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Eighteen Acres Trilogy #1
Eighteen Acres
From the former Communications Director for the White House and current political media strategist comes a suspenseful and smart commercial novel about the first female president and all dramas and deceptions she faces both in politics and in love.
Eighteen Acres, a description used by political insiders when referring to the White House complex, follows the first female President of the United States, Charlotte Kramer, and her staff as they take on dangerous threats from abroad and within her very own cabinet.
Charlotte Kramer, the 45th US President, Melanie Kingston, the White House chief of staff, and Dale Smith, a White House correspondent for one of the networks are all working tirelessly on Charlotte’s campaign for re-election. At the very moment when they should have been securing success, though, Kramer’s White House implodes under rumors of her husband’s infidelity and grave errors of judgment on the part of her closest national security advisor. In an upheaval that threatens not only the presidency, but the safety of the American people, Charlotte must fight to regain her footing and protect the the country she has given her life to serving.
Eighteen Acres combines political and family drama into one un-put-downable novel. It is a smart, juicy and fast-paced read that we’re sure fans of commercial women’s fiction will fall in total love with.
Eighteen Acres, a description used by political insiders when referring to the White House complex, follows the first female President of the United States, Charlotte Kramer, and her staff as they take on dangerous threats from abroad and within her very own cabinet.
Charlotte Kramer, the 45th US President, Melanie Kingston, the White House chief of staff, and Dale Smith, a White House correspondent for one of the networks are all working tirelessly on Charlotte’s campaign for re-election. At the very moment when they should have been securing success, though, Kramer’s White House implodes under rumors of her husband’s infidelity and grave errors of judgment on the part of her closest national security advisor. In an upheaval that threatens not only the presidency, but the safety of the American people, Charlotte must fight to regain her footing and protect the the country she has given her life to serving.
Eighteen Acres combines political and family drama into one un-put-downable novel. It is a smart, juicy and fast-paced read that we’re sure fans of commercial women’s fiction will fall in total love with.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 19, 2010
542 people are currently reading
2410 people want to read
About the author
Nicolle Wallace
8 books201 followersNicolle Wallace is a bestselling author and political commentator who appears regularly on news programs such as ABC’s Good Morning America, Fox News’ Sean Hannity and Morning Joe on MSNBC.
Wallace, who served as communications chief for George W. Bush’s White House and re-election campaign, was credited with “injecting a tremendous amount of realism” into White House deliberations. According to the Washington Post, she served as “a voice for more openness with reporters” (Washington Post, June 28, 2006). The New York Times story announcing her presidential appointment carried the headline: “New Aide Aims to Defrost the Press Room” (January 10, 2005). Wallace was described by former colleagues as “very persuasive in the halls of the West Wing.”
Wallace also served as senior advisor for the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008. She appeared frequently on network and cable news programs as the campaign’s top spokesman and defender.
Wallace is a California native and graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She lives in New York City and Connecticut with her husband, Mark, a former Ambassador to the United Nations, and their vizsla, Lilly.
Eighteen Acres is her first novel.
Wallace, who served as communications chief for George W. Bush’s White House and re-election campaign, was credited with “injecting a tremendous amount of realism” into White House deliberations. According to the Washington Post, she served as “a voice for more openness with reporters” (Washington Post, June 28, 2006). The New York Times story announcing her presidential appointment carried the headline: “New Aide Aims to Defrost the Press Room” (January 10, 2005). Wallace was described by former colleagues as “very persuasive in the halls of the West Wing.”
Wallace also served as senior advisor for the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008. She appeared frequently on network and cable news programs as the campaign’s top spokesman and defender.
Wallace is a California native and graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She lives in New York City and Connecticut with her husband, Mark, a former Ambassador to the United Nations, and their vizsla, Lilly.
Eighteen Acres is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 517 reviews
March 31, 2020
This is an interesting take on a political novel, that is more contemporary women’s fiction than political intrigue. It focuses on 3 women who are tied together by their roles in relationship to the Presidency: Charlotte is the first woman President; Melanie is her Chief Of Staff; and Dale is an ambitious news anchor with a secret life. Their lives are interconnected in different ways. With Charlotte running for re-election, an international incident ends up putting her candidacy in jeopardy. How the three women work through this makes for an interesting read.
The women are each fascinating in their own right. All are ambitious, all have problems in their personal lives, and all face difficult decisions as to their professional lives.
The writing is better than I expected. The story flows well and is well paced. Although there is some political intrigue, the main focus is on the personal aspects of the story.
The ending just screams for a sequel, and I hope there is one. (I just checked and there are two sequels.) I would read more by this author. I have to say that I enjoy watching her news show on MSNBC. She has gone from working in the Bush White House and on the McCain/Palin campaign to becoming a moderate voice of reason on cable news.
I definitely recommend this book.
The women are each fascinating in their own right. All are ambitious, all have problems in their personal lives, and all face difficult decisions as to their professional lives.
The writing is better than I expected. The story flows well and is well paced. Although there is some political intrigue, the main focus is on the personal aspects of the story.
The ending just screams for a sequel, and I hope there is one. (I just checked and there are two sequels.) I would read more by this author. I have to say that I enjoy watching her news show on MSNBC. She has gone from working in the Bush White House and on the McCain/Palin campaign to becoming a moderate voice of reason on cable news.
I definitely recommend this book.
March 2, 2017
It's ok. Have to remember that she is just a political insider, not a great novelist.
November 27, 2010
I enjoyed this book, though I think the premise is why I gave it only 3 stars.
The things I liked:
I liked that even though I wanted to hate Dale and Peter, the two carrying on an extramarital affair, I couldn't. I empathized with them for some reason, despite the fact that my first marriage ended because of my husband's affair. I think this speaks well of Wallace's writing ability.
I also empathized with Charlotte and Melanie. I loved Charlotte being the first woman president and thought her story to be quite realistic. That could happen, very easily. I thought Melanie was the strongest character, and I admired her aspirations and confidence. I understood how she came to be burned out by the end of the novel.
Things I didn't like:
I'm not sure I liked how the story ended. I didn't think Melanie should have taken another position in the White House because it was obvious she had lost her zest for it.
I also thought that Wallace's writing, as a whole, by the end of the novel, had lost most of its appeal. It felt as though she rushed the ending, just to finish it and tie up all the loose ends so everyone was happy. I don't necessarily think everything should have ended differently, it just seemed rushed. I lost my connection to the characters and stopped caring so much what happened to them.
