The First Ladies A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune by Marie Benedict and Victorica Christopher Murray

400 pages June 27,2023 publication date Berkley publisher

About The Book

A novel about the extraordinary partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune—an unlikely friendship that changed the world, from the New York Times bestselling authors of the Good Morning America Book Club pick The Personal Librarian.

The daughter of formerly enslaved parents, Mary McLeod Bethune refuses to back down as white supremacists attempt to thwart her work. She marches on as an activist and an educator, and as her reputation grows she becomes a celebrity, revered by titans of business and recognized by U.S. Presidents. Eleanor Roosevelt herself is awestruck and eager to make her acquaintance. Initially drawn together because of their shared belief in women’s rights and the power of education, Mary and Eleanor become fast friends confiding their secrets, hopes and dreams—and holding each other’s hands through tragedy and triumph.
 
When Franklin Delano Roosevelt is elected president, the two women begin to collaborate more closely, particularly as Eleanor moves toward her own agenda separate from FDR, a consequence of the devastating discovery of her husband’s secret love affair. Eleanor becomes a controversial First Lady for her outspokenness, particularly on civil rights. And when she receives threats because of her strong ties to Mary, it only fuels the women’s desire to fight together for justice and equality.
 
This is the story of two different, yet equally formidable, passionate, and committed women, and the way in which their singular friendship helped form the foundation for the modern civil rights movement.

My Thoughts

The First Ladies is hands down one of the absolute best historical fiction books I’ve read this year.

It was written as a collaboration between author’s Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. Each chapter alternates between the viewpoints of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune. Very well researched the book has an authentic ring to it.

Taking place in a time period when there was a strong racial division this didn’t stop the not only partnership these women had but a personal friendship they had as well.
Growing up Mary was the daughter of enslaved parents and now she refuses to back down, uplifting and bettering her race. Though putting herself in danger she marches and protests. This strong-willed activist is at the forefront educating people on women’s rights.

Elanor Roosevelt is drawn to Mary as she shares the same beliefs as her. When her husband is elected to his presidency the women use this to their advantage to get the word out there as they collaborate for justice and equality.

I very much enjoyed the book, reading about the strong-willed women and how they didn’t let their race or sex hold them back. I learned a lot and highly recommend this book.

Pub Date 27 Jun 2023
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

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The Authors

​Marie Benedict is a lawyer with more than ten years’ experience as a litigator at two of the country’s premier law firms, who found her calling unearthing the hidden historical stories of women. Her mission is to excavate from the past the most important, complex and fascinating women of history and bring them into the light of present-day where we can finally perceive the breadth of their contributions as well as the insights they bring to modern day issues. She embarked on a new, thematically connected series of historical novels with THE OTHER EINSTEIN, which tells the tale of Albert Einstein’s first wife, a physicist herself, and the role she might have played in his theories. The next novel in this series is the USA Today bestselling CARNEGIE’S MAID — which released in January of 2018 — and the book that followed is the New York Times bestseller and Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, the story of the brilliant inventor Hedy Lamarr, which published in January of 2019. In January of 2020, LADY CLEMENTINE, the story of the incredible Clementine Churchill, was released, and became an international bestseller. Her next novel, the Instant NYTimes and USAToday bestselling THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, was published on December 29, 2020, and her first co-written book, THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN, with the talented Victoria Christopher Murray, will be released on June 29, 2021. Writing as Heather Terrell, Marie also published the historical novels The Chrysalis, The Map Thief, and Brigid of Kildare.

Victoria Christopher Murray is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 30 novels. Her novels, The Personal Librarian and The First Ladies, which she co-authored with Marie Benedict were both Instant New York Times bestsellers and her novel, Stand Your Ground won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Fiction. Four of her novels, Lust, Envy, Wrath and Greed have been made into TV movies for Lifetime. Visit her at http://www.victoriachristophermurray.com.

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