A Political Affair by Mary Whitney Book Review

Even before she graduated from law school, Mary knew she wasn’t cut out to be a real lawyer. Drawn to politics, she’s spent her career as an organizer, lobbyist, and nonprofit executive. Nothing piques her interest more than a good political scandal or romance, and when she stumbled upon writing, she put the two together. A born Midwesterner, naturalized Texan, and transient resident of Washington, D.C., Mary now lives in Northern California with her two daughters and real lawyer husband.

Visit Mary Whitney’s blog:  http://www.wordymary.com

My Review

I will be the first one to admit it – I hate politics.  I can’t wait until the election is over so I don’t have to see the news and commercials non-stop for the candidates, and listen to the half-truths that are spewed on them, trying to convince you who to vote for. So, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book.  Let me first start out by saying – you don’t have to be a fan of politics to love this book.  And love it I did!

It is obvious that Mary has a political background, but, add that to the fact that she knows how to write and you have a book that will engage you on all levels, blending the romance between Anne and Stephen with the battles that politics involves, it gave me a new appreciation for politicians when seeing it written in this manner.  And, it sure seems to ring true to form on how their lives unfold when politics are in the mix.  I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the impeding romance between Anne (an intern) and Stephen (a senator) – all I could think of going in was Clinton/Lewinsky minus the marriage.  But Anne is not interested in Stephen due to his position and the author does a great job of easing you into their relationship and why they are meant to be together.  I think their romance was my favorite part of the entire book.

The author also does a great job of fleshing out her characters, from the main characters of Anne and Stephen, to Stephen’s mother and sisters, and some of the other politicians that come into play – nothing feels rushed.  A well written novel that gives you a fictional account of what it must be like to be scrutinized for all you do in the political playing field, I highly recommend it!

No one expected Stephen McEvoy to fill his father’s U.S. Senate seat at such a young age, least of all him. The scion of a revered political dynasty, he’s appointed to the Senate after his father’s untimely death. Now he’s in a tough election battle against an archconservative. When clever Anne Norwood interns in his office, he dismisses her as another pretty face—until her independent streak catches his attention. She soon finds him far more interesting than his Senator McEvoy persona. They’re both too smart to fall for one another, yet they do. Their relationship becomes a political gamble in a tight election, and all the while, his opposition lies in wait for him to make a mistake. As Stephen’s past catches up with him, he and Anne must fight for their future. Their lives mean more than politics, and campaigns—like love—are either won or lost.