All in all, however, I loved the premise. I loved the female President, and even though I think her choice of running mate during the election was very unrealistic, I liked the dynamics the woman brought into the story.
The things I liked:
I liked that even though I wanted to hate Dale and Peter, the two carrying on an extramarital affair, I couldn't. I empathized with them for some reason, despite the fact that my first marriage ended because of my husband's affair. I think this speaks well of Wallace's writing ability.
I also empathized with Charlotte and Melanie. I loved Charlotte being the first woman president and thought her story to be quite realistic. That could happen, very easily. I thought Melanie was the strongest character, and I admired her aspirations and confidence. I understood how she came to be burned out by the end of the novel.
Things I didn't like:
I'm not sure I liked how the story ended. I didn't think Melanie should have taken another position in the White House because it was obvious she had lost her zest for it.
I also thought that Wallace's writing, as a whole, by the end of the novel, had lost most of its appeal. It felt as though she rushed the ending, just to finish it and tie up all the loose ends so everyone was happy. I don't necessarily think everything should have ended differently, it just seemed rushed. I lost my connection to the characters and stopped caring so much what happened to them.
All in all, however, I loved the premise. I loved the female President, and even though I think her choice of running mate during the election was very unrealistic, I liked the dynamics the woman brought into the story.
December 20, 2010
I had hopes that the author, a Washington insider, would provide an interesting story of the first woman president. What I found was thinly disguised "chick lit" that never became a Harlequin romance novel but basically never became a book worth reading either. Boring and just never captured my attention fully. I kept reading it in hopes that it would get better but it never did.
June 17, 2022
I've been interested in checking out Nicolle Wallace's writing ever since I started watching her on MSNBC's Deadline Washington. My wife bought me the first book in her White House Series, Eighteen Acres: A Novel, for Xmas this year. Eighteen Acres stands for the plot of land that the White House occupies in Washington, DC
Eighteen Acres focuses on three women; the first woman President of the US, Charlotte Kramer, her Chief of Staff, Melanie Kingston and a reporter who is having an affair with Charlotte's husband, Dale Smith. Each chapter focuses alternatively on one of these characters.
We travel from events at the White House, to a trip by Charlotte and her Secretary of Defense Roger Taylor, as well as Dale Smith, along with the Press pool, to Afghanistan where elections are taking place and then for the last half of the book, on the campaign trail as Charlotte. is running for a second term in office along with her new Vice Presidential nominee, Tara Meyers.
It's a fascinating, well-crafted, concise story that Nicolle Wallace has presented. The story definitely focuses on the 3 main women, with subsidiary characters added to the mix to enrich the story. Melanie is an intelligent, hard-working, well-respected Chief of Staff who has worked for 3 different presidents in different roles. She has let her personal life slide as she focuses on serving the President and the country. Charlotte has also let her personal life be affected by her time in government, from Governor to President. Her husband, Peter, has become distant and now spends as much time as possible with Dale Smith. Dale, herself, is an ambitious reporter who is working to become one of the main network anchors.
While this might seem like just a normal romance story with many entanglements, actually, it offers an interesting insight into the running of the White House and the President's life. Oh to have a sensible, dedicated President like Charlotte Kramer! We have press intrigue; is the Pres having an affair? We have a trip to Afghanistan that turns tragic and has the potential to crash the Presidential ambitions of Charlotte. And the campaign is presented in a fascinating way, with friction between Melanie and the upcoming Vice President and many more things. All in all, it was an engrossing read and I'm looking forward to checking out the 2nd book, It's Classified: A Novel. (4 stars)
Eighteen Acres focuses on three women; the first woman President of the US, Charlotte Kramer, her Chief of Staff, Melanie Kingston and a reporter who is having an affair with Charlotte's husband, Dale Smith. Each chapter focuses alternatively on one of these characters.
We travel from events at the White House, to a trip by Charlotte and her Secretary of Defense Roger Taylor, as well as Dale Smith, along with the Press pool, to Afghanistan where elections are taking place and then for the last half of the book, on the campaign trail as Charlotte. is running for a second term in office along with her new Vice Presidential nominee, Tara Meyers.
It's a fascinating, well-crafted, concise story that Nicolle Wallace has presented. The story definitely focuses on the 3 main women, with subsidiary characters added to the mix to enrich the story. Melanie is an intelligent, hard-working, well-respected Chief of Staff who has worked for 3 different presidents in different roles. She has let her personal life slide as she focuses on serving the President and the country. Charlotte has also let her personal life be affected by her time in government, from Governor to President. Her husband, Peter, has become distant and now spends as much time as possible with Dale Smith. Dale, herself, is an ambitious reporter who is working to become one of the main network anchors.
While this might seem like just a normal romance story with many entanglements, actually, it offers an interesting insight into the running of the White House and the President's life. Oh to have a sensible, dedicated President like Charlotte Kramer! We have press intrigue; is the Pres having an affair? We have a trip to Afghanistan that turns tragic and has the potential to crash the Presidential ambitions of Charlotte. And the campaign is presented in a fascinating way, with friction between Melanie and the upcoming Vice President and many more things. All in all, it was an engrossing read and I'm looking forward to checking out the 2nd book, It's Classified: A Novel. (4 stars)
July 5, 2011
When I got this book in the mail, I groaned a little. A book about politics? I couldn’t be the least bit interested. Being a retired hairstylist, the two things that were drilled into our head was to not talk about two subjects—religion and politics. But Nicolle Wallace’s debut novel Eighteen Acres, is more about the life in the White House. And my friends, I must admit I was fascinated.
The tale follows three women—Charlotte Kramer, the 45th president of the United States and the first woman to ever fill the role. Melanie Kingston is her right hand woman as the White House Chief of Staff. And Dale Smith, an ambitious White House correspondent who works for ABC. These three women lives intertwine as they all struggle with the sacrifices it entails to be a woman on the top.
Charlotte as President is hard core, never showing emotion. That quality has served her well over the years, and helped her to successfully end the war in Iraq. But as reelection approaches, her popularity takes a tumble. It forces Charlotte to ask herself to look at the choices she made in her life—the sacrifices she made as wife and mother to be President, the feelings of conflict and guilt over her children and her marriage, and the feelings of loneliness that comes with being President, even with a close network of family and friends of support.
Melanie has dedicated her life to politics for the past 14 years, and now is questioning whether or not it’s time to leave. She’s given up a lot to serve the President, including marriage and children. When a Pentagon reporter shows interest in her, she struggles to sustain the relationship and her sense of duty to the President. Will she be able to juggle both?
