Purple State

A Novel

De: Dana Perino

Narrado por: LIsa Larsen

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

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 Dot, Mary, and Harper 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. And 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.

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? 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.

read the print version instead

I so wanted to love Purple State, not least because of its author. But I have to add my take like others on the narrator. She is fine for narrative passages but her dialogue is a challenge to endure. I have actually heard better AI narration and that is saying something. Sadly this problem detracted from the story which, overall, is quite a sweet romance with both a small town(ish) and political setting complete with an HEA for romance lovers. If Ms. Perino writes subsequent novels, I suspect she will only get better from here. And hopefully the publisher will choose a more well-equipped narrator.

Perfectly perfect!

Great job Dana! Tell Greg to finish reading it! I loved the intertwining of the three stories and then at the end I couldn’t wait for the answers to the 3 cliffhangers. Your writing style is easy, but still descriptive. I loved it and I’m looking forward to your next Novel!!!

Really cute story

Really cute story but ruined by the performers- they read enunciating every syllable- not natural at all. The performance could have enhanced this book- but instead it’s distracting, If I weren’t such a huge fan of Dana Perino I don’t think I could have finished this book. I hope there’s a plan to re-do the performance and this was just done to get it to market quickly. Honestly, I’ve listened to over a 1,000 books on audible, and this is the worst performance EVER.

Happy, fun read

Great book. Fun, inspirational, and guaranteed to make you want to visit a small town.

Terrible Narration

The story seems to be geared toward a teenage audience, or maybe it is the way it's read.
Predictable story line and very Pollyanna. The narrator sounds like she is reading to a child. She was very monotone so it was hard to figure out who all the characters were. You couldn't tell who was talking.
Like others have said I couldn't take all the descriptions of what people were wearing. It's the way the narrator paused and gave a list.... she was wearing a.... blank and a blank with a blank....
constantly. It made listening distracting.