I received a digital copy for Rockstar Book Tours via Book Sirens. All reviews are my own.
I must apologize to Rockstar Book Tours, Book Sirens, and Tinia Montford for the delayed posting of my review for The Last Minute First Lady. I had initially volunteered to join the book tour for this title… two years ago? And then life lifed. Yea, my bad. But we're here now! Right? * Nervously laughs *
"WHAT’S ONE ITSY, BITSY, LITTLE LIE?
Cassian Anders will be the youngest governor in Illinois history... If he wins.
That’s all everyone seems to talk about these days. Jolie Coldwell isn’t one of them. As a journalist, her priorities comprise digging up dirt on crooked politicians and local cover-ups. When her latest exposé on a congressman lands her in hot water, her days are reduced to covering the senior center’s casino night.
Unexpectedly, news breaks: the on-air investigative segment needs a replacement. This promotion advance could her career.
She needs a breaking story. She needs it now.
The road to office is ruthless compared to the courtroom. Without warning, Cassian Anders’ popularity rating falls, threatening his position on the ballot. He will do whatever it means to secure votes. Now, not only is he engaged, but he’s getting married to his non-existent fiancée...
He’s never relied on luck, but when a convenient but unorthodox wife falls into his lap? He makes her a deal.
He needs a wife. He needs it now.
Will Jolie and Cassian be able to fool the public long enough? Can she handle the public poking around in her past, one she would rather keep under wraps... Above all, can she be a model first lady or are they destined to be a scandal?"
The Last Minute First Lady is a semi-political romance between a disgraced journalist and an ambitious Mayoral candidate. One of Jolie Coldwell's recent news investigations caused a scandal, resulting in her being in the doghouse with her station. She's trying to climb her way out of it when she gets the luck of a lifetime, overhearing a mayoral candidate, Cassian Anders, whispering furiously about finding a fake wife for himself to better his chances at winning the poll. Long story short, they agreed to a marriage of convenience to avoid getting outed or sued.
There is a new audio production company in town, Audio in Color, that caters to POC romance indie authors looking to have their first novels published in sounds. I was intrigued by their approach and wanted to check them out. They recruited Myles Washington and J. Shani Michaels for the 10-hour ride of The Last Minute First Lady, and their narration did not disappoint. However, I wish that when men and women share the audio space, they will read their parts respectively; you know the guys read the guy's part, and the girls do as such? But that's just my personal preference.
TLMFL was a quick read. The characters worked for and with each other to make the story run smoother. We saw both characters hustling in their professions, trying to reach their goals. I liked the assertiveness from Anders matching Coldwell's feistiness. They make a good pair, regardless of whether they are together. I also appreciated the 'side stories' Montford created for them, which added depth to their characters and prevented them from looking one-dimensional. These 'side stories' included personal struggles, family dynamics, and professional challenges.
I wish we could've seen more of these characters together. Because they have to keep up the ruse of getting married, we only saw them "on" when the cameras were around. Feelings and personal stories were shared between them, yes, but we didn't get to see how they interacted outside of the cameras. There were no date nights. There was sex (and the sex scenes were everything), but there was no personal connection outside of them being on their way to an event or behind the scenes at an interview or photo shoot.
I also noticed that Montford drew her inspiration for political romance from former President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama. This influence is evident in how she portrays Jolie and Cassian's relationship. However, I could've done without mentioning them. Maybe it was a shot at new high-profile couple goals, but it felt out of place.
Overall, I rated this book 3-stars. It's a cool, quick read. It strikes a good balance between political intrigue and romance, with neither element overpowering the other. I loved the 'side stories' between each character, especially with Jolie and her mother. One of these days, we're going to talk about why Black mothers hate or are secretly in competition with their daughters, but that's a different diaspora for a different day. If a quick and uncomplicated romance is your thing, check this story out!
The Last Minute First Lady is available now!
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