Dale dreams of snagging a weeknight anchor post, and she feels that it’s within her grasp. She’s asked to join a small press corps that will travel to Afghanistan with the President. Everything she has worked so hard for is finally coming true until tragedy strikes in Afghanistan. Now she has to decide between finally having the love she wants or having the career she feels she deserves.
The short chapters kept you in the action, and kept the pace of the novel moving. Even though the book may come across as a political thriller, Nicolle did a great job of keeping the book, not so much about politics, but about the tough decisions that women as leaders have to make. A thought-provoking, enjoyable read.
The tale follows three women—Charlotte Kramer, the 45th president of the United States and the first woman to ever fill the role. Melanie Kingston is her right hand woman as the White House Chief of Staff. And Dale Smith, an ambitious White House correspondent who works for ABC. These three women lives intertwine as they all struggle with the sacrifices it entails to be a woman on the top.
Charlotte as President is hard core, never showing emotion. That quality has served her well over the years, and helped her to successfully end the war in Iraq. But as reelection approaches, her popularity takes a tumble. It forces Charlotte to ask herself to look at the choices she made in her life—the sacrifices she made as wife and mother to be President, the feelings of conflict and guilt over her children and her marriage, and the feelings of loneliness that comes with being President, even with a close network of family and friends of support.
Melanie has dedicated her life to politics for the past 14 years, and now is questioning whether or not it’s time to leave. She’s given up a lot to serve the President, including marriage and children. When a Pentagon reporter shows interest in her, she struggles to sustain the relationship and her sense of duty to the President. Will she be able to juggle both?
Dale dreams of snagging a weeknight anchor post, and she feels that it’s within her grasp. She’s asked to join a small press corps that will travel to Afghanistan with the President. Everything she has worked so hard for is finally coming true until tragedy strikes in Afghanistan. Now she has to decide between finally having the love she wants or having the career she feels she deserves.
The short chapters kept you in the action, and kept the pace of the novel moving. Even though the book may come across as a political thriller, Nicolle did a great job of keeping the book, not so much about politics, but about the tough decisions that women as leaders have to make. A thought-provoking, enjoyable read.
February 18, 2011
Eighteen Acres is essentially poli sci chick lit. It's fluffy, it's fun, and it's probably the most frivolous novel about a female president that you'll ever read.
I loved how the story revolved around powerful women - the President, her female Chief of Staff, and a leading White House Correspondent - but also showed a ton of amazing women in orbit around them. The Secretary of State is a woman, the opposition party candidate is a woman, the surprise vice presidential nominee is a woman, etc. This is a nice counterpoint to every other political book in the world (and the world itself) where all of those positions could be held by men without it drawing any particular attention. But it also leads into my main issue with the novel, which is that despite the powerful positions these women hold, so much of their focus seems to be on shoes, purses, dogs, and men. Also, the President really has a lot of spare time to feel mopey about things and reconsider her wardrobe. This seems a bit unrealistic, since surely there are things she could otherwise be doing to, you know, rule the free world.
It's enjoyable and entertaining for what it is, but just a little disappointing for what it isn't - ie, in any way serious.
I loved how the story revolved around powerful women - the President, her female Chief of Staff, and a leading White House Correspondent - but also showed a ton of amazing women in orbit around them. The Secretary of State is a woman, the opposition party candidate is a woman, the surprise vice presidential nominee is a woman, etc. This is a nice counterpoint to every other political book in the world (and the world itself) where all of those positions could be held by men without it drawing any particular attention. But it also leads into my main issue with the novel, which is that despite the powerful positions these women hold, so much of their focus seems to be on shoes, purses, dogs, and men. Also, the President really has a lot of spare time to feel mopey about things and reconsider her wardrobe. This seems a bit unrealistic, since surely there are things she could otherwise be doing to, you know, rule the free world.
It's enjoyable and entertaining for what it is, but just a little disappointing for what it isn't - ie, in any way serious.
December 12, 2017
First, let me say that Nicole Wallace is one of our finest political commentators and program hosts on television. Her keen intelligence, her insights, her eminent fairness and her willingness to confront and press those she interviews (Republican Representative Peter King, for example) are exhibited with modesty and goodwill that distinguish her from pontificating, self-aggrandizing boors like Chris Matthews and Joe Scarborough. Her politics are not mine, but Ms. Wallace is a beacon of clarity, unpretentiousness and decency. Her abundant and reliable good cheer make me wish my drinking water possessed whatever salutary tonic is in hers.
That said, 18 Acres is a terrible novel. As gifted a commentator and interviewer that Ms. Wallace is, she is not a writer of any evident talent. It was only my admiration for her political gifts and curiosity about her literary ambition that allowed me to finish what is, regrettably, a tiresome book, poorly written, abundant in clichés; filled with stumbling, clunky syntax lacking in any sense of rhythm, coherent tone or voice; replete with superficial, psychologically shallow and banal characterizations and, finally, an uninteresting (and improbable – though that is the least of the book’s deficits) story.
“She wanted him to scream at her, to drag her out of the puddle of self-pity she was drowning in” is not the worst example one could provide of the book’s pervasive flaws, but it serves adequately. The clichéd trope and the coarse sentence construction are far from great; alas, they only grate. Unfortunately, this kind of third-rate writing defines the book and makes reading it a chore. The book is a page-turner, but only because the poorly wrought prose discourages lingering on any page. Unfortunately, Truman Capote’s tart observation applies to 18 Acres: “It isn’t writing at all, it’s typing.”
It is puzzling to me that someone with Ms. Wallace’s intelligence, assets and resources did not get better editorial support for this book – to teach her as a first-time novelist what goes into shaping a manuscript and identifying a strong, clear voice and how she might improve the book by stripping it of clichés, tiresome exposition and hackneyed speech and learn to have action drive character revelation and other basic techniques, including editing and re-writing. The answer may be that it doesn’t matter. Ms. Wallace has a national platform to pitch her book to hundreds of thousands; a coterie of Beltway log-rollers happy to pump her book sales with reviews, tweets and blog posts. She’s published two more books, all best-sellers, I imagine. I am, I assure you, pleased for her.
For those wishing to read about the issues of middle-aged women and power, Jan Ellison’s “A Small Indiscretion” and Louise Doughty’s “Apple Tree Yard” are, however, in my view, far more profitable and exemplary novels to read. That said, I’ll keep watching Nicole Wallace on MSNBC, where she remains a reliable national treasure.
