Growing the Circle: Book Six of the Guiding Emily Series

Guiding Emily #6

by Barbara Hinske

It’s summertime, but the living isn’t easy. With Dhruv on paternity leave, Emily Main is busier than ever. When she hits an unexpected roadblock at work, can she turn her adversary into an ally?

Meanwhile, Dhruv and Stephanie discover that parenting a newborn is a challenge—and the baby isn’t the problem.

Sylvia interrupts her fun family vacation to take a stand in support of a stranger in need. Will her selfless act find her dancing her way to the love she thought she’d never find again? At the same time, Martha and Doug deepen their bond over a life-changing addition that surprises even their family.

Follow along as Emily and Garth embrace their expanding world.

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 12, 2025

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Barbara Hinske is an attorney who recently left the practice of law to pursue her career as a full-time novelist. She inherited the fiction gene from her father who wrote mysteries when he retired and told her a story every night of her childhood. Barbara is the bestselling author of the beloved Rosemont series; the acclaimed Guiding Emily series; a collection of murder mystery thrillers in her "Who's There?" collection; and her sweet Christmas novellas The Christmas Club (adapted for the Hallmark Channel in 2019), Paws & Pastries, and No Matter How Far.

She and her husband share their own Rosemont with two adorable and spoiled dogs. She is besotted with decorating, entertaining, cooking and gardening. Now that her novel The Christmas Club has been made into a Hallmark Channel movie, she is completely star-struck and thrilled to have her work on the screen.

Reviews

[Barbara Hinske]

I’m excited that Emily Main’s journey through life, with Garth at her side, continues in book 6 of the series. Emily and her new husband are juggling challenges—sometimes successfully and sometimes not—as they blend their families and cope with the demands of their busy careers. Being blind, Emily clears every hurdle of daily life by doing things differently from a sighted person.

Two new characters join the cast. Frank Blake is a blind musician who plays the accordion in a polka band and is a fabulous dancer. He’s charming and just might become someone’s love interest. You’ll have to read the book to find out. I know very little about polka dancing and spent many fun hours watching YouTube videos of wedding receptions featuring polka bands. This character is loosely based on the real-life father of the person who gave me the tour of the Foundation for Blind Children, where the idea for Guiding Emily popped into my mind.

The other new character is Lonny—another black lab guide dog—who looks remarkably like Garth. Lonny is based on a guide dog puppy I met through the sweet mother/daughter team who are his puppy raisers. As I write this, Lonny has completed his guide dog training and is waiting to be matched with his “Emily”.

One last tidbit: The cat on the cover is based on the full-of-personality feline owned by one of my new visually impaired friends.

I hope you enjoy this latest installment as much as I loved writing it.
Xo,
Barb

[Lisa G. Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

SHARING THEIR LOVE

I was captivated when author Barbara Hinske wrote the GUIDING EMILY series! I must admit, it also helps that one of the main characters is a beautiful black Labrador Retriever named Garth—my favorite breed and color. I even own two black Labradors myself! Garth is a guide dog, and his owner is Emily. These two are truly made for each other.

In the sixth book of the series, GROWING THE CIRCLE, Hinske continues to showcase Garth's perspective brilliantly. It’s a unique experience to read from his viewpoint and feel as though you’re interacting with the plot through him. Garth takes his role in caring for Emily very seriously, whether they are at home, at work, traveling, or resting. Their bond goes deeper than that of a woman and her dog.

In this new release, Emily faces new challenges at work. Her right-hand man, Dhruv, is on paternity leave, which adds to her responsibilities. Dhruv and his wife, Stephanie, discover that there are more challenges with a newborn than just dealing with the baby! Emily and her family take a much-needed vacation, during which Sylvia steps in to assist someone in need. This act of kindness could change the course of her future forever. Additionally, Garth, who has never been fond of cats, may find one making its way into their family. Hinske also details a family member's early journey as a foster for a guide dog puppy. Learning about their training has encouraged me to be more diligent with my own pup, who is around the same age! As things evolve, Emily, Garth, and their friends are all growing their circle by sharing their love.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the author/publisher. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

[Blaine Jemming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book that I could not put down. The guiding Emily series is definitely a great series! Now I will anxiously wait for book 7.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another amazing book, I hope their's a book 7!

[Pam Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent addition to the series. So much love and friendship between the characters. The bond between owner and d guiding is truly heartwarming. Blind friends Emily and Stephanie truly support each other throughout life’s journeys. Alternate chapters told from the POV of Garth, Emily’s guide dog. Garth shares tidbits of his life’s a guide dog with amusing anecdotes in his stories. A new character is added, Frank a blind musician with a guide dog Lonny.

The reader also learns about the biases and problems the blind community faces in interviews and job hunting. Guide dog training is also explored as a new guide dog puppy starts training.

