The Governor's Lady Author:Robert Inman Cooper Lanier has been surrounded by politics her entire life. Her late father, Cleve Spainhour, was a beloved two-term Southern governor, as was her husband, Pickett Lanier. Now, Cooper is taking office as governor herself, succeeding Pickett as he campaigns for president. — On her first day, as the state is blindsided by a blizzard, Cooper quic... more »kly realizes she is surrounded by leftovers from her husband s administration and that Pickett intends to manage the state s affairs from the campaign trail, even if it means undermining her every command. Cooper is faced with the stark choice of seizing control or becoming a phony, irrelevant figurehead.
Smart, feisty, and independent, Cooper follows her instincts and takes charge.
Her political rift with Pickett mirrors their unraveling relationship. Pickett s obsession with politics has pulled him farther and farther from her. Since childhood, Cooper has thought of politics as a thief that steals everyone she loves. She has mostly blamed her mother, Mickey Spainhour, a once-prominent political mastermind. When Cooper discovers the breadth of Pickett s back-room dealings, and just how far he s willing to go to become president, she realizes she must learn to use her political pedigree and instincts to serve her state.
Struggling to chart a course through the treacherous shoals of male-dominated politics, she finds unexpected allies in the ailing Mickey, from whom she has been estranged for years, and Wheeler Kincaid, a crusty, aging newspaper reporter.
The Governor s Lady shows how politics brings out the best and worst in people and how the public arena affects politicians values and relationships. The novel will appeal to those interested in a deeper understanding of the subtexts and complexities of American politics and the growing role of women in the political landscape.« less