18 Fun Fiction and Non-Fiction Books About Women in Politics
In this list of fiction books about women in politics, you’ll see first daughters, female politicians, women in the suffragette movement, and activists.
You’ll also see just a few non-fiction books that talk about working in politics. We hope that while being entertained, you’ll also realize how important it is to vote!
If you want more books like this, head to our list of books about working women.
*Political novels post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links result in a small commission to us at no cost to you.
Fiction Books about Women in Politics
The Senator’s Wife by Liv Constantine
In this political fiction book, Sloane Chase is a philanthropist and is married to Senator Whit Montgomery. When her lupus starts acting up, they decide to hire a home health aide to help Sloane.
At first, Athena seems like she is the perfect fit, but then Sloane starts to become sicker. She thinks that Athena is trying to seduce her husband and replace her.
As this story progresses, we get to hear from numerous characters as they debate and interfere in Sloane’s health. I saw some of the plot twists coming but the ending definitely caught me off guard.
Ladies of the House by Lauren Edmonson
As soon as I realized this was a classic Jane Austen retelling of Sense and Sensibility, I knew I had to read it!
This version is set in D.C. and the key characters are involved in politics. It feels very appropriate post-election. I loved seeing the connections back to Jane Austen’s original work. It’s probably one of my favorite retellings of this particular story and it’s a fun political fiction story.
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld
Oh, Hillary. Who would you have become without Bill? Have you found yourself pondering this before?
Then look no further than Sittenfeld’s contemporary fiction story of what would have happened to Hillary had she ditched Bill when he was unfaithful before their marriage.
It had me longing to know what course our country would be on had the events of this political novel been true. We can’t wait to see this book adaptation.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza
This political fiction book struck the perfect balance between lighthearted and serious. I was fascinated by the titular character’s quest to be the first female senator in PA.
The dynamics at play when running for office drew me in, but I stayed for her marriage and her struggles to be everything to everyone. I loved the references to places I was familiar with making this a must-read for any local and a perfect pick for a list of contemporary fiction books and books about women in politics! And because the elections are in November, we knew this is a perfect book for fall.
YA Fiction Books about Women in Politics
Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston
We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!
This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)
Why We Love It: The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and we are all in.
Find This Book in Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels/ Books With a Color in the Title
The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert
I LOVE that Brandy Colbert wrote a book for YA readers about the importance of voting WITHOUT BEING POLITICAL. It was so impressive.
Never did the characters bring up political affiliations, but instead, they focused on the importance of the act of voting, as well as how prevalent voter suppression actually is. This would be a great gift to any new 18-year-old to convince them to register!
The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas
This fantastic and incredibly relevant young adult novel tackles the Black Lives Matter movement. Starr is straddling a line between two worlds. She attends a prestigious prep school where she is one of 2 black children in her grade but she lives in a poor neighborhood 40 minutes down the road.
She switches her personality so that she can fit in wherever she is, never truly being her whole self. When she witnesses her unarmed childhood best friend get killed by a policeman her entire life changes.
She needs to decide what to tell and to whom because her words can have dire consequences for her family and her community. It’s a truly wonderful coming-of-age story from thought-provoking books set in high school that all young adults should read.
Fictional First Family Books
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
The Bushes are modern-day American royalty. This story, while heavily fictionalized, is based on the life of Laura Bush. It covers her young life, meeting her husband and his illustrious family, and also his presidency.
I didn’t know much about the Bush dynasty prior to reading this and while I realize it is political fiction, it gave me some good insight into the political world of America.
American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton
We all know I love a good Royal Read but I don’t usually get to read a book about American royalty. We may not have an actual royal family, but dynasties like the Vanderbilts, Carnegies, Kennedys, and Roosevelts serve as good replacements. This particular story is about Alice Roosevelt, daughter of our 26th president, Teddy Roosevelt.
This historical fiction political novel covers her life from the moment her father became President to her second breast cancer surgery. And what a doozy of a life she led! I couldn’t help wondering how her antics would have been perceived had she lived in today’s society. I read it in a few days and adored it! 4 stars.
