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.
I’ve read every single one of Camille Di Maio’s books and have loved them all. With The First Emma, she has done it again: she’s given historical fiction lovers a book that starts off with a bang and keeps the pages turning until the very end. The First Emma is a fascinating portrait of a woman way ahead of her time. History may have forgotten Emma Koehler, but Di Maio brings her to life in story filled with admirable industriousness and insights into life during prohibition. Smart, fast-paced, and expertly crafted. Can’t wait for her next book!
Camille di Maio has yet to disappoint me with her exceptional story telling. Beginning with The Memory of Us, I have loved every one of her novels and The First Emma is no exception. The prologue establishes the location of San Antonio, Texas in 1914, introducing readers to German-born Otto Koehler, one of the richest men in the United States. Included in his vast holdings is Pearl Brewery, a commanding presence in San Antonio. Surprisingly, we are also introduced to the three Emmas in his life … a wife and two mistresses.
Chapter One relocates to Baltimore in 1942, where we meet nineteen-year-old Mabel Hartley, whose life is about to fall apart. Searching for a complete change, Mabel responds to an ad searching for a writer to pen the memoir of an elderly woman in San Antonio … the widow Emma Koehler, who is not expected to live much longer.
From this point, Mabel is drawn into an environment of wealth, dysfunctional family and drama beyond her wildest imagination. The story moves between past and present, including the dark history of war, the Great Depression, Prohibition, and the struggles of a brave, determined, intelligent woman to succeed in a male-dominated business. Learning the details of the brewing industry was of particular interest to me as I have a son who is a brewmaster. In her conversations with Mabel, Emma Koehler unfolds a fascinating, privileged, challenged life.
Mabel experiences her own metamorphosis through her time in this environment and the blossoming of mutual affection with Emma. The possibility of romantic love for Mabel weaves into the story adding another layer of interest.
There is so much to recommend in this novel and I thank Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.
There are a handful of authors I trust implicitly. No matter the subject of their next book, I will pick it up on or before publication day, no questions asked. Camille Di Maio is one of those authors. Her historical stories are usually center on women finding their place in the world and are guaranteed to be interesting, thought provoking and dramatic. In The First Emma, Di Maio writes about real life people for the first time.
The story centers on Emma Koehler, the namesake of the boutique Hotel Emma in San Antonio and the spitfire wife of entrepreneur Otto Koehler. When Otto is murdered by one of his two mistresses, both coincidentally named Emma, his wife finds her inner strength and takes over Pearl Brewery (which is now the Hotel Emma), the business closest to her heart. Despite her challenges—she’s confined to a wheelchair since a horrible car accident years ago—she loves the business and will do anything to make sure it doesn’t fail during the difficult years of prohibition.
Emma is truly ahead of her time, strong, steadfast and unintimidated. She knows what she wants and won’t let anything or anyone stand in her way.
This line epitomizes her attitude throughout the story:
“There is much in life that is out of our control. The answer is not to give up and crumble. The answer is to find a way around it, no matter the difficulty. No matter how impossible the obstacles.”
We meet Emma when she’s in her eighties and has decided to hire a young woman, Mabel Hartley, to write her life story. Mabel finds inspiration in Emma’s incredible story, using it to spur other women to believe in themselves.
Mabel says,
“I hope to encourage women to get into business and forge their own path in the world.”
I loved everything about this wonderful story—the immersive storytelling, the descriptive details about Texas during the first half of the twentieth century and the riveting narrative featuring two compelling heroines. Though Emma’s life story is really the focus, the romance and mystery side plots make the story more beautifully layered. Di Maio made me want to travel to San Antonio. I visited as a child and I still remember the Alamo (haha), the Riverwalk, and the missions. If I ever make it there again, I will definitely stay at the gorgeous and unique Hotel Emma
A beautiful historical fiction novel that will draw you into the life of Emma Koehler. She was an amazing individual and a lady ahead of her time. The author does a wonderful job of drawing you into the story as soon as you open the book and read the first word. And you will not be able to put it down until you’ve absorbed the last word and slowly closed the book.
