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Review: The First Emma

The First Emma by Camille Di Maio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

📚 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀! If you like books with a strong female protagonist, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮 by Camille Di Maio is the book for you. Emma Koehler knows that her life is coming to an end. She hires Mabel Hartley to record her story, but she has also an ulterior motive to bring this young woman in her home. Emma’s story starts with leaving her beloved family and town of St. Louis to follow her new husband, Otto, to start their new life in San Antonio, Texas. They will start a successful brewery that will become dear to Emma. While on a business trip to Germany, Otto and Emma are in a car accident that leaves Emma crippled. Emma is determined to walk again and with the help of two German nurses named Emma Dumpke and Emma Burgemeister, she does. But her struggles do not end there. She soon finds out that Otto is being unfaithful. This discovery only confirms what Emma already knew about the state of her marriage. She uses this to her advantage and blackmails her husband to give her more decision power for the brewery. After Otto is murdered by one of his mistresses, Emma will turn her energy to make the brewery a success despite the many obstacles that will present themselves. Through resourcefulness, the brewery will survive Prohibition and the Great Depression. Emma Koehler is truly a remarkable woman who had an extraordinary business acumen and ingenuity.

This book is inspired by true events that took place between 1886 and 1943 and it is a wonderful and uplifting story.

🙋🏼‍♀️ Thank you, 𝗪𝘆𝗮𝘁𝘁-𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗞𝗲𝗻𝘇𝗶𝗲 for sending me an ARC of this inspiring novel. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗘𝗺𝗺𝗮 by Camille Di Maio is available at your favourite bookstore today.


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