46 by Lynn Ames

⭐⭐⭐⭐★

This book is equal parts a political drama, a social statement and a romance.

The 46^th President of the US, elected in 2020 is fifty-two year old Emma McMasters, an out lesbian. She had an over three decades long relationship with Heather. But Heather, Emma’s wife, was killed in an accident three years ago and ever since then Emma has been wedded to her work. Emma is charismatic, compassionate and intelligent. Fifty-six year old Palmer Estes has spent her life in the military and is now the top advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At sixteen, when she was just discovering her sexuality, she was caught, berated, verbally abused and disowned by her father. Since then she has hardly had any romantic relationships.

The story follows Emma’s political journey and her fishbowl existence with the romance between the two very strong women excellently interwoven into the narrative.

Emma and Palmer are incredibly beautiful humans with such a great relationship. They talk. Couples who talk and who listen to each other are quite our kryptonite. And these two talk about everything – about themselves and their relationship. Given that they both are 50+ this jells perfectly. As does the fact that they recognise their feelings for each other fairly early and do not dally around after that. It is a fact that after a point in life, you just don’t want to play either the waiting game or really any game.

There are so many subtleties that are awesome. Like the fact that Emma is willing to chuck being careful to be with Palmer and Palmer makes sure that she takes care of the optics for Emma. This is such beautiful love. Like when Palmer stands up for her girlfriend against her father. Like Emma’s sense of humour. Like Palmer’s talk about Heather with Emma. Like Emma’s steadfastness when Palmer is dealing with her mother. Like Emma going out on a limb initially despite being the most powerful person on earth. Like both of them being vulnerable with each other. Like the fact that it is entirely possible (from the way it is described) that at fifty-six, Palmer probably has slept with a woman just once -- and that (we mean decades or even a lifetime) without sex is a real thing in many lives and it is nice to have it kind or acknowledged here without judgement.

Balancing Emma’s presence was a difficult task, but Ames makes Palmer an equal person and personality.

We’d definitely recommend this for great writing, a wonderful relationship and a President so awesome that we’d most certainly vote for her. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐★

Her Lady's Honor by Renée Dahlia

⭐⭐⭐☆★

The Great War has just ended and Lady Eleanor St. George (Nell), who served as a vet in Somme, has been tasked by her boss, Captain Hughes, to return his horse, Tommy to the Hughes homestead. When Nell arrives at the Captain’s farm in Wales, she is struck by the lady she thinks is the servant. Beatrice Hughes, eldest daughter of the captain, may be the daughter of the house and also the person who actually keeps everything running, but her life is equivalent to an indentured servant.

Nell and Beatrice both know that marriage is not for them because their interests lie elsewhere. And their interest is piqued by the other. Attraction between them flares.

There is so much to like in this book and particularly in the relationship between Nell and Beatrice. Both the ladies are written with complexity and depth. The differences in their thoughts and personalities due to their respective socio-economic backgrounds are well-thought out and very well written. It is gratifying to read the acknowledgement and the appreciation each one has for who the other. The appreciation for each other is particularly notable because this is what really leads to successful relationships.

Nell and Beatrice are both strong and vulnerable in their own ways. In ways that the other person can fill perfectly. They have their own strengths and weaknesses – strengths which lets them be strong when the other is out of their element and weaknesses that make the relationship stronger because their partner can take care of them. It is beautiful to see that.

Nell has a wider character arc in terms of an expansion in her horizon of realities of the less entitled folk. Her efforts to get justice done for Beatrice, to enable Beatrice’s freedom of choice, empower Beatrice to have agency over her own life – even at the cost of putting herself (Nell) in danger was everything that love should be.

The reality of the place and state of women during that time period is starkly drawn. Our heart was crying at the struggles women have faced for so long for just for being born a woman. And when we thought about the fact that a lot of women in a lot of countries are still struggling with the same issues (personified in Captain Hughes’ behaviour with his wife and Beatrice) our heart physically hurt. That made it difficult reading for us, but the latter half of the book (with less of Captain Hughes) became easier. By the end, we rejoiced the successful trickery.

Nett, nett, we enjoyed this one. 

⭐⭐⭐☆★