wp-1588175726628.jpgWelcome to my stop on the The First Emma blog tour sponsored by Suzy Approved Book Tours! Thank you to Suzy for the invitation!

About the Book:

Inspired by true events

1914 – Young bride Emma Koehler dreams of a happy marriage and a simple life with her husband, but her hopes are quickly dashed by Otto’s obsession with his business. Though they become one of the wealthiest couples in the country – a fortune made on beer, mining, and hospitality – Emma is lonely in their stone mansion, unable to have children and unable to keep his attentions at home. When a tragic accident changes everything, Otto presents a new betrayal – and Emma must choose between loyalty and independence in a world that demands convention.

1943 – Mabel Hartley flees Baltimore after the war leaves her broken and alone. She answers the advertisement of a dying woman in San Antonio, with an urgent plea to come write her memoirs. In Emma Koehler, Mabel discovers astounding resilience – a pioneer who weathered personal devastation and navigated her large brewery through the storm of Prohibition. Soon Mabel realizes that Texas holds more for her than this new friendship. Romance blooms even as she’s given up on love, and an unexpected phone call gives her hope that not all goodbyes are final.

The First Emma is a moving story of love, hope, and murder that captures one woman’s journey to make her mark on history and another’s desire to preserve it.

My Thoughts:

The First Emma has two timelines. The first includes Emma Koehler, a wealthy newlywed living in 1914 with her husband, Otto. She’s lonely as her husband works and philanders. There’s an accident and another betrayal, leaving Emma forced to decide whether she’ll stay or go.

The second time takes place in the 1940s as Mabel Hartley leaves Baltimore with a broken heart. A terminally ill woman in San Antonio placed an ad for someone to write her memoirs, and Mabel accepted. The ad was written by Emma Koehler.

The First Emma is the story of two powerful and formidable women, each in their own ways resilient and inspiring. I learned so much about these two time periods from Mabel and Emma’s perspectives. The storytelling drew me in from the start.

Overall, I highly recommend this beautiful book to my friends who love stories of strong women in history. I’m so grateful these stories are being told.

I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Camille recently left an award-winning real estate career in San Antonio to become a full-time writer. Along with her husband of 22 years, she home schools their four children. She has a bucket list that is never-ending, and uses her adventures to inspire her writing. She’s lived in Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California, and spends enough time in Hawai’i to feel like a local. She’s traveled to four continents (so far), and met Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. She just about fainted when she had a chance to meet her musical idol, Paul McCartney, too. Camille studied political science in college, but found working on actual campaigns much more fun. She overdoses on goodies at farmers markets (justifying them by her support for local bakeries), and belts out Broadway tunes whenever the moment strikes. There’s almost nothing she wouldn’t try, so long as it does’t involve heights, roller skates, or anything illegal.

She appreciates you stopping by, and welcomes you to reach out and share a love of books!

Facebook: www.facebook.com/camilledimaio.author
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/camil…
Instagram: www.instagram.com/camilledimaio

Have you read The First Emma, or is it on your TBR? Happy Reading! ~ Jennifer THR