Customer Reviews

Red, White, and Blue (America Series #2)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
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Red White and Blue is the story of the best friend, campaign manager and then chief of staff of the first female president of the United States. The main character, Kate Rosen, is a forty-something woman who has made a career as a politician's aide. "Her" politician is Emily Benton, a woman from a family which has already produced one president. Kate is a devout Christian; Emily is a devout politician. The book is about the conflict between the two. There is real evil in this book, and I think the most evil thing about this evil is that it isn't necessarily done for its own sake but for the sake of preserving power. They say that power corrupts, will it corrupt Kate?

I enjoyed the book. It is Christian fiction and there are parts that definitely show it--like the ending, -- but it was so effective as an ending, I just loved the writing in the last chapter. I won't tell you more, except that this is a worthy read.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series as I had originally read it during the 2008 election and had been swept up in political fever. Now that I live up in the DC metro area, It's totally surrounding me 24/7. I also really enjoy reading books set in this area as it's always fun to see places I've been to or recognize. This book continues where the first book left off, with Emily winning the election and is now the first female president of the United States. As I said about the first book, I was really glad to see a book about a female president where she became president by winning the election and not because she was Vice President and the former president died or resigned. In this book, as the White House Chief of Staff, Kate is put in a position where she has to be the public mouth, eyes and ears for Emily. This puts her in a compromising place because she doesn't agree with everything Emily does, yet since this is her best friend and her boss, she must do what she is told.

I am not really sure though why Kate keeps agreeing to stay with Emily. From the beginning of the series, it is obvious that the two differ on almost everything politically, emotionally and value wise. I know they have been best friends for a long time, but even so the relationship feels like Emily has been using Kate for a very long time. It gets more and more obvious in this book that Emily doesn't really care about Kate and is more interested in gaining grounds for own personal gain. This is at the expense of even Kate's family members who have trusted Emily their entire lives. It just makes Kate seem like a pushover or a doormat in that she lets Emily get away with whatever she wants or that she is completely clueless to her friend's true nature. I think the biggest issue in the book is that it appears to be difficult to be a Christian AND be a successful politician at the same time. While it is possible to be both, one needs to be cutthroat and have to do some dishonest things in order to get ahead and be at the top. Since I'm not in politics, I can't say whether or not this is true, but sometimes I wonder if this really is the case in real life.

Overall I did really like this book. I didn't feel it to be very preachy even though Kate makes it clear that she's a Christian throughout the book. The story ends on a cliffhanger so there better be another book in the series or else I will be very disappointed! Again, this is another great political suspense novel and one that I really enjoyed reading. I really cannot wait to read the next book in the series, hopefully I won't have to wait til the next election to do so!

Emily is the first woman American President and she's on top politically, but she cannot be trusted. I can't imagine why Kate stuck with her so long. For that reason alone, I keep expecting Kate to turn against Christianity, but she hasn't so far. The book is well-written and shows very clearly how the powers in Washington get some things done. And also why it's so hard for a true Christian to be a politician. The ending is really good, too. But I still keep coming back to wondering why Kate has put up with this scheming, lying, and untrustworthy person as a friend for all these years. It's hard to understand why a Christian person, who wants to live right and stay out of prison would consistantly back Emily. And I do take issue with Kate's belief that Emily is the best person for the job of President. Certainly she's the best person on the final ballot, but not by that big a margin, and she is far from being the best person outside the ballot. She has a lot of grand ideas for the betterment of mankind (as she sees it), but she chooses bad methods of attaining them and she seems to be developing megalomania along the way. And isn't that sort of how Hitler began?

Red, White, and Blue by Laura Hayden is the second book in the America Series about Kate Rosen who has been working for her lifelong friend Emily Benton's presidential campaign. The book picks up immediately after the election. Emily has won the election, but Kate is unsure about whether she can continue to work for her after the disclosure that M went behind her back and stole some files. But the deep friendship between the two quickly smooths over the rough waters, and Kate is ensconced as Chief of Staff in the White House. Despite a growing relationship with Emily's ex-husband, Nick, Kate's life seems to be on track until she hears the dying confession of one of Emily's right hand men and discovers something that could shatter the White House. Kate has to decide to follow her faith in God and the truth or her loyalty to her best friend. Hayden portrays the cutthroat, incestuous relationship between lobbyists, politicians, and various industries extremely well. Kate is an engaging character who really tries to live out her faith in all that she does and balance that with a life in politics. I wish I had read the first book in the series for more insight into her relationship with Nick, but I appreciate how it is slow-going and completely believable. Kate demonstrates all of the good that can be done in politics and raises the question can the wrong thing ever be done for the right reasons and be justified? Do the ends justify the means? Hayden has created a real political thriller, and I hope the ride isn't over yet!

This book was a delight to read. The main character, Emily Benton, has just won the office of president. Everyone is celebrating except her closest adviser, Kate Rosen. Kate is not sure that she should have helped Emily become the president after finding some disturbing information about Emily.

