Purple State: A Novel

by Dana Perino

The #1 bestselling author, popular Fox News host, and former White House press secretary, Dana Perino, reaches new heights with her first novel—a smart, politically and romantically charged story where red meets blue, and love is never black and white.

Dorothy “Dot” Clark, a buttoned-up PR professional from New York City feels stuck in her career and her love life. At twenty-five, she expected more from her choices. Seizing a chance to follow her passion, she’s sent to Cedar Falls, Wisconsin, a swing district in a swing state that could decide the next presidential election. Joined by her two best friends, Mary and Harper—both excited to escape the city for reasons of their own—Dot quickly discovers that small-town Midwestern life is far outside her urban comfort zone.

Nestled along the banks of the picturesque Cedar Creek, the charming town of Cedar Falls is everything the girls have been missing. The close-knit community takes pride in its cozy cafes, locally brewed beer, family farms, and, of course, the beloved Reader Falls Bookshop. There, Dot meets the mysterious Danny Dawson, a big-hearted, truck-driving guy who follows hockey, not headlines—a man so unlike anyone she’s ever dated that she finds herself falling fast. Mary and Harper, both tired of dating finance bros and influencer wannabes, soon also discover that guys outside New York might just be hotter, smarter, and more grounded than they’d imagined, even if they vote the other way.

But with the campaign heating up, how can Dot find time for Danny when she has a job to do, and what’s the point when she’s going back to New York City after the election? Can love really cross party lines, or will Dot filibuster her own feelings? And who says that two people from opposite sides of the aisle can’t eventually walk down one together?

Dana Perino makes her fiction debut with this witty and delightful romantic comedy—a small-town romance and touching story of self-discovery that asks if choosing love is the best decision after all.

Genres: Fiction

384 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 21, 2026

About the author

Dana Perino is an American political commentator and author. Perino served as the White House Press Secretary for President George W. Bush, where she was the first female press secretary in a Republican administration. She was appointed to the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors in 2010 by President Obama.

Dana Perino currently anchors FOX News Channel’s (FNC) The Daily Briefing with Dana Perino and also serves as co-host of The Five (weekdays 5-6PM/ET). She also hosts a podcast Perino and Stirewalt: I’ll Tell You What.

Reviews

[Nicole Reads Romance]

Can not say FUCK NO to this plot nonsense loud enough. Thinking a man who votes against human rights, against your own bodily autonomy, is attractive AND SMART? In what sane part of the world?!

[Dani (Daniiireads)]

Can love really cross party lines, or will Dot filibuster her own feelings? And who says that two people from opposite sides of the aisle can’t eventually walk down one together?

[Luke Port]

Wth is this

[Steff Fox]

Lmao, imagine using a Fox News career as a selling point for a romantic comedy. As if someone from this background has any business writing a story about a liberal woman falling in love with a Republican (as the blurb implies re: purposeful misuse of various words). 🤢🤮 This woman must be out of her mind.

[nitya]

this book is already a waste of trees because of the plot

[Elizabeth Foss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up Purple State expecting something like a fictionalized origin story of James Carville and Mary Matalin—a sharp, opposites-at-the-podium political romance built around ideological fireworks.
What I got instead was something far gentler.
In her debut novel, Dana Perino offers a light, hopeful romantic comedy set against a political backdrop—but not consumed by it. Yes, there are campaign tensions. Yes, there are red and blue loyalties. There is some insight into how campaigns work, as one would expect from this author. But the heart of this story isn’t partisan combat. It’s about decency. It’s about curiosity. It’s about learning how to see the person across from you as a human being first.
Dorothy “Dot” Clark leaves New York City for Cedar Falls, Wisconsin—a swing district in a swing state—with two best friends in tow. What unfolds isn’t just a political assignment but a season of self-discovery. The small-town setting feels warm and inviting without becoming saccharine, and the friendships among the three women are handled with affection and humor. Each of their storylines—romantic and personal—unfolds in its own way, and I appreciated that Perino gave each one space to breathe.
The romance at the center of the book is sweet rather than steamy, hopeful rather than cynical. The tension doesn’t hinge on caricatured politics but on the deeper question: Can two people who see the world differently choose to love one another anyway? The answer the novel offers is both simple and quietly radical—perhaps what matters most is not winning the argument, but loving well in the “purple.”
It’s a lovely, light book for a time such as this. The focus isn’t red or blue—it’s being good to one another. Even loving one another. Especially in the middle.
I did feel the ending wrapped up a bit quickly, but I found myself willingly buying into the happily-ever-after resolutions. Sometimes you want a story that lets kind hearts prevail. Sometimes you want to believe there’s a town somewhere—real or imagined—where people disagree and still share coffee, laughter, and maybe even a life together.
Purple State is that kind of story. Hopeful. Gentle. And quietly reassuring.
If you’re looking for a rom-com with warmth and a steady belief that civility is still possible, this one will leave you smiling.

I'm very grateful for the review copy I received from NetGalley and Harper Books.

[Samantha (rain.books.and.tea)]

Absolutely not!