I thoroughly enjoyed “Our American Friend” by Anna Pitoniak. Part historical novel set during the Cold War and part thriller incorporating yet fictionalizing events from recent headlines, it is an excellent entertainment with a variety of twists and surprises.

First Lady Lara Caine has decided to publish her biography and has chosen former White House correspondent Sophie Morse to write it. But why? Sophie is certainly no friend of the President’s or his administration’s. And just who is the enigmatic, intensely private Lara Caine, and what is her real agenda? Is she a Russian agent bent on destroying the United States? A gold-digger in league with her amoral, wealth-obsessed husband? A victim caught in an abusive relationship? A bitter spouse focused on exacting revenge? And why are Sophie and her husband forced to leave the country?

These were the questions that kept me turning the pages. And I’m glad I did because the answers turn out to be much more complex than I ever imagined.

Plus, I greatly enjoyed spending time with these characters. They are well-developed and likable, facing hard choices where the stakes—professionally, personally, and even globally—are very, very high. At first, readers may think they’re being offered a thinly disguised tale about Melania and Donald Trump. That is not so. While there are certain surface similarities between the two couples and their histories, there are also vast differences and Lara Caine quickly grows into a unique individual—as do all of Pitoniak's other characters, even the minor ones. Caine, in particular, reveals herself to be something of a chess player, remaining several steps ahead of anyone and everyone who might seek to oppose her true purpose.

Author Pitoniak also makes great use of a variety of romantic and exciting settings, including Moscow, Paris, New York, Washington, D.C., and Croatia. She gave me a sense of what it’s like to live and work in each of those places.

All in all, a five-star read for anyone who enjoys political thrillers, tales of espionage, and stories fictionalizing current events.

My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this work, in exchange for which no promises were made regarding this review.

Trigger Warnings - Death, Suicide,
While I found the writing gripping at times, this book ended up being a net zero for me - I walk away from it not thrilled, but not disappointed either. Tracing a thinly veiled Trump analogue through multiple timelines, I found myself regularly exhausted by the end of reading, not due to the fault of the author, but due to the subject material.
I doubt I am the only person still standing on shaky ground after the last four years, and while I had hoped Our American Friend would alleviate some of that weariness (I am normally a sucker for spy thrillers), I instead found myself desperate to pick up another book further removed from reality every time I set Our American Friend down.
I would like to revisit it again in several years to see if this ennui has passed, but only time will tell.

Such a riveting political thriller, spy, espionage story with several time jumps taking you to very long trip starting from 70’s and 80’s, touring around 2016 , ending at present time.

An ambitious White House correspondent Sofie Morse is the narrator of the story who loses her patience to deal with outrageous behaviors of bigoted, racist president Henry Caine and she resigns from her job, packing her bags to leave but she gets a surprising invitation from First Lady Melanie Tru...hmmm I mean Lara Caine.

She gets intrigued because First Lady always keeps things private and she gets an offer to write a biography of her. Of course she accepts because she wants to learn more about the past of this mysterious lady who truly reminds us a real ex First Lady was born April 1970, Russian, ex model, married with racist president.

As they learn more about Lara, meeting with her daughters, mother and sister, they slowly bond a unique friendship, at least this is what Sofie thinks...

Then at the second timeline Lara opens up about her childhood, how she felt living under Soviet regimen and being a daughter of Soviet official, a KGB member. Then they moved to Paris for his father’s new mission to gather information. We see the change of Lara’s character. She’s not that obedient, good daughter who does what she’s told anymore.

Throughout their interview, Sofie always thinks Lara keeps something from her she cannot put finger on. She seems like genuine, honest, open about her past but could entire story she’s told be the misdirection to cover something crucially dangerous?

When we jump to the third timeline in the present time we realize Sophie and her husband are laying low at Croatia. Sophie meets with a mysterious person to consult about her fears because somebody is digging out the biography she’s written. They are in witness protection program. But why? What happened to them?

I have to admit the timelines are a little confusing but I liked well constructed character portraits and honest descriptions of the characters’ journeys. It seems like there is a big twist but it was so foreseeable from the beginning. But at least the author wrapped up the entire execution very adroitly.

