American Princess is a great fit for readers interested in a historical fiction novel that highlights a strong-willed woman's journey to navigate and overcome political and personal challenges while striving to define her own identity within the context of a powerful family.

Alice Roosevelt was such a bold and bright personality. This fictionalized story about her life as the president's daughter and congressman's wife was a wild ride. She was an interesting woman in a time women weren't meant to be interesting. The story was engaging, well-researched, sad, and hopeful- all in one. I knew about Alice Roosevelt, but I learned a lot more from Thornton's novel.

I always love to find historical fiction about people who aren't necessarily the forefront of the rich and famous nowadays. This novel made me want to learn more about Alice Roosevelt and I enjoyed the insight into Washington DC from a first daughter's interactions.

I read this book knowing nothing about Alice Roosevelt and was left wanting to learn so much more! I did so much Googling to see pictures and learn more. Great book!

I loved this story about Alice Roosevelt, who I frankly knew nothing about before this. I found myself stopping to Google pictures and information about her so this novel definitely piqued my interest in a new period in history!

Before reading this, I didn't know anything about Alice Roosevelt. I love any historical fiction, so I was intrigued when I read the synopsis. I am so glad I read this one. 

I loved Alice. She is outspoken, brave, and loyal to her family always. I was immediately drawn to her free spirit and was rooting for her through the novel. After doing some research on Alice, I feel like the author really nailed Alice's personality. Although she put a fictional spin on her story and embellished as she needed- the story was very accurate in terms of historical timeline and events. 

I would be interested in reading more by this author

A historical fiction book that focuses on a person in history that I to be frank didn't know much about. Alice Roosevelt is the first daughter of Theodore Roosevelt and the only child from his first marriage as she passes away just two days after Alice is born. Alice has the feeling of being cast away as Theodore remarries and has 5 more children, so she just doesn't quite fit in, but she becomes possibly his most successful child as she outlives almost all of them and stays active in the political arena up until her death.

I love historical fiction books because you get to learn so much even with the book having some fiction, it is still rooted in the truth of the time and place. I love that you can learn so much about history without it feeling stiff and rigid as it can through non fiction or a text book.

I loved how Stephanie wrote this book, it felt as though we received the full story of Alice Roosevelt, but she did skip around a bit, but it wasn't overtly obvious. This was my first read by this author and I am excited to read more from her.

An easy to read exploration of this fascinating period of American history and one of the most influential women of her time. I love reading about Alice Roosevelt.

I haven't read very many books on this subject or time period but I loved Alice! What a strong willed and ahead of her times kind of woman!

American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt
by Stephanie Marie Thornton

This is not my first Alice Roosevelt book. I have to admit, I am drawn to books about this quirky White house daughter, the rebel badass, and, despite the fact that I once considered Eleanor the best of the Roosevelts, I have to think that Alice was the most true to herself. In previous books I’ve read about her though, she was depicted as a spirited girl bent on hijinks—with no particular care for the lives of those around her. This book added a depth to her character that I didn’t feel before, and considered the compromises she made in love and life, going beyond the typical scandals that are recalled when Alice is the topic. I was moved by the story of the years following her mother’s death, her relationship with her father, and the idea that America’s Sweetheart seemed so unlucky in her choices for love. Regardless of that, Alice lived the life she wanted to live, her unequivocal independence and life of the mind so contrary to the prevailing norms, and an example still, of how to get the very most out of life.


For Goodreads:

Why I picked it —I am not a fan of political stories, but I do enjoy learning about those who revolt against the status quo in Washington.
Reminded me of… Alice: Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker 
For my full review — click here

I love historical fiction that introduces me and teaches me about important people! Great story. Thornton is quickly becoming a go to author for me

Another recent historical novel, American Princess, tells the story of the outrageous First Daughter Alice Roosevelt. Novelist Stephanie Marie Thornton describes Alice’s adventures and romances in this page-turning novel. Although some of Alice’s antics, like driving a car or going out unchaperoned, may seem tame now, there’s a wonderful contrast between Alice and the Washingtonian establishment around her. Readers can’t help but be drawn in by the force of her rebellious, hedonistic personality, and root for her when she’s down. I particularly enjoyed Alice’s remarks on her dowdy do-gooder cousin Eleanor.

In American Princess, novelist Stephanie Thornton peels back the layers of Alice Roosevelt, oldest daughter of President Theodore Roosevelt. During her father's presidency, which began in 1901, Alice was the media's darling, dubbed America's Princess by those who paid close attention to every facet of her life.

Alice was a woman ahead of her time. She lived large, never afraid of causing a scandal. She smoked, chewed gum, and wasn't afraid to assert herself, even when doing so landed her in hot water.

Unfortunately, Alice's life wasn't always easy. She endured a difficult marriage, two world wars, and a public feud with Franklin and Eleanor Rosevelt. Through it all, Alice was determined to come out on top, unwilling to let the press or the American people see her crumble.

