About the Book

Book: When the Flames Ravaged

Author: Rhonda Dragomir

Genre: Christian / Historical / Romance

Release Date: March, 2024

Will Faith Perish in the Big Top’s Flames?

Introducing a new series of 6 exciting novels featuring historic disasters that transformed landscapes and multiple lives. Whether by nature or by man, these disasters changed history and were a day to be remembered.

Evelyn Benson’s husband perished in the Bataan Death March but not her faith. The World War II Gold Star widow is taken in by her brother and soothed by the love of his wife and children. Evelyn refuses to cower to grief. She may not understand God’s mysterious ways, but she has never questioned Him—until the circus fire.

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus train chugs into Hartford, Connecticut, on a sweltering day one month after the Allies invaded Normandy. Among the roustabouts is a reluctant clown, Hank Webb. He may hide from his murky past behind grease paint as Fraidy Freddie, but God wants to offer Hank a chance to be found. Though first, what little Hank believes about God will endure a fiery trial.

On Thursday, July 6, 1944, a devasting blaze of unknown origins consumes the circus tent along with Evelyn’s hopes and Hank’s anonymity.

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About the Author

Rhonda Dragomir is a multimedia creative who treasures her fairy tale life in Central Kentucky, insisting her home is her castle even if her prince refuses to dig a moat. She has multiple published works in anthologies and periodicals, along with numerous Bible studies studied weekly by more than 10,000 women around the world. Rhonda has garnered numerous writing awards for both fiction and nonfiction, including her selection as 2019 Writer of the Year by Serious Writer, Inc. In 2020 she was also a finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest for her first novel, a 16th century historical romance.

More from Rhonda

The heroine’s last living family members are struck down in a tragic fire. Will she crumble? Will she tumble into bitterness? Will she forsake her faith? We view life through her eyes and wonder, “What would I do?”

The best fiction sails the vast sea of human experiences and explores how we survive when storms roil the waters. Triumph, tragedy, victories, valleys—though we have not lived through the exact events as the characters, we feel the same elation on the crests and despair in the troughs of the waves.

This is why I love to write historical fiction, especially romance. I interweave my own thoughts and feelings with those of my characters. My words become theirs, and their responses mirror my own as I fight to keep my head above water.

I spent dozens of hours researching When the Flames Ravaged, the story of a horrific circus fire in Hartford, Connecticut on July 6, 1944. I gasped, I wept, and I marveled at the courage of rescuers who sacrificed their own lives to save others. True, live-or-die battles fueled my imagination, and composite characters leaped to life.

At one point, my hero dives into dark water, grasping with frail human understanding to comprehend the scope of the disaster. He decides good and evil are locked in an everlasting struggle, and humans are mere pawns stuck in the middle. Then he asks, “What is the use of serving God if He won’t protect you?”

Who has never asked the same thing when tragedy strikes? Pat answers and platitudes won’t suffice. Only a personal quest to discover an acceptable answer to this age-old question will help us find peace in the midst of the churning sea of doubt.

I hope my novel will toss a live preserver to everyone treading water.

MY REVIEw

I was struck by the overwhelming grief in the story. A tragic fire destroys not only the circus but many who were in the tent excitedly enjoying the show. Family’s gathered together to make a day of it. The author mixes historic truth with a bit of fiction to deliver a story that leaves me asking the same question one of the main characters does.

Evelyn is devoted to her sister, brother-in-law and two beautiful children. She wanted to join them at the circus but her boss would not let her off. When news of the fire travels to the community Evelyn rushes to find her family. What she sees is devastation, death and loss. Where is her family? Her grief would bring anyone to their knees. When her neighbor comes to visit Evelyn asks why did God allow this to happen. The answer was delivered in a compassionate way as the neighbor softly says, “ if God saved every person who was ever in danger, what kind of world would this be? If miracles happened every day, they wouldn’t be miracles anymore. Sometimes God lets nature take its course.”

Hank is a clown in the circus but hides a dark secret that brings him sadness daily. When he meets Evelyn there is a spark but I think Evelyn wasn’t as excited to pursue him as he was her. When he tries to help Evelyn find her family they do grow a little closer. He blames himself for not stopping the person he believes is responsible for starting the fire. Oh yes the blame game gets us every time. We allow the enemy to whisper to us that we are at fault and not loved by anyone. One thing we must remember is, “we are not responsible for other people’s actions.”

The story takes us on a journey to try to find Evelyn’s missing nephew. Deep in her heart Evelyn believes he survived the fire and won’t stop until she gets an answer. The town is trying to recover from the loss of many while trying to start over. The author does an amazing job of illustrating forgiveness , miracles and a new relationship with God.

I received a copy of this book from Cerebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.