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All the Little Houses
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50 copies available
U.S. only
"May Cobb's most explosive book yet. And trust me, that's saying a lot." — Jeneva Rose, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Adults can behave badly too...
It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself… well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble.
Who will be left standing when the dust settles?
From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses.
Adults can behave badly too...
It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself… well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble.
Who will be left standing when the dust settles?
From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses.
471 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication January 20, 2026
19670 people want to read
About the author
May Cobb
9 books1,506 followersMay Cobb is the bestselling author of All The Little Houses and The Hunting Wives, soon to be a series on Netflix. Her previous novels include The Hollywood Assistant, A Likeable Woman, My Summer Darlings, and Big Woods. She earned her MA in literature from San Francisco State University and her essays and interviews have appeared in The Washington Post, Texas Highways, Good Housekeeping, and more. A Texas native, she lives in Austin with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 290 reviews
November 27, 2025
Okay… this book? A total, unapologetic, unhinged thrill ride. Juicy, scandalous, nostalgic, and completely addictive. I know comparisons to The Hunting Wives are inevitable — and yes, I loved that one too — but this book did something different. This time, I didn’t just see the characters… I started casting them in my head like I was running a full-blown HBO pitch meeting by Chapter Three. And once I saw Alexander as Alexander Skarsgård, I couldn’t unsee it. Jackson? Obviously Matt Bomer. Charleigh? Jessica Chastain, no contest. And Abigail? Brianne Howey in her Southern belle prime. I was creating dream casting lists as I read, fully convinced this must be turned into a series.
But before I get carried away fangirling (too late?), let’s get something straight — this isn’t just a book. It’s a moment. It’s sipping frozen margaritas poolside while clutching your Kindle like it holds state secrets. It’s reading in a single sitting because you need to know who ends up dead. It’s the kind of soapy, steamy, Southern drama that makes you feel like you’re watching Dallas reruns with a glass of rosé and no one to judge you.
Set in the 1980s in Longview, Texas — a town as hot with secrets as it is with humidity — the story dives into two families on opposite ends of the social spectrum.
The Andersons are rich, beautiful, and completely rotten under their glossy surface. Swedish heartthrob Alexander, married to drama queen Charleigh, is raising their daughter Nellie — a teenager so unhinged she makes Regina George look chill. Their glamorous life is closely intertwined with Jackson, Charleigh’s gay best friend and interior designer, whose queerness and sophistication make him an outsider in this gossipy town, but also one of the most fascinating characters in the book.
Then there are The Swifts, new to town and ready to shake things up. Abigail is the epitome of old-fashioned Southern virtue — modest dresses, Bible in hand, and a fierce maternal streak. Her husband is straight out of a Western fantasy, and their three daughters are walking contradictions — beautiful, awkward, rebellious, and strange. When Nellie’s obsession with Jane Swift starts unraveling, you know this isn’t just a teen feud — it’s a powder keg.
And that’s just the beginning.
There’s infidelity. Power plays. A possible haunting. Love potions. An explosive murder. (YES.) And the whole thing unspools like the most addictive TV drama never made. I tore through this story like a box of chocolate truffles — unable to stop, completely wrecked by the ending, and practically begging for more.
I screamed when I hit the final page. Not because I was disappointed — but because I need a sequel immediately. There are loose ends flapping in the Texas wind, secrets still buried, and characters I absolutely refuse to say goodbye to. May Cobb, you brilliant sorceress, I need more. Give me more Nellie madness, more slow-burn unraveling, more chaos. Give me book two. Give me everything.
Final thoughts? This book is deliciously wild. A binge-worthy, sun-soaked, margarita-drenched ride through wealth, lies, and small-town revenge. It’s Dynasty meets Desperate Housewives, but with more lipstick-stained prayer books and Southern-fried secrets.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest, wildly enthusiastic thoughts. Y’all, prepare yourself — you won’t want to leave Longview anytime soon.
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But before I get carried away fangirling (too late?), let’s get something straight — this isn’t just a book. It’s a moment. It’s sipping frozen margaritas poolside while clutching your Kindle like it holds state secrets. It’s reading in a single sitting because you need to know who ends up dead. It’s the kind of soapy, steamy, Southern drama that makes you feel like you’re watching Dallas reruns with a glass of rosé and no one to judge you.
Set in the 1980s in Longview, Texas — a town as hot with secrets as it is with humidity — the story dives into two families on opposite ends of the social spectrum.
The Andersons are rich, beautiful, and completely rotten under their glossy surface. Swedish heartthrob Alexander, married to drama queen Charleigh, is raising their daughter Nellie — a teenager so unhinged she makes Regina George look chill. Their glamorous life is closely intertwined with Jackson, Charleigh’s gay best friend and interior designer, whose queerness and sophistication make him an outsider in this gossipy town, but also one of the most fascinating characters in the book.
