This book could not have come to me at a better time. Wood is so spot-on with a lot of what he says, and while I am still unsure which side of the fence he leans toward, his writing is excellent, the characters are exceptionally well-defined, and the story is one you won’t want to put down. Pay close attention to the dates at each chapter beginning. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself losing the story line. I loved Samantha and Wood does a phenomenal job of speaking in her voice. The speech segments at the beginning of each chapter could have been written by a professional speech writer, so convincing are they. He’s almost got me convinced to vote for Samantha, even though she’s a fictional character. His weaving of the fictional characters with the real ones is masterful and I found myself captivated by everything that was happening. Great job and I am eager to get started on the sequel, Presidential Declarations. ( )

It is 2016, and Samantha Harrison is running for president of the United States against Hillary Clinton. In flashbacks, we follow this ambitious woman’s journey from her high school graduation to the days that follow the presidential election. As she struggles to stick to her convictions, she can’t help but notice that her professional drive has a deep impact on her family. Will she succeed in her quest to become the head of government? What price is Sam willing to pay for her ambitions?

Presidential Intentions is Douglas J. Wood’s debut novel. When I started to read the book, I wasn’t sure I would like it because I’m not really into politics, but I did really enjoy it even if I don’t share most of Sam’s political views. In fact, the novel reminded me of the current season of “The Good Wife”, one of my favorite TV series. The idea of two women running for president in the United States really appealed to me. Moreover, the novel is an astute commentary on what it really means to be a woman and a politician, the drawbacks seemingly outweighing the advantages. The originality of the book also stems from the fact that each chapter starts with a quote from one of Sam’s speeches or letters. It is a great way to learn Sam’s views on political issues. In addition, I thought that the book cover was beautiful in its simplicity and fitted the novel perfectly. My only negative comment is that I thought that the episode about Sam’s son in Iran, while suspenseful, seemed out of place in the narrative.

However, I am not surprised that Douglas J. Wood was awarded the bronze medal in the 2014 Global Ebook Awards. He really deserved it. In an interview on the internet, he hinted that there might be a sequel to this book. If that’s the case, I would really be interested in reading it.

Presidential Intentions was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review.

To read the full review, please go to my blog (Cecile Sune - Book Obsessed). ( )