That said, 18 Acres is a terrible novel. As gifted a commentator and interviewer that Ms. Wallace is, she is not a writer of any evident talent. It was only my admiration for her political gifts and curiosity about her literary ambition that allowed me to finish what is, regrettably, a tiresome book, poorly written, abundant in clichés; filled with stumbling, clunky syntax lacking in any sense of rhythm, coherent tone or voice; replete with superficial, psychologically shallow and banal characterizations and, finally, an uninteresting (and improbable – though that is the least of the book’s deficits) story.
“She wanted him to scream at her, to drag her out of the puddle of self-pity she was drowning in” is not the worst example one could provide of the book’s pervasive flaws, but it serves adequately. The clichéd trope and the coarse sentence construction are far from great; alas, they only grate. Unfortunately, this kind of third-rate writing defines the book and makes reading it a chore. The book is a page-turner, but only because the poorly wrought prose discourages lingering on any page. Unfortunately, Truman Capote’s tart observation applies to 18 Acres: “It isn’t writing at all, it’s typing.”
It is puzzling to me that someone with Ms. Wallace’s intelligence, assets and resources did not get better editorial support for this book – to teach her as a first-time novelist what goes into shaping a manuscript and identifying a strong, clear voice and how she might improve the book by stripping it of clichés, tiresome exposition and hackneyed speech and learn to have action drive character revelation and other basic techniques, including editing and re-writing. The answer may be that it doesn’t matter. Ms. Wallace has a national platform to pitch her book to hundreds of thousands; a coterie of Beltway log-rollers happy to pump her book sales with reviews, tweets and blog posts. She’s published two more books, all best-sellers, I imagine. I am, I assure you, pleased for her.
For those wishing to read about the issues of middle-aged women and power, Jan Ellison’s “A Small Indiscretion” and Louise Doughty’s “Apple Tree Yard” are, however, in my view, far more profitable and exemplary novels to read. That said, I’ll keep watching Nicole Wallace on MSNBC, where she remains a reliable national treasure.
June 9, 2015
Charlotte Kramer is making history. As the first female President of the United States, she faces even greater scrutiny than her predecessors. Working closely with her Secretary of Defense, Charlotte has made great strides in the Middle East. After years of violence and political turmoil, the region prepares to hold its first truly democratic election. Charlotte is proud of the amount of good she has accomplished in her three years on the job, but she knows that she needs to do more to secure a second term. Despite all of her progress abroad, things are not as positive back at home. Under her leadership, the economy is failing to recover in the way she promised it would. Bitter partisan politics have hindered any policy discussions. Worse, a less than ideal showing at the midterm elections has left a congress that is waiting for any opportunity to end her career. With little time to reframe her reputation, Charlotte turns to her family, friends, and political advisors to take a final shot at retaining her spot in the White House.
Melanie Kingston is a fixture of Washington politics. Fifteen years ago, she lied about being a student to gain an internship at the White House. Ever since then, she has worked her way up the ladder, serving as campaign manager and press secretary for the previous administration. Now, as the White House chief of staff, she is one of Charlotte Kramer's most trusted advisors. Every aspect of Charlotte's administration, from policy decisions and speeches to wardrobe, runs through Melanie. But this loyalty has taken a toll on her personal life. She is the most respected woman in Washington, besides the President of course, but with one failed marriage and no children, she has little personal fulfillment. When a local reporter contacts Melanie about a story of infidelity in the President's marriage, she kicks it into high gear. A story like this doesn't stay out of the spotlight for long. If news of a Presidential affair surfaces, it threatens to not only derail the President's reelection campaign, but to completely tarnish Melanie's lifetime of work.
Dale Smith is the new kid on the block. Young, smart, beautiful, in love, she seems to have it all. Dale is the White House correspondent, weekend anchor, and a shoe in for future nightly anchor at one of the national networks. Despite her clear success, Dale is still finding her way in the town where seniority reigns supreme. To prove herself and cement her place among the best journalists in the nation, she must gain access to the hard hitting interviews and breaking news stories that garner ratings and prestige. Lucky for her, she has a secret weapon. During her short time in Washington, Dale has gained the trust and heart of one of the people closest to President Charlotte Kramer. . . her husband.
Eighteen Acres is a stellar novel that mixes political and personal drama into a page turning, edge of your seat read. Author Nicolle Wallace uses her firsthand political knowledge to bring the behind the scenes aspects of the political game front and center. Her experience at the White House allows for each page to ring with authenticity. Political aptitude aside, this is a fascinating character study that stands on its own merits. It is great to read a book about three smart and beautiful women that focusses on their struggle to maintain their personal lives amidst the demands of their high profile careers. Wallace dives headfirst into questions about the double standards of women in the workplace while never becoming preachy. The political intrigue combines with the equally well developed characters to form the perfect mix in this smart, timely, and entertaining novel.
Melanie Kingston is a fixture of Washington politics. Fifteen years ago, she lied about being a student to gain an internship at the White House. Ever since then, she has worked her way up the ladder, serving as campaign manager and press secretary for the previous administration. Now, as the White House chief of staff, she is one of Charlotte Kramer's most trusted advisors. Every aspect of Charlotte's administration, from policy decisions and speeches to wardrobe, runs through Melanie. But this loyalty has taken a toll on her personal life. She is the most respected woman in Washington, besides the President of course, but with one failed marriage and no children, she has little personal fulfillment. When a local reporter contacts Melanie about a story of infidelity in the President's marriage, she kicks it into high gear. A story like this doesn't stay out of the spotlight for long. If news of a Presidential affair surfaces, it threatens to not only derail the President's reelection campaign, but to completely tarnish Melanie's lifetime of work.
Dale Smith is the new kid on the block. Young, smart, beautiful, in love, she seems to have it all. Dale is the White House correspondent, weekend anchor, and a shoe in for future nightly anchor at one of the national networks. Despite her clear success, Dale is still finding her way in the town where seniority reigns supreme. To prove herself and cement her place among the best journalists in the nation, she must gain access to the hard hitting interviews and breaking news stories that garner ratings and prestige. Lucky for her, she has a secret weapon. During her short time in Washington, Dale has gained the trust and heart of one of the people closest to President Charlotte Kramer. . . her husband.
