American Daughters weaves a tale of two daughters by exploring their bond and their strong support for causes’ they believe in.

Alice Roosevelt, America’s First Daughter, befriends Portia Washington, daughter of an educator Booker T. Washington. They are limited by social status but bound by their roles as the daughters of famed statesmen.

Booker T. Washington is an avid supporter of education, as a former slave he values the importance of education and its empowerment of Black Americans. Portia is dedicated to the same values and contributes by teaching and performing spirituals and classical music. She aspires to continue her education abroad in classical music of the Germans, and to continue her empowering work, but a marriage to a controlling man makes her dreams more difficult.

Alice becomes a champion of her father, supporting him in his political aspirations. With time, she strongly gets involved in politics and with her unconventional behavior she creates a polarizing environment. When marrying a congressman and despite the difficulties it presents, she continues to be a staunch supporter for women’s rights.

Brought together by their father’s causes and friendship, these two women continue the legacy of their fathers and become great supporters of each other throughout their marriages and political upheavals.

Written with elegant prose, the narrative alternates between two women as they reveal their dreams, struggles and support.

There are moments where the story is driven by dialogue which I don’t connect with.

As the story begins, it briefly explores the main two figures. I wished there was more to their backstories in order to get attached to them. Because of that, as the story continues, I didn’t feel a strong bond with them; and because of some dialogue, the progression of the story felt slow.

I love reading historical fiction about women we probably should know more about and Piper Huguley did not disappoint with sharing Alice Roosevelt (daughter of President Teddy Roosevelt) and Portia Washington (daughter of Booker T Washington) with us. Both women were strong and wanted to accomplish more than the times would allow. I enjoyed this one a lot. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

I requested this book because the plot and the cover looked enticing. This was an interesting tale about the friendship between the daughters of Booker T Washington and Teddy Roosevelt. I had no clue they were good friends. I liked both heroines and I thought they were very strong characters. I would be interested in reading books about both women sometime in the future. I would also be interested in reading more books by Piper Hughley.

If you like books by Marie Benedict, Fiona Davis, or Victoria Christopher Murray, you will enjoy this book!

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Piper Huguley is an author I greatly admire and respect and once again, she has left me in awe of her talents and storytelling. Her historical novel, AMERICAN DAUGHTERS, tells the story of the remarkable friendship of Portia Washington, daughter of Booker t. Washington and Alice Roosevelt, the daughter of President Teddy Roosevelt. An interracial friendship frowned upon during it time, Huguley masterfully marries fact with fiction as she takes us into the lives of two women who were more alike than different. Huguley doesn't shy from touching on the issues of race or the trials and tribulations of women who were expected to walk in the shadows of the men they loved and cared about. .AMERICAN DAUGHTERS is a brilliant read! My appreciation to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced read.

Piper Huguley’s historical fiction is a pleasure. As with her earlier By Her Own Design, American Daughters is a well-researched and engagingly written fictionalized account of real figures—this time, two First Daughters, as it were: Booker T. Washington’s daughter, Portia, and Teddy Roosevelt’s daughter, Alice. The characterization of Alice matches perfectly my impressions of the imperious and often outrageous figure, drawing on many known facts and antics from her well-documented life. The book nicely characterizes Alice’s privileged, but in some ways tragic life. Much less is known about Portia (though she is the subject of one biography), and Huguley wove an imaginative tapestry with little to go on. The book’s opening is an excellent (if slightly far-fetched) set up that clearly establishes much information about the characters, the racial context of the time, and their form of kinship (as daughters of famous men and deceased mothers—with their troubled marriages a commonality still to come). Portia is a remarkable figure, a talented classical pianist, who also exhibits significant grit and determination when her marriage brings hardships that were unfamiliar from her experience as the treasured daughter of the founder of the Tuskegee Institute, which was also her home. The book very effectively spotlights two women who are certainly worth getting to know, while also synthesizing and conveying considerable information about numerous historical figures, political history, racial injustice, and the role of women. You will be pleased to have visited Alice and Portia’s world.

I enjoyed this story about the unlikely friendship between Theodore Roosevelt’s and Booker T. Washington’s daughters, Alice and Portia. It highlighted the challenges of the times including the treatment of women and racial inequality as well as provided a peak behind politics at the turn of the century. The afterword indicated that a lot of it was speculative which was a bit of a disappointment, but I enjoyed it anyway.

A lighter take on historical fiction that is a quick and satisfying read. The characters easily piqued my interest and some of the more uncomfortable dialog can be seen as being true to the times. It seems the author did her research quite thoroughly so the reader can assume that much of this story is authentic. It did make me want to read more about both of the American Daughters portrayed here and a book that sparks that feeling in the reader can be called a success. Less serious readers will also appreciate the flow of the book and not shy away from approaching history in this way.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. It's quite enjoyable.

I adore the author's historical fiction, in which she illuminates the lives of less well known women of achievement, including exceptional black women, by telling their stories in elegant compelling prose.

Her latest, American Daughters, is equally riveting, as it reveals the strong friendship between two women of different races and famous fathers: Alice Roosevelt (President Teddy Roosevelt) and Portia Washington (famous black educator Booker T. Washington).

I was drawn in from the first page, and felt I had a front-row seat to history, as the two women battled sexism and/or racism and were forced to live tightly-controlled lives. This absorbing novel left me wondering what they could have accomplished had they'd been born a century later.

Highly recommended for histfic fans who love smart engaging tales of undersung women.

