The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Vols. 1 & 2

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion #1-2

by Beth Brower

“I’ve arrived in London without incident. There are few triumphs in my recent life, but I count this as one. My existence of the last three years has been nothing but incident.”

The year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighbourhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric cousin Archibald, her formidable aunt Eugenia and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her unselected journals, however self-incriminating they may be. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook

352 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2026

About the author

Like many of my siblings, I would sneak out of bed, slip into the hallway, and pull my favorite books from the book closet. I read my way through the bottom shelf, then the next shelf up, and the shelf above that, until I could climb to the very top shelf, stacked two layers deep and two layers high, and read the titles of the classics. My desire to create stories grew as I was learning to read them.

Subsequently, I spent my time scribbling in notebooks rather than listening to math lectures at school.

I graduated with a degree in literary studies, and have spent several years working on the novels that keep pounding on the doors of my mind, as none of my characters are very patient to wait their turn. I currently live in Orem, Utah, with my wonderful chemist husband, and books in every room of the house.

Reviews

[Maeghan 🦋 semi-hiatus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will admit that for the first 60 pages I was confused by the hype this was getting but then I actually started liking this very much. It’s cute, sweet, silly & quirky. Looking forward to continuing this series!

[Mark Durden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to begin? This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion has a subtle humour that I found to be uproariously hilarious. My face hurts from laughing and the permanent smile that was on my face as I read. Mystery, social intrigue, repugnant relatives, great expectations, potential romantic relationships that develop at a glacial pace, and ghosts! Everything a young Mark wanted out of Wuthering Heights... and didn't get! (please forgive me if your opinion on that book diverges from mine)

I purchased a physical copy of this book, but upon completion immediately bought the ebook so I could carry it with me everywhere. Simply carrying it in my heart was incredibly inadequate reward for the immeasurable pleasure reading this book brought me. I was highly dismayed to discover that I cannot immediately procure the other volumes in this series where I live. I fear that I may shuffle off this mortal coil before I can read them. Someone fetch me a tincture so I do not succumb to consumption prior to finishing the remaining volumes!

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this book on Bookstagram and my interest was immediately piqued. When one of my fellow bookstagrammers gave it a glowing review, I knew I had to read it.

This is a delightful, charming series centered around Emma, a wonderful, feisty, funny young woman in 1883 in London. The novels are written as journals as Emma shares her thoughts on daily events and happenings in her neighbourhood, with her friends, and other residents of the town. There are references to her sad past which I hope we get to know more about as the series progresses. There are several quirky characters, a lovable cat, several prospective suitors, and Emma’s humorous wit. I really fell in love with her character!

I cannot wait for Volume 3 which is being rereleased in January.

Highly recommend this captivating, engaging series!

[Grace Dionne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need the rest of these books yesterday!

Utterly charming and so fun. I knew I would love this but it’s satisfying to be right.

[Chelsea Cat. · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

This took a bit of time to get into, but was one of those feel good reads with quirky English characters.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you HarperCollins Canada for the ARC.

What a delightfully charming read! I read this at a cottage and had a splendid time with it. I cannot wait to read the next one in January!

Emma, you are such a wonderful lead!

[rivaombrosa ☽ · Rating 2.5 out of 5]

Alle volte scelgo di leggere dei titoli più "leggeri" rispetto a quel che prediligo maggiormente. Tuttavia, noto che la leggerezza infici talmente sulla qualità di uno scritto da rendermelo "pesante", al punto da desiderare di terminarlo al più presto.
Considerazione finale? Carino, ma evitabile.

[Gabrielle Anagnostopoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel this is going to be like the Thursday Murder Club where I'm incapable of giving any of these books less than 5 stars, because what a delightful read from start to finish. I fell in love with our heroine Emma M. Lion, and all the observations and stories in her journals.

I can see what the fuss is about, because these books are just cozy and wonderful. The world the author builds has a Jane Austen vibe to it, and I think Austen herself would be proud that Emma is a strong, capable and witty main character. Every character she interacts with is unique and fun to read about, even those we aren't supposed to like.

One of the most fun parts of reading this for me was meeting all the male main characters as we go through the story, and see Emma building her relationships with them all. Since this is a book set in the 1880s, you know she's probably going to marry one of them so that adds a good level of intrigue to the story.

Immediately reading the next volume.

[Alex Z (azeebooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So charming!! Emma is hilarious and I can't wait to read more.

[Elizhlong · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful Audible book!

[Julie Degner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treasure of a book. Absolutely delightful and charming. Even though nothing of consequence ever happened in the story, I was somehow absolutely taken in by the characters and quirky writing style. I eagerly await Emma’s adventures in volume 3!

[aforestofbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read parts of this while also listening to the audiobook and this is probably my new favourite series of 2026. I love Emma as a character. She’s funny, sarcastic, speaks her mind and is just so very lovable. Highly recommend! Can’t wait to continue the series

[Amani Altwam · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Volume 1 was a bit slow but it picked up in Volume 2! This was actually so entertaining! Her shenanigans are growing on me, and I am keeping a tally of every potential suitor she could have in future volumes. My ratings so far:
1. The Tenant
2. The Duke
3. Roland
4, Young Hawkes

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so lovely and wonderful and well worth the hype. I had tried earlier this year and didn’t make the time and am now wishing I had because I have to wait forever now- unless someone has the old versions I can read??? Please???

[Jillann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Delight!

[Sam · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

This was utterly delightful!

[Victoria Lilley · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

What a wondrously entertaining delight!!! I've heard so much about this series, and due to the hype I was unsure, but it hooked me from the first page! Emma M. Lion, you are charming, witty, insightful, and altogether an incredibly lively woman whom I so enjoyed spending time with. When I say I laughed out loud! Messages passed between garret walls, an uncle who is much (much) too fond of silk morning robes, a charismatic young vicar, and the Great Burning of 1882...I wish I could grab the third volume right now, but alas, I will have to wait another month. The agony!

[Donna · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Loved reading this! So fun and entertaining!! How will I survive until I can get the new volume?!?!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

How fun!

[Alexandra · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5

[Emily Morrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I so badly wanted to love this series, but after reading books 1 and 2 I won't continue. I can't get into the fantastical YA plot where there's the odd ghost and objects go missing and characters are too one dimensional (we get it, the cousin likes morning coats...)

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a rare kind of magic in finding a narrator whose company is every bit as compelling as the story itself. Emma M. Lion is one of them.

Set in the delightfully eccentric neighbourhood of St Crispian's, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower captures the comforting charm of a classic novel with the social wit of Austen, then seasons it with a generous helping of whimsy and a heroine with a splash of independence just modern enough to make her endlessly engaging.

The journal style suits Emma's voice perfectly. Witty, perceptive and possessed of a wonderfully inquisitive mind, she notices the little things others overlook, turning everyday encounters into something hilarious. Reading her entries feels like settling in for tea with a dear friend who has all the neighbourhood gossip, complete with deliciously candid asides about the people around her.

Emma is matched by an unforgettable cast. St Crispian's is filled with eccentric personalities, each so delightful that you'll soon have favourites and be hoping they appear in the next entry. Even the neighbourhood itself feels like a character. Its winding streets, peculiar traditions and gentle air of almost magic create a wonderfully cosy atmosphere that makes me wish I had a train ticket and was heading there myself.

I'm especially glad I experienced this as the combined edition of Vol 1 and 2. Vol 1 is largely setup, acquainting readers with Emma, the residents of St Crispian's and the rhythms of their neighbourhood. Delightful though Emma's voice is, alone it's not quite enough. In Vol 2 relationships deepen, mysteries begin to emerge, hints of romance flicker and conflicts brew. It lays a foundation that promises more yet the true heart of the story remains Emma - her sparkling wit, neighbours and warm hearted humour in the face of possible disaster. It's impossible to not feel utterly charmed.

For readers willing to trade relentless action for sparkling conversation, memorable characters and the simple pleasure of spending time in excellent company, The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion offers exactly that with a laugh and a sideways wink.

My thanks to Bloomsbury ANZ for the arc

[Book My Imagination · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely time I had with young Emma M. Lion!
Taken back to the 1880's into a little town that seems to have a little magic in the air.
Poor Emma, her life is thrown into chaos upon her return to St Crispians and her home - Lapis Lazuli House.
Her brattish older Cousin Archibald has relegated her to the garret on the 5th floor....the 5th floor!
All those stairs 🤨🙄

As Emma goes about tidying her room (if that is what we are calling it), and starting her diary entries again, we come to learn all about Emma,
St Crispians, the town ghost, and the odds and sods that one minute are missing, and the next found (somewhere entirely different than the originating place I might add!), and the carefree and bitter spending of Cousin Archibald. (He who has an abundance of morning coats mind you!).
Her entries are funny, witty, cheeky, and entirely charming, and guarantees the reader a wonderful cosy comfort read.

And seeing as there is an extremely slooooooow burn romance starting, I must now run and secure a copy of Vol 3 & 4 to find out who wins over Emma and what happens to horrid Cousin Archibald!

Overall, an extremely delightful read for every reader who picks this up.

Big love to the wonderful team @bloomsbury for sending this book for my honest thoughts and review.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion (volúmenes I y II) de Beth Brower nos sitúa en 1883, cuando Emma regresa a Lapis Lazuli, su hogar en St. Crispian’s, Londres. A través de sus diarios vamos descubriendo una vida llena de cambios inesperados, secretos familiares, amistades peculiares y situaciones de lo más extravagantes, todo contado desde su particular punto de vista.

