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Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making?: Letters of Love and Lust from the White House
A delightful collection of love letters by American presidents to their wives—and lovers—revealing an intimate and deeply personal side of our leaders.
Our presidents loom so large in history that we often forget they are human. Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making? is a collection of handwritten love letters that offers a surprising and intimate portrait of the men who occupied the White House. From George Washington to Barack Obama, these are not the presidents we see in history books. Instead, when they courted the women they wanted to marry, or seduced women outside of their marriage, they often showed a side the public did not see—playful, passionate, tender, consumed by desire.
Some of the letters are incredibly romantic—and surprisingly so.
It took Richard Nixon years to convince Pat Ryan to marry “Someday let me see you again? In September? Maybe?”
Others will make you blush.
Staid-looking Woodrow Wilson, about to return home from a trip, warned his wife of ten “Do you think you can stand the unnumerable kisses and the passionate embraces you will receive? Are you prepared for the storm of lovemaking with which you will be assailed?” In letters to one of his mistresses, Warren G. Harding referred to his penis as “Jerry”—letters which would later be used to blackmail him.
All the letters show the writer at his most vulnerable. We see letters of sorrow written about the death of a child or during a time of separation while the president was away on the battlefield. This beautiful book is a captivating collection of love stories revealing a human side of the men we still honor today.
Our presidents loom so large in history that we often forget they are human. Are You Prepared for the Storm of Love Making? is a collection of handwritten love letters that offers a surprising and intimate portrait of the men who occupied the White House. From George Washington to Barack Obama, these are not the presidents we see in history books. Instead, when they courted the women they wanted to marry, or seduced women outside of their marriage, they often showed a side the public did not see—playful, passionate, tender, consumed by desire.
Some of the letters are incredibly romantic—and surprisingly so.
It took Richard Nixon years to convince Pat Ryan to marry “Someday let me see you again? In September? Maybe?”
Others will make you blush.
Staid-looking Woodrow Wilson, about to return home from a trip, warned his wife of ten “Do you think you can stand the unnumerable kisses and the passionate embraces you will receive? Are you prepared for the storm of lovemaking with which you will be assailed?” In letters to one of his mistresses, Warren G. Harding referred to his penis as “Jerry”—letters which would later be used to blackmail him.
All the letters show the writer at his most vulnerable. We see letters of sorrow written about the death of a child or during a time of separation while the president was away on the battlefield. This beautiful book is a captivating collection of love stories revealing a human side of the men we still honor today.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published February 6, 2024
About the author
Dorothy Hoobler
110 books56 followersDorothy and Thomas Hoobler, a married couple who have written numerous books together, were drawn to this story of great writers inspiring each other collaboratively. Their most recent novel, In Darkness, Death, won a 2005 Edgar Award. They live in New York City.
Series:
* Samurai Detective
* Century Kids
* Her Story
* Images Across The Ages
* American Family Album
Series:
* Samurai Detective
* Century Kids
* Her Story
* Images Across The Ages
* American Family Album
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 16, 2024
I started this book with high expectations in spite of the reviews I saw online, which is something I tend not to do often, unless the premise sounds very interesting. And it did! Letters from US presidents? And about their love and sex lives? Count me in!
Needless to say, I was quite disappointed by how very bland the majority of the letters were, together with the little bits of information the authors provided, which most of the time felt like random anecdotes in a poorly structured book (I feel like it would be better to focus on one president at a time rather than to divide the book into four parts, with some presidents’ names popping up again after 50–60 pages of no mention).
Overall, this could have been a very good book if the information had been better chosen and structured. Perhaps it was worth writing about the presidents, whose correspondence you can actually study and come to conclusions about their love lives, rather than dedicating 2–3 pages of the book to one surviving letter?
Needless to say, I was quite disappointed by how very bland the majority of the letters were, together with the little bits of information the authors provided, which most of the time felt like random anecdotes in a poorly structured book (I feel like it would be better to focus on one president at a time rather than to divide the book into four parts, with some presidents’ names popping up again after 50–60 pages of no mention).
