Our American Friend

I am a fan of Anna Pitoniak and have enjoyed all her previous novels. This one was no exception. It was smart, entertaining, interesting, and impossible to put down.

Wow- was not expecting this book to be so good having read the author's previous two books. It was a whirlwind, but in the most thrilling way! Felt like a mystery novel told in a more high-brow way, and it was truly a book that I did not want to put down.

Wow just wow. I couldn't put this book down. Do yourself a favor and make this book your next read! As I said, must read!

I have read all of Anna Pitonak’s books, and this is by far my favorite! Our American Friend is part love story, part spy novel, and it’s perfectly written. If you loved An American Wife, this is in the same vein - a thinly veiled story of the women in the White House with recognizable elements to true-life action. I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait to see what Anna comes up with next!

Already one of the most anticipated books for 2022, Pitoniak expertly crafts an atmospheric sense of place and a shockingly irresistible cast of characters--some with traits all too familiar to readers. The candid moments between First Lady Lara Caine and her biographer Sofie Morse are riveting and surprising. From Russia to Paris to New York to Washington (and elsewhere), the tale spun flips the script on power and who actually holds it. Those searching for more KGB to D.C. stories are in for a real treat

This was an extremely captivating read. From the very first chapter it draws the reader in. The incessant curiosity that drives a reader into this multi-plot mystery is an echo of the main character Sofie's journalistic need to find out more about the books other main character, FLOTUS Lara.

"Our American Friend" essentially features a president in office causing continued damage to the entire U.S. and even beyond, with out a doubt modeled after Trump. The added small details spread in the book— how President Caine was backed by Russian ruler to ensure election, how he loathed the press and made up grand conspiracies, how teflon he was no matter what weekly scandal— all added up to a not so subtle nod to Trump. While I appreciated those moments, the real story lies with his Russian born wife, Lara, whose father was a leader in the Soviet Union's SGK. What follows is a riveting story of intrigue, mystery, love, and loss, spanning from Lara's childhood to how she ended up as FLOTUS to an exceptionally cruel man. I loved how this story really focused on the stories and connections made in the shadows.

Most refreshing about this book was Pitoniak demonstrates exactly how important her craft is in this novel with an intricate storyline containing many twists and turns. The history and timeline of Lara is so intriguing and well spread out it reads of a real jounralistic feature piece, where all the time lines compel the reader further into the plot. Each plot line and time jump from past to present was well thought out and added together quite great. While there were few true shocking reveals in this book, the plots perfect pacing, storytelling, and mystery were incredible. The books plot came together much like how Rian Johnson's "Knives Out" movie did, minus the more shocking twists the movie had.

This is probably one of the best historical fiction books I've read in a while.

The only aspect of the book I didn't like was the eventual depiction of the CIA as an unlikely, underdog hero doing the best it can when the CIA has its own shady history of doing many wrong things. This is somewhat acknowledge in one of the sacrifices that comes from the CIA's actions but not enough when the organization as a whole looks like a hero.