Alice Roosevelt was a rebel before her time. With her father suddenly becoming the President of the United States, her world shifted just a bit.
As a headstrong young lady, she wanted her own way, but throughout the book, you find that she was really just wanting her father to notice her, to pay attention to her.

An interesting read. I am going to admit that I struggled a bit reading this one. It just did not captivate me and make me want to rush through. As a history teacher, finding books that I can add to my list of approved reading for students is important. If I struggled reading this, I am not sure how students would react to it. However, each person reads a book differently. While I felt the author had great information, and a good backbone for the book, I just did not feel enthralled with the book overall.

Title: American Princess
Author: Stephanie Thornton
Genre: Historical
Rating: 4 out of 5

Alice Roosevelt is the oldest daughter of Teddy Roosevelt, who becomes president unexpectedly. Life in the White House isn’t what Alice expected, and she chafes at the restrictions and rules she’s expected to follow, until she decides that doing her own thing is the way to be and becomes the darling of the press.

But Washington is not for the faint of heart, and Alice will be pushed to her limits to survive, love, marriage, and raising a family—all while keeping her political hat in the ring. Through two world wars and more loss than anyone should have to endure, Alice remains America’s princess.

Honestly, I wasn’t even aware that Teddy Roosevelt had a daughter (two, actually). I know basically nothing about his presidency or his family, but Alice is a fascinating character. It’s interesting watching her grow up in the public eye—as if growing up and navigating love isn’t hard enough by itself—but watching her adroit political maneuvering was even more fascinating. This is a solid historical read.

Stephanie Thornton is a writer and a history teacher. American Princess is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Berkley via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

The best biographical historical American fiction of the year. Stephanie Marie Thornton writes beautifully, honestly, and from the heart. I loved Alice before, but now I admire her fully. The journey this novel takes us on thru the years of her life teach us about little remembered points of history worth commemorating. Alice is larger than life, funny, and one of a kind.


I was given a review copy by Berkley in exchange for a honest review.

I have read all of Stephanie Thornton’s books. She’s a wonderful writer that singles out strong female characters in history and writes their stories. I love her novels and was so excited to see that she was coming out with a new book.

If I am being 100% honest here, I was a little on the fence about reading this one. Thornton has written about Empress Theodora, the wives of Genghis Kahn, Hatshepsut and even Alexander the Great’s wife. These are strong women in the ancient world, so when I saw that she was writing a book about Alice Roosevelt I felt a little disappointed.

I was hoping for a novel on Boudicca or something, but instead it was sounding like she was going to abandon the ancient world and move into something more mainstream like a President’s daughter. But I have faith in her writing and storytelling so while I was worried she would be abandoning the ancient world, I was also excited to see how this novel would be different than her others.

Summary

Alice may be the president’s daughter, but she’s nobody’s darling. As bold as her signature color Alice Blue, the gum-chewing, cigarette-smoking, poker-playing First Daughter discovers that the only way for a woman to stand out in Washington is to make waves–oceans of them. With the canny sophistication of the savviest politician on the Hill, Alice uses her celebrity to her advantage, testing the limits of her power and the seductive thrill of political entanglements.

But Washington, DC is rife with heartaches and betrayals, and when Alice falls hard for a smooth-talking congressman it will take everything this rebel has to emerge triumphant and claim her place as an American icon. As Alice soldiers through the devastation of two world wars and brazens out a cutting feud with her famous Roosevelt cousins, it’s no wonder everyone in the capital refers to her as the Other Washington Monument–and Alice intends to outlast them all (summary from Goodreads).

Review

This book was nothing to shake a stick at. While it wasn’t the book that I was hoping for, it was still an interesting and engaging read. Thornton has a wonderful gift when it comes to telling stories about interesting women in history. I know next to nothing about Alice Roosevelt so getting to know her even in a fictionalized way, was fun.

The amount of historical research she did was commendable and shines in this novel. She always does such amazing research with all of her books and I am never disappointed in that aspect, so if you are a fan of historical fiction, then this book if definitely for you! The author used Alice’s own letters and scandals throughout this book with gave it authenticity. While there obviously are historical details in this book, it isn’t flooded with too many dry historical facts. It moved at a crisp pace and balanced history with story flawlessly.