AMERICAN DAUGHTERS, by the talented Piper Huguley, portrays the lives and friendship of Portia Washington, the musically talented daughter of Booker T. Washington, and Alice Roosevelt, the infamous daughter of President Teddy Roosevelt. And the book proves the reason I’m a confirmed fan of Dr. Huguley, especially for her portrayal of Southern people/ happenings that we should definitely know more about. This is a book to savor for mutlitple reasons: the thoroughly engaging story, with the surprising ( and unsurprising , if you’ve studied women’s rights/civil rights) similarities and stark differences each woman lived; the deeper dive into Booker T.’s work and what Portia did with it; the push for both women to marry without any knowledge of the important matters and their rights and available choices after these disastrous marriages; the treatment by women of other women, such as stepmothers and daughters; the treatment of fathers and their daughters; and how both of these women were so strong and capable in their own rights. Certainly, they had the ability to carry on their fathers’ legacies—but for being born female in those times. And the reader gets all of this (and more) in a tale that is spun with page-turning curiosity seeds. I was thoroughly immersed and entertained. Huguley has done it again, sealing her spot in my “must-read” author list. An important work that sparks from the very first chapter. Not to miss.

I asked the publisher for the audio and wasn’t given access—I hope there is an audio! I image it will be well received and I suffer from FOMO. Thank you for this advanced copy of the ebook in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for publishing Dr. Huguley’s work!

They are daughters of important father’s during a turn of time in America. Portia Washington and Alice Roosevelt form a friendship. I loved reading as they developed such a deep bond together.

Thank you to Net Galley and William Morrow for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
I liked this book so much that I also read one of Piper Huguley's other novels, By Her Own Design. Both were very good. This book was about the friendship between Alice Roosevelt and Portia Washington. Even though they were born into very different lives, they had some things in common. Both were very strong women who stood up for what they believed and made their own place in history. Highly recommend to all historical fiction lovers!

I enjoyed this book a lot, I thought the two protagonists were well developed and their lives portrayed realistically. I want to read more about each of them. I am especially interested in reading more about successful black women. As a 65 year old white woman, there are very few black women’s stories taught to me, so I have been searching out stories to learn more about them.

I am not your typical historical fiction reader; however, this tale of the friendship between Alice Roosevelt and Portia Washington, daughters of President Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and Booker T Washington is enthralling , engaging and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Piper is an excellent writer - one does not have to be a fan of historicals to enjoy the story, but those who are will love it.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This book was one I originally skipped past as I have already read a few books about Alice Roosevelt and her parents. However, after watching The Gilded Age and learning more about Booker T. Washington I was intrigued and I wanted to learn more about his daughter.

I enjoyed the parallel story lines of “Princess Alice” and Portia. Both women never knew their biological mothers. Both were daughters of important charismatic men. Both longed to do something important with their lives and were stymied as women (and Portia a Black woman). Both endured unhappy marriages.

I wish the author’s language was a little less repetitive. Three stars.

This was a quick, interesting read for any lover of strong female historical characters often left to the margins.

Piper Huguley's imagination has created a fascinating story of an unlikely friendship between two well-known women. Her writing is crisp and the story moved at a good pace. I loved how she developed the relationship between Portia Washington and Alice Roosevelt, but their relationships with the men in their lives (other than their fathers) disappointed me. I guess I've read too many romances.

The cover of this book is very pretty and made me want to read it. I found the writing to not flow well through the e tite book. Some parts were easy to read while other parts seemed to move really slow. The pace was just off for the greater part of the story which was disappointing.

A wonderful friendship that few know about between two women with powerful fathers. This is the story of that friendship between Alice Roosevelt and Portia Washington, daughters of President Theodore Roosevelt Jr. and Booker T Washington. The author develops this friendship against the rich history of the early 1900's. They meet thru their fathers and the book tells of the father's influence throughout Alice and Portia's life. A deep friendship evolves as they marry, create careers and follow their dreams. Fans of this period and of strong women will enjoy this book as it has much to offer.

American Daughters by Piper Huguley.. I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and give an honest review.

Historical's are not my normal read, and yet I found myself so engrossed in reading American Daughters.
I also found myself going to read more about both Portia Washington Pittman and Alice Roosevelt Longworth.. Both fascinating women.

The author has a way of taking what many would consider boring facts and weaving a wonderful tale that may have happened. Some, we know did, others, could have.

There is so much to say, but I don't want to give away spoilers. Just know, that this book is well worth the read.

American Daughters by Piper Huguley is an entertaining historical fiction that focuses on two fascinating women.

I really enjoyed reading this historical fiction that highlighted two intriguing women: Portia Washington and Alice Roosevelt. By placing them within the same narrative, we are able to compare and contrast their personalities and characters and how their upbringing and life circumstances have helped craft who they have become. I knew quite a bit about Alice, but I loved reading more about Portia.

Enjoyable read.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and William Morrow Paperbacks for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/2/24.

Interesting take on two "first daughters" - Portia Washington & Alice Roosevelt. I've been a big fan of learning about the Roosevelt clans and Alice has stood out as a true character in all the previous non-fiction I've read. I'm also somewhat familiar with Booker T. Washington as I've visited Tuskegee University several times in the course of my work and have had the chance to spend time in the museum on campus. All of that being said, this novel focusing on the first-born daughters of two famous men showed the racial differences that persisted on the surface even though TR attempted to negate them in his more personal dealings. Portia was portrayed as well spoken, congenial, intelligent and wise; a nice foil to Alice's impetuous impulse to continuously shock her father in to noticing her. The book moved slow but overall a somewhat unique storyline.