I am a huge Camille Di Maio fan and her well-researched books are a delight to read. She does an amazing job of providing the historical details in an interesting manner that weaves a story you will enjoy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. I strongly encourage you to read this book! I know that I will be reading every book Ms. Di Maio will write in the future. She is a gem!
This was the kind of historical fiction novel that I really enjoy – not only was it a well-written novel but I also learned about people and situations that were new for me. It’s a dual time line book told by Emma in 1914 and Mabel in 1943. Both of these women are strong and brave and feminists in the time they live in.
I loved Emma and Mabel as characters. They are both strong women living in a man’s world and are able to defy conventions of their time and take control of their lives. The two stories mesh together seamlessly because both women have a story to tell. The author definitely did a lot of research into the two time periods and gave us a vivid picture of life in 1914 as well as 1943. This is a story of love and family, of betrayal and commitment and of two women who made their own paths through times when women were considered to be second class and men ruled the world. Emma and Mabel, especially Emma, are characters that I won’t soon forget. This is another great novel by Camille Di Maio.
NOTE: Be sure to read the Author’s notes at the end of the novel to find out more about the real family that this book was based on and the research that the author did to write this book.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Prohibition, a beer-brewing empire and a woman at it helm. Romance, suspense, a trip back in time, and beautiful storytelling. This is quintessential Camille DiMaio!
Interesting store about a true woman who was extremely successful in the early 21 century.
Enjoyable. I’m from Texas. Didn’t know about Emma
This story follows Emma Koehler, from her newly married status with love and stars in her eyes to her death bed, a powerful woman with a head for business, the beer business, and her extended family. As Emma knows and accepts her life is coming to an end, she recruits another young woman, Mabel Hartley, to write her story, but she just might have an ulterior motive! Emma’s story comes to life as she tells Mabel, who has her own story, of her life thru a series of talks over a span of months.
I picked up this book, and before I knew it I was halfway done. But, I’ve learned to expect this from a Camille DiMaio book. Her books are beautifully written, a history lesson and life lesson rolled into one. As with all her historical fiction, DiMaio breathes life into this little known but amazing woman who had to fight thru gender bias, a philandering husband, the crime of the century, prohibition and war. We see a whole different side of prohibition and Emma’s struggle to keep her company and employees afloat. The character in the story come to life, and you quickly become invested in their story.
Thanks to Ms. DiMaio, Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone!
Tremendous Work. What happens when an author wants to write about a fascinating real world person, but there is precious little documentation of that real-world person’s life? Well, if you’re Camille Di Maio, you dig up what you can and you use your considerable story telling abilities to make a plausible story that tells that person’s story in a way that it is the driving focus of the book, but ultimately not the real subject of the story. And Di Maio really does do an excellent job of this with the story telling approach she decided on here. Truly fascinating woman, this Emma Koehler. And Di Maio really does her story justice. Very much recommended.
Beautifully written story of love and betrayal but also of perseverance of a woman during a time where one still didn’t have a strong foothold in the world.
Emma tells her story to Mabel, a hired young woman who is tasked in figuring out how to write down her story. And Emma is a fascinating one – she’s a millionaire widow of a man who had two other Emmas in a little house down the street. For his own pleasure. She wants to tell Mabel, how she lived her full and long live and outlasted the rest of her family.
It is a feel good book. It has a little romance and chivalry, and beautiful notes of feminism. It is definitely not my usual kind of read, but I liked the change in my usual repertoire.
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 book more than 5 stars!!!
