High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt is a great story which brings the past and present together in unexpected ways. Chloe is writing her latest mystery novel and has decided to use Ca D’Zan, the former home of John and Mabel Ringling, as the setting. The museum is currently closed and undergoing a major renovation so she access to the whole house and archives with staff assisting her. She is aware that her great grandmother was a star trapeze artist in the circus in the 1930's and much mystery surrounds what happened to her so Chloe plans to investigate her also. Dr. Ian Flanner is in charge of the renovations and also tasked with seeing to Chloe's needs while she lives in the cottage on the estate. He assigns her an assistant, Tilda, but still must have almost daily contact with her. Will a deeper relationship form between Chloe and Ian or is it all work for both of them?
I loved this story and was pulled into it from page one. The story goes back and forth between the past and present without the feeling of an abrupt interruption. I give this book a 5 of 5 stars for the excellent writing, characters and a mystery that leads the reader on a fantastic journey.
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

This is an interesting read. Twisted together into a duel time read, the author develops her characters well and adds some mystery and suspense.
What really happened to the young gymnast who disappears after doing a triple flip high up in the air?
Sarasota, FL and Cad’Zan, home to John and Mable Ringling, is where the book takes you as the story unfolds. Chloe, a writer, hopes to get inspiration at Cad’Zan but is distracted in her research by the disappearance of her grandmother from this very place. Chloe sets out to unravel the mystery.
The storyline will keep you engaged until the very end.

High-Wire Heartbreak is a fascinating addition to Barbour’s outstanding Doors to the Past series. This well-crafted story drew me in from the beginning and kept me engaged to the satisfying ending. The dual-timeline set in 1936 and 2022 in Sarasota, Florida, is beautifully executed. Both storylines flow smoothly as they twist and turn delivering surprises along the way! The characters are well-developed and memorable. This the first book I have read by this author, and I like her fluid, expressive style. Vivid detailed descriptions of the setting and historical details show evidence of extensive research. For me, the sweet romance takes a backseat to the captivating mystery and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but I did expect a stronger faith element. I highly recommend this read especially for dual-timeline and history lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The story revolves around the Ringling Brother's Circus in 1936. The historical details as a backdrop is well done and made me feel as though I was there along with the main characters.

I loved hearing the story of Lucinda Conroy from two different time periods, hers and that of a historical mystery writer, Chloe. Lots of mystery, deception, scandal, and intrigue are included in the storyline to keep me engaged.

A very well-written tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It's one of the best stories I've read this year and hated for it to end. Highly recommend.

I received an early copy from the author and voluntarily choose to review it.

3.5 stars- “High-Wire Heartbreak” is the next installment of Barbour’s “Doors to the Past” series where readers visit a historic US landmark through a fictional trip in time. This story revolves around John and Mable Ringling’s mansion in Sarasota, FL, Ca d’Zan.
When I read the synopsis of this book I was excited to read it. I grew up in Tampa, FL and spent many summers in Sarasota over my lifetime so the Ringlings and the circus are very familiar to me. I was eager to read a story set in a familiar setting and learn more about the museum and house.
The author did a great job describing Ca d’Zan and transporting her readers back to the 1930’s splendor of the house. I can tell she did a lot of research of the house and grounds. She definitely captured the summer Florida heat well too! I’ve read some other books that focused on different periods in the lives of the Ringlings, when Mable was still alive, so it was interesting and rather sad to read more about the end of John Ringling’s reign as a circus baron.
The story itself was intriguing. Chloe Whitfield, a successful mystery writer comes to stay at the Ringling mansion to work on her latest novel and learn more about her great-grandmother, the mysterious Lucinda Conroy, a high-flying star of the circus in the 30’s that had seemingly disappeared in disgrace. The story is a split time-line telling both Lucinda’s story in the 1930’s and Chloe’s story in the present day. I enjoyed learning what happened with Lucinda as it happened and then seeing Chloe put the pieces together in the present day.
The romance part of the book fell flat for me though. There wasn’t much of it. I felt the author told the reader that the characters were romantically interested in each other, instead of showing it. As much as I sensed that Nardo was a great, caring guy, there was zero romance between him and Lucinda and very little character development. Maybe that was on purpose? I would have liked to have gotten to know him a lot more in the book and had a more meaningful relationship between him and Lucinda. As for Chloe and Ian, there was more to their relationship but I still never felt a real connection between them. I liked them as characters but their relationship was pretty vague and superficial at times.
I enjoyed the last chapter or so the best. The author did a nice job of wrapping everything up in a satisfying way. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoy time-slip novels, and this one was an interesting one. The historical part of it takes place in 1936 and is about characters from John Ringling’s circus, and the modern day part has characters who are trying to learn what happened in the past with the historical main characters. This book has elements of suspense and mystery and I was interested in learning what had happened. I would have liked more character development though; I didn’t really connect with any of the characters.