Alice herself was such a spitfire. So independent and rebellious, that you couldn’t help but admire her spirit and feel her pains and triumphs acutely. While I loved this book on a number of levels, there were things that I found were a little confusing, but mostly in regards to how the story was organized. At the beginning of the book it was very clear how old Alice was and what time we were in, but then later on it wasn’t as clear how old she was and I felt confused. If an author is going to do that then they need to carry it all the way through in my opinion–for continuity. Beyond that though this was an outstanding book worthy of 4.5 stars! I can’t wait to see which woman Thornton features next!

Book Info and Rating

Kindle Edition, 448 pages
Expected publication: March 12th 2019 by Berkley Books
ISBN 0451490908 (ISBN13: 9780451490902)
Free review copy provided by publisher, Berkley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: historical fiction

Received a free copy on NetGalley.

I first became intrigued by Alice Roosevelt with postings like these on social media:

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I'd think "how cool!" and continue scrolling through. I've seen lots of push recently about historical women and was happy to learn of her. So when I saw this book, I thought it was perfect! How could I not want to finally delve deep into a badass like her?

We got off well at first, but then I found out more and more about her conservative politics...

I was losing my interest quick. I made it to the Oriental tour, I was just dreading continuing. I thought, "Oh, I just want to know how it ends!"

Then I remembered this is nonfiction, so I put the book down and googled her.

That's what I should have done in the first place.

Ultimately, I feel the same about Alice as she felt about Democrats: who knew a conservative white woman could be amusing and attractive? Not enough to finish the book, but still no other has even made me pick up a book about them. If I'd known her politics of course, *shrug*.

Stephanie Marie Thornton, I have to tell you that this is the BEST book I've read so far this year! If I had to guess, I would say that the Roosevelt family was the closest thing the US had to royalty during the last century. Alice, Teddy's oldest daughter, was considered America's princess from the time her father took office until he left office in 1909. After that, she became the "Other Washington Monument."

She was wild, she was untameable, she was strong-willed, strong-hearted, and well-versed in the political issues of the day. She would nickname many of the public figures and not hold back about calling them her nicknames to their faces. One that stands out in my mind is her calling Franklin "Feather Duster," meaning there wasn't much substance to him.

One of Teddy's close advisors said something about taming Alice, Teddy is said to have replied, "I can take my daughter in hand, or I can run the country. Which one should I do?"

There is no part of this book I didn't enjoy. I laughed, I cried, I read until my eyes could no longer focus. There was one quote I wished had made it into the book, but as I researched it, the quote was apocryphal at best, and wrongly attributed at worst. Alice was married to the Speaker of the House until his health failed. When she married him, his hair was thin, but as time went on, he went bald. It was said that another Congressman came up to him and rubbed his head and remarked that it felt like his wife's bottom. Longworth rubbed his head, and said, "You know, it really does." Alice's marriage to Nick Longworth was not a happy one, she was cuckolded left, right, and center. Nick had no discretion when it came to his paramours, even being involved with one of Alice's friends.

This is a five-star book, with two thumbs up, and a "Bully" for you.

My thanks goes to Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review this book, and to NetGalley.com for providing the galley I read.

To say American Princess was my most anticipated release of the year is an understatement. I gasped when I first became aware of its existence, was rendered momentarily speechless – a novel about Alice?? – and spent months counting down the days until its release.

If you know me, you know I’m a massive Theodore Roosevelt buff. I probably have more books on him than any other single topic. He was absolutely fascinating and that fascination extends to the rest of the Roosevelt clan, naturally popping up in any and all biographies. Teddy’s eldest child, Alice, was positively captivating, a total spitfire, and as though the universe somehow knew what was in store for me, just a week or so before I received a copy of American Princess, I was telling Matt about Alice Blue (he didn’t believe me that it was an actual thing!)