Then there are The Swifts, new to town and ready to shake things up. Abigail is the epitome of old-fashioned Southern virtue — modest dresses, Bible in hand, and a fierce maternal streak. Her husband is straight out of a Western fantasy, and their three daughters are walking contradictions — beautiful, awkward, rebellious, and strange. When Nellie’s obsession with Jane Swift starts unraveling, you know this isn’t just a teen feud — it’s a powder keg.
And that’s just the beginning.
There’s infidelity. Power plays. A possible haunting. Love potions. An explosive murder. (YES.) And the whole thing unspools like the most addictive TV drama never made. I tore through this story like a box of chocolate truffles — unable to stop, completely wrecked by the ending, and practically begging for more.
I screamed when I hit the final page. Not because I was disappointed — but because I need a sequel immediately. There are loose ends flapping in the Texas wind, secrets still buried, and characters I absolutely refuse to say goodbye to. May Cobb, you brilliant sorceress, I need more. Give me more Nellie madness, more slow-burn unraveling, more chaos. Give me book two. Give me everything.
Final thoughts? This book is deliciously wild. A binge-worthy, sun-soaked, margarita-drenched ride through wealth, lies, and small-town revenge. It’s Dynasty meets Desperate Housewives, but with more lipstick-stained prayer books and Southern-fried secrets.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest, wildly enthusiastic thoughts. Y’all, prepare yourself — you won’t want to leave Longview anytime soon.
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December 16, 2025
This was an extremely addictive thriller! It comes with mystery, an unhinged cast, female rivalry and small town Texas secrets! This book caught my attention right away because of the author! The author, whose name is May Cobb, is the same author that wrote “The Hunting Wives”! This novel is filled with drama and nostalgia! It captured my attention at the very beginning and throughout the story, until the very end. It left me on a cliffhanger, so I am curious if another book is in the works. Will this become into a book series? I guess we will all find out in the future ahead.
The main characters were very unlikable because they all had a sense of entitlement and were very obsessed about their public image. I could not personally relate to them, which is most likely why I found them to be not likable. However, the characters are definitely memorable. They have it set in the mid 1980’s, in a small Texas town. I will say that the setting is atmospheric, it came with vivid descriptions and it really fit well with the storyline. This book came with a clever plot, a well rounded theme, multiple points of views and was really intense at times. I really can see this becoming a movie or a tv series! Her other book, “The Hunting Wives” was made into a series! This author knows how to write a book and I am extremely excited for its publication day! Overall, I give this book a 4.5 stars out of 5.
Thank you to NetGalley, author May Cobb and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be published on January 20, 2026!
The main characters were very unlikable because they all had a sense of entitlement and were very obsessed about their public image. I could not personally relate to them, which is most likely why I found them to be not likable. However, the characters are definitely memorable. They have it set in the mid 1980’s, in a small Texas town. I will say that the setting is atmospheric, it came with vivid descriptions and it really fit well with the storyline. This book came with a clever plot, a well rounded theme, multiple points of views and was really intense at times. I really can see this becoming a movie or a tv series! Her other book, “The Hunting Wives” was made into a series! This author knows how to write a book and I am extremely excited for its publication day! Overall, I give this book a 4.5 stars out of 5.
Thank you to NetGalley, author May Cobb and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC, in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is set to be published on January 20, 2026!
November 24, 2025
Welcome to Texas, where the houses are big and the egos are bigger.
In the mid-1980s in Longview, Texas, the Anderson family reigns over a gilded dynasty of privilege- until their perfect façade begins to crack. Spoiled daughter Nellie always gets what she wants, thanks to her mother, Charleigh, who clawed her way up from the wrong side of East Texas and will stop at nothing to protect her social empire. Then a new family moves into town - the kind with a wholesome veneer and secrets - and Charleigh's world starts to tremble.
Honestly, Regina George has nothing on these people. From mean moms to mean girls, welcome to the world of ultra-rich, entitled, mostly drop-dead gorgeous people bickering, competing, lusting, and straight-up murdering one another under the smoldering Texas sun - and looking perfect while doing so. It's a setup straight out of an unhinged daytime soap (ahem, Dallas; ahem, Dynasty), only more thrilling.
Not surprisingly, "All the Little Houses" reads like a deliciously wicked soap opera. The prologue and a few intermittent chapters flash ahead to a body floating in water, meant to ratchet up tension from the first page. But even though there someone is killed, that takes a backseat to the backstabbing - and with the main storyline being so juicy, you won't even really care about the murder mystery. And while nearly everyone has reason to hate and want to kill nearly everyone else, the final reveal didn't feel very shocking, though I appreciated its abruptness and ambiguity.