AAR reviewers Shannon Dyer and Lisa Fernandes read this fictionalized biography of Alice Roosevelt, and are here to share their thoughts on the novel.

Shannon: I remember learning quite a bit about Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt in school, but Alice wasn't someone I knew much about before reading this book. Were you at all familiar with her story?

Lisa: I definitely was!  I found out about Alice via a kid’s book on her father, Teddy.  Since then I’ve read two really fantastic books about her – The Roosevelt Women, which also covers the lives of her aunts, mother, stepmother and cousin – and Alice R., a solo bio.  I love her and find her complexly fascinating.

Shannon: I didn't always like Alice as a character, but I still found her story appealing. In so many ways, she didn't fit into the standard mole of a high society lady. Her parents tried hard to force her to be quieter and more biddable, but she was determined to live her life the way she saw fit. Did you find her to be too stubborn, or did this side of her character work well for you?

Lisa: No wonder Edith and Teddy gave up trying to domesticate her!  To paraphrase TR: “I can run the country or control Alice, but I cannot possibly do both.”  Thus, Alice is one of those complicated characters who’s utterly and stubbornly, originally themselves.  If that meant her being nasty to her enemies and playing tit for tat with her cheating husband, so be it.  For some she’ll be a lot to take, but I liked her a lot.

Shannon: She's definitely made up of contradictions. Beneath all her bravado, I got the sense she was in desperate need of true and unconditional love. She wanted so much to please her father, but even when he claimed to be proud of her accomplishments, I got the impression he didn't necessarily appreciate her for who she really was.

Lisa: Poor Alice – always searching for her father’s esteem and never getting it.  She sacrificed basically everything – even her marriage – to earn it and basically only got pats on the head from him.  I think Teddy’s relationship with Alice was messed up from the beginning because of how poorly he processed the nearly simultaneous deaths of her mother, Alice senior and his mother Mittie (a topic the book honestly handles too lightly and quickly in my opinion), which occurred within days of little Alice’s birth.  Because he never really processed it all, just shoved his negative emotions aside and buried himself in more pursuits, his new marriage and his new family, Alice was always compared to the perfect image of her mother and could never measure up.

Shannon: I definitely agree that the book didn't delve deep enough into the deaths of Alice's mother and grandmother and the ways they affected not only Alice's life but that of her father as well.

We have to talk about Nick. Alice was utterly taken in by him, even when he was behaving like a complete jerk. He was constantly telling her how much he loved her, but I struggled to believe him. I found him to be incredibly self-serving and not the least bit charming.

Lisa: That was pretty much ahistorical and my biggest bone to pick with the novel.  In real life, once Nick turned into a cheating lush by the middle of their honeymoon, Alice was all but done with him; and by the time he began indulging in numerous affairs, she was already in love with Bill Borah, father of her daughter, who is given his proper place in her life by the end of the novel.  She had loyalty to Nick’s memory – perhaps too late considering what she did to his political career – but I think a little too much of the early novel focused on her romance with him.

Shannon: That's interesting, and something I did not know. I figured certain parts of the novel deviated from the facts simply because that's often what happens in historical fiction, but since I was unfamiliar with Alice's life, I couldn't easily tell fact from fiction.

Can we talk a bit about the novel's pacing? The story spans a fair length of time - basically Alice's entire life - but certain aspects of her story are kind of glossed over while others seem to go on forever.

Lisa: That’s probably the novel’s biggest problem for me.  Certain segments of the story deserved way more attention (like Alice’s early White House antics).  What was good was, in fact, very very good – Thornton has an excellent grasp of Alice’s voice for instance, and I loved the conflict that is eventually mended between Alice and her cousin Eleanor.  But in other aspects she refrains from showing reality – Alice’s relationship with Edith, for instance, was strained right up until the day she married Nick.  The weakest part of the novel is how Thornton handles Alice’s conflicted motherhood.  Her relationship with Paulina is fraught and results in her duplicating nearly all of Alice’s mistakes – and in worse ways.  But that only gets a few chapters at the end of the novel which feels very shallow and it just didn’t work for me.

Shannon: It's true. I would have liked to see more of that mother-daughter bond. I wonder about point of view. I mean, the story is told completely from Alice's point of view, and I think that was a great choice on the author's part. It gave the novel an intimate feel, so it felt as though Alice was telling her story to the reader. Did this work for you, or would you have liked to see some other points of view introduced?

Lisa: That was indeed perfect for me; I liked the feeling of intimacy, of being with Alice and seeing her successes and triumphs and disastrous failures.

Shannon: It's obvious a lot of research went into the writing of this book, but it didn't have that dry textbook feel. Ms. Thornton managed to seamlessly weave historical facts into her narrative, allowing the reader to stay fully immersed. Was this your experience as well?

Lisa: I loved it too; the loose, warm sense of personal history attached to the book makes it much more readable than it would be otherwise.

Shannon: What’s your final grade? I'm going with a B+. This would have definitely been a DIK for me if the pacing had been a bit more even.

