I must say, this book holds a very unique premise that is surely to draw the attention of the readers. Same thing happened to me as well and I dove into it with so many expectations unintentionally.

This book deals with a little sci-fi element, to be more specific, time-traveling, as well as grief of loss, childhood trauma, anxiety, social encounters and criticism of the contemporary society. Everything was going pretty much well from the very beginning which drew my attention.

But… at some point… it started to get too much repetitive in my opinion. I believe it could have gone into a little more depth instead of repeating the storyline. Or maybe, it could be written as a short story or novella. And it felt like the novel ended all of a sudden.

Overall, I had a mixed experience with this book. Almost like a “missed opportunity”. But definitely going to try the author’s books in future as I genuinely loved the concept of the story.

Thank you very much to the publisher Regal House Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange of my honest review.

Good and interesting story, but could have been made better. It did fall short sometimes, and also how did all the Emilias just accepted that fact that easily??

I felt a twinge of envy reading Just Emilia—not only does the elevator become a bizarre confessional booth, but every version of her ends up getting stuck there. Teenage Em’s wounds, middle-aged Emilia’s panic, and Millie’s regretful wisdom collide so sharply. Oko’s sharp humor undercuts the heaviness just enough, making grief feel real without dragging me down. It’s like a therapy session in a lift—with a side of existential time travel and surprising laughter.

This book was an engaging and enjoyable read from start to finish. The writing is clear and well-crafted, making it easy to stay immersed in the story. The pacing feels natural, keeping you interested without ever dragging. The characters are relatable and thoughtfully developed, and the themes are handled in a way that feels both meaningful and accessible. It’s the kind of book that stays with you after you finish, leaving you with plenty to reflect on. Overall, a highly satisfying read that I would gladly recommend.

I liked the concept a lot. The idea behind the story really worked for me, even if the execution didn’t fully deliver. Some parts felt repetitive and the ending didn’t give me the closure I was hoping for, but overall it was a nice read.

It had a gentle, reflective vibe and was easy to get through. I just wish I had connected with it a little more deeply.

I loved the concept of this novel. Middle-aged Emilia gets stuck on an elevator and discovers her fellow passengers are her younger self and her older self. And they talk, about their lives, and their scars, and their choices. Wouldn't we all love this opportunity (just maybe not while stuck in an elevator). To me, this was worth the read and the thinking it generates. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

Loved this book, it had everything I wanted and so much more and I need to check out more of this authors work asap!

Just Emilia by Jennifer Oko is a captivating and thought-provoking story that blends time travel, emotional depth, and self-discovery. The intertwining perspectives of Emilia at different stages of life create a powerful exploration of trauma, healing, and identity. I enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.

This was a really easy read yet carried huge discussions on self-discovery and self-forgiveness. Seeing the different versions of Emilia from her timeline allowed us a glimpse of how her mother's death affected her at different points in her life.
The time travel lover in me enjoyed the overlapping timelines in the story and the forced proximity of the three women/selves being stuck in a lift allowed for Emilia to heal in a way she never thought possible. The chapters told from the different perspectives of each Emilia also connected each version of her together cohesively. When reading it I thought of how l'd love to speak to both my younger and older self to not only give advice but also receive some myself for whenever I'm going through tough moments now.
Just Emilia is a novel that discusses our relationship with ourself and our past. How events of our lives shape us, how we wish we could go back to tell our younger selves things will be okay, and how we hope for a glimpse of our future.

When Emilia Fletcher finds herself trapped inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator, getting out is the least of her problems. Sharing the confined space with her are Em, a troubled teenager plagued by suicidal thoughts, and Millie, an elderly woman yearning to mend ties with her estranged daughter. As the hours drag on, hunger, exhaustion, and panic set in, revealing an almost incomprehensible truth: they are the same person. Locked in an uncompromising match of memories, the three women excavate and attempt to reckon with the shared shame and suffering stemming from an unresolved trauma that has cast a profound shadow over their lives. Brimming with biting humor, compassion, and quick-witted insight, JUST EMILIA is remarkable journey of self-discovery.

Loved it. THought it was well written and full of surprises.

Just Emilia was so emotional. It explores the complexity of mother daughter relationship vividly. Emilia meets different versions of herself just like Ebenezer Scrooge but this time, they're all together in an elevator. Loved this book so much.

Thank you NetGalley & Regal House Publishing for sending me an ARC of this amazing book in exchange for an honest review. 💕

Em, Emilia, and Millie all end up locked in an elevator together and while this is many people's fear, does it make it better or worse that all three people end up being the same person just at different points of "their" life? Each going through their own personal struggles at their own point in time, while also continuously holding onto trauma that is controlling her overall, whether she wants to admit it or not.

A quick read about grief, fault, letting go, growing older, learning from your mistakes or simply learning to face them, "Just Emilia," is a story that makes you contemplate and remember to stop and be thankful for what you have each and every moment. Will read again.

