In the race for president, sometimes things can get heated, even ugly. But we never really know what goes on behind the scenes in the life of a candidate...until now, that is.
In "America the Beautiful", Emily Benton has been raised and groomed for the political arena from a very young age. The Benton family has a long and colorful history in politics, and her daddy, Big Henry Benton, gave his life to save the life of a president.
So it isn't a surprise when Governor Emily chooses to run for the most coveted seat of power in the known world...President of the United States. Armed with her extensive knowledge of the political process and of her opponents, Emily runs a take no prisoners campaign with the help of her long time friend, Kate Rosen.
Kate is Emily's chief of staff and chief dirt digger upper. Only problem is, Kate is a Christian, and letting her conscience be her guide isn't always easy. How can she best serve Emily while still serving God is a question Kate wrestles with on a daily basis.
When the dirt on Emily's opponents comes to light, Kate is usually the first person to hear it. How she chooses to handle it makes the story fast paced and inviting. How Kate chooses to handle Emily and her ambitions makes the story sometimes light-hearted and sometimes just makes you want to pray for Kate!
The Benton family has overtones of the Kennedys, and Emily has some vague resemblances to our female presidential candidate of 2008, but Emily is unique and multi-layered and interesting to watch. The inner workings of a presidential campaign are varied and fascinating, and Laura Hayden's writing echoes with authenticity.
This was a novel I was eager to read, and it did not disappoint! Laura Hayden's political fiction (could it be called poli-lit?) delivers and holds your attention from the very first page until the votes are counted. Filled with twists, turns and surprises along the campaign trail, we get an insider's view of what it could be like to run for president, and the high cost such a run can demand.
If reading "America the Beautiful" doesn't convince you to pray for EVERYONE involved in our political process (as Scripture commands, I believe), then nothing will. Whether those involved are believers or not, the political machinery is capable of chewing up and spitting out, and these public servants need our prayer support even more than our vote.
I'm giving "America the Beautiful" five out of five bookmarks, with a tiny American flag as a charm...and encouraging you to not only get out and vote, but get out and buy this book! "America the Beautiful" releases May 2008 by Tyndale Publishers...so mark your calendars!
I'm hoping for an exclusive interview with Laura Hayden, author of this amazing new book...so keep watching!
Happy Reading!
Deena
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