Eighteen Acres is a stellar novel that mixes political and personal drama into a page turning, edge of your seat read. Author Nicolle Wallace uses her firsthand political knowledge to bring the behind the scenes aspects of the political game front and center. Her experience at the White House allows for each page to ring with authenticity. Political aptitude aside, this is a fascinating character study that stands on its own merits. It is great to read a book about three smart and beautiful women that focusses on their struggle to maintain their personal lives amidst the demands of their high profile careers. Wallace dives headfirst into questions about the double standards of women in the workplace while never becoming preachy. The political intrigue combines with the equally well developed characters to form the perfect mix in this smart, timely, and entertaining novel.
December 9, 2011
While I can’t say politics are my niche, I was looking forward to reading the debut by Nicolle Wallace, Eighteen Acres. A story about the first female president and all the adversities she must face, I knew I wanted to get this on my list. Charlotte Kramer, forty-fifth president of the United States, is up for reelection and it is up to her and friend/White House chief of staff Melanie Kingston to ensure she stays in office for a second term. Melanie, who has spent fifteen years working in the White House, has no outside social life and begins to wonder if it might her time to step down. Charlotte, hot in pursuit of a reelection, gets her world torn apart as her marriage crumbles, her husband’s affair can no longer be ignored, and her closest advisor and dear friend makes a decision to which Charlotte will never be able to forgive him for––and puts national security at risk. Dale Smith, a reporter who is the one Charlotte’s husband is having an affair with, tries valiantly to keep her conscience in check while she tries to climb the ropes of her career. All three women struggle with their personal journeys while fighting to stay in control.
I was impressed with Eighteen Acres, and it was easy to see that Wallace clearly has an insider point of view. Her bio states she, “is a political strategist and former political analyst for CBS Evening News whose recent posts include White House Communications Director under George W. Bush and campaign advisor for John McCain and Sarah Palin.” Well, hello. Not only is the political finesse there, but the writing was pretty smooth throughout and held my attention. All three women stood out to me for different reasons, and I was invested in their stories. While the beginning was a little slow and it took me a while to get used to all the political jargon, the second half of the book kept me on my toes and pushed me to the end. The big decision Charlotte’s advisor makes is quite the doozy, and her reaction and the series of events that happens afterwards were read with breathless abandon. Overall, a good start for Wallace and I hope to read more from her.
I was impressed with Eighteen Acres, and it was easy to see that Wallace clearly has an insider point of view. Her bio states she, “is a political strategist and former political analyst for CBS Evening News whose recent posts include White House Communications Director under George W. Bush and campaign advisor for John McCain and Sarah Palin.” Well, hello. Not only is the political finesse there, but the writing was pretty smooth throughout and held my attention. All three women stood out to me for different reasons, and I was invested in their stories. While the beginning was a little slow and it took me a while to get used to all the political jargon, the second half of the book kept me on my toes and pushed me to the end. The big decision Charlotte’s advisor makes is quite the doozy, and her reaction and the series of events that happens afterwards were read with breathless abandon. Overall, a good start for Wallace and I hope to read more from her.
September 22, 2019
A clever novel which kept me engaged. I love the author's MSNBC program "Deadline Whitehouse" so I was intrigued when I learned she had written novels. This was her first and I was impressed with it, especially for a first novel from a journalist/Whitehouse Official. It will never win a literature prize but it was a fun read.
October 14, 2021
Melanie leaned back against the bench and looked up at the sky. "Have you noticed that there are more stars in the red states?" she said. "Blue states have all the culture, but red states have all the stars."
~~An overhead view of the 18 acres upon which the White House complex sits. Wallace takes us into the day to day workings of that world with her novel.
First two sentences: Melanie pushed the tissue paper aside and gazed adoringly at the Dior bag she had splurged on for her thirty-seventh birthday. It was a ridiculous extravagance.
In the real world, Washington is still heavily run by men. Wallace gives us an alternative reality. Charlotte is the first female president of the United States, coming into the role after serving as governor. Melanie is her Chief of staff (another role that has historically been filled only by men). Dale is a news correspondent and weekend news anchor for a major television channel. She is also carrying on extra-curricular activities with the First Man (Charlotte's husband).
My two cents: Wallace alternates first point of view between the 3 women with short chapters that keep the pages turning. I was hoping--based on the fact that the author is a former communications director and campaign advisor herself--to get a nitty, gritty look into the life of a President. And in a watered down sense, Wallace delivered. However, she did so in a way that feels very chick-lit. As shown in the opening two sentences, we see a lot about the fashion of these powerful women, but their roles themselves are glossed over. The prose itself was average in every sense of the word. It wasn't so poorly written that it hurt to read (like the books I give 1 star to), but it wasn't anything which stood out either. Likewise, the main characters failed to come to life for me. Overall I felt like it was a great novel idea, which unfortunately, was not executed as well as it could have been. Given 2 stars or a rating of "average". Recommended as a library check-out if you like all things political.
Further reading: The wikipedia article on the role of White house chief of staff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_H... Note that Wallace's book is unusual in several ways. First, there has not yet been a female chief of staff. Second, most presidents go through them like crazy. Melanie's term is highly unrealistic. Reagan had 4, Obama had 5, and Trump had 4 to give examples.
~~An overhead view of the 18 acres upon which the White House complex sits. Wallace takes us into the day to day workings of that world with her novel.
First two sentences: Melanie pushed the tissue paper aside and gazed adoringly at the Dior bag she had splurged on for her thirty-seventh birthday. It was a ridiculous extravagance.
In the real world, Washington is still heavily run by men. Wallace gives us an alternative reality. Charlotte is the first female president of the United States, coming into the role after serving as governor. Melanie is her Chief of staff (another role that has historically been filled only by men). Dale is a news correspondent and weekend news anchor for a major television channel. She is also carrying on extra-curricular activities with the First Man (Charlotte's husband).
My two cents: Wallace alternates first point of view between the 3 women with short chapters that keep the pages turning. I was hoping--based on the fact that the author is a former communications director and campaign advisor herself--to get a nitty, gritty look into the life of a President. And in a watered down sense, Wallace delivered. However, she did so in a way that feels very chick-lit. As shown in the opening two sentences, we see a lot about the fashion of these powerful women, but their roles themselves are glossed over. The prose itself was average in every sense of the word. It wasn't so poorly written that it hurt to read (like the books I give 1 star to), but it wasn't anything which stood out either. Likewise, the main characters failed to come to life for me. Overall I felt like it was a great novel idea, which unfortunately, was not executed as well as it could have been. Given 2 stars or a rating of "average". Recommended as a library check-out if you like all things political.
