Amongst history buffs, Edith Woodrow is called the first female president. Being several years younger and healthier than President Woodrow, Edith is well known as acting on his behalf several times. Including at what ended up being his last days when she signed his name on documents leading up to the great war.
What is often left out of Edith's biographies is the love that was there. How one woman could have so much influence over one of the most powerful men in the world. Behind every historical figure is their spouse, and behind every spouse is a driving force that either helps or hinders a career and this novel straddles that line with expert story telling. Storytelling that makes you forget that the love story at the center was over a 100 years ago and not recently.

While I enjoyed hearing about Woodrow and Edith's relationship and how it came to be I found this to be a bit on the slow side. I kept on reading waiting for something more exciting to happen but it just fell flat for me.
I am sure that the very well researched details will be enjoyable for some.

Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. I enjoyed this story. I did not know much about President and Mrs. Wilson. The story was interesting, but I wished it were a little more fast paced. The ending was so very sweet and enduring. I think the author balanced historical information with a personal story of Edith and Woodrow. If you like historical fiction give this a try. You will enjoy this little known story.

Charming historical fiction about two people of riper years whose love for each other is tested, re-tested, and ultimately short-lived due to death.

So many things about Woodrow Wilson are awful to me. A racist, an ivory-tower academic without the track record to be the strong-arming law-ramming president thr first World War demanded; but most of all the man who gave away the keys to the economy to the banksters of Jekyll Island's cabal in 1913, thus dooming us to cycles of boom and bust that would only get worse every time the banksters clawed more money from our pockets to feed their greed and gambling addiction.

*ahem*

That not being what this book's about, let me tell you about it, not him.

First of all, it's a novel about two older people whose lives are mostly behind them finding comfort and companionship at the end. That one of them is the president of the US is, in a strange way, tangential to their story. They had a true connection to each other as people, as a man and a woman left alone by the deaths of their spouses. Author Wood gives us the sense that, had they met without this central fact being present, they likely would've had an affair because they were so simpatico. The way their relationship played out, so very publicly, and at such high volume, meant that the end of the affair was inevitably going to be marriage...nothing less would assuage the "moral standards" of the day. Edith Bolling was, thank goodness, a practical person, aware of the world around her and its demands; also to be praised is her full belief in Wilson's political and social progressivism (as far as it went, anyway), so her voice was added to his, not in conflict with it in the battles he was waging.

The Great War, as World War One was called at the time, was only one item on Wilson's plate and isn't the major focus of the book. More weight is given to the all-important enfranchisement of women. This is the one unqualified success of Wilson's presidency. Edith Bolling Wilson was influential on the president's support for this amendment to the Constitution.

Again, more important than the history lesson of the book is the close relationship between these two people. The background of their lives together was always public, and the work they did together was consequential to this very day. But they themselves, as people, are Author Wood's focus. She does not present them as superhuman archetypes. Thy are believable characters, strong people with powerful convictions, who found each other in the last act of the play that is a human's life. Their needs and their interests matched so well that it feels, to this elderly reader, as though they each found the satisfaction of an entire lifetime's search for their best partner.

It's a fine story, about interesting people, and it's told well. Enjoy it soon.

While its obvious that this book was well researched. However, neither Edith nor Wilson were likeable characters. Telling Wilson's time as president from the point of view of his second wife doesn't make him likeable. He was kind of a horrible and racist person. And it's hard to blame what happened after WWI on one person especially woman. However Wilson stroke should have had the government thinking of what to do in a simliar event. Quite frankly the vice president should have taken commend. Edith and the chief of staff shouldn't have covered it up.

Wow! That is the first word I think when I think about this book. It is a wonderful, fictional telling of Edith and Woodrow Wilson’s life together. I was engrossed from the opening paragraph.
If you are a fan of historical fiction, you need to pick this book up!

