I really didn't know much about Dr Jill Biden before reading this book, but she seems pretty awesome so I figured I'd give it a go.  My suspicions were confirmed, and she is pretty awesome by all accounts in this book.  I did find it rather odd that a lot of the excerpts were from her autobiography, but I guess that was released before she was First Lady so this biography covers everything the autobiography did and then some.  Quite a roller coaster of a read at times but truly interesting.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review, I was not otherwise compensated.

I remember Inauguration Day 2009 when I first saw Dr. Jill Biden in her beautiful red coat & black leather boots. She seemed spunky & full of life. I admit I paid little attention to her during the campaign. As I learned more about her, I was intrigued in the coming days. As a community college administrator, I was immediately drawn to her story. Since then, I have read several books & articles that covered her. This book, Jill, is one of my favorites. It is beautifully written. It covers her early life, her courtship with President Biden, their family life & the political side of their lives. Dr. Biden is a remarkable woman!! After suffering the tragic loss of losing his wife & young daughter, she was just what Joe Biden needed.

A special thanks to Netgalley, the authors & LIttle, Brown and Company for this advance copy!

Jill is an easy-to-read biography about Jill Biden. My favorite parts were when the authors delved into her early years: her childhood, her life as a student, her first marriage, and her early years with Joe. These were areas of her life of which I knew nothing. As the book progressed, it seemed to turn into a biography of the Bidens. Yes, Joe Biden plays an integral part in a biography of his wife, but occasionally, it seemed that the authors were writing solely about him. That being said, I didn’t dislike those parts, but was surprised that there was so much focus on Joe Biden and his work. Overall, I enjoyed learning more about our country’s first lady – her early life, her passion for education, and how she has coped with living in the public eye. After reading this biography, I would like to read her memoir, Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself.

I recommend this biography to anyone who would like to learn more about Jill Biden.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review.

While a little rushed and a little choppy, this book provides a decent look into Dr. Biden’s personal and professional life.

Pace and Superville portray Dr. Biden as a very caring and compassionate person. Her passion for teaching and education reform shines through. The most interesting sections of the book were about her work on these fronts. I also appreciated learning about her practical jokes. I admire her ability to use humor to help get through tough times.

Overall, the usage of very short chapters did not work for me. More than once I was left confused by the abrupt ending of a story. I would have liked to know more about her relationship with her sisters. They are all but absent in the book. Also, Pace and Superville move pretty quickly through the more scandalous stories within the Biden family. If you want more of an inside scoop, look elsewhere.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thorough if reverential look at the First Lady's life. While the authors clearly had good access they were uncritical or glossed over controversies that should have warranted further exploration.

Are you looking for a book about the amazing woman that is Dr. Jill Biden? If so, then you have found the perfect book. This book not only delves into her political life but her personal life as well. I highly enjoyed learning about this amazing woman!

I have always been interested in our country's First Ladies. So when I saw this book I felt I had to read it. I think a better title would be "The Bidens" as this book is about the couple more than Jill. I did take from reading this book a genuine desire to read "Where the Light Enters" by Jill Biden. "Where the Light Enters" is referenced many times and seems to be a more personal account of Jill's life which is what I thought this book was going to be. All of that said I learned a lot, not only about the Bidens but about how our political system works. Especially in regard to political campaigns. I also gained a new respect for our President and the First Lady. I am in awe of the loving relationship they share and the way that spills over to everyone and the things they are involved with. I would like to thank Netgalley, Little, Brown and Company, and the authors Julie Pace and Darlene Superville for the chance to read and leave an honest review.

Very readable biography. I learned a great deal about Jill Biden and the Biden family dynamics. Such a loving family who have each other's backs at all times. The book goes beyond politics and lets the reader enjoy Dr. Biden's passions. I'm thankful that we have such a caring First Lady now.

I have been reading about the First Ladies for over twenty years, beginning when I was designing and researching to make my quilt Remember the Ladies, a Redwork quilt featuring the wives of the presidents.

I have always felt sympathetic to the First Ladies. They are not elected. They have no job description. Their every move is scrutinized. They are open targets for criticism and idolization. They work to represent our country—for free. They are required to live in a house they don’t own and have little control over. Having spent over 30 years as a minister’s wife, living in a parsonage, I have an inkling of what they experience.

The Biden presidency is not over, and who knows what lies in store for the Bidens. But it was interesting to read this biography and learn about how Jill ‘got to here.’

Dr. Jill Biden knew what she was getting into when she finally accepted Joe’s proposal. He was a U.S. Senator, a father of two sons who had lost his wife and a daughter in a tragic accident. He fell for Jill early, and hard.

A non-political teacher and registered Republican, Jill wasn’t sure she wanted the lifestyle that came with being a politician’s wife. But after four years as an unofficial Biden, dating Joe and helping with his children Beau and Hunter, Joe stood his ground: marriage, or he needed to end their relationship.

Jill understood that she had to keep being herself, doing the things that kept her balanced and independent. Running. Teaching. She and Joe had a daughter, so she was parenting three children as well. When Joe suffered an aneurysm, Jill kept it together, juggling all those balls. When Joe decided to run for president, Jill fit campaigning into her schedule.

Over the years, Jill became stronger, staying true to herself while feeling more comfortable with the role of politician’s wife. Her students note that Jill was always supportive, a good listener, fun, and involved. Her innate kindness and generosity of spirit was noted by all, from the secret service men who protected them to the families of those in the military. The biography notes the ways that Jill has expanded the role of First Lady, the first to continue her career while in the White House.

This biography is straight forward with little perceived bias, even when narrating Jill’s loss of faith after Beau’s death and the criticisms of Hunter’s addiction issues and other struggles. The book is comprehensive, drawing from a multitude of sources and interviews.

I had previously read a biography about Joe Biden, his memoir Promise Me Dad, and a brief biography. It was a pleasure to further my acquaintance with this remarkable First Lady and teacher who took on the difficult role of wife and step mother in the public eye.

I received a free egalley from the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

Enjoyed this easy-to-read autobiography of Jill Biden, current First Lady of the United States. I found this to be an interesting read. It is based on three interviews Biden did with the authors, plus lots of extracts from Biden's own memoir, and autobiography of her husband Joe Biden, current President of the United States. The authors also extract from other books. If it bothers you that there are so many extracted phrases rather than original writing, this may not be the book for you. Otherwise, it's an easy, interesting read. Jill Biden has had a varied, interesting life, and this book does touch on all aspects. I think after reading this, I will get Jill Biden's memoir to get her perspective and see how it differs from this book.

Many thanks to the authors, publisher and Net Galley for the free e-book for an honest review of Jill.

This book is exactly what a biography should be - a tale spanning the mission and person it is diving into. Many biographies, however, miss the mark on their sole job.

Pace and Superville have delicately crafted a look into the life of Dr. Jill Biden, a figure who many of us know from photos and soundbites. The authors were very careful in putting together a narrative that trims the fat and hones in on important events, while still weaving together an entertaining and heartbreaking narrative.

Like myself, most readers know of the tragedies that have struck President Biden, but 'Jill' gives us insight into the role of Dr. Biden in his life, and most touchingly, Beau and Hunter's. I am grateful for the initimate look at the difficult times the Bidens have gone through, but also appreciate the feeling that I received 'just enough' information without feeling like a voyeur into unthinkable tragedies of death and poor health.

I learned so much through this book and while it's about the first lady, you won't leave the pages without a deeper, keener understanding of the president, his children and their trusted circle.

There were so many anecdotes that I highlighted while reading, including the fact that the late Neilia Hunter Biden and Dr. Jill Biden met at an event that the future president was speaking at. These little details that the authors so clearly scoped out shows the depth and breadth of their interviews.

A good biography is one that shares the life of its subject, but a great biography is one that brings you into their life and leaves you feeling like you were, at least for a few hundred pages, a part of their life. 'Jill' is the latter.

What an excellent read.