Oh look, another book!: Review: Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure by Cliff Lovette

Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure
By Cliff Lovette

Soviet circus performers arrived in America hoping to build cultural bridges. Instead, they became unwitting pawns in a Cold War game of international intrigue.

When the first privately owned Soviet circus arrived in 1990 in America as the Soviet Union disintegrated, its elite performers expected to build cultural bridges through spectacular shows. Instead, this prestigious troupe faced a perilous journey through Cold War America.

Circus director Yuri had to navigate treacherous waters where American mobsters, Soviet agents, and political forces circled like predators. Young aerialist Anton dreamed of becoming a clown against his family’s wishes, while forbidden romances and unexpected connections bloomed between Soviet performers and Americans who saw past the ideological divide. As high-stakes conspiracies threatened to tear the circus family apart, they had to choose between the authoritarian chains of home and the uncertain promise of freedom.

As the Ringmaster reminds us, “The best Soviet stories are like vodka—they burn with suffering, intoxicate with conflict, keep you stewing in reflection, and yearning for your heart’s desire.” This genre-bending tale explores whether human connection can transcend ideology—and whether storytelling can bridge the divides that separate us.

Five Stars: Send Help (And Possibly a Ringmaster)

Circus Bim Bom reads like the result of a spectacularly bad idea that no one stopped in time. Someone said, “Let’s take a Soviet circus to America,” someone else said, “What could possibly go wrong?”, and this book exists to answer that question in exhaustive, hilarious detail.

From the outset, it’s clear that organisation is more of a vague suggestion than a plan. The cast lurches from one situation to the next with the confidence of people who absolutely believe things will work out, despite all available evidence to the contrary. When the circus lands in America, reality dials itself up to eleven: bigger roads, louder people, stranger customs, and a general sense that nothing is behaving as expected — including the circus itself. There’s no plan B — just making it up as you go.

The comedy comes from watching well-meaning performers repeatedly collide with a world that makes no effort to meet them halfway. Cultural misunderstandings pile up, dignity is abandoned without ceremony, and every attempt to regain control somehow makes things worse. It’s glorious chaos, and the book leans into it with glee.

Hovering at the edges of all this fun are the ever-present watchers, reminding everyone that while the circus may look freewheeling, it’s still on a very tight leash. The tension they bring only makes the ridiculous moments funnier, like telling jokes while someone stares at you very seriously from the corner of the room.

And then there are the QR codes. Scanning them feels like opening a trapdoor beneath the story — suddenly you’re listening to the exact music that’s fuelling the madness, and the scenes tip from funny into outright absurd. It’s an unexpectedly clever touch that turns reading into a slightly interactive experience, as if the book itself is nudging you and saying, “Go on, lean into it.”

Presiding over everything is the Ringmaster, cheerfully narrating events as though chaos is part of the programme (which, to be fair, it probably is). His commentary reinforces the sense that failure is never an option, only improvisation, and that forward momentum matters more than control.

Ridiculous and unapologetically over the top, Circus Bim Bom is a five-star spectacle that proves sometimes the best stories come from letting the circus run loose and seeing what survives.

Final note:
If you finish the book and feel like the curtain hasn’t fully fallen, you’re not imagining it. The Circus Bim Bom website is very much part of the act. It feels like wandering back into the tent after the audience has gone home — colourful, curious, and full of odd little surprises. Think of it as the encore you didn’t know you wanted. I LOVED the character Gallery - honestly, never seen a book presented in this way before! And you can even join the Bim Bom Bookclub - it just keeps getting better!

Did I mention I loved this book?!!!

Members receive:

✨ Discounts on Gifts and Merch

✨ Exclusive glimpses into the self-publishing journey

✨ Previews of historical curiosities about Soviet circus life that didn't make it into the book

✨ Exclusive "Rabbit Hole" bonus stories and other literary surprises

✨ A front-row seat to the book's development and launch

✨ Sign up for Free

What Makes This Novel Different, (apart from being absolutely brilliant)!

Circus Bim Bom offers an innovative multimedia reading experience. The novel includes 45+ YouTube links to period music, historical speeches, and cultural moments embedded throughout—readers can listen to the actual songs characters dance to as they waltz, and watch Reagan's Brandenburg Gate speech as it's referenced in the text.

The companion website (www.bimbombookclub.com) extends the story beyond the page:

• Character Avatars: 25+ talking video introductions where characters speak directly to readers

• Re-Imagined Circus Posters

• Book Club Experience: Interactive forums, live chat, and community discussions

• Historians Room (under construction): A space for Cold War history buffs to fact-check the novel, explore primary sources, and debate historical accuracy

And get this, which I think is super cool - the tour has its very own circus train - you heard me correctly. You can view it Here!

You have to pick up a copy of this book, it is just brilliant. You can find it on Amazon.

Cliff Lovette

Father, storyteller, and dog lover living in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with London curled at his feet. Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure is the first book in his debut duology, followed by Circus Bim Bom: The Great Escape.

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