I am excited to bring you my book review of The First Emma by Camille Di Maio on book blogger tour with Suzy Approved Book Tours. This book is based on a true story and I am thrilled to share my thoughts with you.

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About The Book: 

Publication Date: May 5, 2020

Camille Di Maio’s fifth novel THE FIRST EMMA is the true story of Emma Koehler, whose tycoon husband Otto was killed in a crime-of-the-century murder by one of his two mistresses—both also named Emma—and her unlikely rise as CEO of a brewing empire during Prohibition. When a chance to tell her story to a young teetotaler arises, a tale unfolds of love, war, beer, and the power of women.

Miss W’s Review:

5 incredible stars! 

I am a huge fan of Camille Di Maio having read The Way of Beauty and The Beautiful Strangers.

I was really excited to read The First Emma and boy was I blown away.

This novel is based on true events, which I found fascinating.

The First Emma is an extremely well written story of Emma Koelher. Emma Koehler is the widow of Otto Koehler who had owned a Brewing company in the early 1920’s.

Emma has not lived an easy life and her late husband has extramarital affairs with two other women named Emma who were immigrants from Germany. After enduring a car accident the other two Emma’s came to care for the “First Emma”, one of whom possibly killed Otto.

About 20 years later , The First Emma hires an assistant to tell her story, and that is when we meet Mabel.

I was ABSOLUTELY captivated by this story. The research the author did is authentic and quite impressive.

I very much enjoyed the alternating timelines between the 1920’s and 1943 when Mable was helping Emma write the book about her life.

Emma is fiercely independent and does not care so much about the affairs as she does about keeping power in the brewing company.

The First Emma is a fast paced historical fiction story that will leave you on the edge of your seat. I fell in love with Emma and her fierceness and determination.

This book is a MUST READ ! I wish I could give this more than 5 stars!

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 twenty-one years, she enjoys raising 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 doesn’t involve heights, roller skates, or anything illegal.

https://www.camilledimaio.com/

Her books include: 

THE MEMORY OF US – Amazon bestseller, finalist for the Holt Medallion Award for Literary Excellence.

BEFORE THE RAIN FALLS – Holt Medallion finalist, GDRWA finalist

THE WAY OF BEAUTY – Amazon bestseller in the UK and Australia

THE BEAUTIFUL STRANGERS- Pulpwood Queens Book Club Pick, Once Upon a Book Club Pick

Pre-order your copy of The First Emma HERE!

Let me know what you think in the comments.

Until the next chapter,

Wilfrieda