Face-Time: A Novel
by By Tarloff, Erik
Category: Fiction , Romance , Contemporary

Face-Time is the story of Ben and Gretchen, two young political activists who meet and fall in love while working on a presidential campaign. When their candidate wins, both are given jobs in the new administration, his as an increasingly prominent speechwriter and hers in the Office of Social Affairs. But then Ben finds out that Gretchen has been sleeping with his boss, the president, and he confronts her. Gretchen swears her love for Ben and vows to do anything to ensure their future happiness together ... except end the affair. She has gained the ultimate Washington prize: one-on-one "face-time" with the president. And, perhaps not coincidentally, Ben's stock as a speechwriter has never been higher. But is the professional success worth the personal price?Far more than an echo of recent headlines, this novel by Washington insider Erik Tarloff is an important work of politically inspired fiction that poses a culturally resonant question: In a society that venerates power and celebrity, how far are we willing to go to bring ourselves in proximity to them?