Overall, this could have been a very good book if the information had been better chosen and structured. Perhaps it was worth writing about the presidents, whose correspondence you can actually study and come to conclusions about their love lives, rather than dedicating 2–3 pages of the book to one surviving letter?
February 14, 2024
I'm gonna steal some of the delightfully antiquated language used by 200 year old presidents to score a date.
Lots of really poignant descriptions of love, loss, yearning. I wish I wrote people like this. Also some awful people, odd relationship dynamics.
Was hoping for more juicy details. Closest you'll get is Warren Harding and his friend Jerry. Also Abe likes thicc women. Everyone unfortunately burns letters from mistresses it seems.
Lots of really poignant descriptions of love, loss, yearning. I wish I wrote people like this. Also some awful people, odd relationship dynamics.
Was hoping for more juicy details. Closest you'll get is Warren Harding and his friend Jerry. Also Abe likes thicc women. Everyone unfortunately burns letters from mistresses it seems.
August 3, 2024
I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone, but I enjoyed it because I learned so many fun tidbits about all of the presidents. I’m always trying to color in their personalities and their personal letters are helpful in that particular endeavor.
August 17, 2024
I found this a fun and quick read with a very funny (though a bit sensationalized) title. There's not a lot of analysis happening here, but the authors don't promise that-- they claim their goal is to show a different side of the presidents, and it does do that. Who knew Taft was such a sweetheart?
Some reviews are frustrated that there aren't more hot, sexy letters. You can only work with what the historical record gives you! There are many reasons that hot, sexy letters wouldn't be written in the first place, and so many more reasons why even when they were, someone at some point destroyed them. It's actually kind of amazing any survived.
Many other reviews show frustration with the organization (four "types" of letter or circumstance, rather than just a straightforward ordering of presidents.) I'm not sure that this arrangement added a lot, but for me, it also didn't detract. I suppose it gives an additional way to use the book as reference. Each section is still in presidential order, so if you're hell-bent on only reading correspondence from John Tyler or something, it's still easy to do.
Some reviews are frustrated that there aren't more hot, sexy letters. You can only work with what the historical record gives you! There are many reasons that hot, sexy letters wouldn't be written in the first place, and so many more reasons why even when they were, someone at some point destroyed them. It's actually kind of amazing any survived.
Many other reviews show frustration with the organization (four "types" of letter or circumstance, rather than just a straightforward ordering of presidents.) I'm not sure that this arrangement added a lot, but for me, it also didn't detract. I suppose it gives an additional way to use the book as reference. Each section is still in presidential order, so if you're hell-bent on only reading correspondence from John Tyler or something, it's still easy to do.
Read
October 23, 2024Well, certainly was an interesting title to be carrying around.
May 12, 2024
I wanted to love this book. I'm a huge American history nerd, and I've read lots of presidential biographies. And I was entirely prepared for the book to only, or mainly, cover writings from presidents that are no longer living so as to limit any embarrassment. But even with this expectations, I found the book lacking.
I should note, I wasn't necessarily expecting anything raunchy because I'm well aware that the term "lovemaking" (or making love) did not historically refer to the sex act, but to pitching woo or romancing someone, until well into the 20th century. (The use of the term to mean sex didn't even begin until the 1920s. Even in My Fair Lady, which came out in 1964, they were still using "make love" to mean "pay amorous attention to" or "pitch woo.")
But the subtitle of the book is Letters of Love and Lust from the White House is still misleading. The vast majority of the letters are not from the period in which many of these presidents were occupants of the White House, but much earlier, either before or at the starts of their marriages. More aptly though, very little of the content of these letters from the presidents to to their wives were romantic, amorous, or lusty; indeed, philandering Warren G. Harding is one of the only ones to write anything remotely racy (to his mistress).
So, not a lot of lust, but honestly, not that much love. There is some love, and a bit of lying about love from other philandering presidents to their wives about their undying, singleminded love (while they were "liar, liar, pants-on-fire" throughout). But my issues with this book go deeper.