A very well written book. It has two story lines and I found both just as interesting. I love stories with strong women characters and this one has two. I’ve read several books by this author and all are great! I truly enjoyed this story about a women who became very successful in a man’s industry.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
Emma is a sweet girl who dreams of the perfect marriage. When she marries Otto in 1914, it is anything but a dream come true. In 1943, Mabel answers an ad for a woman dying in San Antonio who wants to publish her life’s story. The First Emma tells the story of 2 amazing women. I loved Emma’s story as she was a strong woman who knew what she wanted and went after it. She was an amazing woman. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
The First Emma by Camille Di Maio was a thoroughly enjoyable historical read, based on true facts. Ms. Di Maio has a true talent for taking facts and creating a story that seeps into you with characters that seem as real to you as your closest friend. A must-read for those interested in knowing people who played a part big or small in history. You’ll love this book as much as her others.
The First Emma is absolutely amazing! I’ve recently discovered Camille Di Maio and her writing is fantastic. She is such a great storyteller, and you can tell she puts an immense amount of research into her books. Based on true events. this story is full of mystery and romance, and a must read for any historical fiction fan. Di Maio takes you through the Prohibition and the Great Depression and all of the obstacles Emma had to overcome. I don’t want to give too much away, but you will finish this book with so much more knowledge than what you started with. Highly recommended!
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
The First Emma by Camille Di Maio is an excellent historical fiction piece that is centered on a real life amazing woman, Emma Koehler.
I have been a huge fan of Ms Di Maio and have loved reading all of her works, and this one did not disappoint.
I knew nothing of this strong, feisty, fiery, imaginative, innovative, and amazing woman that was unappreciated during her time. After reading, I was inspired to learn more about Emma online. I am so glad I was able to read about a strong, passionate woman that held her own, especially at a time that was plagued by so many problems at home, and across the globe at war. It is also remarkable considering that this was still “ a man’s world” at this time. Keeping all of these factors in mind, it just awes me at just how impressive Emma had been.
I also learned a great deal about the history of breweries in America, as well as some of the information on how it is made and produced. I a absolutely love reading books were, not only do I enjoy myself, but I also learn something new.
I enjoyed the author’s spin on creating Mabel, and telling Emma’s story through this character. I thought Mabel was a great addition, and a like able and strong character that I most certainly was able to identify with. I also enjoyed the dash of romance.
I loved the ending and the Author’s note giving us fact vs fiction and adding more information to the history of Emma Koehler.
Only the amazing Ms Camille Di Maio could do it all, and do it all so well. Another treasure from an excellent author.
5/5 stars
I have read each book Camille Di Maio has written and each one is better than the previous! This is just a wonderful, informative trip back in time that everyone will enjoy!
This is a historical fiction novel retold in 1943 to a young lady named Mabel Hartley.
She has been hired to write the memoir of the brilliant Emma Koehler, a quiet trend setter, that began in the early nineteen hundred’s at Pearl Brewery in Texas.
As life is winding down for Mrs. Koehler, there are other pressing needs on her agenda to finish up before she leaves this world.
Hence- the need for Mabel; who will also learn many invaluable lessons from this lovely woman.
There are no coincidences in life and this is proven throughout this journey with Mrs. Koehler and Mabel!
Let me say it again- I loved this novel!
I’ve read all of Camille Di Maio’s books, and I can honestly say she gets better and better with each one. A brilliant storyteller and fabulous writer makes for a moving, hard-to-put-down read. That’s THE FIRST EMMA.
When Emma Koehler’s tycoon husband Otto is murdered by one of his many mistresses (conveniently named Emma), the first Emma moves through her solitary life at the helm of the brewery business with a remarkable story to share.
Upon her deathbed, Emma plucks the young, disheartened Mabel Hartley from Baltimore to share her colorful tale. And it is through these conversations that the reader is taken on a journey through the history of the San Antonio beer industry, war-torn Prohibition, complicated relationships and the resiliency of one brave, formidable woman.
Di Maio does a brilliant job of weaving together all the threads–from past to present–while unearthing a tale of blossoming love, the power of our chosen family, and the losses that make us whole again.