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All the Little Houses
"May Cobb’s most explosive book yet. And trust me, that’s saying a lot." — Jeneva Rose
"Nobody does explosive and twisted like May Cobb does it." —Lisa Jewell
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.
"Nobody does explosive and twisted like May Cobb does it." —Lisa Jewell
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.
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First published January 20, 2026
847 people are currently reading
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About the author
May Cobb
7 books1,663 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 862 reviews
January 26, 2026
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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January 20, 2026
the ending rufkm!!!!! she’s writing a sequel and i need it NOW!!!!
if you liked THE HUNTING WIVES (book or tv show), you need to pick this up! this book is like that one, with more small town Texas drama meets rich people behaving sooooo badly. and a shocking ending that you won’t see coming!!! yall know i love it when my thrillers end a bit unhinged and not all wrapped up and this one delivered!
it was sooooo fun to binge, i finished it in two sittings and couldn’t believe how some of these characters behaved 😳😳😳😳
i think this one is best to go in blind but expect wildddd behavior and a grand ole time! you will certainly be entertained 🤠🔪
if you liked THE HUNTING WIVES (book or tv show), you need to pick this up! this book is like that one, with more small town Texas drama meets rich people behaving sooooo badly. and a shocking ending that you won’t see coming!!! yall know i love it when my thrillers end a bit unhinged and not all wrapped up and this one delivered!
it was sooooo fun to binge, i finished it in two sittings and couldn’t believe how some of these characters behaved 😳😳😳😳
i think this one is best to go in blind but expect wildddd behavior and a grand ole time! you will certainly be entertained 🤠🔪
February 1, 2026
Give me a second while I catch my breath now that I’ve finished reading… A mix of domestic drama and slow-boiling thriller, All the Little Houses had me under its thrall from beginning to end. With delicious dark secrets and truly f***ed-up families, this gossipy small town was like a tinderbox ready to explode at the drop of a pin. You see, not only were there two generations of frenemy groups battling it out, but a new oddball family had just arrived on the scene and took the already complex group dynamics and sent it over the edge. Messy, unlikeable, and yet also everything I love, this unputdownable book had some of the best drama-fueled Southern belles and beaus that I’ve ever seen. Well, at least since I read Cobb’s last juicy novel. I mean, IYKYK, but she is the queen of writing books about intrigue and scandal that you’ll want to inhale.
Done and dusted, with short, addictive chapters, multiple distinct POVs, and plenty of evocative 1980s nostalgia, I fell in love with the plot, characters, and setting in no time at all. Taking place in a small Texas town, the vivid descriptions and down-home colloquialisms came together for quite the atmospheric feel. Add in the “WTF?!” ending that made me want to throw my book at the wall, and I knew that this masterful storyteller had done it again. After all, not only did it finish with a doozy of a cliffhanger, but it was one heck of a shocking jaw-dropper as well. Even before that, though, the ratcheting pace and explosive last third meant that it was impossible to put down. So if you’re a fan of Desperate Housewives or simply love morally gray characters, twisty plotting, and spicy drama, go order your copy while I pray for a sequel. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
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?
Thank you May Cobb, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: January 20, 2026
Content warning: sex, infidelity, drug and alcohol use, violence
Done and dusted, with short, addictive chapters, multiple distinct POVs, and plenty of evocative 1980s nostalgia, I fell in love with the plot, characters, and setting in no time at all. Taking place in a small Texas town, the vivid descriptions and down-home colloquialisms came together for quite the atmospheric feel. Add in the “WTF?!” ending that made me want to throw my book at the wall, and I knew that this masterful storyteller had done it again. After all, not only did it finish with a doozy of a cliffhanger, but it was one heck of a shocking jaw-dropper as well. Even before that, though, the ratcheting pace and explosive last third meant that it was impossible to put down. So if you’re a fan of Desperate Housewives or simply love morally gray characters, twisty plotting, and spicy drama, go order your copy while I pray for a sequel. Rating of 4.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
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?
Thank you May Cobb, Sourcebooks Landmark, and NetGalley for my complimentary digital and physical copies. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: January 20, 2026
Content warning: sex, infidelity, drug and alcohol use, violence
did-not-finish
February 1, 2026DNF @ 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.