Hacía muchísimo tiempo que no leía una novela en formato diario y no recordaba lo mucho que podía disfrutarlo. La voz de Emma es, sin duda, lo mejor de la historia: ingeniosa, observadora y con un humor británico que me ha sacado más de una carcajada. Sus comentarios, ocurrencias y pequeñas desgracias cotidianas tienen un encanto especial, y es imposible no acabar cogiéndole cariño.

Además, la forma en que está escrita la novela hace que las páginas vuelen. Es una lectura acogedora, divertida y muy fácil de disfrutar, especialmente si os gustan los personajes con personalidad propia y las historias narradas de una manera diferente.

Me quedo con muchas ganas de continuar con los siguientes volúmenes y seguir acompañando a Emma en sus aventuras.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book(s). I read the compendium of books one and two. Whilst book one started slowly I was soon engrossed and by the end of book 2 I was just begging for more. These are the first two in the journals of Emma M. Lion (there are eight) starting when she returns to the neighbourhood of St. Crispian’s, London after her father’s death. Well written and very entertaining almost from the start.

Briefly, it is 1883 when Emma returns to Lapis Lazuli House, which will be hers when she comes of age. In the meantime, her cousin Archibald is in charge of the house and her finances, and she is shocked and disappointed to find that she has been relegated to the garret on the fifth floor and not to her old rooms.

This is a joyful mix of Jane Austen, Little Women and Bridget Jones with an enthralling cast of characters, not least Emma herself. She is witty, smart and stoic in the face of adversity. I was very engaged in her manner of dealing with the odious Archibald. Not at all my usual read but this is such a heartwarming and delightful book it’s up there with one of my favourites this year.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of 'buzzed' books, and I find I'm particularly apprehensive about reading hyped books for which I am likely a target audience. So as a lover of classic literature, epistolary novels, and a devotee of wit and quirk, it was not with a small amount of trepidation that I picked this series up. Okay, so verdict: I loved, loved, loved the characters and their humorous interactions but I was less impressed with the format of a series as one that is doled out novella by novella. I read big books, I'm not scared of big books, and this is not heavy reading, so I really don't see how this whole series couldn't be a tome of Dickensian girth. It might then have cured it's main plotting problem in that it just feels a little too meandering. You begin to feel like, alas we are building towards something and then we are cut off- only to join the library queue or dole out good money for another instalment. I don't know. It feels a bit like a gimmick to me. Nonetheless, I will read the rest of this series at some point because it is delicious and light and airy and we all need literary cake like this in these troubled times.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As this only covers part 1 and 2, I’m only part way through the series but I can already feel this will go nicely on my comfort reads shelf, alongside Little Women, and Bridget Jones Diary.

Emma is so charming and witty she jumps right off the page. The series is broken into parts which gives it the delightful feel of an old time radio series. I love the way readers are centred in Emma’s world, privy to her thoughts and perspectives but also to a vast cast of characters and intriguing situations.

The main storyline is interspersed with all sorts of fun sidebars - I loved Emma’s thoughts on her friend who had taken up the new profession of ‘typing’. I found myself most invested when starting part two, and highly recommend taking the time to acclimate to Emma’s world.

The is a heartwarming, amusing and cosy read, which I think will appeal to a broad audience. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful light and fluffy popcorn read. By that I mean that I can't stop eating that warm, buttery popcorn when it's in front of me, but as soon as it's gone, I don't really think about it much? It's not a book that makes me think big thoughts or stays with me after I've put it down. But it is pleasantly enjoyable! I read pretty much the entire first volume and a portion of the second while I was on a plane, and I was so completely sucked into the trials and tribulations of Emma M. Lion that I startled when the plane landed. This will undoubtedly be made into a TV show at some point.

I feel like I'm currently on the fence about whether I want to continue with Vol. 3, mostly because Vol 1 and Vol 2 seem to be preoccupied with providing a variety of romantic interests for our young heroine, and that's not the kind of plot to keep me interested long-term.

[Cheryl Newey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane Austen would have loved these epistolary novels by Beth Brower, I think. Brower's writing is so Austenesque -- witty, satirical, rich character development, and a strong female narrator. Brower's epistolary novels hint of "Clarissa" (1748) by Samuel Richardson with a humorous twist. Some favorite quotes...
"I was not created for a life of criminality."
"The grounds were inspiring. There must have been seven more blades of grass than when I was there last."
"Our conversation was very June and very afternoon meaning it meandered like the honeybee."

[Astrid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book it was such an amazing read! The character, Emma, is so loveable and I absolutely was hooked on her narration of her world. The problems she faces and how she deals with them keep you absolutely hooked. I am absolutely obsessed with this series. The plot is medium paced and has a bridgerton/jane Austen vibes to it. I really loved the writing style as I’ve never read one from this perspective before!