Full of morally gray characters, high-society ugliness, and entertaining, over the top storylines, this is the kind of book you'll want to devour by the pool in the summer. The characters lean unabashedly into stereotypes - not helped by the fact that the author draws a lot of inspiration from "Little House on the Prairie" for some of them - but that's part of the fun, though the trad wife, devout-Christian-woman-turned-chakra-teaching, yoni-egg-wielding guru is a stretch.
If you go into this expecting mostly horrible yet incredibly beautiful people who are pretty much caricatures doing mostly horrible things to one another while looking fabulous and drinking like alcohol is going out of style, you will be endlessly entertained by this wild, messy, deliciously crazy ride. With juicy secrets, moral gray zones, and mouthwatering drama in every house, May Cobb knows how to dish. And let’s admit it: just like her previous book "The Hunting Wives", this novel would make for a wonderfully addictive TV show. According to the author interview at the back, there's already a sequel in the works - and I'm absolutely lining up.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"All the Little Houses" is slated to be released on January 20, 2026.
In the mid-1980s in Longview, Texas, the Anderson family reigns over a gilded dynasty of privilege- until their perfect façade begins to crack. Spoiled daughter Nellie always gets what she wants, thanks to her mother, Charleigh, who clawed her way up from the wrong side of East Texas and will stop at nothing to protect her social empire. Then a new family moves into town - the kind with a wholesome veneer and secrets - and Charleigh's world starts to tremble.
Honestly, Regina George has nothing on these people. From mean moms to mean girls, welcome to the world of ultra-rich, entitled, mostly drop-dead gorgeous people bickering, competing, lusting, and straight-up murdering one another under the smoldering Texas sun - and looking perfect while doing so. It's a setup straight out of an unhinged daytime soap (ahem, Dallas; ahem, Dynasty), only more thrilling.
Not surprisingly, "All the Little Houses" reads like a deliciously wicked soap opera. The prologue and a few intermittent chapters flash ahead to a body floating in water, meant to ratchet up tension from the first page. But even though there someone is killed, that takes a backseat to the backstabbing - and with the main storyline being so juicy, you won't even really care about the murder mystery. And while nearly everyone has reason to hate and want to kill nearly everyone else, the final reveal didn't feel very shocking, though I appreciated its abruptness and ambiguity.
Full of morally gray characters, high-society ugliness, and entertaining, over the top storylines, this is the kind of book you'll want to devour by the pool in the summer. The characters lean unabashedly into stereotypes - not helped by the fact that the author draws a lot of inspiration from "Little House on the Prairie" for some of them - but that's part of the fun, though the trad wife, devout-Christian-woman-turned-chakra-teaching, yoni-egg-wielding guru is a stretch.
If you go into this expecting mostly horrible yet incredibly beautiful people who are pretty much caricatures doing mostly horrible things to one another while looking fabulous and drinking like alcohol is going out of style, you will be endlessly entertained by this wild, messy, deliciously crazy ride. With juicy secrets, moral gray zones, and mouthwatering drama in every house, May Cobb knows how to dish. And let’s admit it: just like her previous book "The Hunting Wives", this novel would make for a wonderfully addictive TV show. According to the author interview at the back, there's already a sequel in the works - and I'm absolutely lining up.
Many thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
"All the Little Houses" is slated to be released on January 20, 2026.
November 15, 2025
A highly addictive, soapy train wreck! Where to begin…
Charleigh and her teenage daughter Nellie are the richest family in their small Texas town. Nellie is a bit of a rage monster and regardless of her wealth is an outcast. Adding to the drama a new family, who are poor(gasp!) have just moved into town and immediately draw the wrath of Charleigh and Nellie. Told from several points of view we see the drama unfold.
I was in the mood for a mindless pool read and this delivered! However, that ending! It ended abruptly! Almost too abruptly, as if it was possibly maybe the first in a series? There were just so many loose ends that were left untied. I liked the pieces of the ending we were given, I just was hoping for a little bit more conclusion.
If you’re in the mood for some drama this would be it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
Charleigh and her teenage daughter Nellie are the richest family in their small Texas town. Nellie is a bit of a rage monster and regardless of her wealth is an outcast. Adding to the drama a new family, who are poor(gasp!) have just moved into town and immediately draw the wrath of Charleigh and Nellie. Told from several points of view we see the drama unfold.
I was in the mood for a mindless pool read and this delivered! However, that ending! It ended abruptly! Almost too abruptly, as if it was possibly maybe the first in a series? There were just so many loose ends that were left untied. I liked the pieces of the ending we were given, I just was hoping for a little bit more conclusion.