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!
January 20, 2026
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
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.
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
January 23, 2026
4.5 STARS
I can't even with this book. I read it in 48 hours and it would of been quicker if I could of avoided my real life.
This was set in Texas and the saying "everything is bigger in Texas" seems to be at play. A drummed down scenario of the 1980s version of "Desperate Housewives". Esprit, landline phone lines, Sun-In conditioner for your hair? Does this mean I am old? :)
These characters are all behaving badly and not sure there is a redeemable quality in any of them. This is just a fun read, take it lightly, laugh a little. The cherry on top is the ending, which is fantastic.
One thought about this book? Why this title?
I can't even with this book. I read it in 48 hours and it would of been quicker if I could of avoided my real life.
This was set in Texas and the saying "everything is bigger in Texas" seems to be at play. A drummed down scenario of the 1980s version of "Desperate Housewives". Esprit, landline phone lines, Sun-In conditioner for your hair? Does this mean I am old? :)
These characters are all behaving badly and not sure there is a redeemable quality in any of them. This is just a fun read, take it lightly, laugh a little. The cherry on top is the ending, which is fantastic.
One thought about this book? Why this title?
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.
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Cobb is on a roll and her books are ones I know will give me several hours of avoiding daily life, lol.
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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.
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.
January 8, 2026
All the Little Houses by May Cobb is sinfully fun, wickedly delicious, and completely unhinged in the best way. Set in the sweltering heat of 1980s East Texas, this story drops you into a small town where everyone is watching everyone else—and absolutely no one is behaving well. Told through multiple POVs in short, addictive chapters, the book reads like whispered gossip passed across a backyard fence, except every secret is darker, messier, and more scandalous than the last. It opens with a body floating in the water and keeps you deliciously unsettled by refusing to tell you who’s dead until the very end.
At the center of it all is Charleigh Anderson: beautiful, ruthless, and determined to protect the social empire she clawed her way into. When a seemingly wholesome, prairie kissed family arrives in town—trad wife vibes, woodworking dad, perfect daughter—the carefully curated hierarchy of Longview starts to crack. What follows is a soapy, twisty spiral of jealousy, power plays, sexual tension, and morally gray decisions, where mothers and daughters alike prove that adults can behave very badly. Everyone is messy. Everyone has secrets. And watching it all implode is pure reading pleasure.
This book is juicy, gossipy, and wildly addictive, equal parts scandal and suspense. The 1980s setting adds a sticky, sunburned intensity that amplifies every bad decision, and the pacing never lets up. And that final sentence? Absolute perfection. The kind that makes you stare at the wall afterward and immediately demand more. I would happily read ten sequels about these terrible, fascinating people and their beautifully disastrous lives.
Want to read
July 23, 2025ARC SECURED FUCK IT UP
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.
February 8, 2026
This book was a five star read for me! Books that I rate 5 stars make me feel deeply and stay in my mind for an extended time. I will be over on my social channels discussing this book and all the others!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Out January 20
I’ve inhaled most of May Cobb’s books at this point, but “The Hunting Wives” still hits the top spot. I even roped my husband into binging the series with me. Now I’m impatiently waiting for season two to drop.
Thank you to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark for the NetGalley copy. All opinions are my own.
“All the Little Houses” may not top my list, but it still kept me flipping pages. Cobb explores messy mother-daughter drama, the cruelty and jealousy that can surface among teenage girls, and the wild antics of the wealthy who always seem to slip away unscathed. You probably won’t want to grab coffee with anyone in this book, but that’s exactly what makes it such a juicy read.
This one unfolds at a slower pace, more like a scenic train ride than a rollercoaster. I usually crave thrillers that leave me breathless, but I still enjoyed the journey. With a few mysteries left dangling, I’m crossing my fingers for a sequel so I can watch those threads finally come together.
#AlltheLittleHouses #MayCobb #SourcebooksLandmark #SlowBurn #ComingSoon
I’ve inhaled most of May Cobb’s books at this point, but “The Hunting Wives” still hits the top spot. I even roped my husband into binging the series with me. Now I’m impatiently waiting for season two to drop.
