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The President's Husband
When an assassin’s bullet strikes his predecessor, Grayson Alexander becomes the first openly gay President of the United States and his husband, David Hammond, becomes the first openly gay First Husband. With their world turned upside down, David relies on his career as a medical school professor and ER doctor to keep him grounded. But his decision to keep working ruffles feathers from day one.
Gray throws himself into learning everything he needs to know to be President, especially a liberal president surrounded by a conservative cabinet and staff. Even though he puts in outrageous hours working and traveling seven days a week month after month, he’s happy. But David has trouble coping with Gray’s new job requirements. He can’t help but feel abandoned by his husband of ten years.
When Gray asks for his help with a public-health crisis, David obliges, but he is furious about what happens once the emergency passes. When they learn that the President’s staff has manipulated them both, they wonder if their relationship can survive the White House.
Gray throws himself into learning everything he needs to know to be President, especially a liberal president surrounded by a conservative cabinet and staff. Even though he puts in outrageous hours working and traveling seven days a week month after month, he’s happy. But David has trouble coping with Gray’s new job requirements. He can’t help but feel abandoned by his husband of ten years.
When Gray asks for his help with a public-health crisis, David obliges, but he is furious about what happens once the emergency passes. When they learn that the President’s staff has manipulated them both, they wonder if their relationship can survive the White House.
220 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 29, 2016
About the author
Michael Murphy
25 books126 followersWho am I? One of these days I need to decided what I want to be when I grow up.
I am a middle-aged man, born in the far reaches of upstate New York - parts that give the word "rural" meaning. Now I live in Washington, DC.
When one of those milestone birthdays hit me and scared the crap out of me, I realized there were more years behind me than there were in front of me. My mortality hit me like someone dropping a load of bricks on me.
With that realization, I constructed a bucket list of things I absolutely had to do in the years (hopefully many) that I have left. Writing a book was one of them and was near the top.
My biggest influences when growing up were my two grandmothers. Both were ferociously strong women who were widowed way too young and had to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. And they did! They were incredible women and I adored them both.
These women loved to read and to tell stories, so it just always seemed a natural thing for me to want to do the same. One Christmas when I had a break from work for a few days I had an idea - just a simple single flash of an idea. I sat down at my computer and typed out the one sentence idea. And then I thought for a moment. And then I started typing again - and like magic this story started to pour out of me. I was amazed, in awe, floored by what was happening.
It was like the characters were coming to life and telling their story and I was just tagging along for the ride. I typed as fast as my fingers would fly across the keys (one of the 17 jobs I had while I was going to college was typist, so I'm a pretty fast typist). I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was the most amazing experience I think I've ever had. Okay, maybe not THE most amazing, but it ranks right up there near the top.
My boyfriend finally came to me a couple of days into this,sat down, looked so serious, and asked, "Are you mad at me?" I assured him that no, I was not mad; I had just been kidnapped by my two characters who refused to let me go. He sort of believed me. When I handed him a printout of the entire book he really believed me, although he wasn't all that thrilled about the book. What can I say, he is a biomedical scientist who primarily reads non-fiction. The fact that I got him to read any fiction was a huge step.
I sent my finished book to Dreamspinner Press. Much to my shock and surprise they accepted it. Out of the hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts that they receive every year they only accept a tiny fraction from new, unknown authors - and I was part of that tiny fraction.
When I got the news I was riding on the subway to work one morning. I screamed and hugged the man sitting next to me - I don't have a clue who he was and I'm sure I scared the crap out of him, even though I tried to explain why I was so happy. When I got to work, a co-worker joined me in doing a happy dance.
Once I started writing the spirit of my departed grandmothers started taking over and story after story started to come out. Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press have published a total of eight books so far, with the next one due out in a few weeks. Three additional books are under contract, scheduled to appear in the months ahead.
When I'm not writing, I'm editing and proofing, proofing and editing. When not doing that I work for a small organization in downtown DC located a few hundred yards from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My work is primarily IT project management which can be thrilling and at other times drive me to distraction.
All in all, I'd rather be writing. If people keep buying my books in the same way they have I might actually be able to consider that as an option. Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!
I am a middle-aged man, born in the far reaches of upstate New York - parts that give the word "rural" meaning. Now I live in Washington, DC.
When one of those milestone birthdays hit me and scared the crap out of me, I realized there were more years behind me than there were in front of me. My mortality hit me like someone dropping a load of bricks on me.
With that realization, I constructed a bucket list of things I absolutely had to do in the years (hopefully many) that I have left. Writing a book was one of them and was near the top.
My biggest influences when growing up were my two grandmothers. Both were ferociously strong women who were widowed way too young and had to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives and try to put them back together again. And they did! They were incredible women and I adored them both.
These women loved to read and to tell stories, so it just always seemed a natural thing for me to want to do the same. One Christmas when I had a break from work for a few days I had an idea - just a simple single flash of an idea. I sat down at my computer and typed out the one sentence idea. And then I thought for a moment. And then I started typing again - and like magic this story started to pour out of me. I was amazed, in awe, floored by what was happening.
It was like the characters were coming to life and telling their story and I was just tagging along for the ride. I typed as fast as my fingers would fly across the keys (one of the 17 jobs I had while I was going to college was typist, so I'm a pretty fast typist). I couldn't wait to see what happened next. It was the most amazing experience I think I've ever had. Okay, maybe not THE most amazing, but it ranks right up there near the top.
My boyfriend finally came to me a couple of days into this,sat down, looked so serious, and asked, "Are you mad at me?" I assured him that no, I was not mad; I had just been kidnapped by my two characters who refused to let me go. He sort of believed me. When I handed him a printout of the entire book he really believed me, although he wasn't all that thrilled about the book. What can I say, he is a biomedical scientist who primarily reads non-fiction. The fact that I got him to read any fiction was a huge step.
I sent my finished book to Dreamspinner Press. Much to my shock and surprise they accepted it. Out of the hundreds of unsolicited manuscripts that they receive every year they only accept a tiny fraction from new, unknown authors - and I was part of that tiny fraction.
When I got the news I was riding on the subway to work one morning. I screamed and hugged the man sitting next to me - I don't have a clue who he was and I'm sure I scared the crap out of him, even though I tried to explain why I was so happy. When I got to work, a co-worker joined me in doing a happy dance.
Once I started writing the spirit of my departed grandmothers started taking over and story after story started to come out. Dreamspinner and Harmony Ink Press have published a total of eight books so far, with the next one due out in a few weeks. Three additional books are under contract, scheduled to appear in the months ahead.
When I'm not writing, I'm editing and proofing, proofing and editing. When not doing that I work for a small organization in downtown DC located a few hundred yards from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. My work is primarily IT project management which can be thrilling and at other times drive me to distraction.
All in all, I'd rather be writing. If people keep buying my books in the same way they have I might actually be able to consider that as an option. Oh, please! Oh, please! Oh, please!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 2, 2016
Audio review here.
After the inauguration of a new President is ended minutes later with an assassination, Vice President Grayson Alexander is suddenly made President of the United States, and he and his husband David Hammond are completely unprepared for it. After ten years of happy marriage, the new changes to their status and Gray's new responsibilities begin to quickly take their toll on the couple.
Told entirely from medical school professor and ER doctor, David's POV, the story chronicles the ups and (mostly) downs of their first year as President and First Husband.
This isn't a political or medical story, and if you're looking for a political, or medical, tale - you should look elsewhere. There are no actual politics at all. The character's jobs are really secondary to the story. This is really about a marriage and what happens when circumstances change and the person you loved doesn't hold up their end of the work.
It's a story solely focused on the relationship of the two men, and how the smallest cracks become wide chasms when lies, meddling people, improper communication and too little time spent together, all work against them.
