of this richly textured story.

What makes *The Empress of Cooke County* truly shine is its exploration of self-worth and reinvention. Posey’s journey toward self-awareness and Callie Jane’s determination to carve out a future on her own terms offer parallel arcs that feel both personal and universal. The story doesn’t shy away from the messiness of relationships or the pain of letting go, but it ultimately celebrates the power of being true to yourself, no matter the cost.

This is a story with heart, humor, and just enough chaos to keep listeners hooked from start to finish. Elizabeth Bass Parman has crafted a gem of a novel that is as funny as it is touching, a perfect blend of Southern wit and emotional depth. Whether you’re drawn to the outrageous antics of Posey, the earnest struggles of Callie Jane, or the richly drawn tapestry of small-town life, *The Empress of Cooke County* is a five-star listen that will linger long after the final chapter.