First, the organization. There are four main sections of the book: romancing, separation, and adversity, all referring to letters from the presidents to their wives, and then a very small fourth section with letters they wrote to women whom they pursued either prior to marriage to their wives (or during). Within each section, the selection of letters is chronological by president, and contextualized by small biographical snippets about the president and first lady in each case.
This organizational method was a bit awkward, because the letters written during the romancing were also often letters of separation, and letters of separation were often about periods of adversity. The categories aren't exactly arbitrary, but they create a weird sort of dichotomy (trichotomy?) when it would have made more sense to explore each president and his letters just once, but chronologically (and even categorically) within his life, and then move on to the next. The format here led to repetition of facts that needn't have been mentioned more than once (like that polio was also known as infantile paralysis) because the authors must assume readers would not necessarily have read each section in order.
A larger problem is the writing, which was dry, but not academic. Historians can sometimes be forgiven a dry, academic writing style because their formality often mimics the primary texts they study, but writers such as these, known for their young adult mystery series, should have been able to write in a more engaging style. Indeed, the language level seems suitable for young adults, not fans of history, while the writing style seems suited for a tenth grade social studies textbook.
The authors, Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, a married couple with a background in history (hers) and education (his), should have been able to make the topic sing. Correspondence between famous partners should be juicy, but when it is not, historians can fill in the details with compelling background. Instead, their methods for contexualizing these letters leaves the reader wanting. The Hooblers seem to play favorites; some presidents are covered extensively, both in the narrative bookending and in the sharing of letters; others are summarily dispensed with after a page or two.
As a fan of history, I want depth; instead, I felt like I was reading Wikipedia entries bookending various letters. I wasn't looking for mere trivia, but real historical context, and was disappointed.
Indeed, there were only a few entries where the tone of the non-letter text of the book was at all compelling. One of the authors (it's not apparent which) made brief appearances with a wry sense of humor. At the end of the section on the McKinleys (in the separation section), the final line reads, "After her husband's death, Ida McKinley ceased to suffer from seizures." Similarly, at the end of the lovers section, the author notes, "After Ellen's death, wilson married Edith Bolling Galt. She put a stop to his correspondence and meetings with Mary Peck," Peck having been his mistress." These just-slightly snarky comments add color to the writing, but they are far too few and far between.
I was also flummoxed by the selection of letters. I've read the collected letters of John and Abigail Adams, for example, and they are eye-opening. Yes, her "Remember the ladies" letter is famous, and his lesser-known reply was worthy of sharing, but their love letters — true letters of love, romance, and esteem — were worthy of sharing but were ignored. It's not that I minded so much Taft and FDR, but there are/were more and better letters that would have fit the conceit of the book.
We can't do much about presidents who left few letters (or whose letters were destroyed) but I'm dubious about the selection choices. The authors, however, spend a great deal of time breathlessly reporting when a letter they include is being published for the first time. The fact of the new publication might intrigue academic historians, but isn't that fascinating to readers, and certainly isn't more important than the content of the letters.
I'm also puzzled by historians making an error in saying that forty-six men have held the position of president. While there have been 46 presidents, the Hooblers clearly recognized (and noted) that Grover Cleveland was the only president to have held the office during two non-consecutive terms. Surely they do not mean to imply that Cleveland was two different men.
The book is not bad. Truman's letters are a delight for anyone who knows what a down-to-earth style he had, and it's a surprise that Taft had a heart equalling his large stature. But the book could have been improved by including more snippets from the wives (there were only a handful of brief bits of letters from the women; otherwise salient information was sparsely summarized), and a more colorful narrative context.
Finally, readers should not expect much content beyond the Carters, and there's really little beyond Johnson. The romance section offers a couple of pages on Nixon, a birthday note from George W. Bush, and a tweet from Barack Obama. In the separation section, once done with Eisenhower, there's a a short paragraph on JFK, and one letter from GWB. Adversity offers only two full post-Eisenhower pages and far too little on the true love story of Gerry and Betty Ford, and unsurprisingly, the non-marital letters post-FDR includes only one never-sent paragraph by JFK. It's a shame because, although I'm no fan of Nixon or Reagan, their lives (and their marriages) echo fascinating swaths of American history.
