Review: My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie

Title: My Dear Hamilton: A Novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton
Authors: Stephanie Dray & Laura Kamoie
Publication: April 3rd 2018 by Piatkus
Genre: Historical Fiction
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Google Play | Kobo
Rating: 5/5★

A novel of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton

A general's daughter...

Coming of age on the perilous frontier of revolutionary New York, Elizabeth Schuyler champions the fight for independence. And when she meets Alexander Hamilton, Washington's penniless but passionate aide-de-camp, she's captivated by the young officer's charisma and brilliance. They fall in love, despite Hamilton's bastard birth and the uncertainties of war.

A founding father's wife...

But the union they create - in their marriage and the new nation - is far from perfect. From glittering inaugural balls to bloody street riots, the Hamiltons are at the center of it all - including the political treachery of America's first sex scandal, which forces Eliza to struggle through heartbreak and betrayal to find forgiveness.

The last surviving light of the Revolution...

When a duel destroys Eliza's hard-won peace, the grieving widow fights her husband's enemies to preserve Alexander's legacy. But long-buried secrets threaten everything Eliza believes about her marriage and her own legacy. Questioning her tireless devotion to the man and country that have broken her heart, she's left with one last battle - to understand the flawed man she married and imperfect union he could never have created without her...

My Dear Hamilton was my #1 highest anticipated book of 2018 and I'm so very glad to say that it was everything I wanted and it even exceeded my expectations, which is something that almost never happens. It's the best book I've read this year! Now it's been almost a week since I finished reading My Dear Hamilton (while I'm writing this review) and I have such a book hangover from the book. I can't keep my attention to any other book I want to pick up because nothing else is and will be as good. So far I haven't been able to write a review for it either because no words will describe how amazing this book was and how much I loved it. But I will try.

Going into this book I almost knew nothing about Alexander Hamilton except for the most basic facts. I did read a short biography about him before reading this book so I would have some knowledge. But I knew even less about his wife Eliza. Most books about or involving Alexander Hamilton are mainly about Hamilton himself with almost nothing about Eliza, which is why everyone should pick up My Dear Hamilton.

My Dear Hamilton is a captivatng book right from the start. I was hooked from the very first page. And I just can't describe how much I loved reading about Eliza and how much I came to admire her. She's one of my favorite figures in history for sure now. She went through so many heartbreak, not just with Alexander but also with life in general, but she kept getting back up ever single time so I can only be in awe of her.

I was a little surprised by how much I ended up feeling about Alexander. I went from initionally loving him to hating him to loving him and hating him again. I know hate is a strong word but the book was so compelling that it kept being an emotional rollercoaster until the very end. And I did cry a couple of times, which is really out of character for me when reading books so that should give you a good idea of how powerful this book was.

Also, with a novel co-written by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie you can be 100% sure that it'll be extensively researched, with quotes directly from primary sources. I could really tell that both authors poured their heart and soul into this book. 

Overall, My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie is a captivating, powerful and unputdownable read. It's my favorite book of the year and I doubt any other book will change that. This is historical fiction at its best. 

About the authors:

Stephanie Dray:
Stephanie Dray is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical women’s fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into eight languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer and a teacher. Now she lives near the nation’s capital with her husband, cats, and history books.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Laura Kamoie:

A Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today Bestseller, 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 as the New York Times bestselling author, Laura Kaye. Writing America’s First Daughter with co-author Stephanie Dray allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram