Play 2026 Book Bingo
Washington, DC Books: The Best Books Set in the District of Columbia
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Whether you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge or simply found your way to our website researching books set in Washington, DC, we’ve curated a diverse list of highly-rated titles set in the Nation’s Capital, the District of Columbia! If you’re looking for another state, check our comprehensive list of books set in every state.
Literary Themes in Washington, DC Books
The nation’s capital’s literature naturally focuses on political intrigue, power dynamics, and governmental machinations. Themes include corruption, idealism versus reality, national security, and the weight of history. Beyond politics, DC’s diverse neighborhoods, museums, and complex racial dynamics provide settings for mysteries, thrillers, and literary fiction exploring American identity at its symbolic center.
Books Set in Washington, DC
Some of the novels on this list are set in the DC suburbs, within the region known as the DMV, which includes neighboring towns in Maryland and Virginia. The characters living in these suburbs have very DC-specific jobs and lives that revolve around activities and events in DC-proper.
Additionally, we opted to exclude the many fantastic biographies of individual presidents’ lives in office because there are too many to list. Any of them, like Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard about James Garfield, would be a great choice. If you’re specifically looking for a non-fiction book about life in the White House, we do have two great suggestions included on the list below that cover several presidents each.
Off the Record
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
In 1962, the newspaper typing pool offered very few opportunities for advancement for women, especially for nice Jewish girls with ambitions beyond finding a husband. But Judy isn’t looking for a husband. She’s an aspiring reporter looking to make her mark in journalism.
When she answers her boss’s private line and hears a cryptic message in a Russian accent, it might be the scoop she needs to prove herself. She finds an ally in Jack, a charming reporter who is willing to follow her instincts. Plus, he can pose as her boyfriend to keep her parents off her back. Together they chase leads through a thrilling underground of secrets and spies stretching from Moscow to Havana to Texas. This story could make her career. Or get her killed.
About the Genre
While the primary trope of this historical romantic comedy is fake dating, it also features a strong enemies-to-allies dynamic, with a mystery/thriller element woven into the romance — blending a rom-com with a Cold War spy caper. Like Sara Goodman Confino’s previous novels, you’ll also find a heroine fiercely determined to prove herself in a man’s world.
Another D.C. Title by This Author
We have come to ADORE everything Sara Goodman Confino writes, so you also can’t go wrong picking up her debut novel, For the Love of Friends, a contemporary romantic comedy set in Washington, D.C. The setting doesn’t play as prominent a role in this book, but it’s a very fun read about a bridesmaid in multiple weddings that incorporates elements about blogging and social media.
Five Presidents: My Extraordinary Journey with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
99% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
In this memoir, Clint Hill reflects on his seventeen years on the White House Secret Service detail under Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford, shedding light on the personalities of five of the most powerful men in the world, and giving a unique insider perspective on many historical events of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.
Clint Hill also wrote another memoir – Ms. Kennedy and Me – about his time as Jackie Kennedy’s personal Secret Service agent throughout her years as First Lady.
Both of Hill’s memoirs are vivid and insightful without feeling gossipy, and he provides an in-depth look at the politics of the day without feeling political.
Thoughts on the Audiobook Format
While Clint Hill does not narrate his own memoirs, the audio versions are very well done and make you feel as if you’ve been transported back in time to witness all of the events firsthand. Both Angela and her husband really enjoyed the historical aspects of this book.
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
98% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Briarwood House is an all-female boarding house in Washington, DC, where secrets hide behind white picket fences. It’s 1950 when the mysterious widow, Grace, moves into the attic. She throws dinner parties in her attic room for her new friends, including a beautiful English wife and mother, a police officer’s daughter who is involved with a gangster, a baseball star frustrated by the end of the female league after World War II, and a woman who threw herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.
While Grace’s dinner parties are healing to the women, she also has her own secrets…and there may be an enemy within the group.
Thoughts on This Book
Kate Quinn is a book club favorite for a reason! Her historical fiction novels incorporate elements of mystery to keep readers turning the pages. They also provide plenty of topics for discussion, including the McCarthyism Era.
Friends with Secrets
Book Summary
Ben is an aspiring politician and the heir to a candy fortune, living a picture-perfect life with his wife, Ainsley, and their two children. But Ainsley has a secret and is terrified someone will discover who she really is.
Nikki is a stay-at-home mom of four. She’s sleep-deprived and a mess, but still yearns for the career in TV news (and the paycheck) she left behind. She’s drawn into Ainsley’s world when a dangerous figure from Ainsley’s past becomes a coach at their kids’ school. Ainsley fears the worst and tells Nikki the whole truth about her past.
Together, they make a plan to expose the coach. But will they be able to protect their own families along the way?
What to Expect in This Book
The publisher describes this book as “a funny and suspenseful debut.” It tells a story of friendship and the quest to be a perfect mom, with suspense, revenge plotting, and humor woven into the narrative.
Book Summary
Florrie is a coloring book artist who works in a bookstore in the Georgetown area of Washington, DC. Her boss, a wealthy professor and adventurer, asks her to move into an apartment on his property so he can avoid letting his ne’er-do-well nephew move in. Florrie agrees and loves living close to work.
Unfortunately, the nephew is not happy about losing the apartment and threatens Florrie. Soon after, the nephew is found dead in a hiding place in the bookstore, and her boss is arrested for murder. Florrie and other customers of the bookstore team up to prove the professor’s innocence.
Read & Color
This series will make you feel like you’ve stepped right into a Georgetown bookstore.
As an added bonus, you can also color the cover of the physical book. Alternatively, for those who read the ebook, a link is available to print a coloring page version of the cover.
The House of Eve
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
98% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
House of Eve alternates perspectives of our main characters in 1950s Philadelphia and Washington, DC. Ruby’s story is told in first-person perspective as she tries to become the first person in her lower-income family to attend higher education. However, her plans are threatened when she begins to fall for a Jewish boy.
Eleanor’s story is told from the third-person perspective as she arrives in DC with equal parts ambition and secrets. Like Ruby, Eleanor’s plans are changed when she falls for a man, William, at Howard University. William is from one of Washington’s elite, wealthy Black families, and his parents are picky about who is good enough to join them.
While this setup feels like a romance novel, this is a fast-moving historical fiction novel that will take you into a piece of history you may know little about. Don’t miss the author’s note at the end!
Avoid Spoilers For This Book
Melissa hadn’t read much more than our description of this book before jumping in, and she enjoyed the twists along the way that came from not knowing more. She recommends that you enjoy this historical novel the same way as you step into the lives of two young black women in the 1950s who are desperately trying to be their best.
Upstairs at the White House
Book Summary
Author J.B. West spent almost three decades as the Chief Usher at the White House, making him the coordinator of both lavish functions and daily life for six different presidents and their families. His tenure spanned the administrations of Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson, as well as the first six weeks of Nixon’s first term.
His memoir is full of anecdotes and history from behind closed doors. In this era of partisan politics, it’s refreshing to see the mutual respect throughout changing leadership during his years on the job.
Red, White, and Royal Blue
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
98% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Alex is the early 20-something son of the first female US President, and Prince Henry is the 2nd in line to the British Throne. Alex considers Henry his nemesis, and the two get into an embarrassing scuffle during a royal wedding.
In order to calm the press and convince them the sons of the US and England aren’t foes, Alex and Henry agree to make public appearances as friends over the course of several months. After spending more time together and exchanging many amusing text messages, Alex realizes there is much more to Henry than he assumed.
The Book Girls Say…
After reading, be sure to check out the highly-rated movie adaptation by the same name!
For a non-fiction look at what it’s like to be a teenager in the White House, check out Sisters First by Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush.
The First Ladies
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
94% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
This historical fiction novel tells the story of the friendship between two powerful and influential women in American history.
Mary McLeod Bethune, the daughter of formerly enslaved parents, was one of the first black female activists. Through her work as both an activist and an educator, she helped lay a foundation for the civil rights movement. Eleanor Roosevelt shared Mary’s passion for education and women’s rights, and was eager to make her acquaintance. The two became fast friends and confidantes.
After Eleanor’s husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was elected president in 1932, the two women began to collaborate even more closely. She became quite a controversial First Lady for pursuing her own agenda, separate from FDR, and particularly for her outspoken stance on civil rights.
When Eleanor begins to receive threats as a result of her close relationship with Mary, both women use it as motivation to fight even harder for equality.
Thoughts on This Book
After reading and loving The Personal Librarian, we were so excited to see the writing duo of Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray collaborating again on this novel, and it did not disappoint.
The Golden Couple
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Marissa and Matthew Bishop’s perfect marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears from the outside. Work and lack of intimacy have come between them, and Marissa has been unfaithful. But they have an 8-year-old son, and they still love one another, so they’re willing to work on the relationship.
They seek help from a therapist named Avery Chambers. Despite losing her license, she continues to counsel those in need. Her methods are unconventional, but the Bishops are willing to try anything.
Consider This Before Reading
Be sure to check trigger warnings if necessary; we aren’t listing them here as they may be spoilers, but there are several heavy topics included.
The Hope Keeper
Book Summary
In 1919 Washington, DC, Elisabeth Beaumont is struggling to keep her family’s renowned jewelry business afloat after her twin brother dies. Hoping to find new clients among the city’s wealthy elite, she enters the glamorous orbit of socialite Evalyn McLean, the famously extravagant owner of the Hope Diamond. The legendary gemstone is said to carry a curse, but Elisabeth finds herself increasingly fascinated by both the diamond and the unconventional woman who possesses it.
As Elisabeth becomes immersed in Evalyn’s opulent and complicated world, she begins questioning the future she has always assumed was hers. Torn between loyalty to her father and her own ambitions, she must decide what she wants her life to look like in a society that offers women few easy paths to independence.
Historical Context
While the character of Elisabeth Beaumont and her family jewelry business are fictional, this novel features some real historical figures, including Evalyn Walsh McLean, a wealthy Washington socialite who actually owned the Hope Diamond and was famous for wearing and displaying it at elaborate gatherings. The novel also draws on the very real legends surrounding the diamond’s supposed curse.
State of the Onion: A White House Chef Mystery
Book Summary
Olivia (Ollie) Paras, the White House Assistant Chef, has her eyes on the Executive Chef position. Unfortunately, her main rival for the job is a TV chef from the same state as the first family, so she’s at a bit of a disadvantage.
Despite needing to focus on a big state dinner, Ollie gets distracted by an event involving the Secret Service. When she can’t get answers, she investigates, despite the situation being way outside her clearance level.
The book includes a presidential menu of recipes!
Becoming Madam Secretary
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
At the turn of the century, Frances Perkins arrived in NYC determined to make a difference in the world. She worked with children in the crowded tenements of Hell’s Kitchen and befriended an eclectic group of politicians, artists, and activists in Greenwich Village.
When Frances meets Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then a young lawyer, she judges him as nothing more than rich and arrogant, getting by on his good looks and a famous name. His opinion of her is not much more favorable. Neither of them can imagine that over the next twenty years, they’ll form a historic partnership that will lead them both to the White House.
The story delves into Perkins’ critical role in shaping New Deal policies, including Social Security, minimum wage laws, and labor protections. As the economy crumbles and unemployment soars during the Great Depression, Perkins navigates the male-dominated world of politics, using her intellect and determination to fight for workers’ rights, economic recovery, and social justice.
Why This Book Made the List
While the story begins in New York and is partially set there, Perkins’ time in Washington, DC, is also covered in detail. The novel tells an important piece of real history, as Frances Perkins was the first woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet in the United States.
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
During Watergate, only one woman was on the prosecutor’s team, Jill Wine Volner. She was a young lawyer who had just turned 30 when she found herself in the center of this unprecedented time in US history. In the press, she was referred to as “the mini-skirted lawyer.” While her male counterparts were automatically respected, she had to work much harder to earn the same respect.
In this memoir, Jill Wine-Banks shares what it was like to be at the crossroads of the Women’s Movement & Watergate. And if those major events weren’t enough, she was struggling in a failing marriage behind the scenes.
Another Title to Consider
Another great Watergate option is All the President’s Men by Woodward & Bernstein, the journalists who uncovered the scandal. Keep in mind that it is on the long side at 480 pages and that while some readers love it and feel it is a complete picture, others wish they had known more going into the book to help them follow all the key players.
One Step Forward
Book Summary
Matilda grew up in a politically divided family, with an older sister who fought for suffrage. Now, Matilda is ready to join the fight for the cause, even though taking a stand for her rights could tear her family apart.
Told in verse, ‘One Step Forward’ is a powerful YA coming-of-age novel based on the true story of Matilda Young, who was the youngest American suffragist imprisoned for picketing the White House. Matilda’s story highlights the mental and physical battles faced by the protestors leading up to the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.
Yellowface
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
95% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu came up at the same time, but Athena was the literary darling, with June watching jealously from the sidelines.
When June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she impulsively decides to steal Athena’s recently finished manuscript about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during WWI. She edits the work and submits it to her agent as her own, allowing herself to be rebranded as Juiper Song with an ambiguously ethnic author photo.
She convinces herself that all of this is justified because it’s an important historical story that deserves to be told. When she lands on the New York Times bestseller list, June realizes she won’t be able to escape Athena’s shadow. Evidence begins to emerge that could reveal June’s stolen success. How far will she go to protect what she feels she is owed?
Consider This Before Reading
This book asks uncomfortable questions without providing any easy answers. Those who don’t enjoy this book struggle because none of the characters are likable, so if that’s a dealbreaker for you, we recommend skipping it.
Book Girl Angela, on the other hand, found it fascinating to be inside the head of an awful narrator who continually justifies her bad decisions by portraying herself as the victim, and she especially enjoyed the book’s many interesting insights into the world of publishing.
Horse
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
99% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Through the true story of a racehorse named Lexington, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks weaves a tale of spirit and injustice spanning 150 years of American history.
The book has three timelines. In 1850, you’ll meet an enslaved horse groomer, Jarrett, in Kentucky, who has a special bond with Lexington. There is also a young artist who paints images of the horse. When the Civil War erupts, the artist fights for the Union and runs into the young groom and stallion again, far from the track.
In 1954, a gallery owner on Martha’s Vineyard takes a special interest in a 19th-century equestrian oil painting, despite the artist and provenance being unknown.
In 2019, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia and a Nigerian-American art historian unexpectedly connected through a common interest in the painting as they looked for clues to the origin.
Why This Book Made the List
While only 1/3 of this story is set in Washington, DC, it provides an interesting look at what goes on behind the scenes in a Smithsonian museum.
This story goes well beyond horse racing and art. The page-turning storytelling has detailed descriptions and depth that will stick with you long after you finish the book. We both rated it 5 stars!
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
The Most Recommended Books from our First Five Years
Best Book Club Books From 2022
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
94% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
DC philanthropist Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery lost their spouses in a tragedy two years ago. They were drawn together in the aftermath and have now married.
Sloane was diagnosed with lupus in her twenties and now needs a hip replacement. To support her recovery amidst their hectic schedules, they hired Athena as a home health aide. Athena soon becomes involved with more than medical needs, even assisting with Sloane’s charitable foundation.
Instead of healing, Sloane seems to be getting sicker. As she declines, she becomes paranoid. Why is Athena asking so many questions? Is she who she says she is? Are Whit and Athena really exchanging sultry glances with each other right in front of her?
Another Thriller to Consider
For another thriller set in Washington, DC, try The Perfect Marriage, about a powerful defense attorney and her troubled marriage.
American Daughters
Book Summary
In 1901, Portia Washington and Alice Roosevelt met and established a friendship that would last for decades. Portia, the daughter of Booker T. Washington, and Alice, the daughter of Teddy Roosevelt, were separated by societal status and culture but bound by their expected roles as the daughters of famed statesmen.
Portia was dedicated to her father’s values, championing the education and empowerment of Black Americans. She worked as a teacher and performer of spirituals and classical music. However, her controlling and jealous husband often got in the way of her dreams.
Alice worked hard to win her father’s approval and ensure his success, but her politically savvy and nonconformist behavior alienated and intrigued his opponents and allies. She married a congressman and used his position to advance her own progressive causes, especially women’s rights.
Over the years, Portia and Alice nurtured a friendship that transcended politics and race over a century ago.
The Book Girls Say…
For a look at Alice’s younger years, consider the novel American Princess by Stephanie Marie Thornton.