If the idea of presidential letters to wives and girlfriends appeals to you, you may enjoy surfing the book and making use of the Hooblers' narrative as it appeals to you. However, you might get more fulfilling reading from My Dear President: Letters Between Presidents and Their Wives by Gerard Gawalt.
I should note, I wasn't necessarily expecting anything raunchy because I'm well aware that the term "lovemaking" (or making love) did not historically refer to the sex act, but to pitching woo or romancing someone, until well into the 20th century. (The use of the term to mean sex didn't even begin until the 1920s. Even in My Fair Lady, which came out in 1964, they were still using "make love" to mean "pay amorous attention to" or "pitch woo.")
But the subtitle of the book is Letters of Love and Lust from the White House is still misleading. The vast majority of the letters are not from the period in which many of these presidents were occupants of the White House, but much earlier, either before or at the starts of their marriages. More aptly though, very little of the content of these letters from the presidents to to their wives were romantic, amorous, or lusty; indeed, philandering Warren G. Harding is one of the only ones to write anything remotely racy (to his mistress).
So, not a lot of lust, but honestly, not that much love. There is some love, and a bit of lying about love from other philandering presidents to their wives about their undying, singleminded love (while they were "liar, liar, pants-on-fire" throughout). But my issues with this book go deeper.
First, the organization. There are four main sections of the book: romancing, separation, and adversity, all referring to letters from the presidents to their wives, and then a very small fourth section with letters they wrote to women whom they pursued either prior to marriage to their wives (or during). Within each section, the selection of letters is chronological by president, and contextualized by small biographical snippets about the president and first lady in each case.
This organizational method was a bit awkward, because the letters written during the romancing were also often letters of separation, and letters of separation were often about periods of adversity. The categories aren't exactly arbitrary, but they create a weird sort of dichotomy (trichotomy?) when it would have made more sense to explore each president and his letters just once, but chronologically (and even categorically) within his life, and then move on to the next. The format here led to repetition of facts that needn't have been mentioned more than once (like that polio was also known as infantile paralysis) because the authors must assume readers would not necessarily have read each section in order.
A larger problem is the writing, which was dry, but not academic. Historians can sometimes be forgiven a dry, academic writing style because their formality often mimics the primary texts they study, but writers such as these, known for their young adult mystery series, should have been able to write in a more engaging style. Indeed, the language level seems suitable for young adults, not fans of history, while the writing style seems suited for a tenth grade social studies textbook.
The authors, Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, a married couple with a background in history (hers) and education (his), should have been able to make the topic sing. Correspondence between famous partners should be juicy, but when it is not, historians can fill in the details with compelling background. Instead, their methods for contexualizing these letters leaves the reader wanting. The Hooblers seem to play favorites; some presidents are covered extensively, both in the narrative bookending and in the sharing of letters; others are summarily dispensed with after a page or two.
As a fan of history, I want depth; instead, I felt like I was reading Wikipedia entries bookending various letters. I wasn't looking for mere trivia, but real historical context, and was disappointed.
Indeed, there were only a few entries where the tone of the non-letter text of the book was at all compelling. One of the authors (it's not apparent which) made brief appearances with a wry sense of humor. At the end of the section on the McKinleys (in the separation section), the final line reads, "After her husband's death, Ida McKinley ceased to suffer from seizures." Similarly, at the end of the lovers section, the author notes, "After Ellen's death, wilson married Edith Bolling Galt. She put a stop to his correspondence and meetings with Mary Peck," Peck having been his mistress." These just-slightly snarky comments add color to the writing, but they are far too few and far between.
I was also flummoxed by the selection of letters. I've read the collected letters of John and Abigail Adams, for example, and they are eye-opening. Yes, her "Remember the ladies" letter is famous, and his lesser-known reply was worthy of sharing, but their love letters — true letters of love, romance, and esteem — were worthy of sharing but were ignored. It's not that I minded so much Taft and FDR, but there are/were more and better letters that would have fit the conceit of the book.
