Sometimes the perfect partner has four paws…
Emily Main had it all: a high-powered career with a leading technology giant and a handsome fiancé bounding up the corporate ladder. Their island wedding and honeymoon were idyllic-until a tragic accident causes her retinas to detach.Her well-ordered life is shattered as all treatments are unsuccessful and she slips into blindness. How will those … she slips into blindness. How will those around her cope with her tragedy? Can she rebuild her life in this most unwelcome, new normal?
Meanwhile, a black lab puppy named Garth fulfills his destiny to become that most esteemed of all creatures: a guide dog.
Guiding Emily is a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and courage as Garth and Emily make their way to each other.
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Just like with Daisy Jones & The Six, I felt like I had to keep checking to make sure this story wasn’t real! Emily’s story felt so authentic and intriguing, without all the unnecessary hype that sends a reader diving into disbelief.
Also related to DJ+6, for the audiobook we also have two stellar narrators reading Guiding Emily. I loved them then and I loved them here. Garth’s dog voice was perfectly served up by Fred Berman, and come one, who doesn’t love Julia Whelan in, like, everything she does?
I’m more of a thriller or sci-fi fan, so this purely fiction novel was definitely a choice outside my comfort zone, but I’m glad I chose it because it was such a refreshing and eye-opening (pardon the pun) view of ordinary life being hit with extraordinary circumstances. I could feel Emily’s anguish, as well as Garth’s enthusiasm. It wasn’t totally a feel good book, but I believe I’m a better person for having read it.
Profound story. I closed the pages of Barbara’s novel and sighed with satisfaction.
I loved this story. I can tell that a lot of research was done because I have a friend who is blind and has a guide dog. These dogs are so special. I absolutely love Garth and hearing his thoughts. Wonderful! Who hasn’t wondered what an animal was thinking? Emily could be anyone of us in the same or similar situation. I admire her strength. I hope we all have a friend like Dhruv. I can’t wait to read the next story to see what is happening. If you haven’t read a book by Barbara Hinske, I hope you will. I have loved each one I have read.
Five paws up! Beautiful, heart felt story of Emily and her dog Garth. During a tragic accident on her honeymoon, Emily loses her vision. This story covers all the heartbreak and emotions she goes thru dealing with her blindness. Parallel is Garths journey to become a Guide Dog and Emily’s best friend. Also is the story of her relationship with her husband and how he is unable to understand how life has just changed.
I highly recommend this book.
This is truly an uplifting, heartfelt story told in alternating chapters between Emily and her best friend, Garth.
You will love Garth as we follow him from puppyhood to his job of guide dog.
His “Person” Emily is also learning to live with a challenge and to overcome heartbreak and anguish!
However- I know anyone who reads this journey of two souls will love it and will cheer them both on!!
Well done!!
Multi-talented writer Barbara Hinske has come up with yet another winner in her best book yet. I say multi-talented because this is even another genre that she has spread her talents to.
Ms. Hinske explores the challenges faced by Emily as she becomes blind and has to navigate a new world – both figuratively and literally. As she finds the means to do this the reader is also treated to Garth’s world as the black lab follows his path to potentially becoming a guide dog.
I had not realized the depth of training that one receives when newly blind, nor what one is still capable of accomplishing in his or her new world. We readers are lucky to have a view into the world of the blind and its possiblilties and hope. Guiding Emily will bring tears to your eyes while it warms your heart. Treat yourself to this wonderful story.
This is a wonderful story about a woman who loses her eyesight on her honeymoon. Emily’s story is so touching as she goes through surgery, the rigid recuperation process, losing almost all of her eyesight, her depression, her friendship with the little girl next door, her training at the foundation, the support of her co-workers and her relationship with her husband. Garth, the guide dog, has his own chapters as he details his training with his puppy-raising family, and the dangers of service dogs with no training and credentials bought over the internet. Wish I could give this book 10 stars!
My Review: 5 – Star Rating!!!!
What an uplifting story of happiness, marriage, friendships, tragedy, courage, strength and fortitude, it took Emily, to rebuild her life, after a tragic accident, left her permanently blind, due to Retinal Detachment, in both eyes.
It was so surreal to see Emily deal with her tragic accident and become blind and then to navigate through all of her emotions. Emily had to learn everyday living again, in a world geared to sight. It showed the reader not only Emily’s emotions, but also how her blindness affected her husband and their family dynmanic. Also, it showed her mother’s emotional reaction to help her daughter, with whatever she needed, so Emily could regain her life back in a new sightless world. Emily had to reach deep inside to find all the courage and strength she could, to rebuild her new, sightless life.
Emily found friendships and strength through her co-workers and one in particular Dhruv, that gave Emily the encouragement to move on and take her life back! Also, the eight year old little girl Zoe, next door, was the one that found Garth, her sight dog, which gave Emily, her independent life, once again.
Once I began reading Guiding Emily, I couldn’t out the book down! I highly recommend this book, Guiding Emily, by Barbara Hinske. Release date: June 12th, on Amazon!
A beautiful story of triumph, learning what you’re made of and following your heart and dreams. This was a wonderfully written emotional story that will keep you listening (or reading). We learn in alternating chapters about Emily’s journey and that of Garth, her canine soulmate service dog in training. I wouldn’t have minded if the husband was just a little less of a horrible human being. I knew he was a jerk from chapter one, but the level of narcissism had me wondering why Emily, an otherwise smart and together person would have been and stayed with him in the first place. He was a 15 on a scale of 10 for the ick factor. That said,it was still an amazing listen.