After reading the book, I have to agree with other people who read it who mention they would’ve loved to see more of the wife’s role as acting president once she took over during the time when her husband was sick. Other than that it was a slow ish book with good redeeming qualities. I really enjoy historical fiction and I think this one had a lot of nice imagery from the times, just was missing a little oomph if you know what I mean. I give it a 3.5/5 but would recommend for historical nerds like myself :)

"The President's Wife" by Tracey Enerson Wood is a captivating historical novel that skillfully combines rich historical detail while also allowing readers to experience a compelling presidential romance. Set in a tumultuous period of American history, Wood's storytelling transports readers to the White House, offering a glimpse into the life of the First Lady who clandestinely assumed the presidency.

What truly sets this novel apart is the meticulous attention to historical accuracy. Wood's research shines through, immersing readers in the intricacies of the time as well as the couple. The vivid descriptions of the era, from the political climate to the societal norms, create an authentic backdrop for the story.

In summary, "The President's Wife" is a well-crafted historical novel that offers readers a unique blend of history and romance. Tracey Enerson Wood's storytelling prowess and meticulous research make it a compelling and enjoyable read for anyone interested in a glimpse into the past and the complexities of a presidential love story.

I found this an interesting read as I knew little about President Woodrow Wilson and nothing of his second wife Edith. When we look back 100 years, it is easy to find fault with things done then, but it is important to look at both the good and the bad and to understand that they did the best they could at the time. And it was a very difficult time, coming to the end of WWI, trying to recover from that and put provisions in place to maintain the peace was a daunting challenge, especially with the president’s failing health.

This was an interesting historical story told from a unique perspective.

Reading about Woodrow Wilson’s presidency along with his personal life from his second wife’s perspective was so enlightening! While they were portrayed as discussing and agreeing on many of his presidential policies, the points they did not agree on were even more interesting. With that said, when she was doing the most to assist in his presidency, the author made it sound like she really did try to continue making decisions in what President Wilson had told her were in the best interests of the country.

Edith Bolling Gait Wilson was also an engaging character on her own. Her reactions to the necessary appearances and wealth of experiences as the First Lady were amusing, especially while she stressed that this public life was never what she was after—she truly loved her second husband, who happened to be the President.

Overall, this was a great historical fiction with likable characters and stories that taught a lot. It earned 3 out of 5 stars, and this reader learned a great deal about this time and these important people from history.

An interesting premise about a time in history and in particular a First Lady I knew very little about.
I'm a fan of history so really enjoyed learning about this time in history. I did find it a bit slow and felt it dragged at times, however if you're a fan of history/historical fiction I would recommend.

A novel that’s both a glimpse into WWI history and a portrait of a trusting and co-dependent couple, The President’s Wife was a solid middle-of-the-road read for me. It’s clearly researched and covers a fascinating point in history, but did feel a little one-dimensional for me.

I do feel like lovers of historical fiction (and of political history in general) will enjoy - it’s a faithful accounting of the path to US involvement in WWI, the tentative peace under the Treaty of Versailles, and a host of other issues occurring simultaneously, from women’s suffrage to railroad strikes to prohibition.

I enjoyed the historical context, but just didn’t connect particularly strongly with the characters or the narrative, and struggled through some of the pacing. I enjoyed it fine, but didn’t find myself engrossed.

Good but not great. This is partially a product of the time, but I found the romance to be incredibly dry and both the main characters to be more than a little insufferable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

I enjoyed this book centered around Woodrow and Edith Wilson. It covered a part of history I wasn’t very familiar with; I was unaware of Edith’s role in the final months of the presidency.

An interesting book, which is based on the true story of Edith Wilson, America’s First Lady during the time of and after WW1. As always with fictionalised books based on real people, you wonder what is true and what isn’t. The author has an interesting note at the back of the book explaining that any public information known is what is used in the book, as are the people’s names.
At it’s essence is the story of a president that gets ill and is unable to operate as normal, so his wife takes over in terms of screening who did and didn’t have access to the President and what papers he did and didn’t see. Shocking amount of power for an unelected individual.
The author was encouraged to write it given the age profile of recent American presidents.
I enjoyed all the drama of Edith’s relationship with the president - they married when he was president, and all the protocols and descriptions of living in the White House. I think there are so many tv series, books etc on the operations of the White House that I feel like we know it already.
Kindly gifted by @bookmarked via @netgalley and available now.

3.5 stars.

Although I majored in history (in addition to psychology), I studied WWII much more than I did WWI. So I was particularly excited to read a WWI novel focused on one of the lesser-discussed presidents, Woodrow Wilson, and his second wife, First Lady Edith Wilson.

To start with the positive, the novel taught me a lot about the personal beliefs of the Wilsons, the perspectives of the President and the First Lady throughout the Great War, and highlighted some important concurrent issues and events of that era (e.g., suffrage movement, Spanish influenza pandemic). Unfortunately, I found it difficult to like or relate to Edith, as she was against women's rights and the suffrage movement, though the author did an adequate job of explaining the First Lady's reasoning and perspective.

Where the book fell short for me, however, was its slower pace in the beginning, centered upon the courtship between Woodrow and Edith. I would have preferred that the plot focus on their marriage and the presidency. The most interesting aspect of the novel was Woodrow's declining health and his eventual incapacitation due to a series of major health setbacks, including strokes. Unbeknownst to the public, Edith essentially stepped in as Commander in Chief!

The book highlights how this decision set forth a chain reaction that affected the next few decades and ultimately contributed to the start of WWII, which led Edith to forever question whether she acted in the best interest of her husband and the American people. Lamentably, this was all limited to the last couple of chapters, even though it was by far the most important and interesting section of the novel. As such, I found that the story ended abruptly and left me wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Sourcebooks Landmark for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I must admit, I only got 37% of the way into this book. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read this eARC from the publisher and NetGalley.
I really wanted to learn about Edith Galt Wilson’s time as First Lady and especially during such an important time in US history. However, I just couldn’t get into the story. I found Wilson to be an unstable “love bomber” (as another reviewer said) and I just kept thinking how is no one getting this man help? I know the times were different, but people must have known he was unstable. Going to bed in a depressed funk because he hadn’t heard from her, or wasn’t sure she would marry him soon enough- and less than a year after his wife died. Ugh no. You have a nation to run.
I also couldn’t bear the letters back and forth. The frothy way he writes to her, needing her love and attention- it wasn’t something I could keep reading. Given the age difference between the two, the pet nickname of “little girl” (from a song) also was too much for me.
I have no doubt the author did a massive amount of historical research, and I am sure the letters were directly from Woodrow and Edith Wilson’s correspondence.
The novel just wasn’t for me. Probably because I couldn’t get past their romantic relationship and the President’s clinging need for Edith. So honestly, not a huge fault of the author when I can’t stand the historical facts of the man.

I was excited to get this ARC to review (thank you net galley) however, the story line seemed to plod along and lack the substance for me to truly identify with Edith Wilson. With a stiff dialog, the romance between Woodrow and Edith seemed more or a business arrangement or them reading a script than that of those truly in love. It was boring and tedious. Perhaps though, this was reflective of the time but it didn't work for me. Easy to put down, I found it was lackluster in content and hard for me to be engaged. However, it was interesting to see how a president could court someone in full view of the country and the going ons with the White House. So thus saying, I will rate it as just okay, 2.5 rounded up to a 3.

If you like American history, if you have been to any of the Presidential libraries, if you enjoy learning about the personal lives of the first families, then this book is for you! The main character is Edith, President Wilson's second wife whom he married while president after the death of his first wife. Well researched by the author enables the reader to better understand the time period of World War I and to show the reader the influence family members have over the president as well as the conflicts between the president and staff members.

I thank NetGalley for a copy of The President's Wife in exchange for an honest review.

I loved reading a fictional story of Woodrow and Edith Wilson. Edith has always intrigued me because of what happened when Woodrow got sick and how she handled things. I won’t spoil this for you, but since I was a young girl, I found how she behaved during his illness as fascinating and I am so glad that this is in print for all to see.

I never really though much about the personality of Woodrow (even though I named my house and a pet after him), so it was nice to actually imagine him as being in love and so much so that it prevented him from living.

This is a sweet book with a love story, but also a story of a strong woman who would do things she never imagined.