I have been a big fan of Jaime Jo Wright every since reading her debut The House on Foster Hill. She writes dual time period story’s that don’t just have a great mystery but tackles issues that are relevant and usually affects me on a personal level.

The Haunting of Bonaventure Circus is no exception. I’ll confess that circus books are not my thing but because of who penned this one I dove right in. Between the 1928 story line and present day this is a book about courage, of taking a stand but also having the courage to accept assistance.

There is everything that makes for a great mystery - unsolved murder, an old haunted train depot, secrets disappearances and suspicious characters, including a serial killer. All in Jaime Jo Wright fashion everything clicks into place with a satisfying conclusion.

Anyone who loves a good mystery should give her a try. This is what I call Christian Fiction at it’s finest, meaning it isn’t overly preachy but the message of faith, love and finding acceptance is predominant.
“Remember, what to us seems like God’s biggest errors, to Him they are His largest promises.”
My thanks to Bethany House (via Netgalley) for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have waited so long for this book! Sometimes, that works to the detriment of the book. Not so here. Pippa and Chandler were everything I hoped they would be in this dual-timeline suspense.

In a world where broken and often neglected people are considered less-than, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is the epitome of pulling yourself up from the lowest pieces of your heart and learning to love and appreciate who you are FOR who you are.

Deliciously creepy, I could not stop reading once I began. Jaime Jo Wright has such a wonderful ability to pull me into her story worlds, and this tale was no different. Pippa and Chander, along with the men who truly love them, are forces to be reckoned with as they traverse this crazy life.

Circus life has always fascinated me, and the depth of character and detail in this book satisfied a deeply rooted itch.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Jaime Jo Wright does a fabulous job at crafting a story that makes readers beg for the rest of the story in a hurry. While Wright crafts the two timelines from 1928 versus the present day, she somehow wraps the story up by the end. It makes total sense and captures my attention. I was really excited when I started to read about a serial killer that was killing innocent woman at the circus, but it seemed not to be about the killer. It was more about the people and their change. The plot is different and unique. I really liked it. But my overall complaint is that it was hushed down a lot with the mystery element. I wanted more. Romance seemed a little downplay too. It made the plot seemed cheapen with the romantic elements. I wish they were there. I do enjoy Wright's style. Her writing is delightful to read. I love her word choices, and as an English Major, I love how she structures her sentence. It is a delight to just reread sentences for their pure beauty. Overall, The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus may not be my most favorite book of Wright's, but I definitely have been recommending Wright's stories to everyone who enjoys a clean, safe mystery.

I received a complimentary copy of The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus by Jaime Jo Wright from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Oh goodness, Jaime Jo Wright's books just seem to get better and better! I may or may not have made the mistake of reading some of this in the nighttime. Maybe one of these days I'll learn my lesson haha. I don't know how she manages it but just as with her others, Wright has done a masterful job of creating suspense that causes readers' minds to spin wildly as they attempt to put all the pieces together. And no longer shocking, the ending still managed to be full of surprises.

Pippa was such an easy character to love and the deeper I got into her story, the more I hoped for her to find love and a place to belong herself. My heart also went out to Lily the elephant and it warmed my heart to see the connection she had with Pippa. I've seen others make comments about wanting to pray for a fictional elephant and now I get it!

It was very easy to see that a whole lot of heart and soul went into Chandler's character and that of her son Peter. The mother-son bond was powerfully written and there's no question that real emotion went into their creation.

