What would it mean: If a Poem Could Live and Breathe

A Novel of Teddy Roosevelt’s First Love

by Mary Calvi

#IfaPoemCouldLiveandBreathe #NetGalley

How fitting that this love story’s publication date is Valentine’s Day. Here is a terrific work of historical fiction that tells the story of the young Teddy Roosevelt and his love for his first wife, Alice. I was especially delighted to read this book as I had just visited the Theodore Roosevelt birthplace and I have also been to Sagamore Hill. These experiences helped me to place myself in this story’s time frame. No spoilers but I saw TR’s journal entry for a terrible day; readers will learn about what happened in these pages.

Teddy met Alice when he was a Harvard student and they married not long after his graduation. Their story is told here. It is deepened and enhanced by excerpts from letters that were written at the time.

Historical fiction fans and fans of stories that humanize the presidents are sure to enjoy this book. I recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 14 February 2023

From the Publisher