Spanning some 80-odd years, American Princess introduces the reader to a 17-year-old Alice as the Roosevelts learn they’ll be moving to the White House, and on through the years as she becomes America’s most famous daughter, falls in (and out) of love, travels the world, and suffers tremendous loss. Right from the start it’s evident Alice has a mind of her own and isn’t afraid to say what she’s thinking (for good or bad…typically the latter). For instance, she takes to smoking on the White House roof: her father forbade her from lighting up cigarettes under his roof, he never mentioned anything about lighting up on it. That glimpse into her character should give the reader a pretty good idea what they’re in for with this magnificent young woman.

Beautiful, famous, the most powerful man in the world as her father, Alice’s life should have been smooth sailing, full of balls and suitors and not a single care in the world. Unfortunately, that’s not the case and I truly felt for her while reading this one. Alice was the only child of Teddy’s first wife. She died two days after giving birth and Teddy’s heartbreak caused a rift between him and Alice that seemed to remain present the rest of Teddy’s life. Alice was raised by her aunt (who deserves her own book!) for the early years of her childhood. Even after Teddy’s remarriage, and the subsequent children that followed, Alice drifted on the edge. I got the feeling she was VERY much like her father – stubborn, determined, fiercely independent – and that likeness only made the pair clash. Throughout the novel she tried time and again to please him, to make him proud, and it always seemed to either backfire or result in a mere pat on the shoulder (instead of the full-on bear hug she craved).

One of my favorite things about historical fiction, especially when there are actual historical figures involved, is that I have the chance to go off and do more research on my own. SUPER nerdy, I know! American Princess took me far longer to read than it should have, simply because I was constantly going off and googling people mention or events that happened (an elderly Alice hanging out with Jackie Kennedy, Alice chatting up Queen Elizabeth and Elizabeth admiring Alice’s purse – one given to Alice as a teen by Elizabeth’s father!).

There are two moments I knew of that would be present in these pages, one I knew for sure would be given ample screen-time, the other I was pretty confident would be included. They both were and, I’ll be honest, I sobbed. This book made me ugly cry and as I was down with a horrible cold as the time, the ugly was even uglier. I’ll admit I don’t think either scene will be as gut-punchy for other readers, but I seriously adore this family and felt those moments right along with Alice.

American Princess was my most anticipate release of 2019 and I’m beyond thrilled to say it didn’t disappoint. In fact, it went so far above any and all expectations and despite its size (pretty hefty at over 400 pages), I would have happily spent even more time with Alice. I was so upset over reaching the end that I did something I never do: I read the Author’s Note AND the reader’s guide. Just so I could have a few more minutes with this stunning novel.

Delightful biography of Alice Roosevelt! I knew a little about her before reading this book but WOW!! What a life she led! I found the whole book fascinating and enlightening. The Bush twins had nothing on her. Alice was a rebel before there were rebels, especially in the White House.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and voluntarily chose to review it.

A historical fiction novel about Teddy Roosevelt's daughter, Alice, known as "America's Princess."  She was quite a memorable character and I was fascinated with her strong personality and opinions.

The novel focuses on her marriage, world travels, political interactions and even some scandal. The descriptive writing and dialogue added a layer that made her character compelling and unforgettable. She went through phases of being wild, compassionate, and stubborn  as she faced many obstacles throughout her life.

The novel was a bit long with some slower chapters that could have been less detailed. However, I was invested in Alice's character and wanted to see how her life played out. I thought the conclusion was emotional and I'm glad to have learned about her life.

I did a bit of research after finishing the novel and enjoyed seeing her photographs. She lived to age 96 and certainly had a full life.

American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton is an absolutely fabulous book to read as the author's writing shines thanks to her brilliant characterizations, lively writing, and documented historical research. The main character, Alice Longworth Roosevelt, truly comes to life as the author has skillfully created a character that reflects the actual Alice. I am old enough to remember Alice's doings as she died when I was a young adult. I also lived in the Washington DC area for a brief time when the media recorded her life.

I also loved how the author brought to life her father, President Theodore Roosevelt, her husband, Nicholas Longworth III, and Senator William Borah. All three men were significant people she cared for as was illustrated in Thorton's book.

Overall, Thornton has written another outstanding book.

Highly recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from NetGalley.

