A little more than 4 stars, I really enjoyed this! Although it was fiction, most was based in fact (as noted in her works used listed). It was really fascinating to hear/see that period of time through a different lens, tying and interweaving the many events together. ( )

Prior to reading this book, I admit to not knowing terribly much about the Roosevelts' private life. I knew that FDR and ER had essentially a loveless marriage and that ER had a close friendship/romantic relationship with Lorena Hickok but not much more beyond that. When I saw this book up on NetGalley was intrigued.

This was not an easy book to read, nor was it a terribly happy one. Albert portrays Eleanor Roosevelt as a woman who was deeply unhappy, who felt trapped by her station (she was born a Roosevelt), her political marriage to her cousin, and her increasing celebrity and life in the public eye. ER was very lonely and found solace in her few friendships and relationships, and perhaps cared too deeply too soon for anybody who showed her any kindness or need.

Loving Eleanor, independent of ER, was also a fascinating snapshot of a time when women were breaking out of traditional home-bound roles and making inroads in the workforce. I loved seeing how Hick and Eleanor made some of that possible, with ER's press briefings to the all-women press corps, and ER's increased role in lobbying for pet programs. It was interesting to see how ER carved out a niche for herself and attempted to give her life meaning and not be stuck being hostess for White House receptions. I imagine it was trying, given that she and FDR had to put on a united front in public but that in private, they basically lived separate lives, and that FDR did not hide his affairs from her. (I also want to know just how historically accurate FDR's "left hook" is. He's portrayed as a bit of a politically savvy, callous bastard when it came to exiling those who got too close to his wife.)

In writing from Hick's first-person POV, the story took on a bit of a chatty personal tone, which after a while I found trying because Hick-as-narrator tended to gloss over events, mentioning them only in passing. This became especially true toward the end of the book when entire years passed by in a few paragraphs. I think the entirety of World War Two was boiled down to half a chapter, and the actual war was given very little verbiage. The fact that Hick was helping Eleanor with FDR's papers after his death was a throw-away mention. Whether this was because Albert ran out of primary source documentation to back up the fiction, or because she herself ran out of steam with the story, I don't know. But as a reader, the story seemed to fizzle and I felt a bit unsatisfied with how the book ended.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley. ( )

Lorena "Hick" Hickok is assigned to cover Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1932 political campaign. This is the start of a love story that would last for years, despite long periods of separation and the fact that Eleanor Roosevelt was to become The First Lady of United States. But, this love story could not last. Madame, that Hick so lovingly called Eleanor could never become someone anonymous again, even after FDR death.

Loving Eleanor is a fictional memoir based on the relationship between Lorena Hickock and Eleanor Roosevelt. When I first saw this book was my reaction "is this about Eleanor Roosevelt?" And, strangely I was correct. I do have an interest in FDR and that could very well be why my first reaction was thinking this was about his wife.

The book starts off with a funeral, Eleanor Roosevelt's and a grief-stricken Hick isn't there, despite being invited. She can't handle it and don't want them all to see how Eleanor's death has broken her. And, now she wonders what to do with all the letters that she has after Eleanor. There are vultures out there that would do anything to get their hands on them. In the end, she decides to have the letters sealed and not open until 10 years after her death. In this book, she decides also to write their story and having it sealed as well.

Susan Wittig Albert has written a poignant tale of a doomed love story. A talented journalist that falls in love with the wife of the future president. At first, their love burns hot, but as the years go by their love grows perhaps not colder, but the hot passion is not there anymore. But, they still love each other dearly. But Eleanor's would become a personage, an icon. The First Lady of the World. She was no longer a privet person from the day FDR become president. They would both fall in love with other people, but they would until Eleanor died always be in touch. And for Hick would Eleanor always be the one.