I spent most of the time feeling for David, and being thankful that I'm not a politician's spouse.
Two details were disappointing to me in the story: the reader never finds out what happened with the assassination, it's just let go entirely, and on a smutty side - though there is some sex, it's not described in detail. I was looking forward to both things and neither panned out.
On the whole I enjoyed the story and read through it quickly in one sitting. For those who like a story that focuses more on the relationship than anything else, I would absolutely recommend.
Galley copy of The President's Husband provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Merged review:
4.25 Stars
I remember thinking when I first read and reviewed The President's Husband that I would love to listen to it as an audiobook. When it finally came out on audio, narrated by Randy Fuller, I was excited to see how Fuller dealt with the character's emotions and the tension in the story.
Because, ultimately, this a story solely focused on the relationship of the two men. How the smallest cracks become wide chasms when lies, meddling people, improper communication and too little time spent together all work against them.
I was really happy with the result! Fuller absolutely captures the building tension David feels, to the rage that bubbles over when he's betrayed by the person who should always have his back, to the forgiveness and reconciliation of lovers who have spent a decade together.
Yes, there are points of the story that I felt could have been explored more, but Murphy writes these two flawed men wonderfully. He brings a depth to David and Gray that I really enjoyed and was absolutely engrossed in their story. Fuller manages to capture all the emotion, joy, passion, and pain and made this a very easy listen.
Bottom line: I really enjoyed the narration! If you're looking for a story that focuses more on the relationship than anything else, I would absolutely recommend.
Audio copy of The President's Husband provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
After the inauguration of a new President is ended minutes later with an assassination, Vice President Grayson Alexander is suddenly made President of the United States, and he and his husband David Hammond are completely unprepared for it. After ten years of happy marriage, the new changes to their status and Gray's new responsibilities begin to quickly take their toll on the couple.
Told entirely from medical school professor and ER doctor, David's POV, the story chronicles the ups and (mostly) downs of their first year as President and First Husband.
This isn't a political or medical story, and if you're looking for a political, or medical, tale - you should look elsewhere. There are no actual politics at all. The character's jobs are really secondary to the story. This is really about a marriage and what happens when circumstances change and the person you loved doesn't hold up their end of the work.
It's a story solely focused on the relationship of the two men, and how the smallest cracks become wide chasms when lies, meddling people, improper communication and too little time spent together, all work against them.
I spent most of the time feeling for David, and being thankful that I'm not a politician's spouse.
Two details were disappointing to me in the story: the reader never finds out what happened with the assassination, it's just let go entirely, and on a smutty side - though there is some sex, it's not described in detail. I was looking forward to both things and neither panned out.
On the whole I enjoyed the story and read through it quickly in one sitting. For those who like a story that focuses more on the relationship than anything else, I would absolutely recommend.
Galley copy of The President's Husband provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
Merged review:
4.25 Stars
I remember thinking when I first read and reviewed The President's Husband that I would love to listen to it as an audiobook. When it finally came out on audio, narrated by Randy Fuller, I was excited to see how Fuller dealt with the character's emotions and the tension in the story.
Because, ultimately, this a story solely focused on the relationship of the two men. How the smallest cracks become wide chasms when lies, meddling people, improper communication and too little time spent together all work against them.
I was really happy with the result! Fuller absolutely captures the building tension David feels, to the rage that bubbles over when he's betrayed by the person who should always have his back, to the forgiveness and reconciliation of lovers who have spent a decade together.
Yes, there are points of the story that I felt could have been explored more, but Murphy writes these two flawed men wonderfully. He brings a depth to David and Gray that I really enjoyed and was absolutely engrossed in their story. Fuller manages to capture all the emotion, joy, passion, and pain and made this a very easy listen.
Bottom line: I really enjoyed the narration! If you're looking for a story that focuses more on the relationship than anything else, I would absolutely recommend.
Audio copy of The President's Husband provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
January 31, 2016
Review at Ohmyshelves Blog on release day!
I really wanted to read this book based on the title and the blurb. I thought it would be a cool trope, and really good story. This is my first read from this author, and I like the writing style a lot. The execution fell really flat to me. I totally think it should have had a role reversal between the two guys. Honestly, I could never see Gray as anyone's principle let alone leader of the Free World. He just didn't have it, and that was the biggest letdown to me. Take away all the annoying whining that David did, and he could have been President. He had the character for it, and the worthwhile to stand up to people. His role wasn't cut out for him. I didn't understand his actions at all. I don't get how he thought everything would be the same after Gray became President. Gay, Straight, Bi, Trans it didn't matter, being the President is an important job. David was selfish, and sometimes I felt like he had a right to those feelings, but again this wasn't a teaching job. He didn't grasp that Gray basically is the most powerful man in the world, and dinner time or sleeping at night wasn't always going to happen. As much as he wanted Gray to reach out and acknowledge their relationship, I didn't see him taking any initiative to right them or help. He only complained and got mad.
I couldn't really tell on how their relationship was previously, but this did not seem like happiness to me. It was no communication between the two. I don't just blame Gray, I blamed David because he is your husband, if he wasn't coming to you, go to him! It was irritating just reading about Gray not getting his messages, after the first couple of times I would have laid down the law or something. Something needed to be done about it, and unfortunately I seen the train wreck coming a mile away.
That's not the biggest issues for me, the biggest issue with the whole entire handling of the National Crisis in this book. I'm not sure what would happen in this case, so I'm going to go off my way. There is not way in H*** I'll allow my husband to listen to these people without second and third opinions. What happen to the core group of people he trusted in the beginning. I honestly don't think any President would allow some back door transactions to happen like this to their spouse without them making a bigger fuss then what was presented. At times it didn't even feel like a marriage between the two. Gray apologizes profusely, and that was tiring in itself. David got mad the entire time, and just blew hot smoke out his mouth. Honestly the way he acted, I would have preferred if all his talking that he did do, to show some actions.
With all that being said, there was no elevation for me with the emotions. It didn't have any passion, I would not have known they were married or attractive to each other; other than it being stated in the book. It was very one-noted to me, and I am disappointed, it had the potential to be a great story with a nice trope and it fell flat.
I really wanted to read this book based on the title and the blurb. I thought it would be a cool trope, and really good story. This is my first read from this author, and I like the writing style a lot. The execution fell really flat to me. I totally think it should have had a role reversal between the two guys. Honestly, I could never see Gray as anyone's principle let alone leader of the Free World. He just didn't have it, and that was the biggest letdown to me. Take away all the annoying whining that David did, and he could have been President. He had the character for it, and the worthwhile to stand up to people. His role wasn't cut out for him. I didn't understand his actions at all. I don't get how he thought everything would be the same after Gray became President. Gay, Straight, Bi, Trans it didn't matter, being the President is an important job. David was selfish, and sometimes I felt like he had a right to those feelings, but again this wasn't a teaching job. He didn't grasp that Gray basically is the most powerful man in the world, and dinner time or sleeping at night wasn't always going to happen. As much as he wanted Gray to reach out and acknowledge their relationship, I didn't see him taking any initiative to right them or help. He only complained and got mad.
I couldn't really tell on how their relationship was previously, but this did not seem like happiness to me. It was no communication between the two. I don't just blame Gray, I blamed David because he is your husband, if he wasn't coming to you, go to him! It was irritating just reading about Gray not getting his messages, after the first couple of times I would have laid down the law or something. Something needed to be done about it, and unfortunately I seen the train wreck coming a mile away.