A truly heartwarming story.

Thank you to the author for this ARC. This review is my honest opinion.

[Phyllis Jones Pisanelli Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Couldn’t wait to share this review with you. I just finished Growing the Circle by Barbara Hinske last night. It is book six in the Guiding Emily series that she is writing. I started reading her books when she was writing a series with multiple authors. I had the chance to read Tarts and Turnovers in another series and loved it. When she offered me Growing the Circle, I jumped on it. She has a good talent for pulling you in and giving you enough back information to keep you from being confused.

This story is about a blind woman named Emily and her guide dog Garth. Emily lost her sight in a hiking accident. She has done a good job of recovering and learning new skills in her life to allow her to have a normal family and work life. She is a very inspiring character. I liked the characters she developed for this story. Most of them are very kind, but we do learn how things can go very wrong for a blind person when someone inadvertently moves something that is important.  

The best part of the book if you are a dog lover is learning more about guide dogs and how they are trained to do their jobs. I enjoyed learning about puppy raisers. They are people that raise a puppy to be a guide dog for the first year of their life. The pups need to learn basic commands and they need to be socialized in public to go where most animals are not allowed. There is a two year wait for a guide dog because there are not enough puppy raisers. I would love to do that but, it would be spoiled rotten and not any good to a blind person.

I really can’t wait until I have time to go back and read the first five books of this series. I am so interested and invested already in these characters that I am looking forward to spending more time with them. 

If you love books with animals and people who overcome challenges in their lives, then the Guiding Emily series and Growing the Circle by Barbara Hinske are books that should be on your radar. They would make a great addition to your nightstand. Until next time…Happy Reading!

Don’t forget to support the authors you read by leaving a review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions I have expressed are my own and I was not required to write a review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

[Charlie Sandino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very well written and interesting book, this sixth opus in the series "Guiding Emily" books. I really enjoyed this read. Lovely characters, amazing guide dogs!
The storytelling was so insightful and informative, about how life really can be for blind people together with their guide dogs. The day to day life, work, holidays and the family dynamics Emily is very busy professionally, holding a workshop for job seekers, the importance of getting an independent life after going blind. Emily also advocates that even she as a blind person can do anything a sighted programmer does using her screen reader. Em has gained many skills after becoming blind. The story also shares the different lives of sighted and non sighted within Em's family and friends. We get acquainted with several of these people who have their fantastic guide dogs. There are also the younger, new generation of guide dogs, the young puppies who will need their first training family homes. It's so nice to get to know the different dogs and their owners, how several of the stories are part of an ever growing family circle. Guide dogs have helped make their owners independent, such as working, traveling not being afraid of being around and about. The book also takes us to where, Garth is sharing tidbits with us of his life as Em's guide dog. I can definitely recommend this read, it most certainly leaves an impression on the reader. The title perfectly defines the book. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to have read this book.
Charlotte N

[Susan Hamann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been enjoying this series and this book is no exception. It's been an enlightening experience to learn, through these fictional characters, the challenges and successes that sight-challenged people go through. Each book highlights some technology or convenience that help blind people to hold challenging full time jobs and to be independent in this busy world. The story mainly focuses on Emily and her guide dog Garth. Garth's chapters are told from his point of view. One of the things that stood out for me in this book is the great need for puppy raisers - people who raise puppies specifically to be guide dogs. There is a long wait for guide dogs and a big contributing factor is that there aren't enough people raising puppies for the program. Another thing that I was impressed with is a support system that exists for sighted people who immediately help blind people who are in short term need of help. The example in this book was when a new mother couldn't find her baby's medication in her refrigerator because a well meaning person had reorganized it. She called a support number for help and a volunteer helped to find the medication by using the camera on the blind person's phone. What a wonderful service and tool!

The books are written at a level that readers of almost any age can read and enjoy. Thanks Barbara Hinske for writing this series.

[JoAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

GROWING THE CIRCLE is the sixth book in the Guiding Emily series by Barbara Hinske and I’m looking forward to reading more books in this heartwarming series. Favorite characters continue to play a significant role and we are introduced to new ones as well.

I was drawn into the story from the first page to the last especially since we picked up where we left off with the previous book. Multiple stories are being told and woven together nicely. There is a new romantic interest for an established character that was uplifting and spread happiness with its sweetness. I loved how Emily’s guide dog, Garth is not only front and center but also we hear his point of view throughout. The addition of several new animals enriched the story with additional layers.

The story flowed smoothly with many emotions touched on and heartfelt moments shared between the multitude of characters. Although the story ended on a happy note it did end abruptly. The list of recurring characters was a nice touch but several needed updating.

