The Ringmaster's Wife

Lots of excitement and interesting facts of the Ringling Brothers Circus--probably most of that was actual. However, I was disappointed in the main thrust of the book, in that the Gospel message was not spelled out nor made plain in the lives of the main characters. I did enjoy Rosamund though, and her outlook on changing the very restricted lifestyle into which she was born.

"Home can move ", he answered,"as long as your heart goes with it."

In this book Rosamund, daughter of an earl and a lady of means, leaves all she has to accompany her horse to his new life in the circus. The horse was given by her brother, who died in the war, and she is not ready to part with it, even though her parents feel that she spends way too much time riding and doing things a well bred lady shouldn't be doing. They are ready to marry her off, for her benefit and theirs.

But Rosamund is a free spirit and wants to find her own way in the world. She is not ready to be strapped into a loveless marriage simply for the sake of money. As she follows her horse and her dream to a whole new world, life changes drastically. But through it her courage, faith and sense of fulfillment grow. So does her relationship with a man, she never would have took as husband material.

This book was incredible. I learned so much about Ringling Brothers circus, and time period surrounding it. The author captivated me with descriptive observations, historical facts, and much more. I was enthralled throughout the whole thing. In the beginning it took me a few chapters to really grasp the characters, locations, and time frame as she jumped back and forth from different characters and years. But once it got going, I absorbed it like a sponge.

I have to tell you, I finished this book in little over 48hrs. It was wonderful. I simply could not put it down for long. So much for housework and other duties I needed to be accomplishing, the book had me hooked, so give yourself time to read, when you open it.

This was my first book by this author, but I will definitely be looking for more!

I received this book from Fiction Guild free to read. I was not required to review positively and all opinions are my own.

This is a story about the Ringling circus family. I love reading historical fiction because you can learn so much about an interesting era in such a fun way. This book has so much depth and detail that you feel as though you are right there in the story. (I am in awe when I think of how much research must have been done to write this book!) The main character, Rose (fictional), is an English lady who was expected by her parents to marry well. But she had a horse she loved, who meant the world to her. When he was sold to the Ringlings, she ran away to go with him. Her years of practice as a trick rider landed her a contract with the Ringlings, and she had unforgettable experiences. This book gives you a look at the behind the scenes of a circus. It gives the privilege of peeking into the life of Mable Ringling, and really helps to bring this period in history to life.

This was a very beautifully written novel! It was the first book that I have read by this author and I really enjoyed her writing style. For the first few chapters, I had to work very hard to keep the dual timelines and characters straight. But after getting to know the characters, it was not a problem to time hop through this dual timeline story. In fact, it kept me reading to find out what would happen next!

The pacing of the story was leisurely. It was slow, but not in a bad way. As I moved through the book, I appreciated the way the author introduced sections of the story in a gentle way and then hopped to the other timeline and did the same. I guess this could frustrate some readers, but I really liked it.

The characters and love stories that developed in both timelines were great. I definitely felt connected to John, Mable, Colin, and Rosamund and hoped for the best for them. The Ringmaster's Wife kept me turning the pages and invested in the lives of these characters!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Ringmaster's Wife is an emotion-filled story, rich with historical details, especially details of the Ringling Brothers circus amidst the glamour that was the Jazz Age. Featuring a dual timeline, and the story of two women, Mable Ringling and Lady Rosamund Easling, the novel spans the younger years of Mable's life before the circus is a part of her, up through Rosamund leaving her privileged life back in England to join the circus and the two meeting and connecting over a shared pursuit of a life well lived.

While I've read many dual-time novels, this one is unique in that both time lines are in the past. The way both story lines eventually meet up and connect characters, not just Mable and Rosamund is a really well-used device in this story. Mable is a character to be admired, and both she and Rosamund are the epitome of what it means to leave the comfort of the known and go after their true dreams.

I do think that this is more of a character-driven, introspective novel. While the plot has a few twists, for me, the novel shines most with it's rich details of life behind the scenes of the circus, as well as Mable's life with John Ringling. Her story served as a reminder that, despite loss and heartache, you can still have a well-lived life. Later it makes a nice comparison to the way that Rosamund chooses to react to a heartbreaking situation and the way she rises above it instead of letting bitterness take hold.

I received this book from the publisher and chose to review it. I was not required to post a positive review and the opinions expressed here are my own.