The Eighth Wonder is written by Tania Farrelly.

BLURB

New York, 1897. The richest city in the world. 

Beautiful, young and privileged, Rose Kingsbury Smith is expected to play by the strict rules of social etiquette, to forfeit all career aspirations and to marry a man of good means. But she has a quietly rebellious streak and is determined to make her own mark on Manhattan’s growing skyline. When the theft of a precious heirloom plunges the Kingsbury Smiths into financial ruin, Rose becomes her family’s most tradeable asset. She finds herself fighting for her independence and championing the ideal of equality for women everywhere. 

Enigmatic Ethan Salt’s inglorious circus days are behind him. He lives a quiet life on Coney Island with his beloved elephant Daisy and is devoted to saving animals who’ve been brutalised by show business. As he struggles to raise funds for his menagerie, he fears he will never build the sanctuary of his dreams … until a chance encounter with a promising young architect changes his life forever. 

Just when Rose is on the verge of seeing her persistence pay off, the ghosts of her past threaten to destroy everything she holds dear. In the face of heartbreaking prejudice and betrayal, she must learn to harness her greatest wonder within.

REVIEW

I love historical fiction and I’m enjoyed books surrounding the circus. This book is pitched as a crossover of the Greatest Showman and the Suffragette which has me interested in reading it. The ideas of finding your own place in the world allowed me to see myself within the characters.

I loved the character development and the relationship between Rose and Ethan. I enjoyed exploring the different friendships and relationships within the book and definitely will read the book again.

4/5 stars