3.5/5 stars

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt is a mixture of a mystery at the Ringling Mansion in Sarasota, Florida, and a hunt for what is family. I love the dual time stories that feature a mystery in the current setting, but then the actual mystery playing out in the past setting. These type of dual-time stories have become wildly popular, and I have enjoyed reading them. It makes it a little easier to read and understand what occurred in the past instead of reading letters or diary entries to learn what occurred previously. Of course, there is romance in both time periods. There is a jilted romance in the past that sparks the whole mystery in the present. It was nicely handled. I really did not think either romance was a little fast. The present one was a little odd and out of place for the time frame of the novel, but it worked out for the characters. Overall, High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt was a delightful story in the Doors to the Past series. I have really enjoyed all of these stories, and I hope there are more of them to come.

I received a complimentary copy of High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

High-Wire Heartbreak is a novel full of mystery and love in two halves that introduces us to Chloe and Lucy, each in their respective time periods and with a story that ties them together. While the successful Chloe works on her next book, Lucy, during the late 1920's, is trying to get out of a crime she has been accused of.

This book, while slightly predictable, works perfectly. The plot is interesting. The characters are well developed for a 250 page book. The setting is dreamy (Ca d'Zan is f*ck*ng real!!! And it is extremely beautiful!!!). It's not an extremely gripping or groundbreaking story but it's entertaining enough to recommend it as a good book to read on a Sunday afternoon. I think it is a story that might appeal to those who enjoyed Evelyn Hugo's The Seven Husbands.

I thank netgalley and the publisher for offering me an ARC of this novel. I enjoyed it very much.

This was a fun look into the past of the Ringling circus. I loved both of the time lines. I found both women to be interesting and their stories kept me engaged.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

High-Wire Heartbreak by Anna Schmidt is a great contribution to Door to the Past series. I thought it was a great read. It was intriguing getting into the mystery that the main character, Chloe, gets herself involved in. I never knew what was going to happen next. I had to keep reading to see what was going to become of Lucinda and how Chloe would react. I could not put the book down until I read the very last page.

High-Wire Heartbreak will be getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading clean historical romantic suspense. I look forward to reading the next installment from the Doors to the Past series, Jennifer Uhlarik’s Love's Fortress.

I received a digital copy of High Wire Heartbreak from the publisher, but was not required to write a positive review. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

High-wire Heartbreak is the third book I've read in the Doors to the Past series and I've loved each one. The beautiful cover drew me in and absolutely insisted I read it.

Dual timeline stories are quickly becoming my favorites and Anna Schmidt delivers in-depth complex relationships in both time periods. I knew from the title there would be a sadness and heartbreak, but that's only one facet of this well-developed story. There's mystery, romance and a unique setting that had me on the edge of my seat!

I was fascinated by the description of the Ringling property known as Ca d'Zan and had to stop reading to look it up; it's real place, an art and circus museum. The pictures of it added a lot to the visual understanding of the setting and gave a real feel for the wealth and splendor of the 1936 Sarasota property. Normally I'm all about how the relationships grow and evolve in a book, and the two in this story were fantastic, but the historical setting was a character come to life in and of itself.

My favorite romance of the two timelines was the historical one. It's a love story to its very core, not the flashy passionate one readers often encounter, but a love story of the truest most enduring nature, where one person loves another and does everything for their wellbeing and expects nothing in return. Be still my heart!

The modern day timeline was more about trying to solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago to a vanished hire-wire performer and the connection to the Whitfield family. I love how the author tied the two time periods together and brought the story to a satisfying sigh worthy conclusion. I highly recommend High-Wire Heartbreak. I could not have enjoyed it more. I appreciate Barbour Publishing making a copy available for review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

While I was reading Anna Schmidt’s High-Wire Heartbreak, I did not realize that this was part of the Doors to the Past series where authors visit historic American landmarks by telling two stories—one set in the past and one set in the present. This setting of two time periods can be tricky. The author must ensure he or she is continually connecting the two time periods from a narrative perspective, but also from a physical perspective. I do feel that the author does this.

In the novel, in 2022, mystery novelist Chloe Whitfield travels to Sarasota, Florida where she stays at the historic residence of John Ringling—grandfather of the circus. There, she encounters a portrait of her great-grandmother, Lucinda Conroy. Lucinda has portions of her life missing from official records and Chloe seeks out to find what happened to her. All Chloe finds out initially is that Lucinda was a trapeze artist for the circus who ends up being arrested for stealing a vase belonging to the Ringling family, along with some of their money.

With the help of a handsome professor (Dr. Ian Flanner) and her assistant, Tilda Tucker, Chloe discovers that Lucinda was pregnant (Chloe’s grandmother) at the time of the arrest. By looking deeper into the Ringling estate and an orphanage in Tampa, Chloe pieces together the clues to solve the mystery of her great-grandmother.

At one point in the novel, Chloe comes across the vase that Lucinda allegedly stole. This is an example of the physical world of Lucinda’s life intersecting with 2022. It connects the two story lines, which I think is a powerful device the author employs.