If you’re in the mood for some drama this would be it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review
December 26, 2025
DNF @ 20% 😭😭
This is all on me. 😅 There is nothing wrong with the writing, the story, or the crazy characters. I guess I’m just not in the mood to read this because I tried to continue multiple times, but I would exit the app and start scrolling. 😭 I never really saw myself as a mood reader, but it’s becoming more and more clear after DNFing several books this year that I am, in fact, a mood reader who doesn’t know how to say no to books. 😂 Which is a shame because this book is actually very interesting, especially with the whole Little House on the Prairie twist that made me want to read this story in the first place, because dang, I love that show. 🤭❤
If you want to read this, please do. Don’t let my low rating scare you from giving this book a read because I’ve heard great things about it from others who finished it. ☺
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
This is all on me. 😅 There is nothing wrong with the writing, the story, or the crazy characters. I guess I’m just not in the mood to read this because I tried to continue multiple times, but I would exit the app and start scrolling. 😭 I never really saw myself as a mood reader, but it’s becoming more and more clear after DNFing several books this year that I am, in fact, a mood reader who doesn’t know how to say no to books. 😂 Which is a shame because this book is actually very interesting, especially with the whole Little House on the Prairie twist that made me want to read this story in the first place, because dang, I love that show. 🤭❤
If you want to read this, please do. Don’t let my low rating scare you from giving this book a read because I’ve heard great things about it from others who finished it. ☺
Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions and statements are my own.
October 21, 2025
Just when I was missing a May Cobb book, she comes and delivers with her best novel yet!
May Cobb is an auto-read author for me since her (now notoriously juicy) book The Hunting Wives got me hooked line and sinker. If you haven't read or seen the Netflix hit show The Hunting Wives, I highly recommend! Ever since then, I have loved all her books since. Seriously, I am the perfect target audience for Cobb's soapy, juicy, bingey reads—and ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES checks all those boxes.
In mid-1980s Longview, Texas, golden girl Nellie Anderson shines at the center of a town ruled by her powerful family, while her mother, Charleigh, once an outcast from the wrong side of East Texas, pulls every ruthless string to ensure her daughter keeps the crown she fought so hard to claim. But when a seemingly perfect, prairie-sweet family arrives and threatens their carefully crafted empire, long-buried grudges and glittering secrets ignite a ruthless battle to see who’s left standing when the dust finally settles.
There's so many characters to love and to love to hate here. If you love Cobb's signature wit and bingeworthy drama, ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES will be right up your alley. This one is definitely my favorite of hers so far, I just couldn't put it down! I was sneaking reads anywhere I could—before bed, at the gym, at work, in the subway, at the DOCTOR'S OFFICE, you name it! Mean Girls meets Little House of the Prairie, you'll surely get your May Cobb fix here. Fans of the Netflix show The Hunting Wives, you've seen nothing yet until you enter the sinister gates of Longview.
MAY COBB RANKINGS:
1. All the Little Houses
2. The Hollywood Assistant
3. The Hunting Wives
4. My Summer Darlings
5. A Likeable Woman
May Cobb is an auto-read author for me since her (now notoriously juicy) book The Hunting Wives got me hooked line and sinker. If you haven't read or seen the Netflix hit show The Hunting Wives, I highly recommend! Ever since then, I have loved all her books since. Seriously, I am the perfect target audience for Cobb's soapy, juicy, bingey reads—and ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES checks all those boxes.
In mid-1980s Longview, Texas, golden girl Nellie Anderson shines at the center of a town ruled by her powerful family, while her mother, Charleigh, once an outcast from the wrong side of East Texas, pulls every ruthless string to ensure her daughter keeps the crown she fought so hard to claim. But when a seemingly perfect, prairie-sweet family arrives and threatens their carefully crafted empire, long-buried grudges and glittering secrets ignite a ruthless battle to see who’s left standing when the dust finally settles.
There's so many characters to love and to love to hate here. If you love Cobb's signature wit and bingeworthy drama, ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES will be right up your alley. This one is definitely my favorite of hers so far, I just couldn't put it down! I was sneaking reads anywhere I could—before bed, at the gym, at work, in the subway, at the DOCTOR'S OFFICE, you name it! Mean Girls meets Little House of the Prairie, you'll surely get your May Cobb fix here. Fans of the Netflix show The Hunting Wives, you've seen nothing yet until you enter the sinister gates of Longview.
MAY COBB RANKINGS:
1. All the Little Houses
2. The Hollywood Assistant
3. The Hunting Wives
4. My Summer Darlings
5. A Likeable Woman
July 29, 2025
All the Little Houses
By: May Cobb
Pub Date: January 20, 2026
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
I have loved every book by Cobb, so I was thrilled to see another one on the horizon. With a node to Nellie… Remember Nellie from Little House on the Prairie? That should be your first clue into her demeanor.
🌾
This story is from the mid 80’s and is located in Longview, Texas.
🌾
The characters are flawed and each hold their own secrets. The vibes including living on the land, trade wife and values with a twist kept me glued to find out what was next. Let me say the ending shocked me, and frankly I can see another Netflix series.