Lisa: I’m going a bit lower with a B-; extremely solid character voice saves this one, but skipping multiple important events and mashing down the import of others kept this away from DIK territory for me as well.

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This book was a very interesting biography on a period of time I was previously unfamiliar with. Historical biography is my favorite genre, so this novel was right up my alley. I initially had a hard time connecting with the main character, but was eventually caught up in her life. Reading the book made me feel like I had lived her life alongside her, and left me wanting to research more about her complicated life afterwards.

A fun story about Alice Roosevelt who was such a unique person. I already knew some of her life story and this story reflected many of her life’s adventures. A good historical story for those interested in the Roosevelt’s.

"...never envy anyone who has led an easy life...nothing in the world is worth having if it doesn't mean effort, pain, or difficulty."

I took a break from my usual suspense and thriller reading addiction for this foray into the world of historical fiction and specifically the life and times of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. The eldest daughter of our nation's 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, was a force to be reckoned with through her youthful antics, her middle-aged stunts, and her many civic passions until her death in 1980. She was 96 years old when she died in 1980. She had lived through decades of White House intrigue, countless years of political upheaval, and far too many years of personal struggle and heartbreak -- much of it her own making --but she soldiered on emulating the many strengths of her adored father. She was a fascinating woman, far ahead of her time. She wasn't afraid to voice her opinions and to be true to herself even as the press both admired and denigrated her. She lived much of her life in the public eye and met most of the important leaders of her time. I laughed, I rolled my eyes, and I cried as Alice Roosevelt Longworth navigated her stormy and well-lived days as "America's Princess."

This was an excellent book about a fascinating woman. It was extremely well-written and extensively researched. I've read all of this author's previous books and was thrilled to read this in a more contemporary setting. I understand Stephanie Thornton's next project will be a book about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. I can't wait to read it. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is one you won't want to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Book Court - Where I'm the Judge and Jury

CHARGE (What was the author trying to say?): To give insight into the life of Alice Roosevelt Longworth, the daughter of Teddy Roosevelt.

FACTS: Alice Roosevelt was born to Theodore Rooselvet and his wife, Alice Lee Roosevelt, who died two days later. The death of Alice Lee affected Theodore’s relationship with Alice and she spent most of her life trying to win his affection. Enter an older debonair congressman who promises to free her from the control of her father and step-mother. The book is an inside glimpse into a fascinating life that spanned 96 years, marked by a rapidly changing America. I learned so much about Alice and her family. I can remember her as an old lady. She was witty and irreverent. She is often credited with saying, “If you haven’t got anything nice to say about anybody come sit next to me.” It is a fascinating read that I couldn’t put down.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged.

#NetGalley #AmericanPrincess

American Princess was the perfect mix of learning something new, while being completely entertained. Recently, there’s been a lot of books focusing on presidential wives and daughters. I love this trend. In school we learned so much about the presidents, but not very much about the women who lived in the White House.

Thorton chronicles Alice’s life without holding back. We see the good, the bad and the ugly times she lived through, as well as her sassy, audacious and free-spirited attitude. Honestly, I knew next to nothing about her. In Susan Wittig Albert’s Loving Eleanor, she’s mentioned in regards to her discordance with her cousin Eleanor Roosevelt. Oh how fine it is to read another book that shares the “other” side of the story regarding their relationship. I’m sure there’s plenty more versions of that dislike of one another.

Any book that has me Googling to see if something really happened or yearning to learn more about a particular person makes me happy. It’s also a testament to the author’s writing abilities and stellar research, as she shines a spotlight on this character, who is chock full of wit and whimsy. Don’t get me wrong though, her life was not all roses and rainbows. She dealt with much woe and heartache along the way.

Upon finishing the book, I’ve learned that the author is not only a teacher, but that her passion is writing about the forgotten women in history. I cannot wait to pick up some of her earlier books; lucky for me there’s a slew of them.

With each historical fiction I read I find myself looking for more. Stephanie Thornton has pulled me deeper into the historical world and I am loving all that I am learning about our history. Alice Roosevelt is someone who I knew very little about but I now find myself looking her up online and learning more about her.

I love how even though the world frowned on Alice’s way of life. She lived life to the fullest and didn’t really worry about what the rest of the world would think. She used her knowledge of politics to further her causes and to make political pushes for a better world. Her determination and ability to hold her own in almost any situation made her a force to be reckoned with both personally and politically.

American Princess tells the story of Alice but it also gives us a glimpse into life during the Roosevelt presidency and the world during that time. I liked that it wasn’t just set in the United States but also throughout the rest of the world bringing to the book a broader storyline. I learned so much about the world, the United States, and the presidency.

historical fiction, focused on the women accompanying the most powerful people in history (in this case, Teddy Roosevelt) is one of my favorite sub-genres to read. Alice Roosevelt's story in American Princess is no exception. I classify this as smart brain candy - it's very readable and slightly salacious, but by no means silly or poorly written. If you liked The Kennedy Debutante or any of Philippa Gregory's books, I think you'll really enjoy this one.