Mr. President (White House, #1) by Katy Evans Series: White House #1
Published by Self-Published on October 31st 2016
Pages: 334
Amazon B&N Apple
From New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Katy Evans comes a sizzling new contemporary romance.
He's won the hearts of millions. But is he willing to lose his?
I met the president’s son when we were both young. Matthew Hamilton was handsome, polished, and intelligent. I’d never met a guy like him.
He promised me that he’d never run for president. I promised that if he did, I’d be by his side.
Three terms later, an invitation to join Matthew Hamilton’s campaign is the most exhilarating opportunity I’ve ever experienced. I'm determined to make a difference; he is determined to win.
Focused on his goal, Matt is steadfast, ruthless, and disarming. All eyes are on him and his popularity is surging. But soon, the next possible president of the United States is possessing me in more ways than one—and despite the risks, I'm helpless to resist.
We're stealing touches, stealing moments, and stealing away at night. But our chemical connection is quickly becoming dangerously combustive, putting not only my heart, but Matt's chance at the presidency on the line.
Winning will take everything. Walking away will be the hardest thing of all.
I quite enjoyed the beginning of Mr. President. Once I got to the heart of the story, though, one thought kept repeating in my mind: “Am I reading the same book as all my friends?” When this book was released, my Goodreads feed exploded with people gushing about it. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I finished the book feeling disappointed—like 2.5 to 3 stars unsatisfied.
I liked the characters enough. Charlotte is a do-gooder—a senator’s daughter who has always aimed to please her parents, support those in need, and most of all serve the country she loves. She shares those traits with Matt, a publicly adored son of a former U.S. President, confirmed bachelor, and the current Independent nominee running for President of the United States. Charlotte finds herself being a key player in Matt’s campaign, and they are faced with a growing mutual attraction.
Basically, I didn’t understand the need for them to hide their relationship at all, and their secrecy is the bulk of the story. Matt is not a monk, and if he’s going to date anyone, Charlotte seems like the perfect choice. She’s a respected politician’s daughter with a squeaky clean reputation as a humanitarian and no skeletons in her closet. I failed to see how their relationship might jeopardize his campaign, despite the flimsy reasoning.
The story becomes more repetitive the further it progresses. Sex, sex, campaigning, sex, this is crazy, sex, we can’t keep doing this, sex, you’re perfect, sex, I’m a distraction so I should quit, sex, I won’t let you quit, sex, sex, campaigning, sex, and so on. For two secret lovers, they indulge in some unnecessarily risky interactions.
It was a struggle to stay interested, and I think the book could have benefited from more editing. Important issues aren’t even addressed, such as their age difference. I kept feeling like there should be more to the story.
The overall premise is intriguing, the characters themselves are multi-dimensional, and the chemistry is intense, but the delivery is lacking. Mr. President is the first book in a duet, and I guess you could say that it lost my vote. Commander in Chief is the second book, but I’m not sure I’m motivated enough to head to the polls.
Recommended for fans of:
Political drama
Secret lovers
Campaigning
I liked Mr. President (4 stars) but Commander in Chief was a disappointment in my opinion, I think I gave that one 2 stars. Im glad both books were loaned to me.
I’m definitely in the minority who didn’t care for this book. Many of my friends have said they didn’t like book 2 as much, though, so you’re in good company!
Angela, I love your reviews and feel like we are about 77% match on books, so thank you for all your time and recommendations. This duet keeps tempting me, but after Ladies Man, Evans became a skip author for me. I’m not sure I enjoy her brand of alpha or her heroines (Ladies Man felt like a completely externally validated heroine-all worth determined by men). Hopefully she grows in maturity as an author because I do enjoy elements of her writing.
Thanks again for your wonderful blog!
Thanks for your kind words. 🙂 This is the first Katy Evans book I’ve read. The audio book is available for free on Hoopla Digital if your public library participates. At least you won’t spend your money if you don’t like it.