🌾
Cobb is on a roll and her books are ones I know will give me several hours of avoiding daily life, lol.
🌾
You must read the author notes with her thoughts about Little House on the Prairie. This was and still is one of my favorite shows.
By: May Cobb
Pub Date: January 20, 2026
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
I have loved every book by Cobb, so I was thrilled to see another one on the horizon. With a node to Nellie… Remember Nellie from Little House on the Prairie? That should be your first clue into her demeanor.
🌾
This story is from the mid 80’s and is located in Longview, Texas.
🌾
The characters are flawed and each hold their own secrets. The vibes including living on the land, trade wife and values with a twist kept me glued to find out what was next. Let me say the ending shocked me, and frankly I can see another Netflix series.
🌾
Cobb is on a roll and her books are ones I know will give me several hours of avoiding daily life, lol.
🌾
You must read the author notes with her thoughts about Little House on the Prairie. This was and still is one of my favorite shows.
Want to read
July 23, 2025ARC SECURED FUCK IT UP
July 31, 2025
A small town in Texas, in the late 90’s. The have’s and the have-nots. Closeted gay guys. Con artists. Infidelities. Drunk and high teenagers. Bible thumpers.
In many ways, this book is a tremendous amount of fun. It’s campy. It’s a big old soap opera. The characters are one dimensional and also full of secrets. What a ride.
It’s also just a bit too ridiculous. I rolled my eyes so far back in my head that I lost my balance.
But if this became a show on Netflix, I’d hit “add to watch list” so fast…
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Book to be published January 18, 2026.
In many ways, this book is a tremendous amount of fun. It’s campy. It’s a big old soap opera. The characters are one dimensional and also full of secrets. What a ride.
It’s also just a bit too ridiculous. I rolled my eyes so far back in my head that I lost my balance.
But if this became a show on Netflix, I’d hit “add to watch list” so fast…
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC. Book to be published January 18, 2026.
August 20, 2025
ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES delivers a gripping, darkly entertaining look at a toxic mother-daughter relationship like you've never seen before. Told in May Cobb’s signature multi-POV style, the story takes the reader to East Texas in the ’80s, where “small town drama” is an understatement.
An homage to Little House on the Prairie, Cobb's novel follows Nellie, the spoiled little rich bitch that gets anything and everything her heart desires, her mother Charleigh, a woman who worked her way to the top of society; Charleigh's gay best friend Jackson, the local interior decorator and in my opinion the most memorable character in the book; and then the new family in town- the Swifts...wholesome country living normal family with a dad that makes furniture and a mom that sells homemade love potions. Their arrival stirs up all kinds of drama in the town.
May Cobb’s sharp, wisecracking dialogue is packed with hilarious one-liners that had me laughing out loud and sometimes clutching my sides. You’ll often find yourself thinking, “Did she really just say that… to her mother??” The story moves with a perfect blend of tension, sass, and humor, and just when you think she's ready to wrap it up with a bow, the ending hits with a jaw-dropping twist you won’t see coming - and leaves you desperate for more.
May Cobb does what she does best... ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES is full of jaw dropping bitchyness; sharp, biting character dynamics and dark humor. It is a must read!
An homage to Little House on the Prairie, Cobb's novel follows Nellie, the spoiled little rich bitch that gets anything and everything her heart desires, her mother Charleigh, a woman who worked her way to the top of society; Charleigh's gay best friend Jackson, the local interior decorator and in my opinion the most memorable character in the book; and then the new family in town- the Swifts...wholesome country living normal family with a dad that makes furniture and a mom that sells homemade love potions. Their arrival stirs up all kinds of drama in the town.
May Cobb’s sharp, wisecracking dialogue is packed with hilarious one-liners that had me laughing out loud and sometimes clutching my sides. You’ll often find yourself thinking, “Did she really just say that… to her mother??” The story moves with a perfect blend of tension, sass, and humor, and just when you think she's ready to wrap it up with a bow, the ending hits with a jaw-dropping twist you won’t see coming - and leaves you desperate for more.
May Cobb does what she does best... ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES is full of jaw dropping bitchyness; sharp, biting character dynamics and dark humor. It is a must read!
August 1, 2025
I had such a fun time with Cobb’s The Hunting Wives a few years ago but nothing she’s released since has scratched that same itch until now. I’m so happy to report that this book was just what i needed right now! It was fun and so bingeable, full of unlikeable and unreliable narrators (even though two of the main narrators are teens, it never felt too YA), Cobb does soapy southern drama so well. It’s a bit of a slow burn in terms of the mystery but i was never bored because these characters and their antics were so entertaining, and the twists at the end paid off.