I do believe I've found my new favorite Jaime Jo Write novel and now I must sit impatiently waiting for what she comes up with next. Her books are ones you don't want to miss! Just read during the daytime... you'll thank me later ;)

*I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

I really enjoyed this mysterious, dual time period novel.
I requested this book through @netgalley, and @bethanyhousefiction were kind enough to let me have a copy to review.
In 1928 the story follows Pippa, who was adopted by owners of the Bonaventure circus. She searches for the truth of her past in the circus and its performers. Then in the present day, Chandler is hoping to restore the old circus train depot, when she finds herself investigating the unsolved murders of a notorious serial killer connected to the circus.
This book is a combination of historical romance and murder mystery with a touch of the paranormal woven in. It gets quite dark on occasions but is also full of warmth from the characters and the colour provided by the circus setting.
I found the mystery both compelling and chilling. The story was well-paced and jumped between the time periods keeping the story moving forward, particularly towards the end.
I loved the romance elements and the brooding male protagonists. Both the female leads developed throughout the book but in different ways. I particularly enjoyed watching Pippa discover her own voice.
I enjoyed the Christian element to the book as different characters within each story, voiced their faith.

“Life was not unlike the wisp of fog that curled around the base of a grave marker, softly caressing the marble before dissolving into the violet shadows of the night.” And so, Jaime Jo Wright begins spinning her chilling web of mystery, wonderment, and deceit in The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus.
At first, it seems like there might be a lot of unrelated information we are given. Like Alice in Wonderland, we just never know down which rabbit hole Ms. Wright will take us, or what to do with the scenes we see. With a dual timeline story, Wright alternates chapters between past and present. Double the rabbit holes; add a baby elephant, a Sasquatch-like man, a self- proclaimed medium, and a pit-bull, in no particular order. We see young Pippa Ripley, the adopted daughter of the circus owner, who longs to know her people and find value in her life. Before we can discover too much about Pippa, Wright pulls us out of the mire and thrusts us into the quagmire that is Chandler Faulk’s story. As we sort through her present-day needs to survive, excel and raise a child on her own, we are again uprooted and thrown back into the circus world, or as close as Pippa is allowed to venture. Actually, Wright does a wonderful job of feeding us just enough information about each young lady, both searching for belonging, significance, and love. Then, like a crazy carnival ride, we are tossed back and forth between the two narratives, hanging on for dear life, and trying our best to hang onto our wits as well. When I finished the book, I looked back in astonishment, amazed at the wild ride I’d been on, helpless to change it (I tried, but Pippa wouldn’t listen).
What a slowly-building whirlwind adventure that turned out to be! The book is finished but the repercussions will live on in my mind. Dare to read the book and leave it unfazed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own

There's something about books with a circus theme that always end up appealing to me, and I couldn't wait to see how Jaime Jo Wright was going to tackle a novel with this setting. Ever since her first release, I've been impressed with how well this author pulls off dual timelines, and in The Haunting of Bonaventure Circus, my attention was grabbed right from the start, and I had a hard time wanting to put it down.

Jaime Jo Wright has an evocative writing style that truly draws the reader right into the story, and I loved how this one focuses around two women in drastically different time periods who are both fighting to find the place they belong and be there for the people they care about. While the mysteries in the different timelines don't seem to be connected at first, the plot twists and turns in ways I never could have seen coming, and the final reveals completely blew me away. I thought I had a good portion of the story figured out, but as always, this author still managed to genuinely surprise me with the direction she took the story in, and I never saw it coming.

The circus setting is spot on throughout the entire story, and I loved how it added an extra eerie overlay to an already spine chillingly scary story. I also loved though how the circus setting was used to emphasize the faith elements that God made us all exactly how He wants us to be and that He sees all of us no matter what we're currently going through.

The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus is another amazing story by the talented Jaime Jo Wright, and I will definitely be recommending it. I read quite a few books each and every year, and I have yet to find another author that writes the way she does. Her writing style and story lines are always completely original and showcases what a master storyteller she truly is. My only complaint with this entire story was that I felt some of the questions that had been raised for me throughout the story weren't really answered before it wrapped up, but I still ended up loving it.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Definitely go ahead and pick this one up if you're looking for a scary suspense novel to read during the fall months.