Thank you to NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

First off: If you're a Booktokker, a lover of Colleen Hoover or Abby Jimenez, or in your 20s, THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR YOU. It's frustrating that the publisher is marketing this book as such, but reading the reviews makes it obvious that you have to be an adult with life experience and mileage to connect with this book. Much like Alison Espach's "The Wedding People," this is NOT a cutesy novel, it's a treatise on aging, regrets, and learning to live with the choices you made as a younger person.

This is a lovely, contemporary yet classic-feeling novel about a 40-something woman who gets into an elevator in 2017, only to be trapped in said elevator with her 16-year-old self from 1985, and her 77-year-old self from the 2040s. During the hours they're trapped, the women (woman?) work through a trauma that has recently befallen the teen, but continued to haunt the rest of her life (lives?). I blew through it in 2 days- the author nails what it's like to remember of your (stupid) teen self, to think you know it all in midlife, and how at every age, we fear getting older.

Highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Regal House Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The premise of this book is fantastic & I just absolutely adore magical realism and all of the doors that it can open up but this fell flat in a lot of ways.

I liked the characters and how they were each very distinct in their own way, but they also just fit together well. The pacing was also spot on. I also enjoyed the beautiful writing in general and will be checking out other books by this author as I find her writing to be soothing.

However.... the way in which these 3 just settled into being trapped together? Too much detail, too much gross, descriptive detail. Also, the pessimism about the country just wasn't what I was looking for. I like to escape reality, not read about projections. The reveal at the end also just completely disenchanted the entire read for me. I know some people would truly love this book however, and I hope that this book finds them!

Emilia's journey is a delightful blend of humor, self-discovery, and the awkward realities of growing up. Oko masterfully captures the authentic voice of a young person grappling with friendships, family dynamics, and finding her place in the world. The narrative is engaging and flows effortlessly, making it a quick and enjoyable read. While tackling common teenage dilemmas, the book offers a refreshing perspective and a heartwarming message about embracing one's true self. "Just Emilia" is a charming and insightful read for young adults and anyone who cherishes stories of personal growth.

When I picked up Just Emilia, I wasn’t expecting to fall into a story that feels like a therapy session, a sci-fi twist, and a meditation on regret all wrapped in one. But that’s exactly what Jennifer Oko delivers—and surprisingly, it works. What made it personal for me was how relatable their internal dialogues were—especially the younger Em’s desire to be seen and understood, and older Millie’s aching nostalgia. At times I wanted to hug them. Other times I wanted to shake them. But isn’t that how we often feel about our own choices?

Warm, witty, and beautifully relatable 💫💖. Just Emilia is an uplifting, feel-good story about rediscovering yourself, embracing imperfections, and finding your place in the world. Jennifer Oko crafts a lovable, flawed heroine with heart, humour, and plenty of sass. I adored the journey of self-acceptance, the sharp dialogue, and the empowering message that being “just” yourself is more than enough. Perfect for fans of inspiring, character-driven contemporary fiction.

Three women of different ages caught in a stuck elevator in a time travel episode is the main theme of the story.

All three women tell a story of one life - the teenager, the middle aged woman who seems to be the narrator and the older woman wanting to be closer to her estranged daughter. A journey of self discovery for all three and for each to try and turn the negative into the positive after this experience.

The story will make the reader self examine a little more closely than before. Were there things we could have handled better in the past and is there a way to be better in the future to avoid pitfalls as shown in this broken down elevator.

A story that will get you questioning yourself which is not a bad premise.

I really enjoyed Jennifer Oko's first novel, Head Case, and I was very excited to read her latest, Just Emilia. I thought this book had a very interesting premise and was very well executed.

Emilia is a middle-aged woman with a fraught relationship with her husband and who adores her pre-teen daughter. It's the anniversary of her mother's death, but Emilia has no way to get to the location where she feels closest to her mom. Instead, she goes shopping, and on her way home, she gets into an elevator at the subway station and ultimately gets trapped inside with a teenage girl and an older woman. As the three women begin to share details about themselves, they come to realize that they are, in fact, different versions of each other: Em, the teen; Emilia, the middle-aged mother; and Millie, the elderly grandmother.

It's a fascinating premise that I have not seen in any other book I have read, and the author does a very good job of tying everything together and making this unique concept come to life. Seeing three different versions of the same person interact with each other is quite enjoyable. It's a quick and fun read that is sure to satisfy readers who like unusual stories.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a review copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

I didn’t read a full blurb for this book as I didn’t want to spoil too much and for the first 15% I was a little dubious about whether or not I would enjoy this book. After cottoning on to the fact that it was three versions of the same person, the story really started to pick up and I really enjoyed reading it.

I will say, this plot had a lot of potential that I didn’t feel was fully explored, which was a shame as I loved the idea and have not read this sort of thing anywhere else! I think my main issue was that I didn’t really like Emilia. The book explores her faults so I know she wouldn’t have been a perfect character but she could’ve at least been a little more likeable.

Thank you to NetGalley, Regal House Publishing and Jennifer Oko for an eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.