Non-Fiction Books about Women in Politics We Recommend
From the Corner of the Oval by Beck Dorey-Stein
This is one of the nonfiction books that reads like fiction. This memoir about Beck’s life as the stenographer in the Obama White House was like Sex and the City meets Scandal.
I had no idea how juicy things got in Washington! I also appreciated how much Beck respected the Obamas and the work they did for our country.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
November 2018 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
I am so happy that I finally read this book. Michelle Obama is a brilliant woman who has such an incredible story to tell. I was intrigued listening to her life and her upbringing.
I listened to this book and was so happy to hear the story read by Obama herself. Obama is a brilliant woman and it was a pleasure to hear her story told in her voice. There is something about her voice that is so calming and soothing. This is one of our favorite non-fiction books about women in politics. As nonfiction books for beginners go, this one is a must.
First Women by Kate Andersen Brower
This non-fiction book about women in politics is all about the first ladies. I had no idea what a job being the First Lady really is…an unpaid one at that! This intimate look at the many hats the modern First Lady plays showcases all the women from Jacqueline Kennedy to Michelle Obama that have been FLOTUS.
I was fascinated to see the differences between Hillary Clinton to Lady Bird Johnson. I know FLOTUS is one job I never want to have, but I have such respect for all the women that have held that office.
Modern Political Novels about Women in Politics
State of Terror by Louise Penny and Hillary Clinton
State of Terror is Hillary Clinton’s first book and she teamed up with mystery writing heavy-weight, Louise Penny to create an action-packed political thriller.
This story involves a Secretary of State globe-trotting to try to stop an impending terrorist attack from happening. In the process, we are privy to Louise Penny’s astute observations on human nature.
If you love fast-paced action-based thrillers, this is a must-read political novel!
Campaign Widows by Aimee Agresti
This month’s reading challenge focused on Women in Politics so I picked up campaign widows as a light-hearted look at the spouses left behind when political campaigns hit the road.
It totally non-partisan, truly not identifying either political party, just making a commentary on the social politics of Washington D.C.’s elite. It was like a DC version of Sex and the City and one of the most fun political novels.
Reputation by Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Vaughan, of Anatomy of a Scandal fame, is a killer when it comes to legal thrillers with a one-two punch. This particular story revolves around Emma, a British MP on trial for murder charges.
The victim? A tabloid reporter with a scoop on an inflammatory story revolving around the MP’s daughter. But it’s so much more complicated than that and secrets unravel at every turn. If you love political fiction, this is a great pick!
Historical Fiction Books about Women in Politics
Jackie and Maria by Gill Paul
Excuse me while I gush about Gill Paul‘s newest biographical fiction book, Jackie and Maria. Gill Paul is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. I loved Another Woman’s Husband and The Lost Daughter, about the Windsors and Romanovs respectively. Paul’s take on a new dynasty, The Kennedys, is equally compelling.
Most people know about Jackie’s life during her White House years, but hearing the tale of what caused her to marry Aristotle Onassis was fascinating. I loved the dual narrators of Jackie and Onassis’s long-time lover, opera singer Maria Callas. It’s a perfect political novel about music!
The Kennedy Debutante by Kerri Maher
I had no idea the Kennedy girls were just as interesting at the Kennedy boys. This Historical Fiction told the story of Kick Kennedy during her stay in London before and during WWII. I found her to be a fascinating character.
I spent so much time googling photos of her during this time of her life. It’s crazy how the standards for marriage have changed in such a short amount of time over in London.
Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore
Evie Dunmore’s debut novel spanned a series of badass women during the Suffragette era. While the story is a romance, don’t let that fool you! You’ll get a history lesson on the suffrage movement in English History as well as a lesson on Estate and Inheritance laws — which were still of utmost importance a few decades later when Downton Abbey takes place.
Annabelle Archer has the scholarship to be one of the first women to study at Oxford. In order to keep it, she must spy on the Duke of Montgomery and try to persuade him to the suffragette’s cause. The chemistry between these two crackled off the page.
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
January 2014 Oprah’s Book Club Pick
I picked this book up in Charleston when I was there for a visit in October of 2018. I wanted to pick up a book about the city. When I found out that our hotel was next to the Grimke sister’s home, I knew this was the book for me.
This book tells the story of Sarah Grimke, one of the first female abolitionists, and her slave, Handful.
