5.0 stars!!

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Camille Di Maio, Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

First off, I must confess that I am a HUGE fan of this author, Camille Di Maio! I have read 4/5 of her books and have thoroughly enjoyed every single one. This book is her first historical fiction based on true events. I loved it!!

As always, Camille Di Maio writes with heart, beauty, and purpose. This book had the coolest addition - abstracts of newspaper articles based on this "shocking" story in the 1910s. It was written in flashbacks to the 1910s AND the 1940s. The novel wove the two storylines seamlessly and it was easy to follow.

It is VERY evident that Camille Di Maio researches heavily for all of her books, but this one seemed to be more difficult as there wasn't a lot of information of one of the protagonists available due to the period. I love how she turned the limited information that she had available to a fully-flushed out novel.

The subject matter was very sad and so heartbreaking, yet it made me realize that WE have control of our destiny. Life isn't always smooth, but we need those peaks and valleys to appreciate what we have!!

HIGHLY recommend, but most especially to historical fiction lovers!!

Thank you to Net Galley, Camile DiMaio and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was a interesting story based on a real women Emma Koehler. Emma ran a beer brewing empire and maintained it and it's employees thru out Prohibition after her husband is murdered. Story is told thru her point of view and from her assistant/ biographer. Fiction based on a read person. Another great book by Camille DiMaio

Another enjoyable read from Camille di Maio! I love it when I read a historical fiction novel and find out that it’s based on true events; and, especially in this case, about a woman who was way ahead of her time. The author did a wonderful job of presenting Emma Koehler’s story of betrayal and living as a woman in a man’s world by including a fictional romantic subplot. I will definitely be reading more of her novels in the future!

Absolutely enjoyed this book, historical fiction that is based on actual events but woven into a really wonderfully rich story. I loved the characters both real and imagined and I would read more from this Author in a heartbeat. The quiet strength of the women is very relatable, who doesn't love a formidable matriarch?! Really well done and edited, thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

Fans of Camille Di Maio will certainly cozy up with her newest novel. I enjoyed that this was inspired by a real historical figure, albeit a woman with few details known to her name. That left the author room to put her own stamp on the story, the result being a well-rounded, endearing, and inspiring story.

<i>“Don’t prance around things like an antelope, dear.
Are you or aren’t you?
You must speak up.
Women don’t speak up enough.”</i>

In 1914, we meet Emma Koehler, a young, optimistic bride, eager to keep the attention of her workaholic husband. A succession of unfortunate events lead to a tragic accident that changes everything and reveals who Emma has been all along.
In 1943, we meet Mabel Hartley, a young women heartbroken and left alone by the war. Answering a job advertisement to take dictation for a dying woman’s memoir, Mabel leaves all she’s known in Baltimore for a fresh start in San Antonio.
Seamlessly jumping back and forth between the past and 1943-present, Camille Di Maio does a beautiful job of telling the inspired-by-true-events story of Emma Koehler.

The title (The First Emma, alluding to a second, if not more), the multi-timeline storytelling, and the murder mystery aspect are what drew me to this book— and what kept me reading. However, I found many other elements of this book quite lacking.

As a work of historical fiction, I found the writing often needlessly reminded the reader of what time in history we’re in, in a way that kept taking me out of the story. Sentences like “<i>She shook her head, and looked down at her fingernails. They needed polishing, though such frivolities were scarce during wartime.</I>“ would jolt me out of the fictional world that was already built and working for me. I also found some of the prose in their romantic scene a bit cringey, though I found the romance between Erik and Mabel cute enough.

Nevertheless, I found the female characters intriguing— Emma, Ernestina, and even the two other Emmas. Emma Koehler’s character was particularly robust. Mabel’s character paled in comparison, with less tenacity and development. But I enjoyed reading her be challenged by Emma K and their relationship grow.

It was, overall, an enjoyable read— and sent me down a rabbit hole, looking at old photos of the real Emma and Otto Koehler, as well as the former brewhouse that is now the Hotel Emma, which was a fun treat! I recommend this to fans of «The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo» who will appreciate the structure of the book, as well as the historical exploration of a formidable woman’s life (albeit sans queer representation and Hollywood glamour aspect).

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All views and opinions are my own.

I was able to read this book thanks to NetGalley. It was beautifully written and highly entertaining and I will absolutely be recommending it to all of my friends.

The introduction to this book was remarkably confusing. I couldnt keep the Emma's straight. Then we jumped to someone named Mable, who was in a bad mood and left on a train. This is all that happens in the first seven chapters - grumpy people and a dull train ride. I gave up after that. The reading level of this book is YA, and the action is non-existent, at least through the first seven chapters.

Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I knew nothing about this author or about Emma Koehler when I first saw this title on Netgalley. I was intrigued by the lovely cover (always a fan of judging a book) and the title. I wanted to know about this Emma and what was the significance of her being the first. What a powerful woman she was to do so much as a woman in business and for her employees at a time when women were not supposed to be in the workplace, especially as a leader. Emma had as many dreams and even more ideas then her entrepreneur husband who was more committed to his businesses then to their marriage. He eventually has affairs with the two women, both named Emma, hired to care for his wife after a bad car accident One of the nurse Emmas shoots him after trying to end the affair which is where the story begins. I love the way we hear the backstory as the now older Emma Koehler hires a young inexperienced girl to come write her story before her passing. We get Emma's narrative, the story of Mabel the young writer, and actual newspaper clippings about the murder and trial all woven together in a well crafted and captivating story that was so enjoyable to read. Historical fiction at its best.

