I picked this up because I have a thing for books about circuses and it did not disappoint. I really enjoyed and the story kept me engaged and interested.

Jamie Jo Wright's writing style reminds me of an old favorite author of mine. Actually a combination of two...Stephen King and Frank Pieretti (I never remember how to spell his name.) This book reminded me of how much I like mystery, supernatural and the overwhelming need to know what happened in the past and how it connects to the future.

I did enjoy the book with a few exceptions...but to give much detail on them would be too many spoilers.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC and the chance to review this book.

i got intrigued by the book description and because i love good mysteries i was in for it and now i love it too! this book served and this is my first time reading from this author, and would love to read more works from them, this was a definitely a solid and good read, a recommend! thank you for the arc provided, it was a ride!

I am not one to be surprised easily but this book caught my attention and didnt let it go to the end of it. I have never read anything by this author before but now that i did, I will look for more. Her style was so pleasant and easy to get into. I cant pinpoint why this isnt a 5 star read for me, i guess i wanted more out of it but just because i didnt give it 5 stars doesnt mean it wont be for you




Thank you Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

In my opinion when reading a suspense book, being totally shocked at who is responsible for the mystery! This book delivered! The author has a talent for weaving together the past and the present. Chandler, Hank, Pippa, and Jake were detailed so well. They were all on a journey individually and together. The Watchman was such a puzzle, were they good or bad? Who was the ultimate bad one? And Lily, the baby elephant, such a sweet addition to the circus life. I loved the insight into circus life, the people and the animals. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions stated here are my own.

I wanted to love this book , but it fell short .. something was missing for me .. not enough details maybe .. can’t quite put my finger on it .. Pippin struggled to capture my admirations Chandler was just hmmmm.. as a person who has a chronic illness I could relate to some of her difficulties .. I wanted more .. more suspense more details of time and what it was like back then ... perhaps I missed the point .. 3 stars for me

I was almost surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I became sick of the circus when I got older and I usually avoid books with circuses. I am so glad I read this book. I love how Jaime Jo Wright writes a book with 2 storylines that interconnect even though they are a hundred years apart or more. I could not figure out most of the mysteries until close to the ending. I could not put this book down and it made me cry for some of the characters. This gives one a good look at what is behind a circus and the members of a circus. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

True to Jaime Jo Wright fashion The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is a time split book that keeps you on the edge of your seat with plenty of suspense, mystery, spookiness and unsolved murders that I'm sure will give you the willies to the very last page.
This is definitely a book that you don't want to miss reading.

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

1928
All Pippa Ripley wants is to be accepted and figure out why she was abandoned as a baby by The Bonaventure Circus. When she starts receiving messages by the mysterious “Watchman,” it thrusts her into figuring out her heritage, but as she does it brings her closer to the circus serial killer.

Present Day
Real estate project manager Chandler Faulk wants to restore the old circus train depot, but when mysterious happenings begin, she discovers clues to the haunting unsolved murders of the past. This puts not only herself but her son at risk.

Can both Pippa and Chandler solve the hauntings at the Bonaventure Circus, or will they lose their lives in the process?

Jaime Jo Wright gives us another haunting read! The author’s descriptions of the circus in 1928 and the circus train depot in the present day puts the reader right into the thick of it, picturing every detail. The characters are engaging and will have you cheering them on.

I loved the mysterious danger and how they are connected from past to present. The twist at the end was unexpected and I loved that!

This author shows her gift of writing once more with this delightful but haunting tale.

I give The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus five baby elephants (like sweet Lily). Once again…be sure to read this one with a light on!

**I received a NetGalley e-copy of this book by the author and Bethany House for my honest opinion. All comments are my own.

Well written and enjoyable time hop novel. The setting is adequately creepy on it's own but Jaime Jo Wright does enhance it some as well. She does a fantastic job of creating and holding the desired atmosphere through both time periods. She weaves the two together seamlessly but distinctly separated so you don't get confused. I definitely enjoyed the past story line more than the present day, but that's just my own personal bias.

This is a fantastic easy read that can be enjoyed by anyone.