Further reading: The wikipedia article on the role of White house chief of staff. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_H... Note that Wallace's book is unusual in several ways. First, there has not yet been a female chief of staff. Second, most presidents go through them like crazy. Melanie's term is highly unrealistic. Reagan had 4, Obama had 5, and Trump had 4 to give examples.
December 18, 2024
This is decent, nothing special but a fun inside look at fictional White House operations. More accurately, how a president balances a political crisis, failing marriage, and re-election campaign. The main players, ie the President, Chief-of-Staff, and a reporter are all female, which is part of the appeal. I appreciated that the fact that they are women wasn't depicted as a hurdle to overcome. Overall it's a decent story with mediocre delivery.
August 3, 2015
Like William Henry Harrison, my term with this book has been cut short. I didn't finish it.
Somewhere I read a formula for how much of a shot you should give a book. 100 - [Your age] = # of pages before giving up.
I exceeded that formula and still just didn't care about any of the characters. Nothing plotwise has happened. It's mostly flashbacks which don't really add depth to the characters. I flipped ahead to page 200, and the book had the same meandering, sluggish feel. No urgency. I can forgive the flat writing because I like Nicolle Wallace, and she is not an author, but I expected the book to be more interesting than just name-dropping fashion brands. If her name wasn't on the cover, I wouldn't have known she wrote the book.
The concept of having so many powerful women in power in Washington D.C. is wonderful, but again, the focus on romance and fashion is ultimately reductive of the premise. Maybe the sequels are better? I'd give another a shot were I to find a used copy, like I did with this one. Also, sometimes I roll my eyes at unique names in books, but in this book, I couldn't tell Melanie, Charlotte, Stephanie, etc. apart.
However, I did find it interesting that Melanie carries three Blackberrys "one for the classified e-mail system, one for the normal White House e-mail system, and one for her personal Yahoo account." This book was published in 2010. That detail is on the first page. Hillary Clinton should have read it.
Somewhere I read a formula for how much of a shot you should give a book. 100 - [Your age] = # of pages before giving up.
I exceeded that formula and still just didn't care about any of the characters. Nothing plotwise has happened. It's mostly flashbacks which don't really add depth to the characters. I flipped ahead to page 200, and the book had the same meandering, sluggish feel. No urgency. I can forgive the flat writing because I like Nicolle Wallace, and she is not an author, but I expected the book to be more interesting than just name-dropping fashion brands. If her name wasn't on the cover, I wouldn't have known she wrote the book.
The concept of having so many powerful women in power in Washington D.C. is wonderful, but again, the focus on romance and fashion is ultimately reductive of the premise. Maybe the sequels are better? I'd give another a shot were I to find a used copy, like I did with this one. Also, sometimes I roll my eyes at unique names in books, but in this book, I couldn't tell Melanie, Charlotte, Stephanie, etc. apart.
However, I did find it interesting that Melanie carries three Blackberrys "one for the classified e-mail system, one for the normal White House e-mail system, and one for her personal Yahoo account." This book was published in 2010. That detail is on the first page. Hillary Clinton should have read it.
December 24, 2014
It's the week before Christmas and I have come down with the flu and what is beside my bed but Eighteen Acres. It was a quick read and like many who read the book stated, it is chick lit with a political spin to it. It kept me turning the pages to see what was going on but it was more like a good movie than great literature. After a visit to the White House just a few years ago, it was fun to read about the inside structure and some of the things that go on in there. I don't know whether the book was realistic and I need to think of politicians who are just regular people with all the same characteristics as the rest of us or are they larger than life characters that we feel we have nothing in common with them. This book paints them as just like you and me. Although they are driven, hard working, and decision makers…and all women as the lead characters who make everything work. Read this if you want a quick read to divert your attention for a little while.
January 15, 2016
I really liked this book and I love Nicolle Wallace. When I found out she had written books I knew I had to read them. This is my first and I will read the others. this was a really good story and it is a chick lit type book, because it is about a woman president and some of the people that work for her. All of the characters are developed very well and you can't help but fall in love with them. They overcome many obstacles and it is fun to read about them. I definitely recommend this book.
June 26, 2021
Dollycas’s Thoughts
The 45th President of The United States, Charlotte Kramer, the first woman to hold the office is dealing with many issues while campaigning for reelection. Her Chief-of-Staff, Melanie Kingston, has worked a long time in D.C. and knows all the ins and outs to keep the office of the President running smoothly. When she receives a tip that the press is going to run a story about infidelity she knows she has to squash the rumor. At the same time, President Kramer travels to visit the Afghan region with her closest national security advisor. At a time of crisis that advisor makes a decision that could have been deadly and could cost Kramer the presidency. Melanie is juggling all the events to try to assure her boss’s success while protecting the country and its people. It just may be more than she can handle.
Written by a former White House insider, this story focuses on three women, Charlotte Kramer, the President of the United States, Melanie Kingston, the White House Chief of Staff, and Dale Smith, a White House Correspondent for one of the networks. Each chapter is from a different women’s point of view with a behind-the-scenes look at each of their jobs. All three are ambitious and put their jobs first above anything which means they either have no personal life to speak of or their personal lives are in trouble. These characters are very well developed and continue to grow over the course of the story.
The story is very well written with a very probable pretense. Written years before the 45th President was elected we did almost have a woman elected to that office. I felt the story depicted this part of Charlotte Kramer’s presidency realistically. Wallace’s history enabled her to give readers a true look at what can happen in The White House. The short chapters gave the book a comfortable flow and kept the focus on the character’s lives more than the political climate around them. This is not a heavy political novel, although there are some tense moments. It does shine a light on some of the double standards women face in a fictional and entertaining way. Written more than ten years ago it still stands up over time. I will say the Republican Party in this book is totally different than the Republican Party today and I loved the choice and decisions President Kramer made when it came to her reelection and her campaign. It was refreshing and civil and something we may never see in real life.
With the shakeups and the way this book ended I am very interested in book 2, It’s Classified. I hope I get a chance to read it soon.
The 45th President of The United States, Charlotte Kramer, the first woman to hold the office is dealing with many issues while campaigning for reelection. Her Chief-of-Staff, Melanie Kingston, has worked a long time in D.C. and knows all the ins and outs to keep the office of the President running smoothly. When she receives a tip that the press is going to run a story about infidelity she knows she has to squash the rumor. At the same time, President Kramer travels to visit the Afghan region with her closest national security advisor. At a time of crisis that advisor makes a decision that could have been deadly and could cost Kramer the presidency. Melanie is juggling all the events to try to assure her boss’s success while protecting the country and its people. It just may be more than she can handle.