Thanks so much to Bethany House for allowing me to read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Bethany House) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

This book will win awards. I know it. This is why:
1. Jaime Jo Wright knows how to put words together. The opening paragraph alone was so well crafted, it pulled me right in.
2. Typically, when I read a dual time period story, I significantly prefer the older timeline over the contemporary one. Not so here. I thought both storylines progressed well, had a good balance of mystery and suspense, and contained characters I was invested in. I also thought both stories contained well thought out parallels that went beyond the mystery itself. Artfully done.
3. The story line was not predictable. I was guessing, and second guessing, who the real antagonists were up until the end. This is why a stayed up until 3am last night reading to the very last page.
4. Jaime Jo Wright really came through in this story. Not just with her gift of story telling, but with aspects of her own (real life) story (e.g. Chandler’s battle with PTLDS). I appreciate her boldness in doing so.

After all these strengths, there is one aspect I wish was a bit different and is the reason for my 4 star rating. It has to do with some of the darker elements that were part of this book, knowing this is a Christian fiction novel. I am fine when these sorts of themes are included in a story, as long as evil is not glorified. And it wasn’t, so that is not an issue here. However, there were some aspects of sin/evil that were left open, in my opinion, and not explicitly concluded as such. I would have liked to see a clearer biblical line drawn on these items.

All that being said, I highly recommend this book and encourage readers to think through these topics.

This is my first book by Jamie Jo Wright and I was not disappointed. This time slip shows the Bonventure circus in its heyday in the 1920's with all the thrills and curiosity of the circus. As well as the darker inner secrets that make up the circus. The intrigue and mystery that continues to build as you follow Pippa, the adopted daughter of the owner of the circus. She is a child of the circus but raised to be strictly obedient to her adoptive father. Even so, Pippa is pulled toward the circus and more accurately, The Watchman. The Watchman has watched over her, kept in secret contact with her. But is The Watchman the protector she thinks he is? The story is a time slip from the 1920's to present day and the abandoned circus depot that Chandler Faulk would like to restore. But that intrigue and mystery that was building in the 1920's isn't done. It's coming full speed down the tracks into present day. The people of Bluff River believe the depot is haunted. A woman, part of the Bonaventure circus was murdered there. Or was it the Costume House? Either way, ever since, there have been strange happenings at the place and it plays a big part in the lives of those in Bluff River even after all this time.
The two time periods come crashing in a way that makes this book one you don't want to put down. You have a need to know answers to so many questions. And those answers came as a surprise yet.....they makes sense and the story, the two time periods, wrap up together.

I first started reading Jaime Jo Wright’s books in 2018. The premise of writing a mystery/suspense story set in two different time periods yet intricately tied together throughout decades (or more) intrigued me. That fascination hasn’t let up. In The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus, Ms. Wright once again pens a tale that kept me on the edge of my seat and tugged at my heart and spirit at the same time. Set in both 1928 and present day, it’s a story involving characters like Pippa and Jake and Chandler and Hank who struggle with their own self-worth and who yearn to be loved and accepted just as they are. What better place to find such characters than a historic circus town? The author layers mystery within mystery so that you enjoy peeling away the layers trying to discern who did what and how it happened. I was engrossed and invested in the setting, the story and the characters from the first page until the final page. I highly recommend picking up The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus as soon as you can. You won’t regret it.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, but all thoughts and feelings are my own.

Pippa, a kind soul who was adopted by the owners of the circus the Ripley's. She longs to be at the circus but her father forbids it. She befriends a baby elephant named Lily, and other circus people. She gets messages from the Watchman! Why is he watching her and does he have clues to who her real family is?
Present day
Chandler a single Mom who purchased the Circus Train Depot for her uncle to restore and then sell it. She finds out from the Townspeople that it is haunted and that a murder took place there and The Watchman.