That's not the biggest issues for me, the biggest issue with the whole entire handling of the National Crisis in this book. I'm not sure what would happen in this case, so I'm going to go off my way. There is not way in H*** I'll allow my husband to listen to these people without second and third opinions. What happen to the core group of people he trusted in the beginning. I honestly don't think any President would allow some back door transactions to happen like this to their spouse without them making a bigger fuss then what was presented. At times it didn't even feel like a marriage between the two. Gray apologizes profusely, and that was tiring in itself. David got mad the entire time, and just blew hot smoke out his mouth. Honestly the way he acted, I would have preferred if all his talking that he did do, to show some actions.
With all that being said, there was no elevation for me with the emotions. It didn't have any passion, I would not have known they were married or attractive to each other; other than it being stated in the book. It was very one-noted to me, and I am disappointed, it had the potential to be a great story with a nice trope and it fell flat.
friends-say-no
June 6, 2017GR friends didn't enjoy this one. I'm going to pass, for now.
January 31, 2016
I absolutely love the premise of this novel. I'm not super-interested in deep political discussions, but there's a ton of potential in this idea, and I would have happily read some necessary political stuff if the payoff was a good look at what the life and trials of the First Gentleman might be like.
Unfortunately, this novel had so many flaws that I'm honestly not sure how to write this review.
* Wooden writing. No rhythm or melody. Lots of tedious—often word-for-word—repetition of ideas and dialogue. Pointless dialogue tags. We're told things in narrative that we could have figured out on our own. And there are statements like "David's emphatic reaction seemed to catch Gray by surprise" without telling us anything about what Gray actually does to make David think that.
* Long passages of dialogue with no physical actions, no descriptions of what the characters were doing or their facial expressions.
* Odd lack of detail throughout the novel. For example, almost none of the characters (aside from David and Gray) had names. They were just "the agent," "the man," "the pilot." David spends a considerable amount of time with his Secret Service agents, one of whom he likes a lot and then has a pretty intense experience with, and we're never told the guy's name. It was very distancing, and it made it tough for me to get into the story (or care).
* The sex (what little there was—it was almost all entirely glossed) had no steam. It was filled with unsexy wording like "elongated member," "grabbing his nipples and gently twisting them," "with their mating moving along quickly," "surprised to feel his dick get hard again so soon after his last ejaculation." And there was a lot of random dirty talk that didn't fit with anything at all. Awkward.
* There was no sense of anything being realistic. On a whim, David knocks down a wall in a room to build a home gym after just having complained they didn't have the money to buy nice gym equipment. He's allowed to modify the White House like that with no discussion? And almost nothing about the national crisis they dealt with rang true. What great potential for excitement, but I don't know if any of it would have gone down as it did in the novel. Artistic license? I'm a big believer. But attempting to portray something in a believable manor? I don't think that happened here.
* There are no descriptions of anything. I'm the first person to be bored by tedious descriptions, but this book had none. I don't know what the author was concerned about happening if he described stuff or gave details, but it just came across like he didn't have any imagination and wasn't interested in creating a scene for the reader to visualize in his or her mind (or like this was published before he could add that stuff in). There was also no political anything, which left the story entirely one dimensional—just David and his woes about Gray being too busy for him.
* There are a couple of big scenes in which David goes way over the top with the dramatics—and all, I think, just for the sake of tension and drama. I don't know if I'd use the word contrived, but forced would be appropriate. I really liked David through a good part of the book, but during those dramatics, and a lot of subsequent scenes, he acts like an insolent teenager, and it was hard to dredge up sympathy or interest. And his complaints started to wear on me after awhile, as well as feel irrational. He was a smart man, but he had some illogical ideals and notions about living in the White House and being the First Gentleman.
* Gray is completely one dimensional. We learned almost nothing about him. In the end, he has behaved as we would expect an MC in a romance novel to have behaved in his situation, nothing less, nothing more, completely predictable.
* Does neither of them have any family? Never once does David mention his family, and there are some scenes in which he definitely should have.
* There are POV slips into what reads like Gray's POV or omniscient POV—things David shouldn't know.
* One of my biggest pet peeves, the chapter titles are spoilerish. I don't know who lets authors do that, but why? Why tell what's coming?
* ETA: And perhaps most disappointingly, now that I've had some time to think about it, aside from some institutionalized (and blatant) homophobia from inside Gray's own staff, the book fails to look at, fails to explore on any level, what it might mean to the nation, or any individuals, to have a gay commander in chief. :\
I did like that David's anger was eventually two-faceted, even though it doesn't really come up in his narrative until he brings it up during a conversation with Gray, which kind of dampens its effectiveness. And just because of their situation (them growing apart), I did get a little teary at times, kind of shockingly.
So very much potential for this storyline, and very little of it came to fruition. This read much like a very detailed final outline/early draft for a novel—all of the author's ideas, what he intended to convey, with bits of dialogue thrown in, but none of the details that you need to round out a novel or make it realistic or interesting or engaging. Even the weird chapter titles read like notes the author made to himself about each chapter. While the actual mechanics were okay (commas in the right places, no misused semicolons, no missing words that I picked up on), there was no editing done beyond that; a good substantive editor could have done this novel a world of good.
This was a very strange reading experience.
Unfortunately, this novel had so many flaws that I'm honestly not sure how to write this review.
* Wooden writing. No rhythm or melody. Lots of tedious—often word-for-word—repetition of ideas and dialogue. Pointless dialogue tags. We're told things in narrative that we could have figured out on our own. And there are statements like "David's emphatic reaction seemed to catch Gray by surprise" without telling us anything about what Gray actually does to make David think that.
* Long passages of dialogue with no physical actions, no descriptions of what the characters were doing or their facial expressions.
* Odd lack of detail throughout the novel. For example, almost none of the characters (aside from David and Gray) had names. They were just "the agent," "the man," "the pilot." David spends a considerable amount of time with his Secret Service agents, one of whom he likes a lot and then has a pretty intense experience with, and we're never told the guy's name. It was very distancing, and it made it tough for me to get into the story (or care).
* The sex (what little there was—it was almost all entirely glossed) had no steam. It was filled with unsexy wording like "elongated member," "grabbing his nipples and gently twisting them," "with their mating moving along quickly," "surprised to feel his dick get hard again so soon after his last ejaculation." And there was a lot of random dirty talk that didn't fit with anything at all. Awkward.
* There was no sense of anything being realistic. On a whim, David knocks down a wall in a room to build a home gym after just having complained they didn't have the money to buy nice gym equipment. He's allowed to modify the White House like that with no discussion? And almost nothing about the national crisis they dealt with rang true. What great potential for excitement, but I don't know if any of it would have gone down as it did in the novel. Artistic license? I'm a big believer. But attempting to portray something in a believable manor? I don't think that happened here.
* There are no descriptions of anything. I'm the first person to be bored by tedious descriptions, but this book had none. I don't know what the author was concerned about happening if he described stuff or gave details, but it just came across like he didn't have any imagination and wasn't interested in creating a scene for the reader to visualize in his or her mind (or like this was published before he could add that stuff in). There was also no political anything, which left the story entirely one dimensional—just David and his woes about Gray being too busy for him.
* There are a couple of big scenes in which David goes way over the top with the dramatics—and all, I think, just for the sake of tension and drama. I don't know if I'd use the word contrived, but forced would be appropriate. I really liked David through a good part of the book, but during those dramatics, and a lot of subsequent scenes, he acts like an insolent teenager, and it was hard to dredge up sympathy or interest. And his complaints started to wear on me after awhile, as well as feel irrational. He was a smart man, but he had some illogical ideals and notions about living in the White House and being the First Gentleman.
* Gray is completely one dimensional. We learned almost nothing about him. In the end, he has behaved as we would expect an MC in a romance novel to have behaved in his situation, nothing less, nothing more, completely predictable.
* Does neither of them have any family? Never once does David mention his family, and there are some scenes in which he definitely should have.
* There are POV slips into what reads like Gray's POV or omniscient POV—things David shouldn't know.
* One of my biggest pet peeves, the chapter titles are spoilerish. I don't know who lets authors do that, but why? Why tell what's coming?
* ETA: And perhaps most disappointingly, now that I've had some time to think about it, aside from some institutionalized (and blatant) homophobia from inside Gray's own staff, the book fails to look at, fails to explore on any level, what it might mean to the nation, or any individuals, to have a gay commander in chief. :\
I did like that David's anger was eventually two-faceted, even though it doesn't really come up in his narrative until he brings it up during a conversation with Gray, which kind of dampens its effectiveness. And just because of their situation (them growing apart), I did get a little teary at times, kind of shockingly.
So very much potential for this storyline, and very little of it came to fruition. This read much like a very detailed final outline/early draft for a novel—all of the author's ideas, what he intended to convey, with bits of dialogue thrown in, but none of the details that you need to round out a novel or make it realistic or interesting or engaging. Even the weird chapter titles read like notes the author made to himself about each chapter. While the actual mechanics were okay (commas in the right places, no misused semicolons, no missing words that I picked up on), there was no editing done beyond that; a good substantive editor could have done this novel a world of good.
This was a very strange reading experience.
February 6, 2021
This was a good read and not what I expected. Grayson Alexander was the first openly gay vice president when the President and first lady were shot and killed when he became President. Dr. David Hammond became the first husband something he didn't want to be. Suddenly David finds himself alone in the white house while his husband is off doing his job. David is not the typical first mate he has a job he teaches at a medical school and works in the E.R. to keep himself busy. While in London David meets a friend Giles and the President gets jealous. When a deadly virus is found on an airline Gray ask for David's help turns out Gray lies to him and he is quarantined for 21 days even though he didn't catch anything. David also realizes that the chief of staff is trying to keep them apart when he gets back to the white house he decides that he has had enough and he leaves not before the chief of staff gets him a piece of his mind which Gray hears. This book was not what I thought it was going to be I thought it was going to be some kinky things going on in the W.H. what I got instead was about a couple who have been married for ten years when they find themselves in a situation that neither of them expected and how they didn't handle it well. Gray was working himself into an early grave and losing sight of what was important to him. I liked that David made him work to get him back by wooing him and gaining his trust. This was my first time reading this author this book has been on my tbr shelf for awhile. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling.
January 12, 2021
'The President's Husband' is set in the near future and starts with a bang - no less than the assassination of a just-elected president of the United States. It doesn’t let up as the consequences of that heinous act on the vice president, Gray, and his husband, David, dawn on them in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Different from what you might expect, this novel does not look at the political consequences, nor the hunt for the perpetrator. There is some initial scrambling as Gray, totally unprepared to be president, figures out what to do and how to deal with a situation he never wanted. Gray being who he is, he quickly finds his feet, and David supports him but doesn’t get involved.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review of the second edition on Rainbow Book Reviews.
June 3, 2018
The idea sounded good, but the follow thru did not meet my expectations. The story revolves around Grayson Alexander who had just been sworn in as Vice President, and became president after the President was assassinated on inauguration day during the parade from the Capital to the White House and his husband David Hammond a doctor who teaches at a medical school. The book is about only their relationship and everything is from David's point of view. You never find out about the assassination. David improbably continues teaching and does nothing in the way of "first husband or spouse".
No politics enters into the story, not that I wanted it to, but in my mind, it is just not realistic for politics not to be a part of their relationship.Gray keeps the staff of the former president rather than creating his own administration. The blurb calls out the major crisis of the book and then they find out that the chief of staff has manipulated them both. I am not an expert in secret service nor white house protocol, but I do know that the press finds out everything and this story was like they were in a bubble that was untouched by anyone other than the chief of staff. With everything we learned about Obama's White House and now Trump's, it is incredulous that they could have this bubble where no one does interviews or smear attacks or that their personal life is not splashed all over the media.
Narration: Michal Murphy has a "tough guy" sounding voice, good for aggressive characters, not so much for multiplicity of different personalities that this kind of book has. His aggressive sound is projected in almost every voice. During the book there is a State visit to England where a lower member of the Royal Family is charged with escorting David during their stay. I have not heard such a poor English accent in a professional produced audio book production ever. Michal did give some decent inflection with stress and strain that the MC's were experiencing.
Overall, I thought this was a poor story and performance.
No politics enters into the story, not that I wanted it to, but in my mind, it is just not realistic for politics not to be a part of their relationship.Gray keeps the staff of the former president rather than creating his own administration. The blurb calls out the major crisis of the book and then they find out that the chief of staff has manipulated them both. I am not an expert in secret service nor white house protocol, but I do know that the press finds out everything and this story was like they were in a bubble that was untouched by anyone other than the chief of staff. With everything we learned about Obama's White House and now Trump's, it is incredulous that they could have this bubble where no one does interviews or smear attacks or that their personal life is not splashed all over the media.
Narration: Michal Murphy has a "tough guy" sounding voice, good for aggressive characters, not so much for multiplicity of different personalities that this kind of book has. His aggressive sound is projected in almost every voice. During the book there is a State visit to England where a lower member of the Royal Family is charged with escorting David during their stay. I have not heard such a poor English accent in a professional produced audio book production ever. Michal did give some decent inflection with stress and strain that the MC's were experiencing.
Overall, I thought this was a poor story and performance.
January 3, 2017
The President’s Husband
is a remarkable read. If you’re looking for a political thriller, a steamy romance, or a drama, this is not it. This story is solely about the relationship between the newly appointed President of the United States and his husband of ten years.
We get to meet David and Gray during the Presidential Inauguration. The author gave us a hint of their relationship and how comfortable they are with each other. After ten years of marriage, they knew each other well and respected their individual careers and their dedication to them.
David and Gray have a great chemistry that it’s easy to feel during the entire story, even when they weren’t together. They have an active sex life, which the reader gets to hear more about than actually be witness to, but it works with the focus on their marriage. The on-page sex isn’t there to arouse the reader but to complement the couple’s relationship.
The political discussions are minimal since we only get David’s POV. There’s enough to set the stage for the book, but mostly, everything seems separate from the main plot. Yes, politics kept them apart, but the policies and procedures aren’t the main reason for it.
I think they are more medical references and information in the story than politics. The medical crisis David helps Gray with is the main point of content between them. There are a lot of details about what happens during this time, and some parts may be a little monotonous.
There’s a lot of drama involve in this novel, and David takes the center stage. We pass a significant amount of time in his head, making it difficult to get to know Gray. In reality, David is the main character and Gray is just his husband. We don’t get to see the antagonist doing his bidding, just mentions of him. It isn’t until the climax that we get to see the extent of his involvement.
Read complete review at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.
ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
We get to meet David and Gray during the Presidential Inauguration. The author gave us a hint of their relationship and how comfortable they are with each other. After ten years of marriage, they knew each other well and respected their individual careers and their dedication to them.
David and Gray have a great chemistry that it’s easy to feel during the entire story, even when they weren’t together. They have an active sex life, which the reader gets to hear more about than actually be witness to, but it works with the focus on their marriage. The on-page sex isn’t there to arouse the reader but to complement the couple’s relationship.
The political discussions are minimal since we only get David’s POV. There’s enough to set the stage for the book, but mostly, everything seems separate from the main plot. Yes, politics kept them apart, but the policies and procedures aren’t the main reason for it.
