A Founding Mother: A Reese's Book Club Pick

A REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK

In time for the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the United States comes a sweeping, intimate portrayal of Abigail Adams—wife of one president and mother to another—whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic. A stunning historical novel with modern-day implications from the New York Times bestselling authors of America’s First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton.

In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to “remember the ladies” in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally.

When peace is secured, Abigail steps onto the world stage—exchanging ideas with Thomas Jefferson in the French countryside, navigating court life as the wife of the Minister to Great Britain, and presiding over the parlor politics of the early American republic in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans.

From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time—one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today.

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction, Laura Kamoie has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction. She is the author of AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER, MY DEAR HAMILTON, and RIBBONS OF SCARLET, allowing her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Her upcoming novel, CHURCHILL'S SPYMISTRESS, is about SOE officer Vera Atkins and two of her spies in Occupied France during WWII. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters. www.LauraKamoie.com

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"A Founding Mother is a vivid and meticulously researched portrayal of one of American history’s most remarkable women. Dray and Kamoie bring Abigail Adams to life as a fierce intellect, a woman who powerfully defied limits set before her, and whose courage, wisdom, and strength helped shape the nation. This inspirational story of Abigail Adams’s incredible life is historical fiction at its absolute finest." - Madeline Martin, New York Times bestselling author of The Secret Book Society

“Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie are back with another tale of America's founding mothers, this the most famous of all: Abigail Adams herself. America's most famous first lady shines from every page, spiky, clever, and admirable whether holding her family together during the Revolution, presiding over the White House during her husband's presidency, or wondering if it was all for nought as she watches her nation's capital burn. The research shines, the prose gleams, the characterization is a delight, and the themes are timelier than ever--on the eve of our nation's 250th anniversary, I can think of no book more necessary than A FOUNDING MOTHER.” - Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Briar Club

“Simply marvelous! Abigail Adams speaks directly to us in an exquisitely told story of her life. And what a life! Wife to one president, mother to another, and a steadfast believer in the promise of the future of our shaky new country. One of the earliest advocates for women, she was a wise counselor and companion to her husband, President John Adams, from his early days as a lawyer in the Boston Massacre trial to his guiding role as president emeritus decades later. In this memoir, she speaks with such honesty and fervor you feel you know her and have been with her for the duration.” - Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of The Confessions of Young Nero

"Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie's A FOUNDING MOTHER is a must read for history buffs-- or anyone wanting to know more about our country's tumultuous founding. "Remember the Ladies," Abigail Adams famously wrote, and here we finally remember Abigail, from a young bride and mother, through the upheaval of the Revolution, her triumphant turn as wife of the young Republic's Ambassador to London, and one of most memorable first ladies. This is Dray and Kamoie's best work yet!" - Lauren Willig, NYT Bestselling Author of The Girl from Greenwich Street

Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie’s sweeping historical novel, A Founding Mother, offers an intimate and meticulously researched portrayal of Abigail Adams, one of the most influential and forward-thinking women in American history. Published to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the United States, the novel has been celebrated as a Reese's Book Club pick, highlighting the often-overlooked female architects of the American republic. The narrative breathes vibrant life into the story of a woman who was not merely the wife of the nation’s second president and the mother of its sixth, but a formidable political mind, an independent manager, and a fierce advocate for women’s rights in an era entirely dominated by men. Through its rich storytelling, the novel completely dismantles the traditional, passive image of early American womanhood, replacing it with a portrait of a fiercely resilient leader whose wit, willpower, and wisdom were instrumental in shaping a fledgling nation.

The novel opens in the heart of revolutionary Boston, thrusting the reader into a world turned upside down by political unrest, riots, and the looming specter of a devastating war with Great Britain. While her husband, John Adams, embarks on his rapid ascent from a humble country lawyer to an essential nation-builder, he is often absent from home for years at a time. Left behind to face the grueling realities of the American Revolution on the home front, Abigail is forced to shoulder extraordinary burdens. She does not simply survive; she thrives and builds a remarkable degree of personal independence. As blockades squeeze the colonial economy and the outbreak of war brings danger to their very doorstep, Abigail single-handedly manages the family farm in Massachusetts. The novel highlights her incredible financial acumen, showing how she makes highly lucrative investments, carefully amasses savings, and staunchly defends their home from encroaching threats. Furthermore, she does all of this while raising her children and fiercely battling the tragic outbreaks of plague and personal loss that ravage her community.

As the Revolutionary War escalates, Abigail’s role transcends the domestic sphere and bleeds directly into the ideological formation of the new government. The authors expertly showcase Abigail's intellectual prowess and her status as John Adams's most trusted confidante and indispensable political ally. She is entirely unafraid to speak her mind, offering him fearless, unfiltered political counsel during the most critical junctures of the nation's founding. The novel brings thrilling context to her most famous plea, depicting the fierce conviction behind her urging John to "remember the ladies" as the Continental Congress debated the new laws of the land. Far from being a quiet, supportive spouse, Abigail is presented as a brilliant strategist who deeply understood the paradox of fighting for liberty while continuing to legally subjugate half the population.

Following the hard-won securing of American independence, the narrative shifts, stepping onto the grand, complicated world stage of post-war diplomacy. Abigail travels across the Atlantic to join her husband, and the novel captures her fascinating evolution from a colonial farm manager to a sophisticated diplomat's wife. She navigates the complex, opulent, and often treacherous waters of European court life with remarkable grace. In the picturesque French countryside, she engages in profound exchanges of ideas with figures like Thomas Jefferson, matching wits with the era's brightest minds. Later, she tackles the stiff and unforgiving aristocratic society of Great Britain as the wife of the American Minister, proudly representing a newly independent nation that the British court still viewed with deep disdain.

When the Adams family finally returns to American shores, the story follows Abigail as she presides over the bustling, high-stakes parlor politics of the early American republic. As the fledgling government takes shape, constantly relocating from New York to Philadelphia and finally to the muddy, unfinished streets of Washington, D.C., Abigail remains at the very center of the political maelstrom. She acts as a powerful gatekeeper, an astute political advisor, and a formidable hostess who uses social gatherings to broker deals, soothe bruised egos, and gather critical intelligence for her husband's administration.

Even long after John Adams concludes his tumultuous presidential administration, the novel illustrates that Abigail’s work is far from finished. She continues to battle their bitter political foes from behind the scenes, using her vast network and sharp intellect to advance her family’s standing in a deeply divided country. Moreover, she remains fiercely dedicated to securing personal and financial independence for the vulnerable women in her own family circle, working tirelessly to ensure a better, more equitable life for the next generation of Americans. Moving seamlessly from war-torn colonial streets to the chandeliered halls of international power, A Founding Mother is an unforgettable and deeply moving testament to a woman who was generations ahead of her time, proving that Abigail Adams’s voice, vision, and valor still resonate with profound power today.