We can't do much about presidents who left few letters (or whose letters were destroyed) but I'm dubious about the selection choices. The authors, however, spend a great deal of time breathlessly reporting when a letter they include is being published for the first time. The fact of the new publication might intrigue academic historians, but isn't that fascinating to readers, and certainly isn't more important than the content of the letters.
I'm also puzzled by historians making an error in saying that forty-six men have held the position of president. While there have been 46 presidents, the Hooblers clearly recognized (and noted) that Grover Cleveland was the only president to have held the office during two non-consecutive terms. Surely they do not mean to imply that Cleveland was two different men.
The book is not bad. Truman's letters are a delight for anyone who knows what a down-to-earth style he had, and it's a surprise that Taft had a heart equalling his large stature. But the book could have been improved by including more snippets from the wives (there were only a handful of brief bits of letters from the women; otherwise salient information was sparsely summarized), and a more colorful narrative context.
Finally, readers should not expect much content beyond the Carters, and there's really little beyond Johnson. The romance section offers a couple of pages on Nixon, a birthday note from George W. Bush, and a tweet from Barack Obama. In the separation section, once done with Eisenhower, there's a a short paragraph on JFK, and one letter from GWB. Adversity offers only two full post-Eisenhower pages and far too little on the true love story of Gerry and Betty Ford, and unsurprisingly, the non-marital letters post-FDR includes only one never-sent paragraph by JFK. It's a shame because, although I'm no fan of Nixon or Reagan, their lives (and their marriages) echo fascinating swaths of American history.
If the idea of presidential letters to wives and girlfriends appeals to you, you may enjoy surfing the book and making use of the Hooblers' narrative as it appeals to you. However, you might get more fulfilling reading from My Dear President: Letters Between Presidents and Their Wives by Gerard Gawalt.
December 3, 2023
Definitely an interesting topic to make a book about but I feel like it didn't really have much going for it outside of the obvious gimmick of love letters from the POTUSs.
June 6, 2024
I wanted to like this one more, but the organization of the content left a lot to be desired. It would have been better suited to structuring around the specific president or perhaps chronologically, because there was noticeable overlaps between the four main sections. I also enjoyed the few (and far between) quips, such as Mrs McKinley not having a seizure after her husband died 🧐. Overall it was a fun book, and I’m walking away with a newfound appreciation for (read: crush on) Woodrow Wilson.
Edited to add: the narrative would have been much more improved if LGBTQ+ themes hadn’t been skirted around. There were only two glancing mentions; the president and wife who had an affair with the same woman and proceeded to try to hide it from the other, and James Buchanan. This limited discussion (one to two paragraphs at most) felt very stilted, especially when considering the fact that it is well documented that same-sex relationships were fairly common place and seen as male-bonding in nineteenth century America. Perhaps opening up this perspective in this “lustful” narrative would have given it more depth and lasting value.
https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpresse...
Edited to add: the narrative would have been much more improved if LGBTQ+ themes hadn’t been skirted around. There were only two glancing mentions; the president and wife who had an affair with the same woman and proceeded to try to hide it from the other, and James Buchanan. This limited discussion (one to two paragraphs at most) felt very stilted, especially when considering the fact that it is well documented that same-sex relationships were fairly common place and seen as male-bonding in nineteenth century America. Perhaps opening up this perspective in this “lustful” narrative would have given it more depth and lasting value.
https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpresse...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2024
--Overall, Very Disappointing. Simon & Shuster must have published the book based on 1) the authors' track record of having published previously (made $ for a publisher) and 2) the purported tease of juicy or even salacious tidbits about some presidents' love lives. 0
--Where was the book's editor? S/he should have removed the first 1/2 of the title since it detracts from the supposed crux of the book.
--The editor should also have insisted on organizing the book in chronological order by president. Instead, one reads presidents' letters categorized by: romance, separation, adversity, and lovers. This organization results in the loss of continuity, the reader not remembering what happened earlier in the presidents' lives, and some duplication.
--Glaring omissions ((unless I missed them): Not One word about the Clintons! (nor about the Bidens)
--Where was the book's editor? S/he should have removed the first 1/2 of the title since it detracts from the supposed crux of the book.