It’s been a long winter, and I am ready to start my “spring reading” which means I will compile a new list of the most intriguing new books to read. As I read through this list, I will post about the books I want to recommend (usually this isn’t all of them although I had great luck with my winter reading list!!). And today I am happy to write that I can already recommend a book from my spring list:

American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt

This is historical fiction by Stephanie Marie Thornton as the subtitle implies about a first daughter starting in 1901. I did not know anything about the oldest daughter of Teddy Roosevelt before reading this book. Apparently she obtained celebratory status with the press reporting her every move (many of these moves being rebellious) and even had the color “Alice Blue” named after her.

Alice was the only child of Theodore and his first wife who died in childbirth. For the first part of her life Alice was not close to her father; the book implies he couldn’t deal with how much she reminded him of his deceased wife.

Actually during the first half of the book, I was not sure I would be recommending it because I found her character annoying (it is written in the first person). But – and I don’t know if this is the true case or not – she became much more mature and interesting as the years (book) went on and as she grows closer to her father.

"I knew then – perhaps I had known for years – that my father was the sun that I orbited. I’d married…but even still, he was only a distant star in comparison."
Alice speaking in ‘American princess’ by stephanie marie thornton

The book goes through her father’s presidency, the aftermath, and her marriage as she managed to remain in the spotlight, as a socialite and political influencer, until her death in 1980.

My overall impression of the book – though it was a slow read and I actually buzzed through this other book in the meantime – is that it is worth reading for its entertaining insight into this time period and this American presidential history.

Stephanie Thornton is another go-to author for me. Her books are rich in detail showing her passion for the story and the enormous amount of research involved.

I knew nothing about Alice Roosevelt and this book showed her to be a woman ahead of her time. Spanning her life she was a force to be reckoned with, she did things her way whether they made sense or not. I loved her spunky attitude, fierce loyalty, and determination with no qualms about taking a stand. But if you got on her bad side, she didn’t keep that a secret either.

Alice is only 17 when introduced here with the author drawing from historical events and actual documentation. American Princess is a fascinating story of the life of Alice Roosevelt, her crazy escapades both at home and abroad made for an entertaining read. Definitely a book and author I highly recommend.

I loved this book. I knew nothing about Alice Roosevelt and this was a joy to read. Of course this was a fictional account of her life, but the events and things that she went through were unbelievable. Stephanie wrote this as if she lived through Alice’s years in Washington with her.

I really enjoyed this novel and historical fiction, more especially, a political one, is not in my wheelhouse. I highly recommend picking this one up.

What a character Alice Roosevelt was, and American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt did such a good job of telling her story. I was captivated.

I love historical novels. American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt starts out when the Roosevelts find out that Theodore is president because of the assassination of President McKinley. They really had fun in The White House. Alice was the oldest, the only child of Theodore's first wife, who died two days after Alice was born. Because of this, she and her father weren't very close, because she reminded him too much of his first wife. Alice was a rebel and very outspoken, without much thought of the consequences. Alice was also extremely intelligent and politically savvy.

She fell in love with a congressman, Nicholas Longworth, who eventually became Speaker of the House. I could go on and on and tell you all sorts of juicy stories about her life. She lived to be 96, so there was a lot to tell. Lots of cheating husbands (and wives), backstabbing, political maneuvering, and secrets to keep you entertained. It reads like a soap opera, and it's pretty much true. Another tidbit to whet your appetite -- she had an illegitimate child!

At the end of the book, Thornton explains the parts that were not precisely true. She messed with the timelines a bit, some quotes were credited to the wrong people, a few minor characters were combinations of people, etc. But mostly, it is all true. You will learn so much about the Roosevelts and the general politics of the time. Alice attended the Bicentennial State Dinner at The White House in 1976! Just think of everything she lived through, like two world wars and the depression, to name a few.

It was a coincidence that my husband wanted to start watching the Ken Burns documentary, The Roosevelts: An Intimate History while I was reading this. We have only watched the first episode, but I am excited to watch the rest and compare. If you are at all interested in this historical time period, don't miss this one.

Alice Roosevelt, daughter of Teddy, America's Princess.