This is another spellbinding tale from Jaime! She writes the most unusual stories and this may be the most unusual yet. I really enjoyed the circus angle, that made for fun reading and then to incorporate all the mystery threads made this book IMPOSSIBLE to put down. I HAD to know how all the threads came together. Jaime did a masterful job at weaving the threads of this story. It was so good!

Quirky and magical. A fantastic place and intriguing story. I found myself getting lost in the world created and then looking up a little disappointed I was still in this one. I love a book that can do that.

Scary noises and strange lights in an abandoned building? Check.
Folklore and rumors about a string of murders? Check.
A split-time storyline that weaves dark mystery into the vibrant threads of a circus? Check.
Romance, intrigue, adventure? Check, check, check.
This book is probably the scariest book I’ve ever read. I won’t lie, this is usually not my cup of tea. But, elephants. And that blurb. I was intrigued and I’m so glad I gave this a chance. I was captivated from the first page. Wright blends the perfect amounts of spookiness and faith into her story to make you question fact from fiction.
Both of the leading ladies were incredible. They each had their own struggle-handicap, if you will. They each had lived the facade and knew that there was more hiding under the surface.
Chandler didn’t believe in ghosts, or did she? When she sets out to rehab an abandoned circus train depot for her uncles company, funny things start happening. Her job in jeapordy, she begins investigating. But the closer she gets to the truth, the closer to home the danger will come.
Pippa’s whole existence is one big question mark. In her quest for family and belonging, she doesn’t know whom to trust and her search may just uncover secrets she was never meant to unearth.
I loved how gracefully the thread of God’s love was woven into this story. He sees each of us and cares more for us than we could ever understand. I loved the romance-but I loved that the story was so much more than a fluffy romance. I will be reading all of Wright’s books. ASAP.
Now, I feel I must add a warning to other readers who may like to know. There is one use of the word “whore” and a smattering of other instances in the story where characters will swear or release an oath-we are never told what those words are, but they are there nonetheless. I feel this is done in the context of showing the sinful and seedy side of the circus. There are also brief mentions of mediums, psychics, and demons. But all of this is handled in a respectful way to people of faith. I just feel that fair warning should be given as some will not like to read that.
I was given this copy through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House for the eARC.
Being an animal lover and having had dreams as a child of running away with the circus, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Set in 1928 and today the story features Pippa, the little foundling with one bad leg growing up with the owners of the circus in the 1920's. Today we have Chandler, who is looking at the old circus properties with the intention of making them tourist attractions. She's a single mom of her beloved 7-year old son.
I loved Pippa and her 'nanny' dog and the close relationship she forms with Lily, the baby elephant. The gothic part of the story is The Watchman, who Pippa believes is watching over her, but over time that belief is shaken. There's also a serial killer amongst the circus family; could it be The Watchman?
Chandler was a bit too over the top for me, too obsessive, but her disease could probably be blamed for most of that. Never mind, I still enjoyed the neck out of this book, and highly recommend it!

What a thrill!


This story has the panache of a Hitchcock movie with deep characterizations, wicked sharp plotlines, and pivotal scenes which made me hold my breath until the tension eased.

If you're looking for a split-time novel centered around memorable characters, and arresting suspense, stop here. You've found it.

I received this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post nor write a review.

When I saw the title of this book I assumed that it was going to be some kind of ghost story. Not usually my kind of read but when. I read the synopsis it definitely intrigued me enough to request it. I’m glad I did, I really enjoyed this book. I find that books that flash between different times and characters can be a bit hit and miss, sometimes I find myself drawn into one story and kind of resenting having to read the other one to get back to it. This book was definitely a hit because I really enjoyed both of the timelines and characters. The ending wasn’t predictable either, I thought that I had some of it figured out but actually I was pretty off base and one of my favourite things is reading a book that can surprise me and this one did quite a few times! I will be checking out the authors other books after this one, I highly recommend if you like reading something with mystery and good characters.

