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[Following is a volunteer review of "Looking Glass Friends" by E L Neve.]

E. L. Neve’s Looking Glass Friends is a beautifully composed love story between two people who have barely met.

Neil manages a pastry shop that Ellie and her son go into often for the cream puffs. Never having really spoken to each other outside of the purchase of some pastries, something one day prompts Ellie to buy Neil a copy of Ann Rand’s Atlas Shrugged, a book she found life-changing. Unbeknownst to Ellie, Neil is contemplating suicide almost daily and the unexpected gift from a patron whose face he can barely remember basically saves him. He emails Ellie once he has read the book and a series of email exchanges begins the foundation of this unusual love story. As both Neil and Ellie are married, and Ellie has a five-year-old son, the running question is: Can either of them leave their respective spouses to be with their soul-mate?

This is an unusual, yet beautifully written, love story about finding your “looking glass friend,” your soul’s reflection, while still emotionally and physically tied to another. The underlying question throughout this book is one of sacrifice for love. Should Neil sacrifice his marriage to a woman who loves him, for Ellie? Should Ellie sacrifice her own happiness for the sake of her young son’s happiness? These are everyman questions for anyone contemplating divorce or separation.

The subject matter is handled so delicately and so eloquently, using poignant poetry and book quotations; effortless and lyrical prose and intellectual discussions, to illustrate how these two people are mirror images of each other in terms of ideals, interests, and philosophies.

By finding their “looking glass friend,” it spotlights the differences between Neil and Ellie and their respective spouses. Neil’s wife is mundane and Ellie’s husband is a collector, with Ellie a prized piece of his collection. While Neil’s decision is more clear-cut, Ellie has to make the choice of staying in a loveless marriage so that her son can grow up in the privileged life he is accustomed to or to give that all up for her love for Neil, her intellectual and emotional equal in every way.

The subject matter at hand is handled in such a sophisticated way, as both spouses are aware of the developing friendship between Neil and Ellie. Both realize what the outcome will be long before Neil and Ellie admit it to themselves. The simplistic honesty was very refreshing. Despite the subject matter, this is not a book about physical deceit.

Once I started this book, I could not stop reading and found the writing mesmerizing and the subject matter intriguing, thought-provoking and intellectually stimulating. On top of all that, this is a heart-warming love story between two people who only get to know each other through email exchanges and phone calls.

This book was professionally edited and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys sophisticated writing and a deep love story theme. It is with great pleasure that I give E. L. Neve’s Looking Glass Friends 4 out of 4 stars.

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Looking Glass Friends
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Incredible! The book is one of a kind and definitely look forward to reading it once I get a copy of it.
Thank you though for the interesting and wonderful review.

Getting me intrigued by a romance story is no easy feat, so that was a great review! The idea of two lovers bonding over Atlas Shrugged is amusing enough, and I definitely want to see how the author handles this, but the deep and complicated relationship the characters share with each other and with their current partners is what sells it for me.

I am not into romance at all, but you made this sound really good. I certainly do not agree with extramarital affair’s but the way you wrote it makes it sound beautiful I would love to read this book thanks for the great review.

You wrote a very insightful and enjoyable review. This book does not appeal to me but I would recommend it to others I know based on your review.

This sounds like such a unique writing style. It isn't my usual choice for reading material, but I might give it a try to experience the writing. Thank you for your review!

This sounds like a thrilling story to read. Great review.

Sophisticated describes it all. nice review

I enjoyed your review. Your writing style is as sophisticated as the book sounds. I now want to read the book so I can see if the couples live happily ever after.

Your review makes me want to read this one. Sometimes it is so hard to find a romance that really speaks to the heart. This book is for me.

There is a part of me that is instantly put off by the fact that the book that means so much is Atlas Shrugged (which is probably why my writing teacher taught us not to name specifics like that in our stories). But the rest of the story sounds lovely.

Excellent review. Pastries can do a lot of things even help one make friends. Thanks for the review.

Romance is my cup of tea and this book seems to be really special. Great review, AlabamaWM.