Julia Eichardt. A Life of Grit and Grace

by Lauren Roche

Historical fiction detailing the life of Julia Shanahan, later Eichardt, a young Irish hotelier in gold rush Queenstown.
Her dream hotel, the Italianate Eichardt’s remains on the shore of Lake Wakatipu. A five-star tribute to her tenacity.

320 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2025

Reviews

[Elaine Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it ~ so much respect for Julia and women like her
Well done Lauren for capturing those days so well that I could “feel” them
A must read

[Aimee Paardekooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. The local history of Queenstown was really interesting but what was more incredible was what Julia accomplished as a Women in 1800's Queenstown. Her Resilience, perseverance and forward thinking is inspirational.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book - based on real life events - the author has a strong ability to draw you into a world that is long past, giving you a real feeling of being on the same journey while reading.

[Janette Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book just loved it and feel so proud to know you Lauren

[Leanne Yendell-Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written historical novel based on a true story which captured me from the first chapter.
I loved every twist and turn this story took me on. Having been to Queenstown many time’s I felt engaged with the place and characters in the story who I had a connection with throughout the book. Anybody who has visited and fell in love with Queenstown will love this book. I got the feeling it was well researched and I’m sure not any easy one, well done Lauren Roche. Excited to see what’s next from you

[Elspeth Everitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
An amazing story of a brave and inspiring woman.

As a child in the 1960’s , I spent many holidays in Queenstown, and as a teenager danced the night away in the night club that was part of the original Eichardt’s hotel.

[Natalie Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely powerful and captivating read! Beautifully written in every way, detailing the hardship of life for early European women. Their strength and resilience is so inspiring yet the sadness they had to endure is heart breaking.
I look forward to my next visit to Queenstown where I will definitely be checking out Julia Eichardt's hotel!
Thank you Lauren for yet another incredible book!

[Heather Riddell · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read on early Queenstown, and so cool to know the history of a beautiful establishment that I walked past everyday to school in the 60’s. And most written historical’s are about men, written by men. One very remarkable woman.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, a great step into the past.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟. It's a solid story of the Eichardt hotel in Queenstown, its founder Julia, and her life from Ireland to Australia and then on to New Zealand. Filled with facts and interwoven with some fiction, it nicely tells of a time in history.

[Conor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Julia's story is an remarkable one (scuse the pun), and whilst this book manages to extol her virtues I'm not sure I would describe it as particularly enjoyable.

It falls somewhere between a biography of Julia, a history of Queenstown and a novel. This blend is often an uncomfortable one, with events shoehorned in to give a sense of what was happening in the town, but are otherwise irrelevant, and Julia's indistinguishable family members making irregular appearances that serve only to confuse.

The epistolary technique sort of works, but felt to me like it was sometimes used as a slightly lazy way of letting the reader know what Julia was feeling. Show me, don't tell me.

Like any historical novel, this one is confronted with the tension between the mundanity of most people's everyday lives and the necessity of crafting an engaging narrative with well-developed characters. I'm not sure if Roche quite nails this.

A pretty easy travel read. In true mug punter fashion, I bought this in the airport leaving Queenstown being suckered in by the setting, the fact we had visited Eichardts the previous day and the link to Ireland (which was effectively non-existent).

[Charlotte Lobb · Rating 4 out of 5]

For anyone who loves reading about the past, or for those ready to be swept into the rich world of historical fiction, I highly recommend 'Julia Eichardt' by Lauren Roche. Based on real-life events, this stunning novel not only immerses you in the remarkable story of Julia Eichardt and the world of hoteliers, but also paints a vivid picture of Queenstown’s development, the gold rush fever, and life in New Zealand during the mid to late 1800s. Lauren writes with elegance and insight, bringing history to life through meticulous research and beautifully crafted prose. It’s one of those books that leaves you richer in knowledge and perspective than when you first picked it up 🩷💜🧡

[Margaret Willoughby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book based on the l8fe of Julia Eichardt and her family.
Born in Ireland around 1844. family moved to Melbourne, Then the ambitioys hard working Julia liked to Queenstown New Zealand for.lowing her brother Silvester.
Worked in hotel on Lake Wakatipu. after many years married a Germsn Albert Eichardt.Tgether rhetoric built the famous hotel that today is still operating as a hotel
Large catholic family many children except for Ju,ua who had none.
If you are interested in the history of Queenstown and the hotel you will love this book

[Stephen Moase · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! ❤️ Not only has the author captured the essence of Julia Eichardts remarkable story,
but she has evoked the era in a way that places you right amongst it.
This book really resonated with me and I loved learning more about the founding of Queenstown and the characters that made it.
Well researched and written, I am recommending it to all my friends.

[Catherine Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book. How lovely to read of the history of some of the pioneering women in New Zealand. Roche has done a wonderful job of transporting us to Queenstown, walking us through the streets and life of New Zealand at this time. Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Looking forward to her next.

[Libby Hay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Similar to other reviews - I read this because I love the history and the Eichardt hotell. but realistically the author didn't quite strike the right balance - it didn't quite have the depth of history or the depth of storytelling so read a little bit like a long history book.

[Zoe Cruse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it - I felt completely immersed in Ireland, Australia and NZ and could not put it down. Beautifully written and already looking forward to the next one!

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read to the end because I was interested in local history and how a woman got on in Queenstown but not my best read of the month.

[Rebecca Packwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having arrived in Queenstown a few weeks ago I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction based there.

[Jan Leitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant, highly recommend this book. loose yourself for a day and get carried along on Julia’s heartfelt journey through early NZ (couldn’t put the book down once i picked it up). Lauren’s delicate descriptions will immerse you in the past, an emotional journey of grit, love, loss and determination.