I think they are more medical references and information in the story than politics. The medical crisis David helps Gray with is the main point of content between them. There are a lot of details about what happens during this time, and some parts may be a little monotonous.
There’s a lot of drama involve in this novel, and David takes the center stage. We pass a significant amount of time in his head, making it difficult to get to know Gray. In reality, David is the main character and Gray is just his husband. We don’t get to see the antagonist doing his bidding, just mentions of him. It isn’t until the climax that we get to see the extent of his involvement.
Read complete review at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.
ARC provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2021
'The President's Husband' is set in the near future and starts with a bang - no less than the assassination of a just-elected president of the United States. It doesn’t let up as the consequences of that heinous act on the vice president, Gray, and his husband, David, dawn on them in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. Different from what you might expect, this novel does not look at the political consequences, nor the hunt for the perpetrator. There is some initial scrambling as Gray, totally unprepared to be president, figures out what to do and how to deal with a situation he never wanted. Gray being who he is, he quickly finds his feet, and David supports him but doesn’t get involved.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Please find my full review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
April 20, 2021
It was totally unrealistic. There is no way the POTUS could be so powerless to help his husband solve some bogus health crisis. It just didn't feel right. If my husband was that spineless, I would have left him, for sure.
July 15, 2020
rating: 4.5 stars
I know that the events of this book are pretty much as unrealistic as you can get. Lots of melodrama but I still loved it anyway.
I know that the events of this book are pretty much as unrealistic as you can get. Lots of melodrama but I still loved it anyway.
March 16, 2016
Michael Murphy is a new to me author, and while I enjoyed this story, I had some issues with it in general. The writing itself wasn’t bad, a bit long on telling instead of showing the action, but it was smooth and easy to read. It was the characters themselves I took issue with. Some suspension of disbelief must be had in reading fiction, but the lack of the reliable characterization of the two MCs wasn’t enough for me to completely enjoy the story.
Grey Alexander is in his forties and is a career politician, and David Hammond is a decorated teaching doctor at a major university. Both men seem to be onboard with one another as to their aspirations. And then their lives change with the assassination of the newly inaugurated President and his wife.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the politics that was the problem here. The political issues, and many other details, were glossed over in the story of David and Grey’s relationship, and how it was changed by one terrorist act—which, by the way, was never resolved properly, in my opinion.
I liked David and Grey from their introduction, only to then quickly change my mind when they turned on one another almost immediately. They soon became combatants in the most important House in the country…and no one noticed. Not Grey, not the staff (who just went about their business in spite of the atmosphere in the House), not even the media made an appearance. Only David seemed to be in the know, and instead of talking about it, he simpered in his room and pouted. Not quite the actions of a loving, long-term couple, but I kept reading in hopes of the two men eventually working things out in a satisfactory way. It didn’t happen quite like that, and many unresolved issued remained unaddressed through the rest of the story.
David and Grey felt completely out of character to me, and it threw me for the entire story. They were supposed to be a middle-aged, professional, long term married couple. A supposed career politician, Grey was completely unprepared to assume his new role. He had very little idea of his responsibilities, but he was a political animal.
David was much the same; completely unwilling to even try to compromise in their new circumstances, but he had supposedly been on board with Grey’s political aspirations the entire road to the White House. Once installed on Pennsylvania Avenue, David fought the staff and Secret Service over the changes to his lifestyle, even when they tried to help him. He completely rejected any and all suggestions for his physical protection.
Much of the strife is caused by the antagonist, who’s role is, once again, glossed over because David and Grey can’t stop fighting long enough to work together against the person.
A year of manipulations and fighting between them finally takes its toll on Grey and David’s relationship, but it is suddenly, and in a short space of time, resolved by a bit of distance between the two men, and some kinky sex talk. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad they resolved their issues, I just wish it hadn’t been at the sacrifice of the storyline.
Reviewed by Angel for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
Grey Alexander is in his forties and is a career politician, and David Hammond is a decorated teaching doctor at a major university. Both men seem to be onboard with one another as to their aspirations. And then their lives change with the assassination of the newly inaugurated President and his wife.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the politics that was the problem here. The political issues, and many other details, were glossed over in the story of David and Grey’s relationship, and how it was changed by one terrorist act—which, by the way, was never resolved properly, in my opinion.
I liked David and Grey from their introduction, only to then quickly change my mind when they turned on one another almost immediately. They soon became combatants in the most important House in the country…and no one noticed. Not Grey, not the staff (who just went about their business in spite of the atmosphere in the House), not even the media made an appearance. Only David seemed to be in the know, and instead of talking about it, he simpered in his room and pouted. Not quite the actions of a loving, long-term couple, but I kept reading in hopes of the two men eventually working things out in a satisfactory way. It didn’t happen quite like that, and many unresolved issued remained unaddressed through the rest of the story.
David and Grey felt completely out of character to me, and it threw me for the entire story. They were supposed to be a middle-aged, professional, long term married couple. A supposed career politician, Grey was completely unprepared to assume his new role. He had very little idea of his responsibilities, but he was a political animal.
David was much the same; completely unwilling to even try to compromise in their new circumstances, but he had supposedly been on board with Grey’s political aspirations the entire road to the White House. Once installed on Pennsylvania Avenue, David fought the staff and Secret Service over the changes to his lifestyle, even when they tried to help him. He completely rejected any and all suggestions for his physical protection.
Much of the strife is caused by the antagonist, who’s role is, once again, glossed over because David and Grey can’t stop fighting long enough to work together against the person.
A year of manipulations and fighting between them finally takes its toll on Grey and David’s relationship, but it is suddenly, and in a short space of time, resolved by a bit of distance between the two men, and some kinky sex talk. Don’t get me wrong, I am glad they resolved their issues, I just wish it hadn’t been at the sacrifice of the storyline.
Reviewed by Angel for The Novel Approach Reviews
http://www.thenovelapproachreviews.co...
June 26, 2019
Well, I wanted to like this one more but...
Maybe I've been spoiled by political dramas (with books like Tal Bauer's Executive Office series - and other non-fiction books - and television shows like the West Wing and ESPECIALLY Designated Survivor) that I just don't believe that David wasn't prepped for his potential role as a First Gentleman when Grayson was originally vetted as VP before the election. Even I know that relationships can suffer, that personal needs might need to take a back seat for a while and that there are certain expectations and duties that need to be attended (like taking a sabbatical from your job might be necessary). So the emotional drama played out as David being a bit selfish. Yes, even Presidents and their spouses are people with needs but when the fate of a nation is at stake, especially after an assassination that rocks the country...I guess I just expected more maturity.
Don't get me wrong; I LOVED the bit where he puts his foot down and demands that his expertise be compensated in some way (especially after being quarantined for so long) even if it was only a "Thank you so much, from a grateful nation" and when he expresses his dissatisfaction with how little time Grayson spends with him. That's a conversation I think all politicians have had (or need to have) at some point in their careers. And I think, given the political climate, that while the Chief of Staff's meddling was horrible, given the situation, he might have had a point.
See, for some reason, the very conservative Republican President-elect picked a liberal, GAY, running mate to court the other half of the political spectrum. (*snort* Like that would happen or play out well with Right Wing voters.) Putting aside the absurdity of such a decision, and Grayson not filling the Cabinet & aide positions with his OWN appointees (rather than keeping everyone on staff that had been chosen by his predecessor)...well, Grayson had an uphill battle to fight and that asshole CoS wanted to keep the attention on the policies/politics rather than have the country focus on his orientation. I HATE that I can see that side of the argument, but I do. Now, had Grayson been elected outright, then that underhanded shit would NOT be acceptable in any way. Had he been the one elected then the voters chose him knowing he had a husband and would expect the First Gentleman to accompany him on state visits and appearances and sidelining David would be a mistake; but he'd have to accept that he had a role to play and that would mean significantly reduced hours at the hospital or teaching. There still would have been an adjustment period and David would need to pull up his big-boy panties and deal with less of Grayson's attention...at least for a little while.