It is a quiet marvelous historical, political journey. It’s not one of my best thriller reading experience but the author’s talent made me enjoy the riveting chapters, traveling between Cold War era and today’s modern global political era.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon& Schuster for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

A very intriguing, "what if?" Pitoniak has provided an engaging and thought-provoking read which weaves together three timelines: the 1970's/80's, 2016, and present day.
The story is told primarily through the eyes of journalist Sofie Morse. A White House correspondent who is tired of the outrageous behavior of President Henry Caine, she quits her job and is planning to move on when she gets a mysterious invitation for a private meeting with First Lady Lara Caine. Her interest piqued—the First Lady is notoriously private—she accepts, only to be charmed into writing Lara’s personal, official biography. Through a series of meetings spanning months, Sofie gets to know Lara, her daughters, and her mother and sister on an intimate level that leaves Sofie wondering if they are…friends?
The secondary timeline is Lara’s story of her childhood and adolescence—first in Moscow, as the daughter and granddaughter of Soviet officials (her father is KGB), and then in Paris where her father is stationed to gather information and on the West. Her time in Paris is eye-opening for Lara, who has always been the “cooperative” and “good” child. While Lara’s story unfolds, Sofie is still left with lingering doubts—Lara seems so open about some things, but there is something missing and Lara can’t shake the idea that she is somehow being played.
Meanwhile the book opens with the third timeline—playing out in present-day Croatia. Sofie and her husband have suddenly (and temporarily) moved there, and we know it was at least partially based on Croatia’s history of not extraditing to the US. We open the book with her being approached by a reporter who is digging into the relationship between First Lady Caine and her biographer, which makes Sofie afraid. She has a mysterious contact who she meets clandestinely for guidance, and in the meantime she and her husband lay low.
The three threads weave together an eerily familiar cast of characters, as Lara grows up and experiences love and loss and learns to survive when life is unkind. From the beginning we know that something was amiss, but Pitoniak draws it out until revealing what secrets were being hidden and what the real motivations are. The story explores the very human concepts of treason, right and wrong, guilt and cowardice, and hiding from the truth.
For being advertised as a political thriller, Our American Friend was a disappointment. I did not find it “thrilling” despite the publisher’s description and others’ praise for the book provided at the beginning. I kept waiting for the big reveal. The biggest one came quietly and with many clues that it was there all along, but there was no complicated plot twist. Just people surviving the Cold War and the spy game.
However, as a good read and insightful look inside Soviet Russia and those people’s passions and compromises, it was difficult to put down. It had disturbing parallels with Donald Trump and his presidency, showing one way things could have gone. There are small secrets behind every great event, and the book exposed hidden depths. It was so well written, and I was impressed at how accurately it portrays modern events, including protests taking place around the White House. Based on this book, I would say that Pitoniak is definitely an author to keep an eye on. While I do feel misled by the advertising, that doesn’t diminish the excellence of the content and the fact that I would recommend this book to fellow readers.

Content warnings: death, suicide

Our American Friend follows the story of Lara Caine- a secretive, USSR-born wife of a bigoted, amoral president of the USA. To everyone else, she appears as a trophy wife. That is, until journalist Sofie Morse comes along and unravels Lara’s secrets, revealing the true depth behind the character.

This book follows a complex timeline from the Cold War times to present day, with settings in Moscow, Paris, and the US. Honestly, I can’t really explain the timeline because it jumped from present to past, to further past, to sometime later, and so on. Though I love when there are flashbacks in books, this book had a little too many. My flow of reading was constantly disrupted because of all the sudden time jumps, and I often got confused trying to figure out what I was reading. Additionally, there were tons of names mentioned and history dumps that, for someone who is not extremely familiar with all the history, might be confusing. This aspect did make it a little more difficult for me to get through the book, but reading it at a slower pace helped me retain the information. The second half of the book picked up a lot, so I got through that at a faster pace.

On the other hand, I absolutely love Pitoniak’s writing style. Her writing flowed well and provided a clear image in my head during the entire book. Additionally, I really like how she wrote the characters. My favorite thing about them was that they weren’t perfect, and that just makes them even more realistic and interesting. Sofie is nothing incredibly special, but she’s real and relatable. Lara is perhaps my favorite character in this book- she’s a strong and tough main character who’s been through so much but still manages to stand tall.