December 22, 2025
Reading a story from several unlikable characters perspectives is…interesting. I was completely engrossed in the story, but I was rooting for no one. Now, you may be able to find one or some of these characters are redeemable or relatable but alas I could not. Yet I couldn’t put the book down. Really, if you want to read from a bunch of villains POV this is the book for you. It’s definitely different and unique! Very much a drama with a splash of mystery.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
August 17, 2025
Wow! What an addicting frickin story! I thought Nellie’s character was so interesting and complex and I kinda felt for her but also hated her sometimes too! Bullying is a real problem and it can definitely cause a lot of emotional stress on a young person. Jackson’s character was really endearing he’s such a loyal character but he gets used so much by Charleigh, who is so selfish, that it gets infuriating! Charleigh is also a complex character with her upbringing and now being the wealthiest in their small town. I’m not sure how I feel about Jane, I think she deserves more credit than I gave her but she definitely had quite a bit going on! THAT ENDING. I was about to be angry but I read in the author interview that a sequel is coming so , I’m VERY excited for that!!!! Definite recommend it has all the misbehaving rich people you could ask for with plenty of secrets and sneaky plots to keep you entertained and reading to the end!
August 1, 2025
After reading The Hunting Wives and hearing all the chatter about the new series it was based on, I was really excited to take on May Cobbs’ upcoming novel.
That excitement faded rather quickly.
None (and I literally mean none) of the characters were likable and all (and I literally mean all) of the characters were one- dimensional stereotypes (I.e. the slut, the bad mom) who seemed to display no internal/external motivation for their actions other than playing the role in which they were cast.
I get that this was supposed to be a salacious, soap opera style novel but the writing was so terse it bordered on cringy. And as someone who has watched Days of our Lives since seventh grade, the soap opera goal was missed by a mile.
On top of this, it ended very abruptly without wrapping up the storylines for eighty percent of the characters.
What I had hoped would be a fun summer thriller, ended up being light on the thrills and fun and heavy on disappointment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing this ARC for my honest opinion.
That excitement faded rather quickly.
None (and I literally mean none) of the characters were likable and all (and I literally mean all) of the characters were one- dimensional stereotypes (I.e. the slut, the bad mom) who seemed to display no internal/external motivation for their actions other than playing the role in which they were cast.
I get that this was supposed to be a salacious, soap opera style novel but the writing was so terse it bordered on cringy. And as someone who has watched Days of our Lives since seventh grade, the soap opera goal was missed by a mile.
On top of this, it ended very abruptly without wrapping up the storylines for eighty percent of the characters.
What I had hoped would be a fun summer thriller, ended up being light on the thrills and fun and heavy on disappointment.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing this ARC for my honest opinion.
August 18, 2025
It’s official: if May Cobb writes it, I will read it. Perfect scandalous summer read. This book had me flying through the pages desperate to know how it would end. 4.5 stars. Immediately went out and bought another one of her books.
All the little houses is a steamy summer read about wealthy families in small town Texas and a peculiar new family that’s taking the town by storm. May Cobb writes characters who are impossible to like but addictive to the reader. This book provides a glimpse into the not so glamorous lives of Texas's elite. If you’re a fan of Desperate Housewives you will devour All the Little Houses!
December 19, 2025
bruh what happened to the rest of the book 💀 I fear this was the most abrupt ending to a novel I’ve ever read - I swear, I turned the page and it was over… and I said, am I missing something (reader: I was not 🫠)
may cobb writes very unlikable characters, usually with only sex and murder on their minds, and I’m typically here for it - but man, I wasn’t sure who I was rooting for with everyone’s hidden agendas
charleigh and nellie are determined to stay on top in their social circles, and like mother like daughter, they certainly don’t hold back when it comes to holding their rich titles 🫣 meanwhile, jane just wanted to get out of her psychotic family’s drama and her fate is just left in the air at the end ugh
I seriously was so invested in this messy texas real housewives drama, until I realized the entire book ended in the middle of a chapter with absolutely no resolution - and no real reasoning for the actions at the end other than a “shock factor” from the author 🥴
thank you to sourcebooks landmarked for the advanced copy!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: spanish cava sparkling wine
may cobb writes very unlikable characters, usually with only sex and murder on their minds, and I’m typically here for it - but man, I wasn’t sure who I was rooting for with everyone’s hidden agendas
charleigh and nellie are determined to stay on top in their social circles, and like mother like daughter, they certainly don’t hold back when it comes to holding their rich titles 🫣 meanwhile, jane just wanted to get out of her psychotic family’s drama and her fate is just left in the air at the end ugh
I seriously was so invested in this messy texas real housewives drama, until I realized the entire book ended in the middle of a chapter with absolutely no resolution - and no real reasoning for the actions at the end other than a “shock factor” from the author 🥴
thank you to sourcebooks landmarked for the advanced copy!
rating: 2 stars
wine pairing: spanish cava sparkling wine
August 10, 2025
This book was a steamy scandal filled romp set in 1980s east Texas. May Cobb has perfected small town love to hate them characters. Once I got started I could not put this one down. I can already see the Netflix poster and trailer. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
September 11, 2025
4.5 rounded up
Mean girls, Southern Style. I didn't like any of the characters. I had to see who would mess up who the most.
