This book would be great for someone who is struggling with the idea of why God allows bad things to happen or why bad things happen to good people.

DNF @ 16%. I stopped reading this at chapter 7.

There was nothing wrong with this book, I just kept finding I didn't want to pick it up and it wasn't sucking me in. Seems like an interesting moment in history, but the insta-love turned me off a bit and I just couldn't turn my excitement back on.

When the Flames Ravaged by Rhonda Dragomir us a fantastic addition to Barbour Publishing’s A Day to Remember series. My attention was captured right away by the circus setting of this Christian historical fiction novel. Hank, aka Fraidy Freddy the clown is running away from secrets in his past, when he encounters Evelyn, a war widow working as a waitress to make ends meet. The faith element of this book is superbly incorporated as an authentic part of plot, not a sermonette awkwardly plopped into the story, as can sometimes happen. I’m not typically a fan of a romance subplot--many stories don’t need it, but it’s an appropriate and necessary part of this story. Before reading this book, I had never heard of the real life Ringling Bros fire, and I found it fascinating, and almost miraculous that any circus was able to escape going up in flames, given the lack of safety measures. I’ve now read the first 2 books in this new series, and it has the potential to be one of my favorite Barbour series (and I’ve loved several already!)

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

1944 Most of the men were involved in the war in some way or another - mostly overseas. Unfortunately there were plenty of widows and children with no husbands or fathers, so an afternoon at the circus was just the right ticket. Hank and his coworkers had a big job to set it all up, with lions and elephants and more. But it was worth it to see the excitement in the faces of the children.

The unforeseen happens and a small flame that becomes a conflagration catches everyone by surprise creating a stampede of people trying to leave the circus tent. A tragedy ensues and families are separated. Will they ever meet again on this side of heaven?

A copy was received through Barbour Publishing, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. These impressions are my own and were in no way solicited.

“How much was God responsible for the failure of men? When did the providence of God end and the responsibility of man begin? Was God’s power limited by the free will of mankind?”
What a great historical read along with thought provoking spiritual lessons. I was impressed how Rhonda Dragomer wove in characters wrestling with their faith as they dealt with a very tragic situation. The story was based around a circus tent fire in 1944. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire book. When the Flames Ravaged was a great portrayal of all the events of that day and the heartbreaking losses that occurred. I received a copy of When the Flames Ravaged from NetGalley with no obligations. All opinions expressed are my own.

A new series of historic disasters that have been changed by nature or man, this one centers around the Big Top of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Baliey Circus in Hartford, CT on July 6, 1944.

A devastating blaze erupted and consumed the circus tent, killing many people. Evelyn Benson, a war widow, and Hank Webb, who worked as a clown for the circus meet and work together to try to find her family who was at the circus at the time of the fire. Hank remembers trying to help them get out, so he and Evelyn are working together to find out if her family is still alive.

Devastation, disappointment, loss of faith, renewing of faith, sweet love, and encouragement are all emotions involved in this book.

It is a book you will have a variety of emotions as you read it. It seemed to move rather slowly, but yet you will not want to stop reading it until the end.

I received a copy of the book from Barbour and NetGalley. The opinions expressed were my own.

The newest addition to the A Day to Remember series is “When the Flames Ravaged” by Rhonda Dragomir. It tells the story of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus fire that took place in Hartford, Connecticut on July 6, 1944. It was a horrific event. One that changed the lives of so many during an already difficult wartime. Despite that horribleness of it all, the author was able to tell of the day in a respectful and memorable way.

One thing I loved most about this book was the characters. Evelyn Benson and Hank Webb are two characters that you will grow to love as you traverse the unthinkable with them. They were written in such a way that I felt like I knew them personally when I finished the book. Their experiences, although unthinkable, became so real. I loved seeing how they grew throughout the book and how their faith about to go out grew strong again.

Another thing I enjoyed while reading was how vivid the events of the book were. The author did a fabulous job at bringing the horrific fire and its aftermath to life. It was well researched and well written making for an impactful read.