Destiny of the Republic
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Less than four months after taking office, US President Garfield was shot twice in a train station in Washington, DC, by a disgruntled man with political aspirations. Doctors tried to save his life, but life-saving attempts led to infections as his surgeon, Dr. Bliss, didn’t believe in sanitizing hands or equipment.
A bullet remained lodged in his body, but it needed to be removed for the best chance of survival. Inventor Alexander Graham Bell thought he could develop new technology to locate the bullet, but it was a race against time and against a doctor who didn’t embrace evolving medical practices.
Genre Notes
Melissa’s husband originally recommended this book to us after rating it five stars. He said rather than reading like standard non-fiction, it reads like a movie or modern thriller as you see multiple storylines of Garfield, his assassin, his doctor, and Alexander Graham Bell as he raced to save the President.
How to Have a Killer Time in D.C.
Book Summary
Oliver is a young gay autistic travel writer with a carefully planned life. As long as he sticks to a comfortable itinerary planned well in advance, he enjoys his job. His first feature-level assignment is to cover the latest tourism trends in Washington, DC.
His travel companion is a photographer, Ricky, whose flirty behavior and gregarious personality start to throw Oliver off-balance. Then he has an unsettling chance encounter with Elise, an old acquaintance who now works for a big-name electric car company.
He’s shocked when a speeding car hits and kills her, but more disturbing was how she stood and watched like she expected it. Could her death have anything to do with a congressional hearing that’s shaking up the Capitol and her employer’s future?
Forget writing about tourism, Oliver and Ricky now have a mysterious murder to solve.
Genre Notes
Readers say that this novel contains equal parts romance and mystery, so it’s a great pick if you enjoy both genres.
Annabelle Archer Wedding Planner Mysteries
Book Summary
In this long-running cozy mystery series, Annabelle is a sought-after wedding planner with a sometimes-business partner and friend, Richard, in busy Washington, DC.
In the debut book, Better Off Wed, a particularly difficult mother-of-the-bride has been murdered, and Richard is the top suspect. Annabelle and Richard have to think quickly to clear his name. Unfortunately, the victim was the most hated socialite in DC, so it’s not easy to narrow down the suspect list.
About the Series
Better Off Wed, the first book in the Annabelle Archer Wedding Planner Mysteries, won the Agatha Award for Best First Novel when it was released in 2005. The most recent (20th) book in the series was published in November of 2024.
The President is Missing
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
This dramatic thriller takes place over the course of only three days. As it begins, you’re thrust into a period of uncertainty in Washington. There are rumors of cyberterrorism, espionage, and a traitor in the cabinet. Even the President becomes a suspect, but then he goes missing.
The story is told in short chapters from four different perspectives, with co-author Bill Clinton adding authenticity about the inner workings of Washington, DC.
About the Co-Writers
James Patterson is well known for working with famous co-writers. These collaborations typically follow a format in which Patterson develops the concept, plot, and characters, and creates a detailed outline. Then the co-writer writes much of the first draft prose, and Patterson provides extensive notes and revisions, retaining tight creative control.
In the case of this novel co-written by Bill Clinton, interviews reveal that the process was a bit different, with Clinton participating more heavily in developing the story outline and characters. Conversely, writing analysis suggests that Patterson had the heavier hand in the prose style. Patterson describes his partnership with Clinton as genuinely collaborative.
Love in a Carry-On Bag
Book Summary
Following a chance encounter, Erica and Warren begin spending every weekend together. Erica spends her days working as a book publicist for high-profile authors in NYC, but each Friday she packs her bag and escapes to D.C., where trumpet player Warren performs as a jazz musician.
As their connection grows, the two vow to never spend a weekend apart, but the baggage of real life quickly starts to get in the way. Family issues, office politics, and job opportunities test their long-distance relationship, and each has another potential love interest waiting in the wings.
What to Expect in This Book
This story is alternately told from Erica and Warren’s points of view, providing both perspectives on the challenges in their relationship. Readers praise Johnson for writing two realistically flawed characters who are relatable in their imperfections.