Mean girls, Southern Style. I didn't like any of the characters. I had to see who would mess up who the most.
December 4, 2025
One of my favorite thrillers I've ever read and the best May Cobb to date!
September 2, 2025
Wow… I really did not like this book. I felt like nothing was happening for the first 70% of the book. Nothing really happened until Blair got hurt and then all of a sudden the book was moving full speed ahead towards a wall?? It felt like there was so much scandal for the sake of scandal, but none of it lead anywhere. So many plot lines that were left unfinished. I genuinely thought that there were pages left out of this ARC. Maybe Mary Cobb’s writing style isn’t for me?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2025
3.5⭐️ So many unlikeable characters, so much scandal and salaciousness! May Cobb put her foot on the pedal and did not slow down until the last page. She’s now giving us a breather while she writes the sequel and phew, I need it! This is fast-paced, despite the page count, and engaging throughout with characters you will love to hate. I would liken this to Mean Girls meets Dallas and it’s a rollicking good time.
If you are looking for a story that has plenty of secrets and lies, bomb drops, and twists you didn’t see coming, this is the book for you. It will have you turning pages like it’s your job!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is January 20, 2026.
If you are looking for a story that has plenty of secrets and lies, bomb drops, and twists you didn’t see coming, this is the book for you. It will have you turning pages like it’s your job!
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review. Pub date is January 20, 2026.
August 9, 2025
No one writes rich b*tches like May Cobb!You can always count on May to serve up a platter of scandal, the most unlikeable characters you'll ever meet, and a trainwreck of drama you can't pull your eyes away from. I stayed up late to finish this one because it was SO juicy and I needed answers.
Thank you NetGalley for this arc!
Thank you NetGalley for this arc!
November 28, 2025
This psychological thriller was constant entertainment, between the middle-aged mean girl, Charleigh, her angsty, social outcast daughter, shifty, sunshiny hippy girl, and the mystery man about town and their strange back stories. There’s never a dull moment in this book, as the author keeps us guessing. I enjoyed the suspense and the misdirection, but felt the conclusion failed to satisfy all that the author built. Hopefully, that will be addressed in the final revision process. I did really enjoy the book. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
August 16, 2025
This is a wild ride. It’s brilliant, it’s juicy, and it’s filled with the abhorrent behavior of the entitled rich folk who will get what they want no matter who they hurt in the process.
Longview, Texas is the home of Charleigh Anderson, her gorgeous husband, and her spoiled brat of a daughter, Nellie. They live a life of spoils and reign supreme, until a new family moves in. The Swifts are poor, prefer to live off the land, and their presence shakes up the hierarchy in Longview. Secrets abound, cliques are shattered and everyone turns into a mean girl to get what they want.
This book is wildly entertaining with characters you’ll love to hate. It has everything that makes a book worth reading - dark humor, a fast pace and a brilliant plot. I was thrilled to hear that a sequel is coming.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reader copy of this 5-star book.
Longview, Texas is the home of Charleigh Anderson, her gorgeous husband, and her spoiled brat of a daughter, Nellie. They live a life of spoils and reign supreme, until a new family moves in. The Swifts are poor, prefer to live off the land, and their presence shakes up the hierarchy in Longview. Secrets abound, cliques are shattered and everyone turns into a mean girl to get what they want.
This book is wildly entertaining with characters you’ll love to hate. It has everything that makes a book worth reading - dark humor, a fast pace and a brilliant plot. I was thrilled to hear that a sequel is coming.
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced reader copy of this 5-star book.
October 4, 2025
One of the worst books I’ve ever read. 🤷🏻♀️
Not a single redeemable mofo in this book.
A flock of superficial, entitled, hateful, shallow, weirdo asshole psychopaths. The adults and children alike.
The whole thing, outlandishly implausible.
And the questions left unanswered… don’t even get me started 😑
FM fans will enjoy this.
Not a single redeemable mofo in this book.
A flock of superficial, entitled, hateful, shallow, weirdo asshole psychopaths. The adults and children alike.
The whole thing, outlandishly implausible.
And the questions left unanswered… don’t even get me started 😑
FM fans will enjoy this.