As for the plot, I think it was very captivating. I liked the whole ‘USSR spies’ and ‘bad American presidents’ plots. It’s clear that this book is somewhat based on America’s current political standing. Lara Caine representing Melania Trump (both born in Russia, models, same age) married to a bigoted and racist president (Donald Trump). The list continues and it’s very easy to spot all the comparisons while reading.

This book also gives off some The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes, considering that both books include a secretive famous woman requesting a nobody journalist to write their biographies and tell their secrets to the world. Although Our American Friend definitely did not have as much of a romance aspect- the romance was more of a subplot and motivator for the main character. This book did a good job handling the ideas of gloomy war times, risky decisions, sneaky deals, and shifting loyalties.

The most riveting thing about this book was how there was a constant sense of mystery throughout. The reader is constantly left on their toes, wondering what will happen next. Information began to reveal itself throughout the book and the way in which that happened really hooked me in. It felt like unwrapping a tightly wrapped present- a bit frustrating while opening it, but satisfying and exciting when it’s finally opened. The way everything in this book came together was really cool, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed in how it ended. I feel like there was so much unfinished business and questions I wanted answered. However, the way that it ended did imply that the story would continue, just not with us following along.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. It took me a while to read and was very confusing at times, but I liked the plot and how it all unraveled.

Do I recommend this book? Yes!

Rating: 3.5 stars

What a remarkable novel! A former White House correspondent is thrown into a tale of international intrigue upon the once in a lifetime opportunity to get to know a First Lady who is also a suspect in espionage. Absolutely loved it!

This book is basically a biography of a Trump-like Present, narcissist and dangerous and married to an Eastern European former model. Sound familiar? The similarities are endless and to revisit this presidency was torture. The book jumps from past to present, without much clarity. If the story wasn't so obvious, perhaps I would have felt differently, but it was not to be.

The idea behind this was that if anyone can draw me in to the tangled web of spy thrillers, it would be someone like Pitoniak, an author whose previous books I’ve read and loved. And sure enough, it worked. Good strategy,me.
Pinoniak blended two worlds in her novel, the modern barely fictionalized US and the Iron Curtained Europe of the 10’s and 80s so well, so thrillingly indeed, it was difficult to put down. Even for this reader with very limited interest in spy games of all sorts.
My fiancé has watched all of The Americans tv show last year, so while I’ve not ever sat down through an entire episode, for a long time it was so consistently in the background and I’ve heard so much about it, that it kind of intrigued me. At the very least it made me recognize the appeal of the ever shifting loyalties and shadowy deals and the ever increasing moral shades of grey, the neverending dreadtinged suspense and that very specific doom and gloom of the not so warm war that in my mind is so synonymous with the spy genre. And this book really gets that and represents all these aspects so well.
The basic plot has to do with an America that has managed to elect (and reelect) a dangerously belligerent populist amoral racist bigoted liar to power…which is just preposterous, of course, what thriving democracy would do that, right? This man, made wealthy by his inheritance and famous by his volume, is married to an Eastern European former model, who for all the world to see presents as a perfectly two dimensional cardboard cutout of a trophy wife. But that’s where fiction enters the picture, because apparently the FLOTUS has some layers to her, secrets that can unravel the very face and fabric of the Oval Office.
And so the FLOTUS, Lara Caine, hires a reporter to write her biography, although this being a spy thriller, you can expect everyone has clandestine motives of their own. For the reporter it would, of course, be a huge scoop, a huge deal, but for Lara it may be something much more, not just an unburdening, but a chance at something like justice after years and years of silence.
Sounds riveting…because it is. You know something’s gone off the rails, because the novel starts with the reporter hiding out in Europe, watching her back, twitching the curtains. But the story pivots, alternating timelines, until you know exactly what’s going on. Though the plot will do a striking job of executing serpentine twists and turns to get to the end and then throw in one last reveal…which is, frankly, the thing that didn’t quite work for me, but either way…riveting.
So yeah, ok, I kind of get it now, the genre appeal. It is exciting if done right. In fact, the novel never shines more than when it covers Lara’s early years. All that communism flavored KGB crafted excitement. Wow.
Plus with Pitoniak being a genuinely great writer, there’s plenty of things like character development and atmosphere crafting to rely on. This novel comes to life resoundingly and cinematically. At the very least as exciting as The Americans. Yes, it was uncomfortably (and arguably unimaginatively) close to real life, but then again what a fun reminder of how creative minds work and see stories where some might not, imagine layers to what for all the world to see might be just a drawing of an onion. Very well done. I was thoroughly entertained. A shadowy delight for both new and old spy genre fans. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read this ARC!