If you love books about books, you’ll particularly enjoy the chapter that details a full day’s work in Erica’s job as a publicist for a book publishing company, as well as the literary references throughout. And if you enjoy armchair traveling through the pages of books, you’ll appreciate how vividly Johnson writes both New York and D.C.
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Claudia and Monday are inseparable friends, so when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia is very concerned. Yet, no one else seems to notice. When she still doesn’t come to school the second day, or even the second week, Claudia knows for sure that something is very wrong. There is no way Monday would leave her to face the bullies alone.
But Monday’s mother isn’t being helpful, and neither is her sister. In fact, no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How could she just vanish without anyone else caring?
What to Expect in This Book
This highly-rated YA mystery won several awards, including a
Coretta Scott King Book Award. It does include difficult topics like teen sexuality, racism, gentrification, and child abuse, so don’t go in expecting an easier read because it’s YA.
Some reviewers note that the non-linear timeline and inconsistent pacing make it more difficult to follow than they would have preferred.
Lincoln in the Bardo
Book Summary
This entire novel unfolds over one night in February of 1862, in the first year of the Civil War. As the fighting has gotten bloodier, the country is realizing this will be a drawn-out event. President Lincoln’s son, Willie, has been very ill and was expected to recover, but has just died. Newspapers report that a grief-stricken Lincoln returned to the crypt several times alone to hold his boy’s body.
From the truth of Willie’s death, author George Saunders created a historical fantasy in which Willie Lincoln finds himself in a strange purgatory, where ghosts mingle, gripe, commiserate, quarrel, and enact bizarre acts of penance.
This Book is Not for Everyone
The audiobook of Lincoln in Bardo features 166 different narrators, including numerous well-known celebrities such as Nick Offerman, David Seders, Don Cheadle, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Susan Sarandon, and Ben Stiller.
Keep in mind that this is a very avant-garde type of read. As you can imagine, 166 overlapping characters in a story told in one night makes for quite a non-traditional book that people either love or hate. It won the Man Booker Prize in 2017, among many other awards.
The Light Always Breaks
Book Summary
Eva has defied the odds in 1940s Washington, DC. At only 24 and as a Black woman in the Jim Crow era, she owns a very successful upscale restaurant. As 1947 comes to an end, she hosts an integrated party that challenges segregation laws to welcome 1948. One of the attendees is Courtland, a wealthy, white senator from Georgia. When they lock eyes across the room, sparks fly instantly.
However, a relationship between them could challenge everything they have both worked so hard for. Courtland is already under pressure from his family and constituents for his liberal ideals, and his family has a line of smiling debutantes waiting for him on every visit. Eva has seen what happened to her family after both her mother and grandmother fell in love with white men. Is their love worth the loss of their dreams?
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Best friends Niru and Meredith are privileged teenagers growing up in Washington, DC, but come from very different backgrounds. Niru appears to lead a very charmed life. He’s a track star at his prestigious private school, and after graduation, he is Harvard-bound. He has very attentive Nigerian parents, but he’s keeping a big secret from them – one that conflicts with their conservative views. Niru is gay.
Meredith, the daughter of two prominent Washington insiders, is the only one who knows Niru’s secret. But when Niru’s dad discovers that he’s gay, Meredith doesn’t lend Niru the support she knows he needs because she’s emotionally drained from dealing with her own troubles.
What to Expect in This Book
In addition to addressing gender and sexual orientation, this young adult novel also deals with race, class, and immigration.
Read Around the USA – Books Set in Other States
We hope you enjoyed this list of books about Washington, DC, and found some great titles to add to your TBR. If you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge, be sure to check out our alphabetical index of books set in each state.
Sign Up for the Read Around the USA Challenge
Sign up for our email list below to receive your free printable trackers for the Read Around the USA Challenge. Our email newsletter helps you stay on track with friendly reminders while still allowing you the flexibility to read at your own pace.
Printable Version of This Book List
Readers who support The Book Girls’ Guide through our Buy Me a Coffee (BMAC) membership site can access printable versions of the reading challenge book lists. Each individual state book list is available in a single-page printable format for both our Inner Circle and our BFF Level BMAC members.
Visit our Buy Me a Coffee membership page for a full list of benefits for each level.
Our BMAC members help cover the cost of running the challenges so we can keep them free for everyone!
