Absolutely loved this story! I love a good dual timeline, and this one is excellent! The characters in both timelines had journeys that I could not stop reading, and the twists through me off, which very rarely happens. I couldn't put this one done! Highly highly recommend!

#BookRevew: IN SPOTLIGHT AND SHADOW by Rachel Scott McDaniel

As my first book by this author, this one didn’t disappoint. The writing style was good and has some subtle faith elements laced throughout the story. The title of the book made sense when she referenced it in some of the lines.

This dual timeline was well done. Every chapter introduced us to Elise, in the present times, and Sophie, a century ago. Each chapter left me with questions. The mystery progressed at a good pace. I was pleased with how things tied up at the end.

I was invested as Elise and Pierson pursued their investigation about Elise’s father. They have a really good chemistry as friends. Romantically, not so much. I also wanted more individual character development. I did enjoy their musical talents. I wish I could hear Pierson sing and Elise play the violin. Sophie and Sterling on the other hand were sweet to each other and had good chemistry. Sterling was a brooding hero. He still loved Sophie despite their past. Sophie had a big heart and was always compassionate to others. The theatre life and the mystery of the theft were engaging and thrilling. But who was the “Mirage”?

Overall this was a great addition to the Doors to the Past series. It was rich in historical details. The topic of illegitimacy and parental abandonment were handled well and sincere. This was an enjoyable and cozy read. Christian romantic suspense fans will surely enjoy this book.

Rating: 4 ⭐
Series: Doors to the Past 11
Pub date: 01 Feb 2023

Thank you Barbour Fiction and #netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

What a super fun ride this book was! It was packed from start to finish with twists, turns, links between the past and the present, and things I never saw coming. And the romance was pretty top notch! In present day we have Elise, a concert violinist whose career is slowly dying from stage fright. Enter Pierson, an old flame and former best friend from the past who left her standing on prom night, only to resurface years later as a wildly popular country music singer whose image has taken a nosedive. He’s more than willing to help send her stage fright packing if she’ll help improve his public image. In the roaring 20s Sophie is an up and coming actress in Pittsburgh who is falsely accused of being a serial jewelry thief. On the case is private investigator Sterling, and they too have a history and are harboring their own secrets. These two couples are thrown together in their respective mysteries, and that proximity sure makes the sparks fly! If you like romance, the glamour and glitz of the spotlight, second chances and loads of mystery, you’ll absolutely adore this next book in the Doors of the Past series. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and was not obligated to write a positive review.

I received this book free as part of the Celebrate Lit tours. I am very glad I did--just the kind of book I love to read and what a way to relax over Christmas break!

One of my favorite authors is Rachel Hauck and one of the things I love about some of her books is the dual time line. This is very similar, but I will say the historical research in this book enthralled me. I love how everything wound its way together--even if it is very unlikely, I still love it.

I also believe God does have his hand in everything so why wouldn't the two stories intertwine? The astounding ability of one seemingly minor character to forgive and love despite the wrong done to him/her touched my heart and challenged me.

I highly recommend this book if you like history, country music, and second chances.

BOOK REVIEW - In Shadow and Spotlight - Rachel Scott Mcdaniel - 5/5 Stars

The Doors to the Past series has been burning a hole in my TBR pile and I finally started it!

THE STORY
With each book of hers I read, Rachel Scott McDaniel works her way up my favourites list. Her books are witty, amusing and so romantic! And yet each also has deeper themes and needed truths to encourage the reader. I generally don't like stories set in the 1920s/30s but she not only makes them a palatable time period but enjoyable to read about. This story is doubly good because it's a dual timeline that offers two engaging storylines. Two mysteries. Two sets of lovable MCs. Two romances. And one necklace that connects the two.

THE ROMANCE
The greatest thing about dual timelines is twice as many swoony moments! I enjoyed both romances but I'm real partial to a second chance romance, so Sophie and Sterling had a slight edge over Elise and Pierson. Though not much because it's pretty hard to be a flirty country music star with a southern drawl!

THE TRUTHS
The best thing about Christian dual timelines is that they remind me that there are no new problems that God can't handle and that His love unchangeable. An actress from the 1920s receives the same love and care as we do today. God is constant and so is His love. We can can look in the past and see evidence of His steadfastness and trust that He is still with us today. He is one person we can always rely on!

First of all, if I knew nothing about this author or this book, that cover would absolutely convince me that I HAD to read it. It's gorgeous! And boy does it fit the historical storyline so well! But I do know about this author and the book and so you can insert my happy sigh here because it was wonderful! Rachel McDaniel's voice is so unique and I never know how to fully articulate that. I always look forward to her next book! Her historical pieces make me feel as though I am watching a classic Hollywood movie, which I absolutely adore! But it has been so fun to see her delve into contemporary storylines. And as was true with her last split-time, I loved both timelines in this book as well. And to see how she connected both stories - wowza! So good! She has mastered the art of not allowing readers to put a book down so be prepared going in to keep turning those pages! The romance in this one... you get not one, but TWO heroes to swoon over. And swoon you shall. *fans self just thinking about it haha!