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded up to 5 stars here and on other sites.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily is still finding a few coworkers who don’t feel she’s capable of doing a proper job and overlook her instructions, and she’s not having it. She takes things into her own hands and gets the job done. She’s also up against some illegal discrimination against her guide dog, Garth. Emily, her husband, Grant, and their girls, are always busy, as usual, but find time to take a vacation that covers fun things that they each picked out to visit. Grant’s mother, Sylvia, also goes on the trip.
Dhruv and Stephanie are finding that life with a newborn can be a challenge. Both are more than capable of caring for their baby, even though Stephanie is blind, but other problems develop that cause concern and anxiety for the new parents.

In this book, we’re introduced to Frank Blake, a blind musician, and Lonny, a guide dog in training. Both fit in perfectly and Frank is becoming good friends with Sylvia. We also get to catch up with Martha and Doug.

I love this series!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Judy Rube-Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first glance into the “Guiding Emily” series and I was really impressed with how good this book was.I was a little familiar with the series as I did see the Hallmark movie based on”Guiding Emily”. This book was a great story about the guide dogs and their”People”. I really liked how Ms. Hensky went in detail about several different things dog raisers, soap and family life. The book was well written - as all her books are.Ms Hensky is a great writer and I have read some of her other book and always enjoyed them. Now i’ hooked on The “guiding Emily” series and will read the complete series over the next couple of weeks. Im a retired senior and I read at least an hour or two each day. ‘Growing the Circle” was a very feel good book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone and will to my friends.

[Marcia A. Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barb Hinske has given us another deep dive into Garth’s family and extended family. This time the focus is on the biases that some seeing people have against the sight disabled community in the business place and how those biases are handled especially when the “boss” is visually impaired. There is also a catch-up on Stephanie and Dhruv’s challenges as new parents. We go on a vacation with Emily and family and introduce Frank and Lonny, a blind accordion player and his guide dog, who is likely to become Sylvia’s love interest. Garth is also introduced to a new family cat and his exposure is quite unexpected. Growing the Circle shows how Emily and Garth continue to expand their world especially the four legged members of their extended family. A very enjoyable read with an educational hint in training guide dogs as well as educating the uninformed.

[Victoria Bahnsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of this series (and good fiction in general) will enjoy this latest addition to the Guiding Emily series. I continue to be impressed with how skillfully the author weaves cultural and social issues into the stories. Whether it's the everyday challenges of new parents, the extracurricular time (and money) spent by teachers to create engaging learning environments, or more serious issues like prejudices against visually- and hearing- impaired persons and the incredibly long wait times for guide dogs, I think she strikes just the right balance. I also love that the characters aren't perfect but are kind and learn from their mistakes and the older characters are still having fun and finding romance.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much love and so much to love in Growing the Circle. I love that Ms. Hinske writes about such diverse characters with such warmth. Emily is blind. Stephanie & Dhruv are new parents. Even Garth, Emily's guide dog gets his own chapters. Without lecturing, Ms. Hinske shows the prejudice against differently abled people - especially in the work place. Her characters make mistakes and have some flaws, but they learn and grow - becoming better versions of themselves. Will Emily be able to change the the mindset of a adversarial co worker? Can Dhruv become less of a workaholic? I am always drawn into the world Ms. Hinske creates. I love her championship for the blind. This well written book kept me completely engaged from beginning to end!

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always so happy to get to visit with Emily, Garth and their family and friends. I love how their circle of family and friends continue to grow. I have been around guide dogs and maybe that’s why this series is so special to me. If you haven’t, let me just say this is spot on. Only the ones I’ve know I didn’t really know what they were saying, like Garth. I wish I could be a puppy raiser. What an awesome thing to do for someone you don’t even know. I never want the book or story to end. Thank you, Barbara Hinske for writing this series!! I received an ARC of this book, but my opinion is my own.

[Eleanor Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emily and family

I so enjoy reading this series. Barbara Hinske is particularly good in this series that she writes because I know nothing of being blind, no one in my family has ever been blind. I have never met a guide dog for the blind. It is very interesting to see the progression in the lives of the dogs and the people in this series.
Having three blind people who are friends in the same book, maybe pushing it a little, but I understand that she is acquainting us with the abilities of the blind and the darling dogs that take care of them.
Keep on producing more books in this series Barbara

[Tammy Schafer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy Barbara Hinske's books and the 6th book in the Guiding Emily series is no exception. The characters are always well developed and I really love the friendships between them all. I enjoyed the introduction of Frank and Lonny. The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars is that I felt this book did not have a plot twist or event that drew me in like the other five books. It was just kind of a story about every day life as it occurs for Emily, Grant, Stephanie and Dhruv and their families. But don't let that deter you! I still highly recommend it and am looking forward to the 7th book in the series!