Content Warning: death, non-graphic murder, suicide.


Sofie Morse is content. She's freshly married to a lawyer, living in a townhouse that she adores, with an upstairs neighbor she's befriended. The only thing missing, perhaps, is a brilliant career. Sofie, you see, is a journalist, one who has recently quit her job and struck off on her own. When she receives a call from one of the First Lady's aides, it seems too incredible to be believed. But Lara Caine, the secretive, USSR-born wife of the President, wants to write a biography. And she wants Sofie to write it.

As soon as I saw this on NetGalley, I knew I had to apply for an ARC. Ever since childhood, I've fostered a fascination with Russia and the Soviet Union. Growing older, it's led me to doing my own research on Stalin, Gorbachev and Lenin, to reading Tolstoy and Solzhenitsyn, and essentially loving anything Russian (or more broadly, Eastern European). I also love books about spies and political thrillers, so I was overjoyed when my request was accepted!

The very first page hooked me. Pitoniak has a lovely way with words, evocative descriptions that make you feel as if you're really in the room with Sofie or Lara, and she uses her wonderful grasp of language sharply and cleverly. Every single sentence feels as if it's building you up to something, to the next thrill and the next question that leaves you wanting more. The characters were fantastic -- Sofie, for example, feels incredibly real. She is by no means perfect, prone to making mistakes and jumping to conclusions, flaws which only serve to make her more likable.

Lara is fascinating, sometimes hard to understand but in a way that feels engaging rather than frustrating. I think that some people will be unsure about picking this one up due to its close similarities with the Trump presidency, but please, don't let that put you off. It can be difficult to read about issues that are happening in our own lives, but Pitoniak never cheapens it. The similarities are meaningful, and excellently handled.

Speaking frankly, there was nothing I didn't like about this beautifully rendered novel. I cannot recommend it enough. When it is finally released to the public, do yourself a favor and pick it up! I'll be on the lookout for more from Pitoniak. She may have found her way onto my favorite authors list!

This is the story of a Melania Trump-like character married to Donald. The similarities are endless. The president is "Henry Caine, which seems like a copy of" "Herman Cain."
*His wife is Lara...born in Russia, model, same age (April 1970); IRL, Eric's wife = Lara.
*Prez threatening to abandon NATO.
*Prez met with Russian prez and no US translator
*Surrounded by loyalists; fired those not loyal
*Paranoid; deep state
*Impeachment petered out
*Narcissist incapable of loving anyone but himself
And on and on.
For most of the book, it's not clear why Sofie and Ben are in witness protection, or if book is a mystery. Jumps around and isn't always clear past or present...even on same page.
Took forever to read.

Reading like wishful thinking on the part of someone who had hoped Melania Trump would have somehow reined in her husband's worst excesses during his presidency, "Our American Friend" is nonetheless entertaining and will definitely keep you guessing. Sure, it's wildly implausible, but that didn't impede my enjoyment. What's more, the writing is a step above that of the typical breezy summer read. This is a beach book you don't have to feel guilty about relishing, thanks to its vivid prose and insights into the well-rounded characters.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This review will be posted on February 2, 2022 to https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