--The editor should also have insisted on organizing the book in chronological order by president. Instead, one reads presidents' letters categorized by: romance, separation, adversity, and lovers. This organization results in the loss of continuity, the reader not remembering what happened earlier in the presidents' lives, and some duplication.
--Glaring omissions ((unless I missed them): Not One word about the Clintons! (nor about the Bidens)
July 23, 2025
Being President does not make one good at writing love notes. Are You Prepared for the Storm of Lovemaking (which is an all time great title), is exactly what it purports to be: a collection of Presidential love letters. Most, being from the 17th and 18th centuries, are rather dry. The book is interesting as a sort of scholarly pursuit, but outside of a few entries--Lincoln eviscerating a would-be fiancé for being ugly and overweight (like he was some kind of looker), and steamy letters from Warren G. Harding--the text is repetitive and tends to drag.
March 10, 2024
If you're interested in Presidents (almost entirely pre JFK) and their relationships with their wives this is a great book. If you're looking for a titillating book of the 19th century equivalent of sexts, you're going to be disappointed.
The title of this book is from a letter Woodrow Wilson wrote to his wife. Google his teeth and take pity on whoever had to kiss those lips.
The title of this book is from a letter Woodrow Wilson wrote to his wife. Google his teeth and take pity on whoever had to kiss those lips.
March 18, 2024
I loved this book! It made history fun as well as romantic. It explored the hearts and souls of people whose intellect is normally all we know of them. It was great right to the last page which contains a huge typo related to FDR and a very abrupt ending that made me think a page was missing. Otherwise, I’ve been recommending this book left and right.
May 25, 2024
I appreciate the work the authors did to secure the letters. They did a nice job of putting them into context. The book was thought provoking in that, it included electronic records such as a twitter post from President Obama. And how keeping up with history will be radically different going forward.
May 10, 2026
Interesting, but nowhere as salacious as the title suggests it will be. Harding is the closest we get to it. Wilson was... somehow sweet. Grant's letter that was to be given to his wife after his death - touching. Everything else was forgettable. But you can't make history more compelling then it actually is. So... nice work to the authors.
March 20, 2024
I agree, the theme sections make things a little repetitive and paint a weaker picture of the presidents — however, still pick this up for all the interesting facts tucked around the letters! Enjoyable & a quick read.
March 31, 2024
Interesting look into the relationships of the previous Presidents of the US. I learned that Johnson was an ahole and that Buchanan was most likely gay. Most of all I wish the art of letter writing was something that still exists. I somehow can't imagine much of what I read in an email or text.
July 8, 2024
I had higher hopes for this book. It was a cool read in the sense it combines history with a glimpse of tabloid fodder. But the salacious factor was missing. Ok for a skimming session but not quite a page turner.
August 7, 2024
Presidents as men of passion as well as achievement. Wonderful passion some delightful insights, but the ending line was superb:
JFK to Mary Meyer "After all of these years -- you should give me a more loving answer than that. Why don't you just say yes."
JFK to Mary Meyer "After all of these years -- you should give me a more loving answer than that. Why don't you just say yes."
March 16, 2024
Some of the letters were interesting but I skimmed some of them.
April 21, 2024
Meh. I preferred The 50 Greatest Love Letters of All Time by David Lowenherz (sp?).
April 23, 2024
7/10: cute concept!; would’ve loved more paraphrasing bc reading the letters was sometimes a drag
June 17, 2024
Dnf at 48%
Only Abe had a funny. So dry and eh.
Only Abe had a funny. So dry and eh.
June 23, 2024
Interesting collection of presidential letters.
August 4, 2024
DNF. Tried to get into it, but couldn’t 🤷♀️
February 17, 2025
3.5 / I’m a nerd and primary source lover enough that I actually really enjoyed this and also LEARNED THINGS?? And also some of th letters are actually really sweet.
February 27, 2024
I appreciate the research the authors did but I skipped around a lot.
Letter writing is a lost art form and there were some interesting tidbits here but not enough to engross me in this topic.
Letter writing is a lost art form and there were some interesting tidbits here but not enough to engross me in this topic.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews