Review by ciecheesemeister -- Looking Glass Friends

[ciecheesemeister]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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Looking Glass Friends by E.L. Neve is a powerful and intense cerebral romance. Neil, a young bakery clerk, leads a life so unfulfilling that he struggles with suicide ideation. Ellie is a young mother who feels unfulfilled in her marriage to her wealthy and powerful husband. She tries to compensate for the guilt she feels about not being more demonstrative to her husband by trying to make her five-year-old son’s life special.

Ellie and Neil meet when she comes into the bakery where he works to buy cream puffs every Friday as a treat for her son. One Friday, the bakery has run out of cream puffs. Ellie seems terribly disappointed, and Neil surprises her by giving her the cream puffs he had put aside to bring home to his wife, Fay. Ellie decides to show her gratitude by giving Neil a copy of her favorite book, Atlas Shrugged. The pair begin exchanging notes, which progress to emails and phone calls. As Ellie and Neil embark on an emotional affair, they are forced to confront the problems in their respective loveless marriages.

I give Looking Glass Friends four out of four stars. There was nothing I didn’t like about the story. The book is extremely well written and was professionally edited. The text is very polished. Although it is not a short book (the Kindle edition is 442 pages) I finished it in three nights because I was interested in finding out what would happen next. This book offers a brilliant study of a relationship that develops due to an emotional bond rather than an affair sparked by lust.

Looking Glass Friends is a good choice for readers who prefer a cerebral love story. Neil and Ellie spend a lot of time discussing their interests in literature and debating philosophical concepts. This book is also the right choice for readers who prefer a “slow burn” type of romance as opposed to a story where the characters get down to business right away.

This is not the right book for someone looking for a fun, light romance. Although the interactions between Neil and Ellie are beautiful and often sweet, the story is extremely intense and there are moments that, while not depicted in a graphic fashion, are disturbing. These include a character contemplating suicide and an attempted rape. Although not described in graphic detail, the erotic scenes are intense as well, making this book the wrong choice for someone who is looking for a more chaste story.

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Looking Glass Friends
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[Connie Otwani]

Wow, sounds like a page-turner in its own right. Your review is thorough and has covered all the main points. Suicidal tendencies are no longer far fetched. Its a relevant book in our society today. Great review!