And yet, in spite of the flaws I still liked the story - and Randy Fuller's narration - if for no other reason than it's a book with a gay president in the first place. (Well, an OUT one. There are still questions about James Buchanan and Lincoln - the Log Cabin Republicans claim their name comes from his ideals of "liberty and equality" but...)
Maybe I've been spoiled by political dramas (with books like Tal Bauer's Executive Office series - and other non-fiction books - and television shows like the West Wing and ESPECIALLY Designated Survivor) that I just don't believe that David wasn't prepped for his potential role as a First Gentleman when Grayson was originally vetted as VP before the election. Even I know that relationships can suffer, that personal needs might need to take a back seat for a while and that there are certain expectations and duties that need to be attended (like taking a sabbatical from your job might be necessary). So the emotional drama played out as David being a bit selfish. Yes, even Presidents and their spouses are people with needs but when the fate of a nation is at stake, especially after an assassination that rocks the country...I guess I just expected more maturity.
Don't get me wrong; I LOVED the bit where he puts his foot down and demands that his expertise be compensated in some way (especially after being quarantined for so long) even if it was only a "Thank you so much, from a grateful nation" and when he expresses his dissatisfaction with how little time Grayson spends with him. That's a conversation I think all politicians have had (or need to have) at some point in their careers. And I think, given the political climate, that while the Chief of Staff's meddling was horrible, given the situation, he might have had a point.
See, for some reason, the very conservative Republican President-elect picked a liberal, GAY, running mate to court the other half of the political spectrum. (*snort* Like that would happen or play out well with Right Wing voters.) Putting aside the absurdity of such a decision, and Grayson not filling the Cabinet & aide positions with his OWN appointees (rather than keeping everyone on staff that had been chosen by his predecessor)...well, Grayson had an uphill battle to fight and that asshole CoS wanted to keep the attention on the policies/politics rather than have the country focus on his orientation. I HATE that I can see that side of the argument, but I do. Now, had Grayson been elected outright, then that underhanded shit would NOT be acceptable in any way. Had he been the one elected then the voters chose him knowing he had a husband and would expect the First Gentleman to accompany him on state visits and appearances and sidelining David would be a mistake; but he'd have to accept that he had a role to play and that would mean significantly reduced hours at the hospital or teaching. There still would have been an adjustment period and David would need to pull up his big-boy panties and deal with less of Grayson's attention...at least for a little while.
And yet, in spite of the flaws I still liked the story - and Randy Fuller's narration - if for no other reason than it's a book with a gay president in the first place. (Well, an OUT one. There are still questions about James Buchanan and Lincoln - the Log Cabin Republicans claim their name comes from his ideals of "liberty and equality" but...)
October 17, 2016
Being the first gay president is not the only first covered in this book. The story is told from the POV of the First Husband and he has a career, which he loves and plans to continue working. The previous president, who was conservative, chose Grey as his running mate because he drew the liberal votes. When an assassin strikes during the procession after the swearing-in ceremony, Grey becomes president, a job he never expected to have.
Grey's husband, Dr. David Hammond, has no intention of abandoning his career as a professor of medicine and practicing ER doctor. That's just one hurdle the White House staff Grey has inherited have to deal with. The president's staff, who were already hand-picked by the man who was assassinated, are not all welcoming and supportive of a gay couple. Everyone seems to be gritting their teeth and trying to make things work, but little things tip the reader off that all is not as it seems.
Grey is called away for presidential business at all hours of the day and night. He's working 16 hours a day, sometimes longer, and has no time for his husband of 10 years. David tries to be understanding. After all, it's an important job and Grey loves politics, but the demands on Grey's time are escalating rather than becoming an acceptable routine.
When a terrifying health crisis occurs, David is called into the Situation Room to advise the president and his Cabinet. Things spiral out of control and David tries to do the right thing but finds himself in dreadful circumstances that he cannot control or escape. David knows exactly who is to blame, but he is left to vent all of his anger at his husband, and their marriage begins to crumble.
This is an exciting book, full of angst and a problem that may not have a tolerable solution. The ending is a satisfying HEA, but getting there is difficult and quite a thrilling story to read. Is there romance? I'll just say, pay attention, because the whispered dirty talk between the president and his husband is hot and there is no doubt who tops in this marriage! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more stories by Michael Murphy.
Grey's husband, Dr. David Hammond, has no intention of abandoning his career as a professor of medicine and practicing ER doctor. That's just one hurdle the White House staff Grey has inherited have to deal with. The president's staff, who were already hand-picked by the man who was assassinated, are not all welcoming and supportive of a gay couple. Everyone seems to be gritting their teeth and trying to make things work, but little things tip the reader off that all is not as it seems.
Grey is called away for presidential business at all hours of the day and night. He's working 16 hours a day, sometimes longer, and has no time for his husband of 10 years. David tries to be understanding. After all, it's an important job and Grey loves politics, but the demands on Grey's time are escalating rather than becoming an acceptable routine.
When a terrifying health crisis occurs, David is called into the Situation Room to advise the president and his Cabinet. Things spiral out of control and David tries to do the right thing but finds himself in dreadful circumstances that he cannot control or escape. David knows exactly who is to blame, but he is left to vent all of his anger at his husband, and their marriage begins to crumble.
This is an exciting book, full of angst and a problem that may not have a tolerable solution. The ending is a satisfying HEA, but getting there is difficult and quite a thrilling story to read. Is there romance? I'll just say, pay attention, because the whispered dirty talk between the president and his husband is hot and there is no doubt who tops in this marriage! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to more stories by Michael Murphy.
June 30, 2017
Read this as part of the Dreamspinner Press Year Nine Bundle. Full review to come shortly as part of the overall review of the bundle.
January 23, 2016
Disclaimer: I do not understand much about politics, U.S or any other, therefore the technical aspects of this book were fascinating and engaging, but I am in no position to even speculate as to the accuracy of events/attitudes etc.
I'm not usually a fan of established relationships, but the blurb for this book intrigued me, and I am so pleased I got to read it. You know how sometimes a story can really dig in and take hold? This was one of those for me.
The strength of emotion here is incredibly powerful - the distrust, the disappointment, and at some points I would go as far as to say the hate between David and Gray is heartbreaking; but the depth of the love they share is ultimately so much stronger. This is not your typical romance, but it is a passionate, attention grabbing story. My feelings for both MCs went up and down like yoyos throughout this book, leaving me in need of a stiff drink at times! Engaging, emotional, infuriating and incredibly enjoyable. This book was quite a journey....but a wonderful one!
Reviewed for divinemagazine.net
I'm not usually a fan of established relationships, but the blurb for this book intrigued me, and I am so pleased I got to read it. You know how sometimes a story can really dig in and take hold? This was one of those for me.
The strength of emotion here is incredibly powerful - the distrust, the disappointment, and at some points I would go as far as to say the hate between David and Gray is heartbreaking; but the depth of the love they share is ultimately so much stronger. This is not your typical romance, but it is a passionate, attention grabbing story. My feelings for both MCs went up and down like yoyos throughout this book, leaving me in need of a stiff drink at times! Engaging, emotional, infuriating and incredibly enjoyable. This book was quite a journey....but a wonderful one!
Reviewed for divinemagazine.net
February 2, 2016
Awful. 90% telling, 5% showing. David is a shrew. Gray is ball-less. No one else is named, no matter how often they appear (secret service agents, the WH chief of staff, etc). Dialogue is repetitive and repeated. Descriptions are noticeably lacking. Did I mention it's repetitive? Because it's really repetitive. Like dialogue is repeated over and over and over and over again.
