Author: Ebony Edwards-Ellis
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Synopsis
The American
people--critics and allies alike--like to compare Barry and me to the Obamas.
Like the Obamas, we are an African-American couple who ascended to the White
House with two young daughters. Both presidents were Ivy League educated
lawyers. And Michelle Obama and I, having both been born during the third week
of January, occasionally celebrated birthdays on the King Holiday.
What people
often intentionally overlooked was how different Barry and I were to the
Obamas. Barry and I weren't married at the time of our elder daughter's birth--a
situation we did not rectify for several years. Having dropped out of college,
I am not an Ivy League educated lawyer like Michelle Obama nor do I possess her
grace, charisma or charm. And yes, both presidents answered to the nickname
"Barry" at some point in their lives, but the names
"Barack" and "Barrington" bespeak two very different
backgrounds. And, no, despite all the efforts of Barry's PR machine to create
the image of a peaceful cohesive family, Barry and I did not enjoy a
particularly happy marriage.
Barry and I
were the anti-Obamas...
This is how
former First Lady Shelley Diggs characterizes her relationship with her
soon-to-be ex-husband, Barrington "Barry" Welles. After Trump resigns
under the threat of impeachment, Barry defeats Mike Pence in the election of
2020 to become the 47th President of the United States. Having never wanted to
be a "political wife," Shelley has to sacrifice her freedom and
privacy for the sake of her husband's political career.
Fed up with
omnipresent Secret Service agents and desperate to reclaim, Shelley leaves her
husband shortly after he finishes his second term, returns to her native New
York, and relinquishes her protection detail. However, Shelley's yearnings for
her husband threaten to derail her plans for her future. When a family tragedy
strikes, Shelley must choose between her new life and the comfort and safety of
her family.
PURCHASE LINKS
MY REVIEW
Overall
an enjoyable read. I found, however, that most of the book takes place before
and during her tenure as First Lady.
It
was interesting to see the many facets of presidential life. Being a Canadian,
I’m ignorant to everything that it entails and that, in and of itself, kept me
turning the pages.
Shelley
is a strong and capable feminist. She is smart and sassy. When she finds a wallet
and returns it to its owner, her life changes completely and unexpectedly.
She
starts dating Barry, a law firm associate with aspirations to the State
Assembly.
They
couldn’t be more different or from completely different backgrounds.
But
it seems opposites attract and their tumultuous life story story begins.
The
writing keeps your attention but it reads more like a memoir. Because of that,
I felt like I was being told a story instead of experiencing it, and that, for
me, lowered my enjoyment of the book.
I
love feeling engaged and like I’m part of the story. I must say, however, that
towards the end, where Shelley is the former First Lady, that I became so very
much engaged. My heart broke and I giggled a little bit at Barry’s antics. I
believe if the whole story had read like the end, it would have been a solid
4-star read.
For
me, this book started off ok and ended on a BANG!
I
received free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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