While you could fill a library with biographies, autobiographies and other nonfiction books about U.S. presidents, the stories of their wives and families often get pushed aside. However, with presidential historical fiction books, you can glimpse some of history’s most influential first ladies and immediate family members. Filled with a combination of actual events and captivating, imaginative details, these stories detail the lives of powerful women who may get overlooked.
From exploring Mary Todd Lincoln’s secrets to wondering what would have happened if Hilary Rodham hadn’t married Bill Clinton, these enticing stories will surely catch your interest. We compiled our favorite presidential historical fiction books, which bring intimate and hidden moments to life. Keep scrolling for all our recommendations. Happy Reading!
Eleanor Roosevelt was an outspoken First Lady who fought for civil and women’s rights. This novel explores her decades-long friendship with W Mary McLeod Bethune—an activist, educator and daughter of formerly enslaved parents. The pair shared their secrets and dreams over the course of their adult lives, the friendship becoming something they both relied on.
What readers are saying: “This book provided details on historical events that I had no awareness of. Written impeccably with great character development and fantastic historical factual events of the time. I highly recommend this novel. I truly enjoyed it from start to finish. Amazing women who shaped our country.”
From a young age, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph understood that even though her father, Thomas Jefferson, loved his family, his devotion to his country ran deeper. As his eldest daughter, Patsy becomes his protector and constant companion after her mother’s death and she travels with him when he becomes the American minister to France. While in Paris, Patsy learns of her father’s troubling connection with Sally Hemmings, a slave girl who’s also her age, and falls in love with William Short, a staunch abolitionist and determined diplomat. Stuck between love and duty to family, she questions whether she can simultaneously be William’s wife and a devoted daughter.
What readers are saying: “Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, thank you for enlightening us all with Patsy Jefferson’s story! America’s First Daughter was an all-consuming read that kept me up several nights! By the end, I felt like I fully understood this remarkable woman’s hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses, and endearing compassion to those most present in her life.”
Before she was Jackie Kennedy, she was Jackie Bouvier. The story follows 20-year-old Jacqueline as she embarks on her junior year abroad in Paris. Before succumbing to family pressure and expectations, she has a year to herself away from Vassar College and the high society of New York. Soon, she’s immersed in a new life and even strikes up a romance with a young writer—although her mother would never approve. But underneath the glamour, France is still haunted by the Occupation. In the aftermath of World War II, Paris became a hot spot for spies, secrets and betrayals. Stunned, Jacqueline watches the rise of communism unfold, unaware that these events will shape the rest of her life as well as her future husband’s.
What readers are saying: “This book was an absolute page-turner for me. At first, I read it as a piece of historical fiction about Jackie O, but pretty soon, I got lost in the story about this woman in 1949 Paris. Ann Mah paints a beautiful portrait of Paris, but also a very realistic one of a city and country recovering from WWII. I highly recommend this book!”
In this historical fiction novel, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini unveils the private life of Mary Todd Lincoln through the eyes of her most trusted confidante and friend. Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley was born a slave, but it was her skills as a seamstress that gave her what she desired most: freedom. Those same talents also won her the friendship of Mary Todd Lincoln. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker sheds light on the relationship between the two women, beginning during the Civil War and lasting until almost the end of Mary’s days.
What readers are saying: “If you choose one historical novel to read this year about America I recommend this one. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker is well-researched and crafted carefully, never failing to intrigue, fascinate and inform the reader about the tumultuous Civil War years when history forced dramatic changes on the nation and on individuals living during those precarious years.”
What would have happened if Hilary Rodham hadn’t married Bill Clinton? In 1971, Hillary Rodham has a life full of opportunity. Life Magazine covered her commencement speech from Wellesley. She’s attending Yale Law School and is an activist for women’s rights. And fellow law student Bill already has his political career planned out. In our world, Hillary followed Bill to Arkansas, where she rejected his proposal multiple times but ultimately accepted and eventually became Hillary Clinton. But in this book, her story ends differently. She leaves Arkansas and blazes her own trail for the next 40 years. However, she crosses paths again and again with Bill Clinton, leaving her to question the tradeoffs involved in building a life.
What readers are saying: “Curtis Sittenfeld does an amazing job of world-building and detailing the intimate life of a narrator who never fails to sound like Hillary Rodham Clinton. Even the most outlandish parts are plausible, and the fictional take on stuff that actually did happen seems eerily right on the money. I started and finished this book in one day. I simply could not put it down. It’s evident that the author really did the work to make it both brilliant and believable.”
Historical fiction meets murder mystery in this story from Barbara Hamilton. It’s 1773, and the colony of Massachusetts is torn between patriots who want their freedom and loyalists who support the king. At the center of it all is the president’s wife, Abigail Adams, who happens to be the leader of the Sons of Liberty, a secret organization opposing the Crown. When a murder occurs, John is immediately accused of the crime. With his reputation and the fate of the Sons of Liberty on the line, Abby must solve the case to ensure their freedom.
What readers are saying: “This is an excellent beginning to a series of mysteries featuring the inestimable Abigail Adams. Very enjoyable. I particularly enjoyed learning about daily life in 18th-century America.”
Widow Edith Bolling is in no rush to find a new husband. However, she can’t resist Woodrow Wilson’s charms; suddenly, she’s the First Lady of the United States. The role is uncomfortable for an independent woman like herself, but she’s determined to rise to the challenge. Soon, she becomes an indispensable part of her husband’s presidency, discussing policies daily and encrypting secret messages. When Woodrow’s health worsens, Edith essentially steps into the presidential role to keep her husband’s progress and reputation alive.
What readers are saying: “I loved this fictional insight into the life of Edith Wilson. While I know we cannot know her personal thoughts and actions, this book makes me feel as if Edith Wilson herself was providing behind-the-scenes stories of our American history. It puts a human touch to a very pivotal part of our history.”
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