“When the Flames Ravaged” is the perfect read for anyone who loves history, Christian fiction, and romance. A part of the A Day to Remember series, “When the Flames Ravaged” is a stand alone.

I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are my own.

A deadly fire under the big top that affected one family.
I thought parts of this book were sad and a bit depressing. The faith of the characters was like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the fire. It’s a nice clean story about a devastating fire and it’s aftermath
Thanks to the publisher for the early copy

A real historical page turner... such tragedy
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2024
This is a page turning account of a horrible disaster in history.
I enjoyed how real this writer made her characters, so real you can almost feel what they were feeling and understand how such a tragedy could make someone doubt God and His care for them. The book shows how God is with us in the good times and also in tragedy, how our world is filled with evil and how other peoples actions cause tragedy and pain in others lives.

Evie faces such loss but comes through with Gods help and His plan for her after the pain she has suffered. The hunt for little Jamie tugs at your heart strings.

Get a copy and then plan to not be able to put the book down!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing but was under no obligation to post a review.

What a wonderful read. This book hooks you on the first page and doesn't let go. It's a well written historical novel that mixes fact with fiction that the author brought to life with her words. It's full of emotions; it will make you laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between. I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

DNF about a third of the way through.

I loved the first book in this series, and was very excited for this one. Especially after “The Greatest Showman,” I enjoy all things circus, and this was a new-to-me event.

However, I felt the author overused similes throughout the portion I read; there was little variation in sentence structure and gave the reader the omniscient narrator’s take on the situation—telling versus showing, whether emotion, events, etc. It’s simply to the point of distraction for me, sadly.

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Devastating and inspirational! My heart was ripped out, and I cried multiple times. I personally related to the characters' questions on faith. I wish I had read this years ago when I was going through something tragic. I'm shocked this is a debut novel. Well done!

This was a fantastic book! I'd heard of the infamous circus fire before, but never actually understood how so many people could perish in a tent. Now I get it as Rhonda Dragonmir explained this tragedy not only accurately, but with heartfelt emotion. The characters were fictional, of course, but the factual information included as we explored the lives of Hank, Evelyn and her family made them seem so real.
I'll admit that parts of this story were difficult to read. And yet, I could do nothing but continue reading as fast as I could in order to turn to the excitement and drama of what the next page would hold. The amount of research and quite possibly tears that went into creating this story is staggering. It is worth the read simply for the history lesson, but beyond that, my attachment to the fictional characters was strong enough to let me feel their heart wrenching emotion and remember them long after the final page was turned.
I commend Ms. Dragonmir for a well written novel full of fact, emotion and romance. I highly recommend it to readers across many genres .
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review

"... the bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flow'r" William Cowper

I knew this would be an emotional read as I knew about this horrendous fire that took place July 6, 1944. My mother spoke of it from childhood memories, and it has been added into a fictional television series that I watched once. The fatal fire engulfed the Barnum and Bailey Circus tent in Connecticut taking the lives 0f 168 people.
I want to thank Rhonda Dragomir, Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my copy of the book. This is my own unsolicited opinion. First and foremost, I have to commend the author for handling this true historical event with care and respect. This isn't a pleasant topic. It was a horrifying event, and she presented the reality of it with taste and such emotion on the parts of the characters. She 'let' them tell the story. It's just such an excellent handling of a heartbreaking nightmare. This character driven story is told in a fictional account by one of the circus clowns, Hank and a woman, Evelyn Benson who experiences crushing loss. This story is very well researched and descriptive. It is written as to what may have happened along with the horror of what did take place and how people coped with the aftermath.
I honestly can't praise this touching book enough. It is highly emotional, with both main characters lives being profoundly affected. It is part of the "A Day to Remember" series.