A surprise ending, Creepy, Twist and turns, Secrets,Murder.
Loved it!! Jaime Jo Wright is one of my favorite authors and this book will not disappoint you. Who wouldn't want to read about a Haunted Circus. It would be a great movie

Jaime Jo has done it once again, captured me with one of her stories. If I could give this book more stars I would! As the secrets buried deep with in Bonaventure Circus begin to surface life for Pippa and Chandler change forever. These two women seek the same truth in 2 different centuries. This story is just like that of the circus. Enthralling. Eerie. Exciting. Beautiful. And sometimes sad for humans and animals alike. Read it. You wont be disipointed. And if your like me you will be a Jaime Jo reader for life

This book is pure magic! When real life calls you away from the book, its story and characters will haunt you, drawing you back as quickly possible. Easily one of my favorite books I have read in 2020! I have been a fan of Ms. Wright since the release of her debut novel, and find that she keeps raising the bar. She sets the standard for writing split time novels, skillfully exposing layers of the plot, building suspense, fleshing out her characters with each line of prose.

Jaimie Jo Wright's unique experience of growing up in an old circus town, fostered her love for the circus world of old. Her skillful pen combines the beauty and magic of the circus but also reveals the dark side of circus sideshows, one that exploited those who were different and could only find a home in a place filled with misfits.

Jaime Jo Wright's unique voice creates a wonderfully spine-tingling mystery filled with unsolved murders, a haunted old circus town and the uncovering of long forgotten secrets that threaten the present, intertwining the stories of two unlikely heroines. Add to this a precious elephant calf, and I was hooked! Seldom am I invested in both storylines, but found both Pippa's and Chandler's stories fascinating. Although separated by almost 100 years, they each struggled to be seen and valued for themselves, just as those who hid within the confines of the circus of old. This subtle faith thread of finding acceptance and love as one created and loved by God is the beauty and magic of this tale.

One of my favorite quotes:
"Remember, what to us seems like God's biggest errors, to Him they are His largest promises."

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

No Spoilers!

The exhilarating sights and scents of the Big Top will assail your senses—the roar of the tigers, trumpeting, massive elephants, beautiful trapeze artists—and eerie, dark secrets all lend to the pervading sinister aura that is Bonaventure Circus.

As only Jaime Jo Wright can create them, dual timelines intertwine one another, with two deeply troubled heroines (who live a century apart) seeking to find their place in life and wondering where God is in the midst of all of it. Will their search inadvertently put them directly in the path of a crazed killer...and unexpected romance? As a trapeze artist must trust her partner will seize her when she lets go of the bar, will heroines, Pippa and Chandler, learn to trust that God will catch them should they fall?

With expertise and compassion, Ms. Wright invites the reader on a spine-tingling, but intriguing journey into the life of circus performers, who were sometimes mocked, judged, and abused...but whose faith and love of family sustained them. By the way, be prepared for a shocker at the conclusion of this novel that this amateur sleuth never saw coming! Beautifully written in the author's poetic style, I highly recommend The Haunting at Bonaventure Circus!

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are entirely my own.*

An old abandoned train depot. This is the setting of the beginning of the present day timeline. Chandler is lurking about there at night, even though she's been told it's haunted....this story has lots of creepiness right from the get-go (this is kind of a Jaime Jo trademark...). She is determined to bring it back into a useful, if not slightly glorious estate again....

Chandler is such a sweet heroine. A single mom, battling an autoimmune disorder, desperately doing anything she can for her beloved son.

And then there's Pippa in the historical timeline....abandoned by the very circus people she so admires and would love to know. She’s been adopted by the wealthy Ripley family and is expected to live as a proper young lady, and has even been told whom she must marry. But when a mysterious stranger promises information about her real parents....

As always, mentally I attempt to pick a favorite character, and once again I find it  a much too difficult task. Both of these ladies wormed their way into my thoughts, and I just can’t choose.

I especially liked the details about the circus, the performers, etc. And the elephants! Elephants are so amazing. Pippa’s bond with the baby was so neat.

This story is just what I’ve come to expect from Jaime Jo Wright. Just the right elements and combination of mystery and suspense. And plenty of spookiness and dark undertones. I really enjoyed the suspense and watching it all come together. 

