I received a complimentary copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing on June 7th 2016
Source: Litfuse Publicity Group
Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical, Literary, Love & Romance, Romance
Pages: 368
An ounce of courage.
A leap of faith.
Together, they propel two young women to chase a new life—one that’s reimagined from what they might have become.
In turn-of-the-century America, a young girl dreams of a world that stretches beyond the confi nes of a quiet life on the family farm. With little more than her wit and a cigar box of treasures, Mable steps away from all she knows, seeking the limitless marvels of the Chicago World’s Fair. There, a chance encounter triggers her destiny—a life with a famed showman by the name of John Ringling.
A quarter of a century later, Lady Rosamund Easling boards a ship to America as a last adventure before her arranged marriage. There, the twenties are roaring, and the rich and famous gather at opulent, Gatsby-esque parties. The Jazz Age has arrived, and with it, the golden era of the American circus, whose queen is none other than the enigmatic Mable Ringling.
When Rosamund’s path crosses with Mable’s and the Ringlings’ glittering world, she makes the life-altering decision to leave behind a comfortable future of estates and propriety, choosing instead the nomadic life of a trick rider in the Ringling Brothers’ circus.
A novel that is at once captivating, deeply poignant, and swirling with exquisite historical details of a bygone world, The Ringmaster’s Wife will escort readers into the center ring, with its bright lights, exotic animals, and a dazzling performance that can only be described as the Greatest Show on Earth!
“Vibrant with the glamour and awe that flourished under the Big Top in the 1920s, The Ringmaster’s Wife invites the reader [into] the Greatest Show on Earth.” —Joanne Bischof, award-winning author of The Lady and the Lionheart
The Ringmaster’s Wife is a stand alone novel written by Kristy Cambron and it gives a fictional look into the life of John and Mable Ringling. The circus has always fascinated me. I have certain misgivings about the way circus animals have been treated but I’m not talking about that. What fascinated me was that large groups of people and families traveled, lived and worked together—performing.
I mean, the whole logistics of making this large traveling circus work has always been interesting to me. I often wondered how they lived and how they made it all work and this book touches on those topics a lot. I feel like I took a step back in time and got to experience what life would have been like as a circus performer.
I love the attention to detail and how much work this author puts into researching the historical facts surrounding her characters. I honestly never knew much about the Ringlings but after reading this book, I spent an evening reading everything I could find on the internet. You can also find a tour of John and Mable Ringling’s home, the Cà d’Zan on the author’s Youtube channel.
This book basically has two stories intricately woven into one beautiful tale. First, you have the story of Rosamund and Colin and then you have flashbacks of the fictionalized account of how John and Mable may have met and fell in love. Little is known about how John Ringling met Mable so I loved that the author was able to take a little creative license and was able to bring two beautiful romantic stories within one book.
This has been absolutely enchanting and is a must read for fans of historical fiction. I think the reader that enjoys as much as historical accuracy as is possible in a fictional retelling will appreciate and enjoy this book. Lastly, anything this author has written has been a delightful so be sure to read not only this book but any of her others as well. There is a fiery passion that’s evident in her writing that allows her to bring characters to life in a way that you’ll feel as if you’re a part of the story.
I would say that this book is the best that has been published in 2016 so far and I really look forward to new titles put out by this author.
About Kristy Cambron
Kristy Cambron has a background in art and design, but she fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. She is the author of THE RINGMASTER’S WIFE, named to Publishers Weekly Spring 2016 Religion & Spirituality TOP 10. Her novels have been named to Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books and RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards Best lists, and received a 2015 INSPY Awards nomination for best debut novel. THE ILLUSIONIST’S APPRENTICE (HarperCollins, 2017) is her fourth novel.
Kristy is a Speaker and Design Manager at TheGROVEstory.com, and holds a degree in Art History from Indiana University. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good read.
Soundsblile a great read
I completely agree, Kristin. Kristy’s attention to detail is spot on! I really loved this book and am so glad you enjoyed it so!
She’s such a lovely author! I love her work. :) Yours too!