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many things going on it this one! Emily has to deal with an annoying subordinate, but ultimately proves herself to him. Grant, Emily, the girls and Grant’s mother, Sylvia, take an end of the summer vacation. Sylvia meets a blind accordion player with a guide dog named Lonny that Garth had already met. Martha becomes a puppy raiser with Doug’s help. Stephanie and Dhruv have a better relationship develop with his mother. And, alas, poor Garth has to put up with a cat in the house! This is a wonderful series, but to fully enjoy it, you must start with Guiding Emily.

[Lori Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a thoroughly enjoyable visit and continuing life adventure with Emily and Garth, and the ever-growing circle of friends and family who love them! This sixth book continues deeply into the world of blind individuals and guide dog training, their capabilities, modern tools available to assist them, and obstacles that can hinder them. Barbara Hinske's research is woven naturally and seamlessly throughout the story. I found the story endearing and educational. I highly recommend this entire book series as well as the movie adaptation, "Guiding Emily", on the Hallmark channel!

[Annette Rorke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Hinske’s Growing the Circle, book 6, in the Guiding Emily series, is a heartwarming, inspirational and informative book that I couldn’t put down. It continues to follow the storyline of Emily, Grant and their growing families and friends old and new. It has new parents Stephanie and Dhruv navigating life with a newborn. It deals with the discrimination the blind face daily, new romance, and even adds two new characters and a pet kitty. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for these new characters in the next book? I feel like they are my family!

[Tammy Morse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing the Circle: Book Six of the Guiding Emily Series.
Barbara Hinske

Emily had a guide dog when she became blind from an accident. The way Emily had Garth a black Lab guide dog. There was other blind people who had a guide dog. Martha took a puppy to train as a guide dog.
The way Barbara wrote thus book was incredibly informative on how dog help the blind.
This was a book that had characters perfectly match. She described in great detail.
I recommend this book if you enjoy reading about dogs.

[Toni Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following blind Emily and Garth her guide dog is both fun and informative with the descriptions of life from a blind persons perspective and her very adorable intelligent dog who speaks into the evolving story. There are new characters, challenges that are very real and interesting to see how they are handled. You will learn a lot while finding the story line keeping you reading to visualize the conclusions. I definitely recommend but had hoped to learn even more before the book ended!

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so good to visit our friends again. Barbara Hinske manages to bring us stories of romance, overcoming challenges, humor, and learning opportunities. I love when Garth is narrating the story, his is a unique perspective. As Garth and Emily’s circle of family and friends grows there is also a growing opportunity for romance and learning more about the world of the blind and what we can do to make their lives easier. I look forward to our next book.

[Karen Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feel good story

Even though I haven’t read the previous books in this series, I really enjoyed this one. I liked learning about the proper way to interact with blind people and am amazed at how brave and confident they are to navigate with their guide dogs and how competent they are with the adaptive technology they use. The characters are interesting, and you’ll want to know more about them.

[Carol Ardeeser · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the circle grows new obstacles arise. An expanding circle brings difficulties but also new resources and opportunities. Emily and friends find the truths, the difficulties and challenges, but also the support that comes from a circle of friends. I love these books and never fail to be amazed at all I've learned and continue to learn about what's available to those who have lost their sight and the wonder of training and the great assets of guide dogs.

[Rosana Cogle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a lovely story about new relationships, and additions to family’s we have grown to love in this series. If you haven’t read the previous books you will soon become familiar with and grow to love the characters in Growing the Circle!! This book speaks of kindness in the work place, kindness for strangers and kindness for family members. We also see the kindness in our furry friends. This is a truly heartwarming story.

[Paulina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t normally read books like this, but I really loved the series. I loved from the first book and how all the characters evolved I loved the way each characters grown throughout the series and I feel like this book really concludes everything well. I also love the perspective from Garth I really appreciated that perspective is it really felt like I was reading it from his point of view. Definitely recommend.

[Corine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading this amazing book in the Guiding Emily series by Barbara Hinske. Growing the Circle continues to deliver such great true to life experiences. This series is especially noteworthy for learning and supporting the visually impaired community, while our hearts are captivated by each character in the story. It leaves you wanting to read more!! Truly an inspiration!!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guide Dogs and Puppies

I don't know how this author does it but her books just keep getting better and better. I loved this latest in the Guiding Emily Series. It has romance, life lessons, comedy and educational information not only about blindness but about places of interest in NY City, Washington, DC and San Francisco. A 5* read for me.😃

[Karla Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another charming book in the Guiding Emily series. It’s nice to read of the day to day life of families. It’s a little on the Pollyanna side, but it’s nice to read a book not steeped in sex and violence. Also great to learn tips of how to (or not to) interact with people who have differences in their physical abilities.