I enjoyed this historical fiction about Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, the supposed mistress of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in his early years. In 1914, with her aristocratic family fallen on hard times, 23-year-old Lucy Mercer became the social secretary to the wife of Assistant Secretary of the Navy Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then 32, when Eleanor was pregnant with their fifth (next-to-last) child. Lucy and Franklin fall in love and have an affair (at least of the heart), discovered by Eleanor when unpacking his bags when he returns from Europe in 1918, ill with pneumonia. Franklin wants to marry Lucy, and Eleanor is willing to give him a divorce, but Franklin's domineering mother Sara Delano Roosevelt threatens to cut the purse strings, and his political advisor Lewis Howe reminds him that a divorce would scuttle his chances at the White House. (My how times have changed!)

Lucy becomes the governess to the six children of wealthy widower Winthrop Rutherfurd, nearly 30 years her senior. They married in 1920 and had a daughter of their own. Despite Eleanor's conditions that Franklin never contact Lucy again, he does, particularly after Winthrop died in March 1944. Author Ellen Feldman works in research by historians on those contacts as scenes in her novel. After this book was published in 2003, Lucy's granddaughters gave letters from FDR to Lucy (as well as a book he'd dedicated to her) to another author (2008) and to the FDR Library (2011). ( )

Lucy by Ellen Feldman is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd who became the love of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s life. They met when she worked for his wife, Eleanor as her social secretary in 1914. At this time, F.D.R. was the assistant secretary of the navy and they continued their relationship as Lucy had moved on to join the women’s auxiliary during World War I. Eleanor was told about their love for each other and agreed to step aside, but Roosevelt wasn’t prepared to give up on his political dreams and so in the autumn of 1919 they parted. Lucy met and married the wealthy Winthrop Rutherfurd and was quietly contented with her marriage. Of course, Roosevelt when on to become the President of the United States. Although they did not see each other, and F.D.R. now had secretary Missy Le Hand in his life, they continued to occasionally write to each other.

Just as World War II was about to break out, Lucy brings her ailing husband to Washington for treatment. She and the president find themselves once again together. When Rutherfurd died in March of 1944, they begin to make plans for their future. He did accept the Democratic nomination to run for a fourth term, but after than he planned to retired and have Lucy at his side. His marriage to Eleanor was purely a business partnership by this time with both having outside interests. Unfortunately, as Lucy and he were taking a break at Warm Springs, Georgia, Franklin Roosevelt passed away from a cerebral hemorrhage.

While this was a very interesting story, I think the author never quite managed to reveal the true personalities of the main characters. I found F.D.R. came across very selfish and ambitious with none of the charisma he was known to have had. Lucy is entirely too docile as she always allowed herself to be set aside or given a back seat. Eleanor never seemed to develop much of a personality in this book, she was always just drifting around in the background. While I have no doubt that ambition and political interest had a great deal to do with why the Roosevelt’s stayed together and why this bittersweet romance was doomed, I expect that all three of these main characters had many more facets to show.

As a love story, I found it difficult to root for this couple as the power was so one sided but I expect this is the way of it when some gets involved with a well-known celebrity or politician. The actual writing is good, the story mostly believable but I felt the rather one dimensional characters didn’t help to breathe life into the book. ( )

Sometimes historical fiction is even better than biography - I enjoyed the voice of Lucy (although not all would agree with her actions regarding the President). ( )

This book is about FDR's mistress, in her voice. I didn't like the book and didn't believe the mistress could maker her affiar "okay" by believing she was so bloody innocent.
In the end, FDR dies, her sister commits suicide and then Lucy dies.
Eleanor outlived them all, but did she have a better life? ( )

Sad in its way. We all know about FDR and his proclivities and the book gives insight from Eleanors secretary, Lucy, one of Franklins loves. Light, fairly quick reading i CAN imagine being in her button-up shoes.....however, i do NOT condone cheating no matter what the day and age.
A mis-match from the start Eleanor and Franklin had a great partnership with a one-sided love.
As much as i do understand the circumstances for Lucy Mercer, the innate reasons for the selfishness of Franklin and the insecurities of Eleanor, the use of women in his life shines on in these pages.
( i DO give him great kudos on his strength and determination) ( )