The Cotton Queen

A story about the relationship between mothers and daughters, life in the South (Texas in particular) - very well written and true to life. I could not read it fast enough ...

I have been reading Pamela Morsi's books for years,and she has NEVER written one I didn't like. This one is no exception! The story of a mother and daughter and their conflicts had me stopping every now and then and thinking of my own mother, and how I pulled away from her until I grew up and came to realize that no one ever could love me more than she does. Ms. Morsi moved me to laughter and tears with this one. I can't wait for her next book!

When Babs Hoffman loses her husband after just a few years of marriage, she resists the idea of remarrying and instead moves herself and her young daughter, Laney, to Dallas. But what happens to her there changes the course of her life forever, and transforms her into an overprotective mother who is scared of the world. Over the years, Babs struggles to make Laney into the person she thinks she should be. But to her dismay, Laney is just as stubborn as Babs is herself. Typical mother-daughter conflict ensues, but Morsi has such a fresh and engaging writing style that the story is interesting and compelling. Ultimately, this book follows the lives of Babs, Laney, and Rachel (Laney's daughter) as they grow up, discover themselves, explore the world, and find that sometimes home is indeed the best place. Well-written and fast-paced, this book is hard to put down.

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between a mother and daughter told from both points of view. The alternating chapters told by mother, then daughter were very well written.

I'm a long time fan of Pamel Morsi's work. She's simply one of the best writers out there today. With The Cotten Queen, she explores the ups and downs of mother/daughter relationships with characters who are both heartwarming and heartbreaking. I definitely recommend this.