On a personal note, when I was younger, my father took me to the circus. It saddened me when they shut it down. It was a pleasant surprise to see an author delve back into the history of the circus. It is important to remember the institutions that no longer are prevalent in our society.

#highwireheartbreak #netgalley

This was an interesting historical fiction storyline, I enjoyed reading it.

In a dual-time story, mystery novelist Chloe Whitfield researches the Ringling Brothers estate in Sarasota, Florida, for a new book. She has her own mystery to solve. Her great-grandmother was a trapeze artist who was arrested, left her daughter in an orphanage, and disappeared.
Lucinda Conroy thought happily-ever-after was within her reach in 1936, but Martin Sutherland turned out to be a first-rate scoundrel. She nearly died after giving birth. When John Ringling died, the circus folded. She’s penniless. Fortunately, her trapeze partner, Nardo Russo, doesn’t give up on her.
There’s not much romance. Chloe is interested in Ian Flanner, the estate renovator, and a relationship develops, but we don’t see it happen. Lucinda’s story is much more appealing. Well satisfying conclusion.

Anna Schmidt's "High-Wire Heartbreak" is her fabulous contribution to the Doors to the Past series. A compelling blend of fact and fiction, this dual timeline novel's actions take place primarily on John Ringling's Sarasota estate.

Lucinda Conroy and Bernardo Russo are charming trapeze artists from the 1930s who face many hardships yet persevere. In the midst of the Great Depression, their struggles are palpable. The present-day protagonists Chloe Whitfield and Dr. Ian Flanner are well-matched. Characters, both lead and secondary, are wonderfully drawn. The present-day Tilda is especially interesting.

Schmidt's research into John Ringling's Circus, his financial struggles and his beautiful Florida estate, Ca' d'Zan, brings this novel to life. Her prose is evocative, and her period details are both accurate and riveting.

This cleverly plotted book has unexpected twists and turns.The past and present storylines converge at the end for a highly satisfying conclusion. This gently inspirational novel is an outstanding read. Anna Schmidt is a new author for me, and I plan to read more of her works.

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this engrossing novel.

This is a dual timeline novel that grabs you in both generations! In the late 1920s, we meet Lucy who is working as a trapeze artist. She gets pregnant on her wedding night, and her life tumbles out of control from there. In present day, Chloe is visiting the Ringling estate in Sarasota to write her newest novel. She knows her great-grandmother, Lucy, worked there as a trapeze artist before she gave her infant up for adoption and then disappeared forever. Chloe didn't intend to write her novel about her great-grandmother, but she can't shake the feeling that there's so much more to the story than she knows. I really enjoyed this book and it kept me entertained the entire time. I didn't know much about this topic and enjoyed reading a historical fiction piece on this time period in history.

What a great read! This book offers the reader just enough intrigue to keep going, I was never bored. One storyline written from two perspectives, past and present is the format for the plot. The main characters have generous heats and just enough challenge to make it interesting. I enjoyed this book because it was clean, no Unnecessary violence, or sexual explicitness. I would recommend this book for young teen readers.

I was given a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for my review.

What a fun read! This is a dual timeline novel that grabs you in both generations! In the late 1920s, we meet Lucy who is working as a trapeze artist. She gets pregnant on her wedding night, and her life tumbles out of control from there. In present day, Chloe is visiting the Ringling estate in Sarasota to write her newest novel. She knows her great-grandmother, Lucy, worked there as a trapeze artist before she gave her infant up for adoption and then disappeared forever. Chloe didn't intend to write her novel about her great-grandmother, but she can't shake the feeling that there's so much more to the story than she knows.

While some elements of this book were pretty predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt that some more time could have been spent on the development of Ian and Chloe's relationship, but adored the relationship between Lucy and Nardo. I would definitely recommend this book to someone who loves a good dual timeline story. The two generations connect well, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the journey of finding out what happened to Lucy throughout the book. I almost wish there had been more scenes with the circus acts and performers, but I loved how her story came together with Chloe's at the end. I really enjoyed Tilda's growth, but wish the romance between Chloe and Ian had had more scenes...their relationship seemed to happen more behind the scenes and didn't quite seem believable with how little time they actually spent together. Overall, sweet romance in both timelines with happy endings for everyone which I enjoyed.

The best thing about the story was the history it was based on. This was based on the house of the John and Mabel Ringling (Ca d'Zan) and a fictional mystery set there. The book had several mysteries along the way and I liked our main characters approach to dealing with one of the mysteries - Didn't get dramatic but dealt with it in a straight forward manner.

I liked the concurrent time periods of the stories - one set in the present day, the other set in the time of the heroine's great grandmother. This was like reading two stories in one and I liked the way they intertwined.

This is the first time I have read this author and I would be interested in reading more of her books. This one was one I got free in exchange for an honest review. It's made me want to see what else she has written.