I skimmed the last 30% because I couldn't have cared less. Oh, and David just took it upon himself to knock down a wall in THE WHITE HOUSE without going through acres of red tape? Not bloody likely. I'm disappointed. Great concept, horrible execution.
I skimmed the last 30% because I couldn't have cared less. Oh, and David just took it upon himself to knock down a wall in THE WHITE HOUSE without going through acres of red tape? Not bloody likely. I'm disappointed. Great concept, horrible execution.
August 20, 2016
An intense and emotional romance
Wow....This book blew me away with its intense and very emotional storyline. Gray was only supposed to be vice president but tragedy happened and suddenly he is President of the United States. David is doctor and teacher of medicine as well as being Gray's husband. He loves his politician husband and is proud when he is sworn into office. The story is told from David's perspective and portrays his thoughts and feelings on being "first husband". An emotional roller coaster ride that captivated me from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book. M/M romance
Wow....This book blew me away with its intense and very emotional storyline. Gray was only supposed to be vice president but tragedy happened and suddenly he is President of the United States. David is doctor and teacher of medicine as well as being Gray's husband. He loves his politician husband and is proud when he is sworn into office. The story is told from David's perspective and portrays his thoughts and feelings on being "first husband". An emotional roller coaster ride that captivated me from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book. M/M romance
September 24, 2016
This is the first book I have read by this author, I enjoyed this book very much. The Main Characters: David, I loved him, fighting to save his marriage from forces who want's him out of the way. Gray, The President new to the game of politics, eager to learn, but losing the man he loves. A good story; with a good plot, and strong characters, also well written.
March 27, 2019
Ich würde sagen, dass das Buch ein grundsolider Roman ist. Sehr schnell gelesen, da er nicht besonders lang ist. Die Story finde ich im Grunde sehr ansprechend, hätte aber noch sehr viel weiter ausgebaut sein können. Für meinen Geschmack war die ganze Handlung ziemlich schnelllebig.
Außerdem hatte ich den Eindruck, dass obwohl wir die ganze Handlung von in der auktorialen Erzählperspektive geschildert bekommen, fehlen mir manchmal einfach ganze Gedankengänge von David, die sich dann später auflösen, aber bei mir vorher nicht für Spannung, sondern für Stirnrunzeln gesorgt hat.
Trotzdem würde ich das Buch so als Häppchen für Zwischendurch durchaus noch mal lesen.
Außerdem hatte ich den Eindruck, dass obwohl wir die ganze Handlung von in der auktorialen Erzählperspektive geschildert bekommen, fehlen mir manchmal einfach ganze Gedankengänge von David, die sich dann später auflösen, aber bei mir vorher nicht für Spannung, sondern für Stirnrunzeln gesorgt hat.
Trotzdem würde ich das Buch so als Häppchen für Zwischendurch durchaus noch mal lesen.
December 21, 2019
Part of anthology, this story has done what anthologies are supposed to do, get you interested in a new author and his books.
A love story, based on the supposition of what would happen if a married gay guy became President of the US. How would his husband, an intelligent, educated man be treated.
This book shows, graphically, the worst case scenario, but with true love coming through, we get our hea. The only frustration is not seeing first hand the Chief of Staff getting his comeuppance.
It also reminds us of just how easily the person in office can lose touch with the real world.
A book to enjoy, and an author to take note of.
A love story, based on the supposition of what would happen if a married gay guy became President of the US. How would his husband, an intelligent, educated man be treated.
This book shows, graphically, the worst case scenario, but with true love coming through, we get our hea. The only frustration is not seeing first hand the Chief of Staff getting his comeuppance.
It also reminds us of just how easily the person in office can lose touch with the real world.
A book to enjoy, and an author to take note of.
January 12, 2026
This book has its good and bad sides. Is it perfect ? No. Is it realistic ? Absolutely not. But it’s still a good read if you’re into relationship drama, a workaholic husband and some stereotypical fights.
At some points the characters conflicts get repetitive and many background characters get neither name nor development.
Still it was quick and easy to read and an interesting what of scenario
All in all if you’re looking for something light that isn’t too serious or deep you’ll enjoy it I think :))))
At some points the characters conflicts get repetitive and many background characters get neither name nor development.
Still it was quick and easy to read and an interesting what of scenario
All in all if you’re looking for something light that isn’t too serious or deep you’ll enjoy it I think :))))
May 6, 2017
This is a new to me author that I will read again.
This story is more about the effect of the presidency on David and Grayson's marriage. How they work at the marriage and it's work! For me the storyline was just ok and a little unbelievable at times. Overall I enjoyed it!
This story is more about the effect of the presidency on David and Grayson's marriage. How they work at the marriage and it's work! For me the storyline was just ok and a little unbelievable at times. Overall I enjoyed it!
September 1, 2018
3.5 stars. I would have liked to know who & why killed the first president. I also think Gray really lost touch with his husband way too quickly. After a few months he didn’t trust him at all??? Weird since they had been married for 10 years at that point.
April 5, 2019
3.5 stars
Almost gave up on this but I enjoyed the latter part.
Almost gave up on this but I enjoyed the latter part.
December 21, 2020
So much potential, poor execution.
Read
January 6, 2025DNF - I think it’s just not for me (so I won’t leave a bad review as I don’t think that’s fair)
March 3, 2016
If you like established-couple romances you will enjoy this one.
I really liked the book. It has the right mix of characters, plot and dialogue. Overall it was the blurb that really caught my attention. I mean the story is just so unique that I am pretty sure a lot of interests were piqued.
Overall I loved David, he was just so awesome. I loved his take-charge attitude and his upbeat personality and I loved the fact that he did in fact stick it out when the going got tough and tougher. Being in David's head actually gave this story a really nice perspective.
While Gray was away being President we don't get to see a lot of Gray and David, but whatever you do see makes you believe that they have got something special and worth fighting for between them. A lot of people don't like established couples' romance since you don't get that moment of first falling in love and that can kind of hamper your understanding of the couple. But personally for me these two managed to leave a sizeable impression of the relationship they share in the first chapter itself. So I for one didn't at any point not understand these two.
I liked the plot when things start happening and I liked the way the story is framed in a waxing-waning course. It's not a straight downfall towards the edge of the cliff, it's more of a three steps forward, two steps backward kind of approach, which gave the book a realistic feel. On the whole I liked where this story took me.
The content of the book is very dialogue heavy. I don't know if I liked this or not. I loved the dialogue as such because it gives you great insight into the characters, and I liked their banter and conversations when they are happening but to a great extent the dialogues these two shared were paragraphs and I find it hard to believe that someone can speak for so long without the other person putting in his two cents. Because generally when you are fighting or giving someone bad news the dialogues are sharp and just a sentence long till one of the participants snaps at the other to make them shut up so they can say their piece and often that is not very long either. Generally when people in real life speak in paragraphs they tend to digress a lot from the topic with which they began, it happens and unless someone's prepared to speak on a particular topic it is hard to stay the course in casual conversation, so I could really not swallow David and Gray's conversations where they each spoke in paragraphs. But I do believe that the conversations as such kept the book structured and on track, and it did give us glimpses into these characters.
The major problems in this book are things that didn't get mentioned like the assassination of the President, I mean considering the precedent historically, it makes no sense to not even mention the circumstances which led to the assassination and how they would affect Gray's tenure as President. Also what about family, I am pretty sure when people stay in the White House even their most distant relations find a way to try to finagle an invite and all throughout the book we hear about no parents, or siblings, or nieces and nephews, well we don't even get to hear about friends so much but atleast you get the feel that they exist unlike the parents of these two.
