I thought I would start this review by mentioning that I previously read THE GENERAL'S WOMEN by Susan Wittig Albert, which deals with the same subject as this book, although Mamie Eisenhowever plays a larger role in that book. Nevertheless, in my opinion, one can't get enough books if the subjects interest you. So it was with eagerness I looked forward to reading this book.

Ike Eisenhower was a general in the US army before he became President of the United States. During WWII, Eisenhower was one of the generals that worked with the British government in London. Since all the road signs were taken down because of the blitz, American generals needed drivers to get them around. Eisenhower is assigned Kay Summers as his driver, and he likes having her drive him around so much that after a trip back in the United States, he requests that she drive him around when he returns to London. And, that is just the start. Soon there are rumors they are having an affair...

I love reading biographic fiction and I especially love tragic forbidden love stories, like this one. Of course, one has to take books like this with a grain of salt. The author weaves biographies, letters, recollections and of course, imagination to create this book. But that is part of the charm of historical fiction: to see how the author uses sources to write a fictional novel. IKE AND KAY is an interesting book, and I love this time period in history. Sometimes I did want the story to go a bit deeper when it came to some characters or events, and that some things weren't fully explained in context. I also felt it got a little repetitive when some characters constantly whined about Ike and Kay's supposed relationship. Finally, I would have loved to have had more of Mamie Eisenhower in the book. All of that being said, I thought James MacManus managed to describe and develop the main characters in the book very well. I personally loved when FDR wants a picnic in the African desert, and how it contrasted to the picnic Churchill wanted. FDR is such a fabulous person, and even though he's not much in this book did I feel that MacManus really captured his charisma. As for Ike and Kay, well what can I say other than he did just as well with them. MacManus made them human, with weaknesses and all. IKE AND KAY is a book that is well written and atmospheric and if you like biographic fiction, then this is a book for you!