I would never have guessed this was a debut novel! It is a wonderful, emotion packed read. Beautifully crafted, true-to-life characters jump off the pages and into your heart. Thanks to Ms. Dragomir’s vivid, detailed descriptions, I could see and feel the chaos and fear at the Ringling Brothers Circus on that fateful day in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 6, 1994. I enjoyed the sweet love story that unfolds as Evelyn and Hank, with their own personal struggles, search for missing family members and truth concerning the cause of the fire amidst the aftermath of the tragic event. I especially appreciate the strong faith thread and spiritual growth experienced by the characters. This captivating fictional story of hope based on a tragic true historical event touched my heart and stirred my soul, and I highly recommend it. I look forward to reading more books by this author. Note: This is the second book in Barbour’s wonderful A Day to Remember series. Each book in the series is a standalone read.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well, I began reading this book, saw it was about the circus, and thought to myself, I’m not interested in the circus, then put it aside for a few days. Then I picked it back up and could hardly put it down!

The author did a great job keeping the reader engaged in this story about a horrendous fire at a Ringling Brothers circus in Hartford, CT in 1944. She used fictional characters to tell this true story in which nearly 170 people died trying to exit the burning circus tent. The main characters, Hank and Evelyn, are very believable people as is their story. When a tragedy such as this occurs, there are missing people and cases of mistaken identity, both of which happened here. The way the story unfolded and concluded were beautifully done, in my opinion.

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest opinion. Four stars!

On July 6, 1944, a devastating fire consumed a Barnum & Bailey circus tent in Hartford, CT. In Rhonda Dragomir's retelling of this event, the tragedy brings together two strangers together in a desperate search for a missing boy that just might bring healing to their own tattered hears. This was a beautifully written story that instantly drew me back in time to 1944. Whether we were reading Evelyn's point of view at the diner or Hank's perspective as a circus clown and Barnum & Bailey employee, I felt like I was getting a unique glimpse into the past. The author did a fantastic job with the historic setting. The characters were flesh and blood, hardworking, kind, yet flawed people who were both just trying to do their best in life. The story was tragic but tastefully written. I felt Evelyn's pain as she searched for her family. I can only imagine how confusing it must have been to try and reunite children who'd been separated from their parents. I was dying to find out what happened in the end and rooting for Evelyn and Hank to work out the obstacles between them. If you enjoy historical romance, I highly recommend you read this one. I'm curious about the other books in this series, as well, and plan to check them out.

This is book two in the series from Barbour entitled A Day to Remember
Tragedy strikes on July 6, 1944 jn Hartford, Connecticut. Evelyn Benson was supposed to join her brother and his family at the circus that fateful afternoon. Now she has to search for her missing family members after a fire sweeps through a tent with disastrous results. The story relates how Evelyn, a waitress, and Hank, a circus clown, embark on a quest to find niece Lily and nephew Jamie.
Such a heartbreaking story with many obstacles for Evelyn to overcome, including putting her trust in Hank who has his own past to deal with.
A remarkably told story of a frightening event and the grim aftermath. It was intense and sympathetic while conveying some mystery and a budding romance. It had a solid faith thread that delved into the spiritual growth of the characters.
This is the first book I have read from this author and I will be on the lookout for her next offering.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through Celebrate Lit via Netagalley. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are mine alone.*

A well written historical novel about the Hartford Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey circus tent fire of 1944. With well paced writing and unforgettable characters, author Rhonda Dragomir has put this disaster into very human terms. I look forward to reading her other recreations of real-life disasters.

Exactly one month after D-Day, history was made again, for a tragic reason without any positivity. July 6, 1944, the Hartford Circus Fire occurred when a fire broke out in a tent during a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance in Hartford, Connecticut. One hundred sixty-seven people died in one of the worst fire disasters in U.S. history. The story features Evelyn, who has already suffered tragedy during WW2, and then meets Hank, a clown in the local circus. Hank is battling his own demons, but tries to help Evelyn with her struggles. They grow close and then endure a harrowing night when the circus tent catches fire during a show. This book is such a tragedy, and based on a true story, but it's also a story of strength, hope, and faith. It is part of a series, but each book in the series works as a standalone.