As always, the underlying question when I’m reading a dual time story—How do these play out? How does everything come together? I was kept guessing until the very end! You will need to read and find out as well!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

#TheHauntingAtBonaventureCircus #NetGalley

Get ready for a winding creepy ride, through two time periods-the late 1920's and the present. This book was so creepy, not my favorite genre to read, but Jaime Jo Wright knows how to keep me hooked.
Pippa Ripley is a lost soul. Left on the doorstep of the owners, of the Bonaventure Circus, Pippa has always felt like a cast off. Her love for her nanny dog, Penn, who is her protector. I could picture the big top and the circus people,and them, riding the rails. I loved Pippa and her courage to find out who she was, bless her for fighting for control.
Chandler Faulk, a single mom, with a young son, Peter arrive in Bluff River, Wisconsin, and are soon entrenched, in the old town stories of a serial killer. Chandler buys a depot and old costume house, where Bonaventure Circus used to have their animals and house their staff. Chandler, doesn't realize that it is also the scene of Patty Luchent's murder. Patty was a costume designer for Bonaventure Circus. I loved Chandler and her love for her son, and her love of restoring old buildings. This book had me reading late into the night and kept me guessing.

THE HAUNTING AT BONAVENTURE CIRCUS by JAIME JO WRIGHT is a mystery thriller which will keep you guessing right to the end (and reading until the early hours)!
The plot winds between two time frames - the late 1920's and the present - with many ups and downs and surprises along the way.
When Chandler Faulk comes to Bluff River Wisconsin to decide what to do with the abandoned train depot building her uncle Neal has bought, things are really stirred up. Is the town actually haunted by Patty Luchent's ghost, as Lottie Dobson would have her believe, or are there those who do not want Chandler nosing around the old buildings? There is no doubt that the gruesome murders implicating a serial killer have left their mark on the town. Chandler is an overachiever who is terrified of losing her precious son Peter. She feels no one really "sees" her and is loath to accept help in case she is seen to be an unsuitable mother. Whilst she has been brought up to believe in God, she doubts that He could be all that interested in her. She does not buy into the ghost stories, although she is really unsettled by them.
Pippa Ripley was adopted by Richard Ripley, the owner of the Bonaventure Circus, and his wife Victoria, when she was found abandoned on their doorstep. She longs to know who her real father is, and with her crippled leg, feels more at home with the circus and its damaged, misunderstood and often shunned people, than in the luxury and loneliness of Ripley Manor. I love her interaction with her Pit Bull Penn, the "nanny dog", and Lily the injured elephant calf.
The novel is packed full of colourful characters in both time frames.
It is a story about families and belonging, fathers, broken people and restoration. One particularly picks up a sense of the Fatherhood of God - the only perfect Father, who watches over His children.
It is altogether a most enjoyable read and one I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The dual line story surrounds the mysterious old building of the Bonadventure Circus. I loved Pippa and her love for the baby elephant. I appreciated the fact Chandler was having a difficult time being a single parent and trying to prove herself but thought she was too intense. The darkness of the circus was highlighted by the way the workers were perceived by others. Often the workers had disabilities and were looked down upon. The author slowly intertwine the two storylines to have a surprising ending.

Breath taking.

Jaime’s writing style is beautiful, and I feel like in this book it was even better. I loved the story and the characters. The story intoxicating, once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. And it felt wrong to be finished reading it and not have any more story about these characters to read and explore. What I am saying, is this book gave me a serious book-hangover.

This book covers so many deep, emotions struggles and frames them so well. It made me cry and laugh all at the same time because of how well the emotional scene are written.

I absolutely recommend this book to everyone!

This story jumps between the past and the present, between Pippa and Chandler, between a sweet baby elephant and a precocious seven year old.
We are pulled into this book, mystery, murder, happenings, all surrounding a circus.
When the facts unfold, surprises, yes! A lot I never saw coming, and yet it was right in front of me. We have an abandoned baby with a deformity, a mother that has a serious illness but with a fearless she loves her child, and how this story is all wound together is masterful, and you will quickly page turning for answers. This book has hauntings and serial killers along with two very strong women.
I received this book through NetGalley and the Publisher Bethany House. and was not required to give a positive review.