*NOTE: After doing some research, I chose to use the terms Black and African American in this review as I felt culturally appropriate and in regards with whom I was speaking of. If this incorrect, or offensive, I apologize as that was never my intention and I welcome correction/discussion.*

Well folx, Marie Benedict and Victoria Murphy have done it again! From the dynamic duo that brought "The Personal Librarian", we now have "The First Ladies" and I am positively swooning. 

In this story we are following the unlikely friendship/partnership between First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Civil Rights Activist Mary McLeod Bethune and the power that friendship can have. 

After watching The First Lady on SHOTIME a few months ago; I have pretty much become obsessed with anything and everything Eleanor Roosevelt; this woman is a FORCE. When I was attending Marie Benedict's talk for her book "The Mitford Affair" at Riverstone Books last year, she mentioned that this book was coming; and then she mentioned that she'd partnered with Victoria Murphy again and I was literally dying waiting for June to get here for it to be released. And while I stand in my statement that Eleanor Roosevelt is incredible, this story was so much more about Mary McLeod Bethune and the friendship that the two woman had together on the right side of History.

Mary McLeod Bethune = ONE BADASS WOMAN. Unfortunately, I am ashamed to say that this was a name that I have honestly never heard of prior to reading this book.. (History educators; can we please focus more on powerful Black Women in American History? There are many and there stories deserve to be heard.) While Mrs. Bethune was mostly known due to her time as an activist in the Civil Rights movement and for being a powerful Educator for Black Youth; she was really so much more. Her list of accolades and accomplishments is overflowing and she would back down to positively NO ONE. 

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt = ADDITIONAL BADASS WOMAN. Knowing what I know about the relationship between her and President Roosevelt, I can't help but wonder what sort of trajectory her story may have taken had she NOT decided to remain his 'wife' and friend until he died. Unprecedented in other First Ladies, this woman did not take her husbands shit and she was there to call him out on his bullshit and encourage him to make the right choice even when the decision might not be in the best political interest. 

Together, this partnership allowed barriers to be broken that were unheard of in the America in the first half of the 1900s. What started off as a friendship and companionship about their families and passion for education, turned into a partnership that propelled the Civil Rights Movement as we know it. Mrs. Bethune helped set the stones in place for others to continue moving on and created the groundwork for what our nation is still fighting towards today. By bringing Eleanor Roosevelt on board, together they were able to do some really incredible things such as getting the first Black officials elected to political positions and allow Black's the opportunity to serve their country. 

One of the most unique things about Marie Benedict's books is that while it is Historical Fiction, there is a lot of truth in what she brings to the table for the readers. Yes, the conversations are falsified and sometimes dates/circumstances are altered or embellished to create a more compelling story, but; the baseline is there and that's what is incredible to me. She takes the framework and allows for us to see a powerful woman (or women) in History whose story otherwise wouldn't be told based solely off their gender. 

Together with Victoria Murphy, Marie Benedict really pushes the envelope in this most recent novel. Any time that race is involved, there are bound to be difficult and uncomfortable conversations. This book was full of difficult conversations that both Author's stated they had to have in person to bring to life in the book. This is so powerful. If more people would take the time to have this difficult conversations, think of what we could do. 

As a White woman, I was born privilaged just because of the color of my skin. As a White woman that was born in the 90s and someone who witnessed the election of the first Black President, I think it's sometimes easy to forget that the early 1900s were such a different time. Blacks and White could not sit in a restaurant together, they didn't touch, and they certainly weren't in positions of power. Mrs. Bethune and many other powerful African American's started this progression and gave their lives to it. 

If you are interested in Historical Fiction at all, I once again strongly encourage you to pick up anything by Marie Benedict (maybe I'm jaded because she's from Pittsburgh) and I INSIST that you pick up this story. Aside from the major storyline, I enjoyed getting to learn about each woman's personal life, too. I enjoyed reading a Historical Fiction that was based in the era of WW2 that didn't center itself around the war - because let's be honest, so many of them do. (Off subject, a bit, I also enjoyed seeing how the political parties - the Dems and The Repubs - have changed since this time, but that they're also still just in it for the ratings and $$. Bastards.)

Structurally, I enjoyed going back and forth between the perspectives of the two woman and being able to see the same situation through the eyes of two different people. There were at times I found the story to be a bit slow & sometimes a bit exaggerated, but I think that was all a part of the bigger picture.

In conclusion, I'm just going to say it again. READ THE DAMN BOOK.