Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor

I've always said I will read anything except historical fiction.  I don't like historical fiction.  But then a while back I won a huge Pride and Prejudice gift package and I thought I'd give Longbourn by Jo Baker a try.  Well, it was the strangest thing, I loved it!

Recently I was offered a review copy of Miss Emily by Nuala O'Connor.  My first reaction was, I don't think so, I don't read historical fiction.  But then I saw in the description that it was compared to Longbourn and I really loved Longbourn.  So I gave it a try.  It seems maybe I really do like historical fiction or at least some of it.

Miss Emily is the famous real life poet Emily Dickinson.  The book is a story of Miss Emily and a fictional Irish maid, Ada.  Ada has left Ireland to live with her aunt and uncle in Massachusetts and she finds work with the Dickinson family.  Ada and Miss Emily quickly become fond of each other and they bond over baking gingerbread and Irish soda bread.  Ada finds love and trouble in Massachusetts.  It's a good thing she's got Miss Emily looking out for her

I really enjoyed Miss Emily.  I  was left wanting more.  More of the characters and gingerbread cookies!