Running Paperback – July 17, 2012

I don't like reviews that disclose too much plot (you can read them elsewhere anyway), but here are my impressions:Ms. Fitzgerald is a friend, but I found the book compelling on its own merits and enjoyed it! Was most drawn in by the depiction of the main character's inner dialogs and feelings. The main character was believable: a strong human being, but not a robot. The inevitable sexual intimacy between various characters was presented in an arousing yet tasteful way. Pacing was generally good. It was fun trying to figure out which characters in the book were based on actual figures in the political press. As a man, I felt enlightened by the omnipresence of the female lead's awareness of her appearance, which got me thinking about similar challenges all women must face. We guys have it easy!I found the political opponents of the main character to be drawn in a rather one-dimensional fashion, and therefore too easy to dislike or dismiss; a more nuanced presentation of them would have made the book more credible. The final crisis dragged on a bit, but had enough believable surprises to keep me involved. A little thing, but it bugged me as a car guy: a LeMans is not a sports car. <grin>Overall, I thought RUNNING was a fun, involving, at times thought-provoking, read. The more I like a book the faster I read, and I raced through this one in about four hours.This was my first e-book purchase. It's been forever since I read a book, actually. Was so nice to spend my time doing this instead of just surfing the 'net as usual. Thanks for opening my eyes to novels again, Ms. Fitzgerald!

Fitzgerald's debut novel will no doubt be one of the year's strongest new releases. I would characterize the book as Drama/Action Thriller. As Fitzgerald takes you through the setup with her protagonist, Catherine Young, you feel like you might be settling in for a great episode of "The West Wing". But by the time you are in the resolution, you feel like you're dead in the middle of one of those Bruce Willis, "Die Hard" movies. What Fitzgerald accomplishes in the complication of the novel is the real frosting on the cake. She takes on the difficult social issues of the day; political shenanigans, religious hypocrisy, racism, bigotry, the double-standard that confronts women's sexuality, Tea Party conservatism.... She's bound to piss off some reviewers. The truth will do that. But there are no gratuitous attacks against any constituency. In one of the final scenes in the denouement of the novel, Fitzgerald's protagonist makes one of the most compelling political observations that separates Democrats from Republicans today, in this disruptive, disreputable, obstructionist political climate that our current President and our nation faces.This is not a comedy, but it is most definitely entertaining. This is a serious read for those of us who want a gripping story line that we can't unfold quickly enough, told to us with prose and logic that doesn't insult our intelligence. This is a great piece of writing that belongs on every bestseller list in the country. With this novel, Patrice Fitzgerald establishes herself as an accomplished story-teller. R.P. McCabe

I do not usually review books I read, whether I love or hate them, but this book deserves a review.I do not plan to give the plot away (I personally HATE that) but I do intend to review the character development in the story. Catherine (running for president) is a decent woman and has the personality and character you would want to see in someone running our country. She is forced to face personal history that she would rather forget, yet the fact she must look at her past and decide how it will affect her future makes her grow as a person. I'd vote for her! But the character that got my blood boiling was her campaign manager Zane. As the story develops you learn that he has only one objective, no matter the cost to others, and that is himself. Ms Fitzgerald does such a wonderful job of developing her characters in the book that you feel they are people you have met or heard of in the real world. At one point in the story I became so upset with Zane's actions that I had to put the book down or risk breaking my Kindle when I threw it against a wall! Lucky for me (and my Kindle) I calmed down and resumed reading the book. Thank you Ms Fitzgerald for a wonderful read that thoroughly engaged me.

The synopsis: Catherine Young, Vice President and newly-anointed Democratic nominee, is surging in the polls. The race is on against GOP candidate Jerusha Hutchins, known for her big blonde hair, who is the darling of the far-right Liberty Party. But with political wunderkind Zane Zarillo running her campaign, Catherine is sure to hold onto the lead.Suddenly a medical emergency puts the President in the hospital and forces Catherine to act in his place... a perfect opportunity for her to show her Oval Office stuff. Just when her election looks like a sure thing, Catherine's romantic fling from decades ago comes to light. Will the American public accept a woman with a past?I thought this is a well-written story, fast-paced. There's a bit of info-dumping to explain Catherine's past that probably could have been distributed more evenly, but overall, I enjoyed it. I thought Fitzgerald did a superb job with the different points of view. The voices were powerful and distinct. Catherine grew as a woman, a mother, a candidate and an individual, and the blackmailer (I don't want to give too much away) rapidly spiraled, causing the reader to both hate and pity him while looking upon him with absolute disgust.This story is very relevant to America's current tumultuous economy and political theater. Several times, all I could do was shake my head at the truth behind the scenes. Even though the politics wasn't the main theme, it's there, and it's true to these times in which we live.

Plus: Ist nicht schlecht geschrieben,Minus: ein sehr vorhersehbarer plot , ich mag keine Zufälle, die sehr unwahrscheinlich sind.Einige der Figuren sind extrem blass .