August 7, 2025
“All the Little Houses” by May Cobb is a mean mom’s drama with even meaner daughters! It has the classic small town Texas cast where everybody knows everyone, along side the super rich families colliding with the “don’t mess with the poor girl”plot. The author has crafted a murder mystery that has plenty of intrigue, social status, secrets and pathological characters. I found the book entertaining and quite sassy until the very abrupt ending which left me feeling unsatisfied. My three star rating is because I felt the book was unfinished without any notice of there being a sequel.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Landmark for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
September 9, 2025
All the Little Houses has all the salasious, soap opera-esque goodness I've come to know and love from May Cobb's books. However, I found myself not enjoying this one as much as her others. With the perspectives of several teens, this felt more YA than adult. There was still plenty of drama and twists along the way, though, that made this a fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2025
I don’t like giving bad reviews but this was simply…not good. The writing style was cringey, the ending unbelievable and so abrupt I thought I was missing pages, the characters so one-dimensional and unlikeable (minus Jackson). The only things I liked were the setting (1980s east Texas) and the references to Little House on the Prairie.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
September 7, 2025
This was all over the place, and just… not good at all
July 17, 2025
𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐡*𝐭, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐰𝐧𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞, 𝐥𝐮𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞.
This is May Cobb in all her decadent, salacious glory, but it's unlike anything she's done before! Imagine a love letter to 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒆 but set in the 80s and written in a Burn Book. This book just became my entire personality, and if you haven't pre-ordered yet, what are you even doing?
Not much happens in the tiny town of Longview, Texas, but Nellie Anderson prefers it that way so she can remain the center of attention. While she's not a stunner, she's reasonably attractive, but where she really shines is her personality--wait, no. Nellie does NOT light a room. In fact, the room gets dimmer when she enters. People give her a wide berth, and she always gets what she wants. When she hits a roadblock, that's where her mother Charleigh comes in. Charleigh knows full well that her daughter is a nightmare, but with memories of growing up poor and being labeled an outcast, she's eager to give Nellie the very best.
Charleigh, her husband, and Nellie are considered Texas royalty, and everyone wants to be on their good side. They throw the best parties, all designed by Charleigh's best friend, interior designer Jackson, who quickly became one of my very favorite characters. Their good life is disrupted by the arrival of a new family to the Texas prairie, the Swifts. They are living the simple life with traditional roles, living off the land with their two teenage daughters and hawking their handmade furniture and love potions. Nellie despises their daughter Jane, who comes in with her simple handmade clothing and natural sun-kissed beauty and steals center stage from Nellie.
The intensity heats up when the Swifts begin getting more and more attention from the locals and Charleigh realizes that Texas just isn't big enough for both of them. What follows is an absolutely diabolical, deftly plotted story about mean girls and even meaner moms and all the secrets they try so desperately to keep tucked away in their little houses. The dialogue is absolutely loaded with malice, venom, and sass--all the things that girls are made of, right? You are in for SUCH a huge treat with this book, and the ending had me hyperventilating! You better read those author's notes if you want to know a secret! So many thanks to Sourcebooks for providing me a copy of this absolute stunner. Pre-order now and get this on release date, January 20, 2026.
This is May Cobb in all her decadent, salacious glory, but it's unlike anything she's done before! Imagine a love letter to 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒆 but set in the 80s and written in a Burn Book. This book just became my entire personality, and if you haven't pre-ordered yet, what are you even doing?
Not much happens in the tiny town of Longview, Texas, but Nellie Anderson prefers it that way so she can remain the center of attention. While she's not a stunner, she's reasonably attractive, but where she really shines is her personality--wait, no. Nellie does NOT light a room. In fact, the room gets dimmer when she enters. People give her a wide berth, and she always gets what she wants. When she hits a roadblock, that's where her mother Charleigh comes in. Charleigh knows full well that her daughter is a nightmare, but with memories of growing up poor and being labeled an outcast, she's eager to give Nellie the very best.
Charleigh, her husband, and Nellie are considered Texas royalty, and everyone wants to be on their good side. They throw the best parties, all designed by Charleigh's best friend, interior designer Jackson, who quickly became one of my very favorite characters. Their good life is disrupted by the arrival of a new family to the Texas prairie, the Swifts. They are living the simple life with traditional roles, living off the land with their two teenage daughters and hawking their handmade furniture and love potions. Nellie despises their daughter Jane, who comes in with her simple handmade clothing and natural sun-kissed beauty and steals center stage from Nellie.
The intensity heats up when the Swifts begin getting more and more attention from the locals and Charleigh realizes that Texas just isn't big enough for both of them. What follows is an absolutely diabolical, deftly plotted story about mean girls and even meaner moms and all the secrets they try so desperately to keep tucked away in their little houses. The dialogue is absolutely loaded with malice, venom, and sass--all the things that girls are made of, right? You are in for SUCH a huge treat with this book, and the ending had me hyperventilating! You better read those author's notes if you want to know a secret! So many thanks to Sourcebooks for providing me a copy of this absolute stunner. Pre-order now and get this on release date, January 20, 2026.
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