Overall if you just take the book in its flow its awesome but if you start thinking about stuff, because this book had me invariably thinking of JFK's assassination, you will really start to see the loopholes. So I suggest enjoy the book for the romance it is and not for the politics that you would expect.
I really liked the book. It has the right mix of characters, plot and dialogue. Overall it was the blurb that really caught my attention. I mean the story is just so unique that I am pretty sure a lot of interests were piqued.
Overall I loved David, he was just so awesome. I loved his take-charge attitude and his upbeat personality and I loved the fact that he did in fact stick it out when the going got tough and tougher. Being in David's head actually gave this story a really nice perspective.
While Gray was away being President we don't get to see a lot of Gray and David, but whatever you do see makes you believe that they have got something special and worth fighting for between them. A lot of people don't like established couples' romance since you don't get that moment of first falling in love and that can kind of hamper your understanding of the couple. But personally for me these two managed to leave a sizeable impression of the relationship they share in the first chapter itself. So I for one didn't at any point not understand these two.
I liked the plot when things start happening and I liked the way the story is framed in a waxing-waning course. It's not a straight downfall towards the edge of the cliff, it's more of a three steps forward, two steps backward kind of approach, which gave the book a realistic feel. On the whole I liked where this story took me.
The content of the book is very dialogue heavy. I don't know if I liked this or not. I loved the dialogue as such because it gives you great insight into the characters, and I liked their banter and conversations when they are happening but to a great extent the dialogues these two shared were paragraphs and I find it hard to believe that someone can speak for so long without the other person putting in his two cents. Because generally when you are fighting or giving someone bad news the dialogues are sharp and just a sentence long till one of the participants snaps at the other to make them shut up so they can say their piece and often that is not very long either. Generally when people in real life speak in paragraphs they tend to digress a lot from the topic with which they began, it happens and unless someone's prepared to speak on a particular topic it is hard to stay the course in casual conversation, so I could really not swallow David and Gray's conversations where they each spoke in paragraphs. But I do believe that the conversations as such kept the book structured and on track, and it did give us glimpses into these characters.
The major problems in this book are things that didn't get mentioned like the assassination of the President, I mean considering the precedent historically, it makes no sense to not even mention the circumstances which led to the assassination and how they would affect Gray's tenure as President. Also what about family, I am pretty sure when people stay in the White House even their most distant relations find a way to try to finagle an invite and all throughout the book we hear about no parents, or siblings, or nieces and nephews, well we don't even get to hear about friends so much but atleast you get the feel that they exist unlike the parents of these two.
Overall if you just take the book in its flow its awesome but if you start thinking about stuff, because this book had me invariably thinking of JFK's assassination, you will really start to see the loopholes. So I suggest enjoy the book for the romance it is and not for the politics that you would expect.
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February 3, 2016The blurb really does a good job of setting the scene. The President is assassinated ad the VP is forced to move into his job, when, in reality, he NEVER figured on being President. Gray is young and relatively new to politics. He’s quite liberal and hasn’t done a lot of the long haul grind on the Hill. When he signed up to be the liberal counterpart to his conservative running mate, he never figured it would mean that he’d have to run the nation one day.
The President is killed on Inauguration Day! So Gray has no time to learn the ropes. He and David, his husband, are pulled into the tide of an urgent country in crisis and it sweeps them away for the first several weeks and then into months.
David never signed on for the job of Political “Wife”. He’s a professor and an MD and he has no intention of giving that up.
At first things are hectic but reasonable, then things go wacky and David and Gray are divided both physically and emotionally.
Eventually something’s got to give and David makes the call to seek separate housing until things settle down.
Will that be the end of their relationship or the wake-up call Gray needs?
**
I was very excited for this book. I love the idea of the gender switch in the roles of the “First Spouse” and thought that there is so much possibility in a story like this.
Let me start by saying the writing was good, the characters were well developed and the basic story arc was sound.
Things I loved: Gray was a total bottom and unashamed and it was never an issue at all! David stands up to one of his handlers and explains just why an MD can’t just “resign for 4 years” and expect to jump back into his career.
Things that didn’t work for me: The “evil” plot to keep Gray and David separated. If Gray is supposedly smart enough to be VP/President of the US – I have a hard time swallowing that he just let all his “staff” – who the conservative President put in place – run his life without once looking back and asking his HUSBAND OF 10 YEARS for his opinion.
It bugged me that the only interaction the two MCs had was to either have sex or fight. Two intelligent 30-40 year old men would talk and discuss the stress and address the emotional issues – at least once or twice in the year that this book covers – and I didn’t see them even attempting to manage the crisis til it had exploded.
I think Gray was too weak to be believable. The “evil” staffers were too villainous to be believable and the entire virus thing was over the top. I also think that David’s role would have been discussed before Gray signed up for VP because even the VP’s spouse has duties and once Gray was made President I don’t think David would have even been allowed to work or do all the stuff he did – simply as a security risk. So that part I never bought into.
I think there are some very interesting issues raised by this book, however. I do think that the idea that a spouse gives up everything once their partner is in office is interesting and when that role is a man, it becomes even more interesting as a “conundrum” because we’ve no experience with that. I’m not sure, however, that the role – not the gender- does seem to preclude any realistic work outside of the office.
In any case, it was an interesting, well-written book with some plot issues that I had a hard time reconciling – but if Politics is your thing I’d recommend this book.
The President is killed on Inauguration Day! So Gray has no time to learn the ropes. He and David, his husband, are pulled into the tide of an urgent country in crisis and it sweeps them away for the first several weeks and then into months.
David never signed on for the job of Political “Wife”. He’s a professor and an MD and he has no intention of giving that up.
At first things are hectic but reasonable, then things go wacky and David and Gray are divided both physically and emotionally.
Eventually something’s got to give and David makes the call to seek separate housing until things settle down.
Will that be the end of their relationship or the wake-up call Gray needs?
**
I was very excited for this book. I love the idea of the gender switch in the roles of the “First Spouse” and thought that there is so much possibility in a story like this.
Let me start by saying the writing was good, the characters were well developed and the basic story arc was sound.
Things I loved: Gray was a total bottom and unashamed and it was never an issue at all! David stands up to one of his handlers and explains just why an MD can’t just “resign for 4 years” and expect to jump back into his career.
Things that didn’t work for me: The “evil” plot to keep Gray and David separated. If Gray is supposedly smart enough to be VP/President of the US – I have a hard time swallowing that he just let all his “staff” – who the conservative President put in place – run his life without once looking back and asking his HUSBAND OF 10 YEARS for his opinion.
It bugged me that the only interaction the two MCs had was to either have sex or fight. Two intelligent 30-40 year old men would talk and discuss the stress and address the emotional issues – at least once or twice in the year that this book covers – and I didn’t see them even attempting to manage the crisis til it had exploded.
I think Gray was too weak to be believable. The “evil” staffers were too villainous to be believable and the entire virus thing was over the top. I also think that David’s role would have been discussed before Gray signed up for VP because even the VP’s spouse has duties and once Gray was made President I don’t think David would have even been allowed to work or do all the stuff he did – simply as a security risk. So that part I never bought into.
I think there are some very interesting issues raised by this book, however. I do think that the idea that a spouse gives up everything once their partner is in office is interesting and when that role is a man, it becomes even more interesting as a “conundrum” because we’ve no experience with that. I’m not sure, however, that the role – not the gender- does seem to preclude any realistic work outside of the office.
In any case, it was an interesting, well-written book with some plot issues that I had a hard time reconciling – but if Politics is your thing I’d recommend this book.
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