Customer Reviews

Madam President

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If it weren't for Amazon.com and a customer's list of recommended books, I never would have known this novel existed. Blayne Cooper and T. Novan have written one of the most interesting, touching and, at times, utterly hilarious stories I have read in a very long time. It's the story of Lauren Strayer, a reluctant biograper and Devlyn Marlowe, the first female and openly gay President of the United States.

The story follows the ever developing relationship between the two women and takes place during the first year of Marlowe's term in office. There is a great cast of supporting characters, ranging from the loyal best friend and Chief of Staff, to an intrepid assistant and one very ugly, yet lovable pug named Gremlin. You will find yourself alternating between empathy and outright laughter as you read through the sometimes outrageous exploits of the characters.

One measure of a good novel is the ability of the author(s) to get the reader to care about the characters within the pages of a book. Blayne Cooper and T. Novan have done a fantastic job of accomplishing just that. So much so, that this was one novel that I was unable and unwilling to put down. The only drawback was that it was not available in a hardcover edition. If it had been, it would have rated much higher than a 5.

"I had the good fortune of receiving an advance copy of MADAM PRESIDENT, and I read it from cover to cover until the wee hours of the morning. It was one of those experiences where I sat for a lot of the time with a goofy grin on my face, and my partner kept asking what was so funny! I just couldn't help it--the story and the characters were entirely engaging!

Devlyn Marlowe, the first lesbian in the White House, and Lauren Strayer, biographer extraordinaire, are on a collision course of epic proportions, and the Oval Office/White House setting is ripe for all sorts of plot machinations. T and Blayne do not disappoint! They pull off what I would call a blasted good read by keeping the narrative rolling and keeping the reader guessing.

This one is destined to be a classic. I can only hope that there is a sequel to tell us more about the 2nd through 4th years of President Marlowe's term. Jolly good job!"

This is a wonderful book. The premise alone is intriguing. The US finally elects a woman president and she's an out lesbian and single mother. The thing is that the book makes it seem so plausible. The story draws you in and wraps you around the characters. You want to see what's going to happen on the next page and you care about what is happening to these two people. The best thing is that there is a lot of humor in this book. Some parts have to be read over just to enjoy the laughter. Here's a hint, the president has a nightmare and the writer goes in to comfort her, then the president's mother finds them in bed together the next morning. The dialogue will crack you up. This is a good story, a tender romance and a great book.

I've read this book twice now and i adore it. I won't go into details about the actual storyline, see other reviews for one, I'll just tell you how the book made me feel. It made me feel like I feel when I'm in love. It made me feel that I'd somehow opened a window on someone else's world, a world that felt as real as my own. I couldn't put it down. It's a wonderful novel about a true deep abiding love between two women. A warm, funny, touching and wonderful hearwarming story that you just wish could be true. I loved the fact that you weren't presented with sex two pages in... infact there isn't really a full on sex scene in the whole book... that's not to say that I wouldn't have enjoyed some though, but somehow that just wouldn't have been right in this story. That's not to say that there wasn't attraction, there was and plenty of it, but the novel just didn't go the whole way into hot and heavy sex, (there are of course some introductory sex scenes but they are beautifully handled and somehow don't come across as just sex for the sake of it) and I for one thought it was wonderful. It allowed me to use my imagination and to really feel the characters emotions. I loved the way the women started out as stranagers, strangers with a strong attraction but strangers nervertheless. I loved the way the story brought the characters friendship and deep love, the type that we all long for but don't always find. I can't wait for the follow up FIRST LADY which I will buy asap. This story has pride of place on my bookshelf, buy it today and make it yours. You won't regret it.

I truly enjoyed this book. The two primary characters, Devlyn and Lauren, were priceless. Their connection was obvious from their first meeting, but the authors took their time in letting the relationship grow and deepen before it became physical. The sense of humor of both the characters was enjoyable and helped greatly anytime a situation was very serious and life-threatening become more bearable. The way the authors let Lauren's relationship with the President's children grow was very endearing. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book--once I finished it, I had to re-read it again immediately!!!

I so love the sense of humor in this book. It's so well written that I forgot I was reading about fictional characters and laughing out loud at the most unexpected times.

The story was excellent and the supporting characters as well defined as the tow leading ladies.

If ever I need an upbeat book with a wee little angst I will grab this off my bookcase.

I plan on buying both this book and the sequel First Lady as gifts for friends, I only wish they were available in hardcover.

This is a Keeper !

I have had this book for two weeks and have already read it three times. The authors have depicted a wonderful love story and have drawn the characters in a way that made them appear very vivid in my mind. My only problem was I was never sure who I had more of a crush on...the President or her Biographer. There is so much humor in this book and the banter between the two protagonists was a shear delight. With the exception of a few dramatic moments, I found myself sporting a great grin on my face throughout. I finished this book with a great desire to read more about Dev and Lauren. If you are a romantic at heart, I highly recommend this book.

The novel makes you wonder if such a society can exist, open minded and accepting to elect a single, lesbian mother as president. In addition, the book made me see that love and family has no boundaries or restrictions. Love has no gender or prerequisites, just a feeling mutually generated and shared between two people. Family is a loving couple that whole-heartedly devote time and love to their children.

However, there are times when I feel that I tend to question the reality since homophobia seems to disappear at times especially when the press is involved. Yet, it doesn't take away from the development of the characters. My favorite moment is when Lauren Strayer wipes ice cream from the face of the president's son with her saliva and hankerchief.

I was very happy to receive the book as a present. I would have gladly purchased it if I didn't get it as a gift. A book you can't put down, it definitely keeps your attention until the end.

Ok, so this takes place in the future, but it will be historical when we finally have a woman in the white house... Devlyn Marlow is elected as the first female president of the USA. Not only is she a woman, she's an out lesbian too. She hires biographer Lauren Strayer to do her biography. The two women have wildly different political views, Lauren is recently divorced, and Dev's wife was recently killed by a drunk driver. Add all that together and the talented team of Cooper and Novan have delivered a gem.

Not only are there many layers of supporting characters, the authors have created two multi-dimensional main characters with real life problems in this book. They have done a great job setting the premise for 'First Lady,' the sequel. At 423 pages, this is a real bargain because it doesn't get boring and the story never drags. Highly recommended.

While this book and its sequel "First Lady" may not be filled with the drama or edginess of TV's "The West Wing"; it does have romance that is set against the backdrop of the White House and the difficulty the demands of presidental responsibility and media attention place upon a relationship.

Both books use the technique of chapters representing months of the year and within are contained snapshots of moments; tender, tense, humorous, frustrating, soulful and chilling. They become perfect pearls strung together to provide a necklace filled with all the elements of an evolving and growing relationship. As Devlyn Marlowe must learn to balance her Presidental duties with the needs of her children and her own heart; so must Lauren Strayer, her chosen biographer, come to terms with her own growing admiration and affection for the woman she finds beneath the presidential image.

Balancing out this book are a plethora of engaging supporting characters including a pug who has little use for the power of the Presidency. In addition, three precocious children insure that neither woman can ignore the reality and mundane aspects of building a family.

I thoroughly enjoyed both books and all the characters warmed my heart. The dialogue and characterizations provided a pleasant read and I was overjoyed to continue their tale in the sequel. If you are looking for believable characters who just happen to call 1600 Pennsylvania Ave home, consider these books.