I enjoyed this political and spy thriller! Sophie, a former White House reporter, is selected to write an authorized biography of the First Lady, Lara. What unfolds over intimate discussions is Lara's birth and family origins in Soviet Russia with a KGB father and later, growing up in Paris (aka the decadent West, according to the Soviets). But, secrets, spies, and geopolitics are threaded through Lara's life and soon impact Sophie. While I enjoyed the story and got through it in a quick 24 hour period, the multiple timelines (which is normally a plot device I love) felt confusing and cumbersome. I think I counted four or five different ones. Maybe it wouldn't have felt so clunky to mentally shift between them if there was an easier way to distinguish them - like a header and/or an italic typeface. That aside, this was an exciting novel. #OurAmericanFriend Rating: 🙂 / liked it
•
This book is scheduled for publication on February 15, 2022. Thank you @simonandschuster for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The summary and setup for this book will draw obvious parallels with real life, but it wasn't shackled to it. I appreciate how the author breathed original life into the premise, instead of hewing too close to reality. She did a good job of humanizing and texturizing characters that could too easily have been stereotypes -- the student idealist, the KGB agent, the gold-digger, the nepotism aide, the eager journalist, the spy handler -- and making the book as a whole readable. A couple things that didn't quite hit the mark: Sofie's early self-recrimination made it seem like the situation she was in was much more dire than it panned out to be; the time jumps were initially a bit discouraging, but eventually found a good rhythm to the point where I appreciated that they weren't so linear; the end was a bit rush. I also would have liked an epilogue; I don't think this was one of those novels where a little uncertainty heightened the themes and plot. But all in all, I was pleasantly surprised with how compelling and thoughtful the book was.

Wow. I could not put this down. Guarantee everyone will be talking about this one, and for good reason. The author does a fantastic job of weaving the stories together- from present day to Cold War times, with intricate details about life in both eras (and in many places- loved the descriptions of Paris and DC, which so resonated with me!). Strong women leads. Wisps of current events woven in, Similar to a Curtis Sittenfeld set up, in a very good way. Highly recommend.

Thanks @simonbooks for this ARC!

*Thank you NetGalley for the ARC*

3.5 Stars

This is the first book I've read by this author.
It started out slow and I had no idea where it was going. It didn't feel like it was going to be an interesting book because of the pace. It's also not a major thriller, although there is a lot of mystery and the reader is kept in the dark for most of the book. However, once it picked up I got into the story more.
It bounces between the past and present. We have the first lady telling her story to a journalist and then a crazy series of events occur. Her past actions affected her family and she had to hide the truth for the longest time until she shares her story with Sofie. Then once an important piece of the story is released to the press, Sofie and her husband must leave the country for Croatia.
I would have liked to have an epilogue of where they are now, Sofie and Lara. How they recovered in the aftermath and what their relationship, if there is one.

This was definitely a good historical fiction read and should be added to your TBR if you enjoy the genre.

Wow- was not expecting this book to be so good having read the author's previous two books. It was a whirlwind, but in the most thrilling way! Felt like a mystery novel told in a more high-brow way, and it was truly a book that I did not want to put down.

Wow!! I am finding great books this year to read. But, this will not be available until the end of the year. But, I don't want to spoil anything. And, I feel you should go into the book blind and going by the blurb...this curbed my hunger for mystery. This is the first book I am reading from this author.

This book blew my mind (in a good way!) Pitoniak's spin on very recent events with a little bit of history of thrown in makes for a page-turner. Some critics will probably not like the political aspect and might even consider it controversial but, for me, that is what kept me drawn in.

This is going to be a delicious read for many of us! It won't take long to draw some parallels and enjoy the intrigue, the possibilities, and most readers will be conjuring up quite a few "what-ifs" as the book progresses. It reads smoothly and seems well researched. I think it is going to be a huge hit for the author.

With the re-election of a toxic president, his wife calls on a journalist to work on her biography. This novel is the very sophisticated and well written story that combines the life of Lara Caine, FLOTUS, and journalist/biographer Sofie Morse. This story really drew me in as a reader with the well researched story of a girl growing up in the Soviet Union and a woman who holds a powerful position and the understanding of what must be done.

The author has brilliantly plotted this with intricate details and twists. I hope the reader doesn’t see this as a roman a clef, it is not. This First Lady is a compassionate patriot.

The author manages to pull all the loose ends together, providing satisfying closer to the reader. I will recommend his complex book to book clubs. It is a really arresting novel. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.