4.5 Stars. I almost didn't finish this book. I hated the first chapter. I hated the characters. Could't stand either one of them. And even as the story progressed, I disliked them. I did't understand Grace, hated Jared, couldn't get why she put up with his controlling ways. Then, somewhere around the 60% mark, it clicked for me. I got her, why she made the choices she did, why she was willing to give so much to a selfish, controlling bastard like Jared. The fact that I made it that far into a story where I didn't like the protagonist or the love interest is a testament to the strong writing and gripping political intrigue that Heidi Joy Tretheway brings.

I love politics. I'm a junkie. And part of what made this book appeal to me was the comparison to The Good Wife, one of my all-time favorite TV shows. But Grace is nothing like Alicia Florek. Except she is. Alicia allows a lot from Peter, because of her family or her career. There is a lot of Alicia in Grace, but Grace is her own person. And about that same time that I felt like I saw glimpses of a Grace I could love, could root for, and even respect, the plot took off at a frantic pace.

Plot
While this is technically a romance, and touted as an erotic romance at that, it's really so much more. It's a political thriller with a steamy romantic co-plot. Freshman Congresswoman, Grace Colton, is a far-left liberal on guns and the environment, two political hot potatoes that helped her get elected in the wake of personal tragedy. When her name is bandied about as a potential running mate for two of the Democratic parties' top presidential hopefuls, those issues could be a liability. The political wheeling and dealing is almost as hot as the sex. Tretheway threw in several plot twists that upped the stakes and kept me turning page after page.

World Building
The world building is simply fantastic. Everything from the way Portland, Oregon is portrayed, to the Washington beltway is authentic. The author pays so much attention to the little things, the locations are like word paintings in exquisite detail. And the politics are about as real as it gets.

Characters
So, I didn't love the characters initially. I didn't even like them, but I couldn't deny that they were incredibly well crafted, three-dimensional people. But by the end of the book, I loved both Jared and Grace. That's some rock-solid character development. The supporting characters, everyone from Trey and Mama Bea to Darrow and Conover, are extremely well crafted.

Top Five Things I Enjoyed About The Phoenix Candidate
1. The politics. The political landscape, the backstabbing, the games, are all so, so believable.

2. Trey. As Grace's right-hand man, he has her back in every case and keeps her grounded.

3. Lauren Kennedy Darrow. She's delicious as the polished antagonist with a complex backstory. So fun to hate.

4. Jared. Yeah, it took me almost three quarters of the book to warm up to him, but once I did, I did in a big way.

5. Grace's Interview. When she gaffes on national TV, it's epic!

Bottom Line
This is a smart, sassy political thriller, rolled in romance with lots of steamy sex, but it's the politics that really set it apart.

Disclaimer
I was provided with a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. ( )