Looking Glass Friends

By: E. L. Neve

Narrated by: B.J. Harrison

Winner of 15 book awards: a lyrical love story

"This novel features an original and fascinating premise.... Readers will be compelled to keep reading until the very end." (Booklife by Publishers Weekly)

When our souls fall in love before our bodies meet...

Looking Glass Friends is a story about finding your soul's reflection, the ideal person put on this earth just for you. But what if you are already married? What if you have kids? This quest for happiness lies at the heart of all our lives. Many of us face the choice that advances this story. Many of us know that our life will be utterly different in 20 years depending on the choice we make today. It is an intersection that changes everything forever. This award-winning novel seeks to show that what seems insurmountable can be done...and should be done. Discover its poetry and wisdom for yourself.

• A 2018 Hollywood Book Festival winner
• A 2018 Great Northwest Book Festival winner
• A 2018 Beach Book Festival winner
• A 2017 New York Book Festival winner
• A 2017 Los Angeles Book Festival winner
• A 2017 London Book Festival runner-up
• A 2017 Pacific Book Awards finalist
• A 2017 BookVana Award finalist
• A 2017 Readers’ Favorite finalist
• A 2018 Paris Book Festival honorable mention
• A 2018 San Francisco Book Festival honorable mention
• A 2017 New England Book Festival honorable mention
• A 2017 Florida Book Festival honorable mention
• A 2017 Southern California Book Festival honorable mention
• A 2017 Great Midwest Book Festival honorable mention

Ellie and Neil fell in love over email, discussing Ayn Rand’s novel Atlas Shrugged. Neither remembered the other’s face clearly. Both were married already. And she had a five-year-old son. But in the span of a few letters each discovered his soul's mirror-image. So how could they live apart?

Woven with poetry and philosophy this is a story about the nature of love, its enchantment or curse, and the heartbreaking question: Can a mother secure her child’s happiness by sacrificing hers?

©2016 Tal Boldo (P)2022 Tal Boldo

Good story, great reading

What happens when you meet your soulmate but are already married to someone else? This is what E. L. Neve explores in her book. Ellie and Neil meet at the bakery where Neil works. Ellie takes a chance and leaves a near-stranger a copy of her favorite book "Atlas Shrugged." The two begin to correspond about the book via email and phone. Their meeting of minds turns into a meeting of souls as both fall deeper under the other's spell. The only problem is that both are married, and Ellie also has a young son.

I enjoyed the audiobook. The themes meshed well, particularly as regards "Atlas Shrugged." Also the audiobook narrator used a similar tone to that of "Atlas Shrugged" which worked well.

There were some downsides though. The book is a little long and if you haven't read Ayn Rand, you might get a little lost in the first half. In addition, while I enjoyed Ellie's character, Neil didn't really seem to evolve as a character. I wish more had been done with him.

I liked the audiobook but the story fell a little flat. I would recommend this book to more mature readers who enjoy a slow-burn intellectual romance with only a hint of sexual intimacy.

A great lovers story

I really enjoyed this book. Following the accidental lovers through the up and downs of being married to others while falling in love with each other, is a ride this author takes you on very poetically. I would reccommend this book to a fellow reader.

Enjoyed the character development!

There are many things I would like to mention about this book, and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. The book is categorized as romance, and there are many moments where readers can form a real-life connection with the characters. The situation that both protagonists are placed in is often part of a reality people don’t want to face. For example, being in a long-term relationship but realizing you don’t have the right bond with the person.

There are many obstacles in life that bring you to that specific moment where you have to choose between your own happiness or the happiness of those around you. The character development is very well done, but there is only a slight mention of the characters' pasts. I believe there should’ve been a little more detail on how they ended up in the situation they were in. One example could be when they stopped feeling happy and whether it was related to their current relationship.

Throughout the book, there are some interactions between the characters that were uncomfortable for me to read. It’s not that they were inappropriate, but the way the dialogue was written made it feel awkward.

Other than that, I loved how Ellie was portrayed in the book and how her character developed. She was such a strong female lead with great qualities. Unlike other books, she was an independent woman who often sought happiness for both herself and her son. Though many female characters are written to be selfless, Ellie knew her value as a person, and that’s something I loved.

As I mentioned before, there are mental struggles highlighted by the author, which made the situations feel realistic and more aligned with the reality of life itself. The story stripped away the rosy idea of perfect relationships and created real, relatable characters. I truly enjoyed this book.

Romantic drama that makes you think

This story brings up the struggles of true love at first sight. The author does a great job of describing the internal dialogue of the characters and the conflict they feel between being happy and keeping their marriages together.

Great Read

Looking Glass Friends by E.L. Neve is a phenomenal love story. This book follows two characters who feel stuck in their lives bound by a desire for something greater than the ordinary. This book has more depth than most of the romance novels I have ever read. I finished this book in a few short days because I was so intrigued by the story line. If you are looking for a passionate, deep romance, this is the book for you.

sweets_ravenhood_campbell

Neil and Ellie are two people who are in failing relationships. They have a small and innocent exchange and soon become fast friends. Will that friendship turn into something more?

This is a good read for anyone. It truly hits home on certain criteria on the mental sides of things. You will see as a reader how Ellie and Neil help heal each other from their current relationships. Ellie becomes more independent on her own and Neil becomes less lonely and misguided.

I truly felt I experienced all of their emotions with them, even when sometimes I did not agree with how both Neil and Ellie handled certain situations.

I hope any person who either listens to the audible version or reads the book itself enjoys the roller coaster of emotions.

loved it

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! good overall

A soulful story

Neve’s story captures a moving love story evolved from friendship while Harrison provides an easy, soothing listen.

Nostalgic 90s Read

"Looking Glass Friends" is a nostalgic romance revolving around Ayn Rand philosophy and tough choices of the heart. Taking place in the greater Seattle area in the 90’s, two people rediscover each other in later stages of their life and end up rediscovering their individual values and passions.

Soul Gripping Love Story!

Complex love story where duty versus soulmate connection is questioned. The reader will be swept up on a rollercoaster of emotion, torn between marital commitment and once in a lifetime love.