Written by a former White House insider, this story focuses on three women, Charlotte Kramer, the President of the United States, Melanie Kingston, the White House Chief of Staff, and Dale Smith, a White House Correspondent for one of the networks. Each chapter is from a different women’s point of view with a behind-the-scenes look at each of their jobs. All three are ambitious and put their jobs first above anything which means they either have no personal life to speak of or their personal lives are in trouble. These characters are very well developed and continue to grow over the course of the story.
The story is very well written with a very probable pretense. Written years before the 45th President was elected we did almost have a woman elected to that office. I felt the story depicted this part of Charlotte Kramer’s presidency realistically. Wallace’s history enabled her to give readers a true look at what can happen in The White House. The short chapters gave the book a comfortable flow and kept the focus on the character’s lives more than the political climate around them. This is not a heavy political novel, although there are some tense moments. It does shine a light on some of the double standards women face in a fictional and entertaining way. Written more than ten years ago it still stands up over time. I will say the Republican Party in this book is totally different than the Republican Party today and I loved the choice and decisions President Kramer made when it came to her reelection and her campaign. It was refreshing and civil and something we may never see in real life.
With the shakeups and the way this book ended I am very interested in book 2, It’s Classified. I hope I get a chance to read it soon.
September 21, 2023
Anyone who listens regularly to Nicolle Wallace is aware that she can write, but news analysis and novels are different animals. Can she pull off writing fiction?
A resounding "Yes." Wallace's first novel, Eighteen Acres (referring to the size of the White House complex) is better than I imagined. It's not perfect, but a West Wing tale told from a former insider is inherently compelling and Wallace does it well. Good characters and a decent, exciting plot with a lot of twists and turns result in a absorbing read.
Wallace is not afraid to imbue her protagonists (there are three, of equal weight: POTUS Charlotte Kramer, White House Chief of Staff Melanie Kingston, and television network White House correspondent Dale Smith) with a few unattractive attributes and idiosyncrasies. She excels at avoiding drawing main and side characters into black and white stereotypes. Rather, she allows tensions to be the result of personality differences instead of good vs. evil.
Four stars rather than five for too many editorial missteps such as repetition of the same word in a sentence or paragraph, misplaced modifiers that confuse, and unnecessary phrases, and an awkward overuse of past tense. Endless "name dropping" of fashion and shoe designers was annoying and distracting. A few scenes could use a bit more fleshing out. A good editor should have homed in on all of these. These quibbles aside, Eighteen Acres is an entirely enjoyable outing and I look forward to the second and third acts of Wallace's trilogy.
A resounding "Yes." Wallace's first novel, Eighteen Acres (referring to the size of the White House complex) is better than I imagined. It's not perfect, but a West Wing tale told from a former insider is inherently compelling and Wallace does it well. Good characters and a decent, exciting plot with a lot of twists and turns result in a absorbing read.
Wallace is not afraid to imbue her protagonists (there are three, of equal weight: POTUS Charlotte Kramer, White House Chief of Staff Melanie Kingston, and television network White House correspondent Dale Smith) with a few unattractive attributes and idiosyncrasies. She excels at avoiding drawing main and side characters into black and white stereotypes. Rather, she allows tensions to be the result of personality differences instead of good vs. evil.
Four stars rather than five for too many editorial missteps such as repetition of the same word in a sentence or paragraph, misplaced modifiers that confuse, and unnecessary phrases, and an awkward overuse of past tense. Endless "name dropping" of fashion and shoe designers was annoying and distracting. A few scenes could use a bit more fleshing out. A good editor should have homed in on all of these. These quibbles aside, Eighteen Acres is an entirely enjoyable outing and I look forward to the second and third acts of Wallace's trilogy.
July 21, 2019
This was a nice enjoyable read. It's a fantasy about a woman President with a woman chief of staff. The (Republican) administration is dynamic, hard-working, responsive, fair, and they even believe in climate change. Like I said, fantasy. It's a reminder that there are real people behind the politics. It's one of the only politically-based books I've ever read which focuses on relationships and the humanity and hardships of decision making.
April 8, 2020
I enjoyed the book. It was very engaging and I liked the characters. Some situations were a little farfetched and their solutions were wrapped up too easily. I would be interested to read the next two books in the trilogy.
May 12, 2021
i enjoyed this book but i didn’t necessarily like it if that makes sense. i was expecting something a little more politically focused but honestly i found it to be super gossipy. also there was some language in here that was offensive and awful that i couldn’t get passed
January 18, 2022
This was entertaining. One to the second book in the series. I hope she stops with the "she said" after every bit of dialogue - perhaps a pet peeve but it is just bad writing when it is overused in dialogue.
March 1, 2021
An enjoyable book. Nicolle's doesn't have the greatest prose but is a good storyteller. Eighteen Acres is a fun read, filled with sympathetic characters.
July 19, 2020
A fun and fast read.
July 22, 2024
A Trilogy - 3 in one post
https://gabixlerreviews-bookreadershe...
https://gabixlerreviews-bookreadershe...
April 30, 2015
This is going to be a short review. While I enjoyed the book for the most part, it didn't really impact me much, neither in a good way nor a bad.
In this novel, we me Charlotte Kramer, the first woman president of the U.S. This series caught my eye on Edelweiss where book three was posted. I picked this up so I would understand what was going on in book three and because it interested me.
It felt strange to me, this novel, like it was a sequel. But this is book one. I liked what there was of Charlotte, but the book didn't really get that "into" her. She's like a ship passing through in the night. I think I would have preferred a story about her, what made her strive for the presidency, what being the first woman running was like, the difficulties it made within her family, her goals for her term...but no, we're just thrown into the middle of her 8 years.
Instead the story focused on Melanie, her adviser, a successful woman getting a bit burned out. And this awful reporter named Dale who only seems to want the president's husband when he's her husband. And you could say Dale gets rewarded for diddling the president's husband and this made the book even stranger.
There was a brief scandal around a helicopter crash. There's a new campaign...and a new character is introduced that seems fiery and interesting, much more so than stoic, robotic Charlotte. And her name is Tara! What a great name!
Full review, final thoughts: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...
In this novel, we me Charlotte Kramer, the first woman president of the U.S. This series caught my eye on Edelweiss where book three was posted. I picked this up so I would understand what was going on in book three and because it interested me.