Thank you to the author and Sourcebooks Landmark for the NetGalley copy. All opinions are my own.
“All the Little Houses” may not top my list, but it still kept me flipping pages. Cobb explores messy mother-daughter drama, the cruelty and jealousy that can surface among teenage girls, and the wild antics of the wealthy who always seem to slip away unscathed. You probably won’t want to grab coffee with anyone in this book, but that’s exactly what makes it such a juicy read.
This one unfolds at a slower pace, more like a scenic train ride than a rollercoaster. I usually crave thrillers that leave me breathless, but I still enjoyed the journey. With a few mysteries left dangling, I’m crossing my fingers for a sequel so I can watch those threads finally come together.
#AlltheLittleHouses #MayCobb #SourcebooksLandmark #SlowBurn #ComingSoon
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
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 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 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!
February 3, 2026
Set in mid-80s Longview, Texas, this story dives into a world where appearances matter and secrets run deep!
Charleigh Anderson is a ruthless, self-made social queen who will do anything to protect her status. When a seemingly “wholesome” family moves in and threatens the neighborhood’s delicate power balance, Charleigh knows they’re hiding something—and she’s ready to expose it.
This was such a guilty pleasure! It’s a little naughty and packed with triggers like infidelity, power plays, backstabbing, and even love potions. The characters are exaggerated but endlessly entertaining, and while the pace slows at times, I was completely hooked by the drama and twists.
From the very beginning, we know a murder has occurred—we just don’t know who the victim is or who did it, and that mystery isn’t revealed until the very end. My only critique is that I wish there had been more focus on the murder itself, adding a tiny bit more of a mystery element to this one overall. Still, the shocking final reveal had me flummoxed and wanting more, making this a fun, addictive thriller that kept me turning pages!
If you were a fan of this author's debut novel, The Hunting Wives, this one is definitely in the same wheelhouse and maybe even naughtier, and in my opinion one of her better novels, and I highly recommend it. What a phenomenal way to start 2026!!
Charleigh Anderson is a ruthless, self-made social queen who will do anything to protect her status. When a seemingly “wholesome” family moves in and threatens the neighborhood’s delicate power balance, Charleigh knows they’re hiding something—and she’s ready to expose it.
This was such a guilty pleasure! It’s a little naughty and packed with triggers like infidelity, power plays, backstabbing, and even love potions. The characters are exaggerated but endlessly entertaining, and while the pace slows at times, I was completely hooked by the drama and twists.
From the very beginning, we know a murder has occurred—we just don’t know who the victim is or who did it, and that mystery isn’t revealed until the very end. My only critique is that I wish there had been more focus on the murder itself, adding a tiny bit more of a mystery element to this one overall. Still, the shocking final reveal had me flummoxed and wanting more, making this a fun, addictive thriller that kept me turning pages!
If you were a fan of this author's debut novel, The Hunting Wives, this one is definitely in the same wheelhouse and maybe even naughtier, and in my opinion one of her better novels, and I highly recommend it. What a phenomenal way to start 2026!!
January 19, 2026
Loved this super messy, very wild book!
Thought I knew all the things (was very wrong), and I need this to be a series asap! This would make for some spicy tv and I’d watch every single episode.
If you loved THE HUNTING WIVES, you’ll for sure love this…..and dare I say you might love it even more?!?
It’s juicy, it’s gossipy, it’s wildly insane especially for the 1980s setting. 🤭😂
SO GOOD 👏🏼🔥
May, please tell me you have more stories coming asap!!
Thought I knew all the things (was very wrong), and I need this to be a series asap! This would make for some spicy tv and I’d watch every single episode.
If you loved THE HUNTING WIVES, you’ll for sure love this…..and dare I say you might love it even more?!?
It’s juicy, it’s gossipy, it’s wildly insane especially for the 1980s setting. 🤭😂
SO GOOD 👏🏼🔥
May, please tell me you have more stories coming asap!!
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.
January 20, 2026
I was all set to give this book 4 stars-I gobbled it up in like 2 days. But that ending! WTH?
If the Huntng Wives and Little House on the Prairie had a baby it would be this story and am here for it it is set in the 80s in Texas where the town is as full of secrets as it is heat and & dives into families or both ends of the social ladder. Alexander and Charleigh Anderson are rich, super social and horrible underneath their shiny exterior. They are raising ther daughter Nellie to be just as awful. Charleigh’s best friend and interior designer Jackson brings a sophistication
the town but also makes him an outsider
At the other end are the Swifts who have moved to town recently and are the epitome of old fashioned values. Abigail makes her own potions and dresses modesty while working the farm and her husband Ethan is a gorgeous woodworker who is helping her raise their three very different daughters
When Jane Swift soon takes over in popularity from Nelle, Nelle isnt having it and a feud begins, only it doesn’t just happen between them, it takes over them all
This book is binge worthy wild and filled with Dynasty worthy moments just wished the ending was diferent but buckle up and enjoy the ride
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NotGalley for the eArc in exchange for my review
If the Huntng Wives and Little House on the Prairie had a baby it would be this story and am here for it it is set in the 80s in Texas where the town is as full of secrets as it is heat and & dives into families or both ends of the social ladder. Alexander and Charleigh Anderson are rich, super social and horrible underneath their shiny exterior. They are raising ther daughter Nellie to be just as awful. Charleigh’s best friend and interior designer Jackson brings a sophistication
the town but also makes him an outsider
At the other end are the Swifts who have moved to town recently and are the epitome of old fashioned values. Abigail makes her own potions and dresses modesty while working the farm and her husband Ethan is a gorgeous woodworker who is helping her raise their three very different daughters
When Jane Swift soon takes over in popularity from Nelle, Nelle isnt having it and a feud begins, only it doesn’t just happen between them, it takes over them all
This book is binge worthy wild and filled with Dynasty worthy moments just wished the ending was diferent but buckle up and enjoy the ride
Thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark and NotGalley for the eArc in exchange for my review
January 14, 2026
First DNF of the year ✨ Got to the 21% mark and couldn’t force myself to finish it. The writing was very… abrupt? It read like a 90s southern soap opera but not in a fun enough way for me to want to stick with it. Turns out I don’t really care about rick people behaving badly. The plot was also taking forever to build so… on to the next. Bummed too bc I got this as a physical arc from the publisher.
February 9, 2026
This is an addictive and juicy drama about a mother and daughter who are self-absorbed, manipulative bullies who exude mean girl energy. When Nellie complains to her mother, Charleigh, about the new girl—Jane Swift—stealing attention and Nellie's best friend, Charleigh decides to "handle" the situation for her. Jane's mother, Abigail, is also making quite the stir among social circles with her homemade oils, soaps, and "love potions," so Charleigh digs for dirt on the entire family.
There isn't much suspense aside from the brief anonymous POV character dealing with a dead body (which isn't too hard to figure out). It's like 'Little House on the Prairie' if everyone in the town was as nasty as Nellie Oleson; even the Swift family is not what they appear to be. Ultimately, the story was too salacious for my taste, and there's quite a bit of foul language throughout. I’m less concerned about who is sleeping with whom and more interested in dead bodies. Despite the lack of intensity or likeable characters, I couldn't stop reading; it's like watching a car crash you can't look away from—the epitome of a guilty pleasure. The toxic frenemies, bad boys, and relentless pursuit of personal agendas were quite attention-grabbing.
I did a combo read with the audiobook, which elevated my reading experience immensely! Malin Akerman, Allyson Ryan, Alexandra Hunter, and James Fouhey added ambiance and atmosphere with their flawless intonations, Texas accents, and evocative performances. The all-star cast of narrators is beyond fantastic.
If you love dishy soap-opera-esque stories, with characters you'll love to hate, a devious villain, and a conclusion that will leave you wanting more, ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES is for you!
____
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Sourcebooks Audio for my gifted copies. All opinons are my own.