This is a story that touched my heart. I found that both Hick and Eleanor came alive in this story. But, Loving Eleanor is also deeply tragic to read. As Eleanor so pointedly says in the book that they are; Like Little moons orbiting around a giant planet. That is the cost of being around FDR. And, if FDR feels that you are a threat, then he will remove the threat. That sounds very wrong and threatening. But what he did was reward anyone around Eleanor if he felt that the person would be harmful to the presidency. Marry away someone like he did with the trooper that Eleanor fell in love with or in Hick's case he gives her a job that took her around the country and by that separate Hick from Eleanor. I could feel reading this that Hick retelling their story is pained with the knowledge of what happened and writing she sees now all the signs that in the end would lead to their breakup as "a couple",

I especially liked the fact that, despite that, the book's story takes place during several years when much happened in America; the Great Depression, and WW2, did the book never feel too heavy to read and it never felt too bogged down with too much history. It was well-written and well-researched. The story flowed easily on and it was hard to put the book down.

Hick never wrote a memoir about their life, but this book has through extended research given us a fictional version of their life together.

For more information read: The story behind the book and the extensive research that went into the project.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me through NetGalley with a free copy for an honest review.

Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede ( )

Lorena "Hick" Hickok is assigned to cover Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1932 political campaign. This is the start of a love story that would last for years, despite long periods of separation and the fact that Eleanor Roosevelt was to become The First Lady of United States. But, this love story could not last. Madame, that Hick so lovingly called Eleanor could never become someone anonymous again, even after FDR death.

Loving Eleanor is a fictional memoir based on the relationship between Lorena Hickock and Eleanor Roosevelt. When I first saw this book was my reaction "is this about Eleanor Roosevelt?" And, strangely I was correct. I do have an interest in FDR and that could very well be why my first reaction was thinking this was about his wife.

The book starts off with a funeral, Eleanor Roosevelt's and a grief-stricken Hick isn't there, despite being invited. She can't handle it and don't want them all to see how Eleanor's death has broken her. And, now she wonders what to do with all the letters that she has after Eleanor. There are vultures out there that would do anything to get their hands on them. In the end, she decides to have the letters sealed and not open until 10 years after her death. In this book, she decides also to write their story and having it sealed as well.

Susan Wittig Albert has written a poignant tale of a doomed love story. A talented journalist that falls in love with the wife of the future president. At first, their love burns hot, but as the years go by their love grows perhaps not colder, but the hot passion is not there anymore. But, they still love each other dearly. But Eleanor's would become a personage, an icon. The First Lady of the World. She was no longer a privet person from the day FDR become president. They would both fall in love with other people, but they would until Eleanor died always be in touch. And for Hick would Eleanor always be the one.

This is a story that touched my heart. I found that both Hick and Eleanor came alive in this story. But, Loving Eleanor is also deeply tragic to read. As Eleanor so pointedly says in the book that they are; Like Little moons orbiting around a giant planet. That is the cost of being around FDR. And, if FDR feels that you are a threat, then he will remove the threat. That sounds very wrong and threatening. But what he did was reward anyone around Eleanor if he felt that the person would be harmful to the presidency. Marry away someone like he did with the trooper that Eleanor fell in love with or in Hick's case he gives her a job that took her around the country and by that separate Hick from Eleanor. I could feel reading this that Hick retelling their story is pained with the knowledge of what happened and writing she sees now all the signs that in the end would lead to their breakup as "a couple",

I especially liked the fact that, despite that, the book's story takes place during several years when much happened in America; the Great Depression, and WW2, did the book never feel too heavy to read and it never felt too bogged down with too much history. It was well-written and well-researched. The story flowed easily on and it was hard to put the book down.

Hick never wrote a memoir about their life, but this book has through extended research given us a fictional version of their life together.

For more information read: The story behind the book and the extensive research that went into the project.

I want to thank the publisher for providing me through NetGalley with a free copy for an honest review.

Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede ( )

Loved this fictional portrayal of Lorena Hickok and ER. They have always been two of the women I was fascinated with in that period of history. Courageous women who had to hide who they loved like a lot of us did not that long ago. ( )