I didn't know much about Alice when I began reading this book, but I've come to admire her through Ms. Thornton's writing. Though uneducated in the traditional sense, as most women of her time were, she was smart, strong, pretty, fearless, full of fun, and could hold her own with the best of them. She traveled the world, sometimes on her father's behalf, sometimes just so he wouldn't have to deal with her at home, but wherever she went, she made an impression be they ripples or waves. Leaders and commoners alike were won over by her. She lived life on her own terms, and what better way is there than that?

Stephanie Marie Thornton, weaves the facts of Alice Roosevelt's life with some poetic license in a very readable and enjoyable way. I easily found myself swept away in the river of her words, and I quite enjoyed the ride. Kudos to both Alice Roosevelt and Ms. Thornton!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for allowing me the privilege of reading an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

The book will be available to the general public on March 12, 2019.

I just have to comment on the cover! After reading the book, I can see how well it complements the story of Alice Roosevelt Longworth. She is wearing "Alice blue", her pearls from Cuba and speculating about the political careers of the men in her life and how she can help them succeed. Alice was a force and I am embarrassed to say I knew almost nothing about her before reading this new novel by Stephanie Marie Thornton. The meticulous research that was so lovingly done by the author gives a story that immerses us in history. Alice was a contemporary and acquaintance to hundreds of historical figures and truly was the other Washington Monument. I think I would like to add her to my "dinner list." An author's note documents a few tweaks made to the narrative that did not conform to historical facts. I appreciate the information so that I can avoid feeding facts to my friends and family that are not 100% accurate.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of this new addition to the historical fiction genre in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows the colorful life of Alice Roosevelt, daughter of Teddy Roosevelt. At a time when women were relegated to the house, Alice focused on politics and used her celebrity to influence modern events.

This was a well written and engaging book. I knew nothing about Alice Roosevelt before this book and found her to be a dynamic and interesting historical figure. Overall, highly recommended.

Alice Roosevelt. Daughter of a president. Wife of a Congressman. Mistress to another. Media sensation. Outspoken. Strong-willed. An icon. She lived to the age of 96 and passed away having always lived life on her own terms, no matter what the cost. Sledding down the white house stairs on a lunch tray with her brothers. Smoking cigarettes on the roof of the white house. Her favorite color becoming a fashion sensation called Alice Blue. So many world leaders and dignitaries met. So many headlines. So many photographs. America's Princess. For 96 years. Now that is a life lived fully and well!

I didn't know much about Alice Roosevelt when I started reading this book. The more I read, the more I liked her. She refused to conform to the limited life that most women lived at the time. It created scandal and she had some embarrassing moments when her mouth got a bit ahead of her brain....but she was always 100% ALIVE and living all her moments to the fullest. Intelligent and Feisty with a capital F.

I'm glad I read this book and got to know about her life, her experiences, the triumphs and the sorrows. What a wonderful life she lived!

I'm definitely going to read more by this author. She's written several books about women in history, including the women of Ghengis Khan, and the daughter of an Egyptian pharaoh.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Berkley via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Rounding up from 3.5 stars. Alice Roosevelt is vividly brought to life in this novel, and her zest for life shines through. I loved learning more about her incredible life. The historical detail was amazing, and the author obviously did a tremendous amount of research. Alice is a wonderful heroine to bring to life... she lived about a thousand of them, it seems. Fans of character driven historical fiction will love this one.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Stephanie Marie Thornton’s portrayal of the life of Alice Roosevelt Longworth is the book I’ve be waiting for. With the promotion of her father Teddy to President following the assassination of William McKinley, Alice Roosevelt is unleashed on the American public. She is rebellious, bold and unconventional. Refusing to be kept down by the expectations of society for women of her time, Alice forges a life for herself that takes her far beyond just the first daughter. From tragedy to triumph, Alice Roosevelt Longworth becomes a fixture in Washington D. C. society and politics. She was known as the “Other Washington Monument”.

This is a splendidly-researched novel, giving the reader an engrossing story and an immersion into the lives of Alice and the other Roosevelts that make up our American history. A must read for historical fiction fans as well as fans of presidential history and the story of the Roosevelt dynasty.