Wow just wow! The story was full of deception, apprehension, secrecy, and a little romance thrown in for good measure! I have been intrigued by Author Jaime Jo Wright’s titles and have been eager to add one to my TBR pile. I was not disappointed. The title fit the story perfectly and I appreciated the split timeline. Being an animal lover, I fell in love with sweet baby elephant, Lily. This author has a down-to-earth writing style, and I appreciated the thread of hope and forgiveness woven throughout the storyline. I am absolutely a new fan. Be prepared for late night reading turning page after page trying to put the pieces together! You do not want to miss this one!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and the author. No review was required, and the opinions are my own.

Jaime Jo Wright definitely knows a good way to mix historic and present-day mysteries. I love seeing how the stories of the two eras come together and how a mystery of the past continues until today. This one totally kept me up at night to see how it would turn out.

One thing that really stood out to me in this book is the extreme diversity of characters. I sometimes have a hard time remembering individual characters, but that totally was not the case here. Every single character was vivid in their unique characteristics and traits.

I could really identify with Chandler. Not her “stupid mistakes of the past,” but her daily energy and health struggles (though I don’t have Lyme). I’m very thankful for authors who include realistic health issues in their books.

There is no surprise that this story deals with ghost talk. Sometimes, in obsessive details. I’m okay with ghost-talk. However, I’m not quite okay with it being left unresolved and no finalized fact. Coupled with that, there was also a character who discussed “negative energy” and “had connections” that were slightly disturbing for a Christian book.

The spiritual message actually left me confused. In thinking back over it, I think it boils down to the fact that spiritual truths were delivered by human opinion rather than solidified by the foundation of God’s Word. Like, each character had to accept for themselves what was truth in their situation, with their understanding. In a way, each character was so very well developed in that their perspective of God was all different. But I think that is also a grave danger, because this is the message the readers are receiving. There has to be the foundation of God’s Word for truth, regardless our feelings, regardless our upbringing, and regardless our opinions. For instance, one character believed in God, however, “But I do have a mind. And, I do have . . . well, I have my ways to support myself, I do, and I know I ain’t perfect, and maybe I don’t do everything to make God smile, but I still believe in Him. And I try to make good choices, when I can.” And then later, she quoted her grandmother, saying, “If we were all good and flawless, then Jesus wasted His blood.” But it was used more as an excuse for continuing a sinful lifestyle rather than being redeemed and sanctified for God’s glory.

The romance was a fairly good balance. There were a few kisses mentioned, but I didn’t feel like there was extreme passion between the love interests. However, there were many references to women of questionable character and ways men handled women.

I wouldn’t advise teens to read this because of the confusing spiritual content and the story revolving around loose morals.

*I received this book from NetGalley and happily provided my honest review.*

With thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the ARC.
Description
1928
The Bonaventure Circus is a refuge for many, but Pippa Ripley was rejected from its inner circle as a baby. When she receives mysterious messages from someone called the "Watchman," she is determined to find him and the connection to her birth. As Pippa's search leads her to a man seeking justice for his murdered sister and evidence that a serial killer has been haunting the circus train, she must decide if uncovering her roots is worth putting herself directly in the path of the killer.
Review
Very well handled dual timelines story. Pippa in 1928 and Chandler in present day are well described and believable characterisations of women who know their own mind but are battling real or perceived obstacles. The mystery and murders are well plotted and the pace kept my interest throughout. Overall this was a satisfying read and I would read other work by this author.

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright is an excellent historical fiction novel that presents itself as a dual-timeline and kept me interested and entertained from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the 1920s storyline with Piper, a young woman raised in the circus with a physical deformity. I also enjoyed the contemporary plotline with Chandler Faulk, a woman working for her family to renovate/flip property. Both women are separated by time and circumstances, yet are similar in many ways. Both are trying to find acceptance, a place to belong, and their purpose in life. The author added complexity to the stories with a murder/mystery and a touch of a paranormal feeling.

It was fascinating to read more about the Circus culture from the early 1900s, and it almost gave a whimsical but yet dark/gothic/sinister tinge to the overall feeling as well. The author was able to artfully pull off the ability to weave two storylines together effortlessly, all the while keeping it simple, yet complex and fascinating. Definitely a winner.

This is the first time that I have read anything by this author, and I am thoroughly impressed. I look forward to more books from her in the future.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House Publishing for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR, Bookbub, Instagram, Amazon, and B&N accounts immediately.