I recommend you read this book to find out how Kate stands behind her faith in God and her loyalty and duty to the President of the United States. A great novel!

The first female president is Emily--a lady who gains the job because she is the best candidate--not because she is a female. Her BFF, Kate, has a decision to make. Should she accept the position of Chief of Staff? That sounds like a no-brainer, but when the author throws some twists into the mix, this becomes an interesting mystery story. There's an accident--or is it a murder?

The story begins with the transition of power from one party to another. This is a good time to read a book about a new president taking office. It is interesting to experience the workings of the White House. The inaugural balls, the lobbyists, the Oval Office, even the White House kitchen are topics covered.

The only flaw is that the characters are hard to figure out. Right to the end, I could not decided whether or not to trust Nick, Emily's ex-husband. Kate seems to vacillate too much when trying to figure out her direction. I question her relationship with Nick; it doesn't ring true.

Overall, it's a good read. I enjoyed it, and I trust you will too.

Emily Benton is elected President of the United States. The first female PROTUS asks her best friend Kate Rosen to be her Chief of Staff; a position in which the President must fully trust the aide to provide poignant often unwelcome truths and honest advice.

Kate has doubts about accepting the job as she is a deeply religious person who fears the corruption of the White House will cause her to slip from her first loyalty to God. However, she rationalizes her decision by thinking she can bring the Lord's Commandments into a place where avaricious grabbing of more power is everything and faith is left behind in the pack of disregarded morals. Whatever she chooses, Kate will be tested by friendship, belief, and loyalty especially when scandal erupts over a corpse.

The timing is perfect with the Inauguration of a new President as RED, WHITE, AND BLUE provides deep insight into the changing of the guard, who has easy access, and everyday life inside the White House (not just the Oval Office). Emily is an interesting first female president as she makes decisions that at times pamper her support group at the cost of the greater good (must be the first commandment of politicians). Kate with her vacillation and her change from idealist to doubting cynic makes a case that there is little room for a truly deep religious person in political DC even running the faith based initiatives program whose function is to pamper the PROTUS support base. Her relationship with Emily's former husband Nick seems ingenuous and fake though key to a unique triangle power struggle. Still fans will enjoy this fine look at the White House through mostly the lens of a deeply devoted religious person.

Harriet Klausner

Red, White and Blue is quite a page-turning, riveting sequel to "America the Beautiful". Emily Benton wins the election, and Kate Rosen decides if she can be the Chief of Staff to her friend Emily, the President of the United States of America. Kate struggles with being faithful to God by doing the right thing, as she
is thrust into the middle of this political machine that wants to suck her into a world of corruption. Because of the Clinton Administration's real life drama, and scandals from shady land deals,murder and adultery, this story is believable.

I couldn't help but reflect on how our president elect took his oath of office earlier this year as I read about Emily Benton - first female President. Like our current President, this is a life-changing presidency. The author captures behind the scene details that are fascinating to discover. This story begins with election night and with all its parties. Soon Emily Benton takes her oath to the country and sets up the Presidential cabinet. It's amazing how crucial it is to have people around the President who they can "trust" and work well with. I was surprised to realize how powerful the Chief of Staff's job was. The political process was quite intriguing to read as this story unfolds.

Presidents lose their privacy and can't do the things that they used to do soon after being elected. Kate say to President Benton, you can't go to the hospital in the ambulance, "You'd be in the way, not you but your position. Your security needs. They'd have to spend precious time and manpower making sure you were safe. You'd be an
unintentional disruption." Wow, welcome to the world of being the President!! I totally enjoyed how Laura Hayden showed the human side of the Presidency, along with the entire political process they live day in and day out. Hold on to your seat; you will be at the edge of your chair reading this one. I can't wait for the third installment of this story.

Finding Hope Through Fiction
[...]

A sequel to America the Beautiful. Emily Benton has been elected President of the United States and has asked Kate Rosen, her best friend and campaign manager, to be her Chief of Staff.

After Emily's election victory, Kate realizes that she doesn't know her best friend as well as she thought. She tries to overlook small betrayals and Emily's ever increasing ability to blur the lines of honesty in her effort to achieve ultimate political power.

Kate begins to realize that maintaining her Christian values as a politician may be impossible. In addition, she struggles with her growing attraction to Emily's ex-husband. When Kate discovers a scandal that could destroy Emily's presidency, she is also faced with the reality that her best friend would willingly sacrifice her to retain the position of President of the United States.

I have to say that I enjoyed this book much more than the first one. I still don't like Emily, and her true colors really come out in this story. But, Kate really grew on me and I cared about her dilemmas. I appreciated the "insiders view" of the White House: it was believable, even though this is a work of fiction. The book brings home the idea that to be an honest Christian as well as a politician is difficult for many and impossible for some.

Compelling and interesting at the same time. The ending is a bit abrupt, but I think mostly appropriate for the story. I'd love to see another book explore the repercussions of Kate's decisions.