It felt strange to me, this novel, like it was a sequel. But this is book one. I liked what there was of Charlotte, but the book didn't really get that "into" her. She's like a ship passing through in the night. I think I would have preferred a story about her, what made her strive for the presidency, what being the first woman running was like, the difficulties it made within her family, her goals for her term...but no, we're just thrown into the middle of her 8 years.
Instead the story focused on Melanie, her adviser, a successful woman getting a bit burned out. And this awful reporter named Dale who only seems to want the president's husband when he's her husband. And you could say Dale gets rewarded for diddling the president's husband and this made the book even stranger.
There was a brief scandal around a helicopter crash. There's a new campaign...and a new character is introduced that seems fiery and interesting, much more so than stoic, robotic Charlotte. And her name is Tara! What a great name!
Full review, final thoughts: http://wwwbookbabe.blogspot.com/2015/...
November 10, 2011
3.5 Stars
Former G W Bush Communications Director Nicole Wallace takes into the 18 acre White House Complex of the 1st female President, Charlotte Kramer, her Chief of Staff, Melanie Kingston, and White House TV Correspondent, Dale Smith. All three are complex and powerful. Kramer is running for re-election. Her poll numbers are down. The economy is in the tank, her marriage is troubled. Whispered rumors, among the White House Press Corp, are someone in the First Family is having an affair. Dale Smith knows for a fact that someone is, but she struggling with her conscience as she rises to the top of broad cast news reporting. Melanie Kingston has worked in the eighteen acres for 16 years and is questioning her own decisions as well as her beloved friend, President Kramer. All three women will face their own demons and decisions they make will define them after an incident in Afghanistan threatens National Security and the 45th President herself.
This is a fast read for those who like Politics and Women’s Fiction. Told from the POV of each of the three women, Wallace spins a good tale. The women are strong and three dimensional. There is a suspense element that makes the reader turn the pages quickly and set the time aside to read EIGHTEEN ACRES in one setting!
Former G W Bush Communications Director Nicole Wallace takes into the 18 acre White House Complex of the 1st female President, Charlotte Kramer, her Chief of Staff, Melanie Kingston, and White House TV Correspondent, Dale Smith. All three are complex and powerful. Kramer is running for re-election. Her poll numbers are down. The economy is in the tank, her marriage is troubled. Whispered rumors, among the White House Press Corp, are someone in the First Family is having an affair. Dale Smith knows for a fact that someone is, but she struggling with her conscience as she rises to the top of broad cast news reporting. Melanie Kingston has worked in the eighteen acres for 16 years and is questioning her own decisions as well as her beloved friend, President Kramer. All three women will face their own demons and decisions they make will define them after an incident in Afghanistan threatens National Security and the 45th President herself.
This is a fast read for those who like Politics and Women’s Fiction. Told from the POV of each of the three women, Wallace spins a good tale. The women are strong and three dimensional. There is a suspense element that makes the reader turn the pages quickly and set the time aside to read EIGHTEEN ACRES in one setting!
October 18, 2011
Eighteen Acres tells the story about three women in important positions in Washington D.C. that are trying to balance their demanding careers with their personal life. Charlotte Kramer is the first female president of the United States, but her marriage is falling apart. Melanie Kingston has served as the White House chief of staff for several presidents. Dale Smith is at the top of her game as a White House correspondant.
The author paints a very believable picture of the pressures inside the White House and the life of the reporters. Dale's career is damaged after news about an affair hits the headlines. Melanie becomes overwhelmed by the workload and dealing with the politics among the campaign staff. President Kramer has to deal with a wandering husband, an attempt on her life overseas, a questionable call from her Secretary of Defense, and choosing a feisty woman for the vice presidential candidate for the campaign. Some of Charlotte Kramer's decisions didn't seem like they would work in the real world.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book that kept my interest and I was happy to recieive it as a first read.
The author paints a very believable picture of the pressures inside the White House and the life of the reporters. Dale's career is damaged after news about an affair hits the headlines. Melanie becomes overwhelmed by the workload and dealing with the politics among the campaign staff. President Kramer has to deal with a wandering husband, an attempt on her life overseas, a questionable call from her Secretary of Defense, and choosing a feisty woman for the vice presidential candidate for the campaign. Some of Charlotte Kramer's decisions didn't seem like they would work in the real world.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book that kept my interest and I was happy to recieive it as a first read.
December 14, 2010
Like many former insiders who decide to write fiction novels based upon their own experience (I am thinking primarily of Richard Clarke), the writing could have used a bit more work and polish as the beginning of the book starts off with some girl talk of Dior purses and Marc Jacob bags. I am not sure if the author was planning to ward off men from reading the book, but thankfully, it never devolves into a Harlequin romance novel. It focuses more on the personal lives of the characters and there is, of course, some drama there. But, although it goes into themes of infidelity, romance, and loyalty, it doesn’t become a soap opera and the women here handle their personal lives with some measure of maturity and grace.
Still, the book was an enjoyable and entertaining read. It will appeal to political junkies who are women, but speaking as a guy, Eighteeen Acres didn’t want me to stab myself with a fork. And besides, its time for a woman in the White House, even if it is just fiction.
Still, the book was an enjoyable and entertaining read. It will appeal to political junkies who are women, but speaking as a guy, Eighteeen Acres didn’t want me to stab myself with a fork. And besides, its time for a woman in the White House, even if it is just fiction.
January 6, 2011
This was a great novel, I had never heard of it before...a friend gave it to me. Surprised this isn't more well-known. The story revolves around three main female characters...Charlotte---President of the United States (yes, for real), Melanie---White House Chief of Staff, and Dale---White House Correspondent. Chapters are told from each woman's point of view. Charlotte is up for re-election and things are heating up...on the home front with her cheating husband, and in Afghanistan when a serious mistake is made by her national security advisor.
I couldn't wait to read what was going to happen next, maybe the three women in power is a little 'much' for some people, but I enjoyed the story. Interesting.
Actually written by someone with inside information on the White House. Wallace worked in the White House for five and a half years, was George W. Bush's communications director, and campaign advisor for the McCain/Palin ticket.
I couldn't wait to read what was going to happen next, maybe the three women in power is a little 'much' for some people, but I enjoyed the story. Interesting.
Actually written by someone with inside information on the White House. Wallace worked in the White House for five and a half years, was George W. Bush's communications director, and campaign advisor for the McCain/Palin ticket.
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