There isn't much suspense aside from the brief anonymous POV character dealing with a dead body (which isn't too hard to figure out). It's like 'Little House on the Prairie' if everyone in the town was as nasty as Nellie Oleson; even the Swift family is not what they appear to be. Ultimately, the story was too salacious for my taste, and there's quite a bit of foul language throughout. I’m less concerned about who is sleeping with whom and more interested in dead bodies. Despite the lack of intensity or likeable characters, I couldn't stop reading; it's like watching a car crash you can't look away from—the epitome of a guilty pleasure. The toxic frenemies, bad boys, and relentless pursuit of personal agendas were quite attention-grabbing.
I did a combo read with the audiobook, which elevated my reading experience immensely! Malin Akerman, Allyson Ryan, Alexandra Hunter, and James Fouhey added ambiance and atmosphere with their flawless intonations, Texas accents, and evocative performances. The all-star cast of narrators is beyond fantastic.
If you love dishy soap-opera-esque stories, with characters you'll love to hate, a devious villain, and a conclusion that will leave you wanting more, ALL THE LITTLE HOUSES is for you!
____
Thank you Sourcebooks Landmark and Sourcebooks Audio for my gifted copies. All opinons are my own.
January 20, 2026
5 stars!! WHOLLY MOLY is this packed full of surprises.. it's a WILD ride so hold on to your seat!! Set in mid 1980’s in Longview, Texas..
May Cobb ramps up her writing giving readers front row tickets into the juicy lives of the ultra-rich where rivalry, status, lust, public persona, secrets and scandal are played on-screen daily. When the Swift family move into the enclave, Charleigh + Nellie Anderson are consumed with jealousy. From the start Charleigh hates them + daughter Nellie’s obsession with Jane Swift takes center stage. It’s a mind-bending soap opera x Mean Girls 3.0 tale with shocking twists, monstrous secrets, mystery and murder. Love love loved. MC has written her best book yet. Stay tuned as a sequel is in the works! Pub. 1/20/26
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
May Cobb ramps up her writing giving readers front row tickets into the juicy lives of the ultra-rich where rivalry, status, lust, public persona, secrets and scandal are played on-screen daily. When the Swift family move into the enclave, Charleigh + Nellie Anderson are consumed with jealousy. From the start Charleigh hates them + daughter Nellie’s obsession with Jane Swift takes center stage. It’s a mind-bending soap opera x Mean Girls 3.0 tale with shocking twists, monstrous secrets, mystery and murder. Love love loved. MC has written her best book yet. Stay tuned as a sequel is in the works! Pub. 1/20/26
Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
Hot mess express in East Texas 1980s, so fun with all the secrets between the adults and teens!
August 28, 2025
I'm not even sure how to start this review. Overall, I didn't like it. Here's what I didn't like:
1. There was scandal just for the sake of scandal. It didn't lead anywhere, didn't do anything for character or story progression. It felt like it was all leading up to something and then it just...didn't.
2. The ending was incredibly rushed. It felt like the author wasn't sure how to end it or stopped caring about the story, but simply did not work for the story being told.
3. No resolution. Truly, what was the point of 95% of this book? I'm all for an "open ending" but this was awful. So many questions at the end! What happened to the Swifts? Did Jackson go back to Dallas? What happened to Luke? What about Blair? WHAT ABOUT JULIE?! Like, you did all that for what?
I think perhaps Cobb's work simply isn't for me. I did not love the Netflix show and I did not like this book at all. Thanks for the the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
1. There was scandal just for the sake of scandal. It didn't lead anywhere, didn't do anything for character or story progression. It felt like it was all leading up to something and then it just...didn't.
2. The ending was incredibly rushed. It felt like the author wasn't sure how to end it or stopped caring about the story, but simply did not work for the story being told.
3. No resolution. Truly, what was the point of 95% of this book? I'm all for an "open ending" but this was awful. So many questions at the end! What happened to the Swifts? Did Jackson go back to Dallas? What happened to Luke? What about Blair? WHAT ABOUT JULIE?! Like, you did all that for what?
I think perhaps Cobb's work simply isn't for me. I did not love the Netflix show and I did not like this book at all. Thanks for the the opportunity to read and review this title. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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