A Founding Mother | Book Review

Lisa Harvey
May 3
2 min read

A Novel of Abigail Adams

By Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie

A STORY OF A STRONG WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIME

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SUMMARY

Abigail Adams was the second First Lady of the United States. Before that, she and her husband, John, a country lawyer, lived in a rustic saltbox farmhouse outside of Boston. She lovingly raised her four children—Nabby, John Quincy, Charlie, and Tommy—during a tumultuous time of revolution, riots, and war. As her husband devoted himself to serving the country, often away for months or even years, Abigail embraced independence and took charge of their home. She managed the farm, faced challenges such as devastating illness, and found creative ways to earn the much-needed money for her family. Abigail was never afraid to speak her mind to her husband and kindly reminded him to “remember the ladies” while helping craft the foundational documents of a new nation.

REVIEW

A FOUNDING MOTHER is a delightfully informative and entertaining novel about the early days of our country. And it’s just time to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of our country. This book offers a glimpse into the politics of the times from Abigail’s perspective and in her role as the President’s Lady.

Authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie are well known for co-writing award-winning women’s historical fiction, including America’s First Daughter and My Dear Hamilton. They are born storytellers. The writing is stellar, and the pacing keeps your interest.

To me, reading historical fiction about real people is a little scary because it all feels so real, and I typically don’t know which parts are true and which aren’t. In this book, there were several things I thought could not possibly be true, but they really happened. One of my favorite parts of Dray and Kamoie’s books is that they tell us what is real and what’s not, and which things they had to change and why in their Author’s Notes. The Author Notes are must-reads for all of their books!

A FOUNDING MOTHER is a timely and thought-provoking story about a woman full of fortitude and strength, who was very much ahead of her time. Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for an advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Publisher William Morrow

Published. May 5. 2026

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