I really enjoyed this book! It is based on a true story of a rich tycoon. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It is a story of 3 Emma's - Otto's wife Emma and his 2 mistresses Emma. The very beginning of the book, Mistress 2 Emma shoots Otto and kills him. Fast Forward, Wife Emma wants to hire a biographer to write her life story and start from the beginning. Wife Emma is a fascinating person and I love how she finds out about the affair and earns her place on the board of the San Antonio Brewing Company = the same company she helped her husband start. Then to find out it is a true story is even more exciting! Great read!

Once again, Camille DiMaio has taken a piece of history and brought it to life with her enthralling characters and storyline.
Focusing on the story of Emma and Otto Koehler, She relates the prohibition – era tale of a young brewery and its growth to one of the largest breweries in San Antonio...largely due to Emma’s relentless mission and business savvy. But behind the scenes, all was not well with Otto and Emma’s marriage, culminating in Otto’s murder, though not by his wife. His philandering with two other women - also named Emma - leads to his demise.
Emma’s story is chronicled by a young woman, Mabel, who is hired by Emma to write her story as she nears the end of her days. Mabel moves into Emma’s mansion and meet Emma’s large extended family, while dealing with the dissolution of her own: her fiancé calling off their engagement, her father an alcoholic, losing one brother to war at her other missing in action. Will Emma ever find her own happiness?
There is much more than I shall relate here, but the story is rich, enjoyable, and well written. Please don’t pass this one up: it is well worth the read.

A fascinating story based on true crime will hook me every time. The coincidence with three women involved having the same name proves truth is stranger than fiction. Mabel's character had some pretty trite dialogue--and it seemed to wrap too quickly in the third act.

This is a great book written by a fantastic author and is based on true events. I was instantly hooked and I highly recommend!

This is a great piece of historical fiction!! I loved the fact that it is based on true events, as that added another layer to the enjoyment of this. The author was able to navigate between the past and.1043 without any issues or momentum lost for the reader. Overall, this was an amazing read! I am definitely going to read more from this author!!

A really good historical novel narrated by two women, Emma and Mabel. Emma the wife of Otto Koehler, a brewery mogul during the late 19th and early 20th centuries follows Otto to San Antonio, Texas where Otto works for Anheuser-Busch. Soon Otto leaves A-B to start his own brewery. Mabel is a young woman from Baltimore whose mother is dead, her father is an alcoholic living on the streets, one brother is dead (WW2) and her other brother is missing in action. She leaves her employment after her boss becomes amorous. She answers an ad she comes across by chance in the newspaper for a writer and is chosen by Emma. Emma wants someone to write down her memories. Soon Emma and Mabel form a relationship which is beneficial to both, Emma looks upon Mabel as the daughter she never had and Mabel feels as though she has gained a mother figure. Emma has an extended family, nieces, nephews and cousins who she has sponsored coming to America who gather for Sunday dinners. At Mabel’s first dinner she meets Bernard (Eric) who she had previously met on one of her walks (as Eric). There is a instant attraction but they do not let on that they had previously met. The novel relates Emma’s past life (through Mabel taking notes) and Mabel’s life in the present. Throughout the novel you are anxiously awaiting Emma’s telling her life story while watching Mabel and Eric’s relationship develop. The details about the brewery business are fascinating. Mabel’s contributions and her eventual taking over the business are amazing for her time. Mabel takes the business through prohibition and the depression without laying off one employee. The novel has the requisite love story but it is seamlessly woven into the story. A very good historical novel which tells you about a fascinating woman.

Thank you to Wyatt-Mackenzie Publishing and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. This was a very interesting, attention-getting story. It is based on the real murder of a rich tycoon named Otto Koehler. He was murdered by one of his mistresses. Ironically, his wife and both of his mistresses are all named Emma. His wife has decided to share the events of her life and his murder before she dies. She engages a young lady named Mabel to come and be her companion and record the story. I really liked how the author used this technique to tell the story. I also liked the newspaper clippings at the beginning of each chapter to give information about this crime. I liked it! Highly recommend!.

I was hooked from the start of this book! The author's style flows smoothly and the characters are memorable. The true story it was loosely based on was intriguing. It's definitely one I will be recommending to everyone!

This is the first book I have read by Camile DiMaio and now I plan to read more. The story is about strong women , love , betrayal ,and gumption. The time is during the prohibition. Camile DiMaio does a great job with her characters, bringing them to life. The way she portrays them in telling their stories in two different time periods is excellent. This book was hard to put down and I highly recommend it.

<i> "Recreate herself into whatever this person in Texas wanted her to be. Aspiring writer? Mabel would become a fire-eating acrobat if it meant the chance to escape from this cold confinement." </i>

Real Rating: 3.5

I was pleasantly surprised by <b> The First Emma. </b> I thought it would be another one of those, <i> "I stuck by my husband, despite his infidelity..." </i> type of stories at first, but I was quickly proven wrong.

Emma K (the original Emma) was a spicy character. Although she was old and growing senile, there were moments where her gumption and wicked nature were shown (case in point: leading Ernestina on. Loved it).

And while I did actually enjoy the cute romance between Erik and Mabel, I found Mabel herself to be a bit bland. Not in the sense that I despised her, but in the sense that I was more focused on the scenes where she was more of secondary character, in a way. I found her to have traditional values of kindness, etc. etc., but nothing that made her outwardly POP to me.

I also think the descriptions of brewery were a bit heavy. I skipped through them, because I didn't really enjoy reading about yeast, mother yeast, and other brewing things.

But overall, a very enjoyable read.