I'm becoming less leery of reading a dual timeline novel. This book is proof that an author can take two time periods and two sets of characters and cause them to flow effortlessly into one another creating a wonderful story overall. I love this book.
The story is written so well that mystery solver that I want to be, I gave in to it, stopped trying to figure out the mysteries and enjoyed the writing.
The characters are special. They are totally human in design with flaws, heartache, faith and hope. There is beauty to the romance in the couples' separate stories. This is not a romance per se, just beautiful romance and pure heart from the characters. This is such a well-blended set of stories, mystery, heartbreak, abandoned women and children, God's love and promise. I also enjoyed the fact that a building with real history is center stage of the story.
A character speaks, "In the center of life is the word if, but don't let that keep you from living." You will understand if you read the book.
I want to thank Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for my advanced reader's copy of the book. Special thanks to Rachel Scott McDaniel for a beautiful story that reflects the realities of life and the gift that God is the perfect and loving Father. This is my unsolicited opinion of In Spotlight and Shadow. What a book!

Elise Malvern is trying to determine what she truly wants in life. When an old friend, country singer Pierson Brooks, shows up after almost a decade, Elise has to decide if she is willing to take risks to find just what her heart wants.

Sophie Walters is an actress in the roaring 1920s. Theft strikes the attendees of her show and who better to bring in to solve the case than her ex-fiancé, Sterling Monroe. The man she left at the altar five years ago. Together, they must catch a jewel thief and face an unexpected threat.

I really enjoyed “In Spotlight and Shadow.” It was my first time reading from Rachel Scott McDaniel. Rachel has a talent of weaving a story and bringing a reader into the story. My one complaint is that the chapters ended too soon. Cliffhangers are so good but so horrible at the same time. I just want to know everything right now! Right when something big would happen, the chapter ended and the time period switched so I got the answer to that last cliffhanger but wanted to know what was happening in the chapter I just finished. This kept me reading and in the end, I loved it!

“In Spotlight and Shadow” is the story of two women and their unlikely connection and is a great read for fans of dual time periods, mystery and romance.

Thank you for the advanced copy Rachel Scott McDaniel, NetGalley and Barbour Publishing. These opinions are my own.

I started off the year with two kind of meh reads, so I was hopeful this would be the one to break the trend. In Spotlight and Shadow is a wonderfully plotted mystery that highlights author Rachel Scott McDaniel's mastery of the dual timeline story setting, and I ended up loving it every bit as much as I did her first installment in the series.

Each timeline is intriguing, and full of characters that stood out to the reader, and I had a hard time wanting to put this one down. The rich history of the city of Pittsburg is woven into each and every page, and I loved how it's interwoven right into the mystery and corresponding plot developments.

I know it's pretty early in the year to be making such claims, but I have a feeling this one is still going to end up being one of my top reads of 2023.

I love how this author continues to write from the heart, and I love how the faith element is tied into the story beautifully, and managed to bring me to tears. So much of this novel centers around the concept of identity, and it's always a beautiful thing to have the reminder illustrated that our identity is always rooted in our Heavenly Father's deep and never ending love for us.

Final Rating: 5/5.

Rachel Scott McDaniel has written another winner in my eyes, and I can't possibly recommend it enough.

I've loved both of her contributions to the Doors to the Past series, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

Thanks so much to Barbour Publishing for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Barbour) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.

Let me begin by saying that I rarely ever read a book's synopsis. I HATE being spoiled or waiting for an even to happen. I also had not read any of the previous books in the Doors to the Past series. So, I started this book at a slight disadvantage. I had read and really enjoyed another book by Rachel Scott McDaniel and knew that my friend Joy raved about this book. Plus that cover! As a redhead, I love seeing heroines with red hair! I wonder if I can find something to recreated that cover... I digress...

Anyway, I was offered an advanced copy through Netgalley and was excited to read it. As I mentioned, it took me a few chapters to get the flow of the story and figure out what was happening. The characters and plot lines were interesting and kept me reading until I understood the dual time lines and could keep the characters straight.

I loved the banter between Elise and Piers. Then Sophie and Sterling.... Wow. What a story. I am thankful to all that had a part in getting me to read this book. I highly recommend you do as well. Now I'm off to find more books in this series, especially those written by Ms. McDaniel.

3.5 stars. A mystery spanning across several generations, focusing on Elise, a modern day photographer and violinist, and Sophie, an actress from a century earlier. Both Elise and Sophie have an unexpected run in with jewels and men from their past, and both find answers as they work on finding out more about the jewels and their history.

To be completely honest, I almost didn't finish the book. I had a hard time completely enveloping myself in the mystery until I was almost 2/3 of the way through it. In the end, I'm glad that I persevered and stuck it out. I think this is a case of its me, not the book, as I found the back and forth between two centuries to be too much out of my reading comfort level.

I've never read a book by this author and I'm so glad I decided to pick this one up. The cover is what captured my attention and I'll be honest, I rarely read a blurb. I didn't expect this to be a dual timeline, but this author did it flawlessly!

And the banter! I was not expecting the banter and funny moments in this book. So many funny moments that had me chuckling. Both heroines, Elise and Sophie were so likable...and though the men in each timeline didn't get their own POV, I never felt like I missed out (which is hard to do). I'm not sure who I loved more, Sterling or Pierson. They were both amazing.

The twists and turns kept me guessing the entire book and I loved how it ended! Faith was woven throughout and beautifully done. Each character learned how to trust God completely and that their worth is found in Christ and no one or nothing else.

I will definitely be picking up more from this author.

In the 1920s, a series of jewel thefts in Pittsburgh creates chaos form Sophie Walters, who is an actress in the Loew’s Penn Theatre. The jewel thief is known as The Mirage. At one point, some of the jewels are found in her purse and she is accused of being The Mirage. To help combat this accusation, she turns to a private detective, Sterling Monroe, who she left at the altar five years ago. Despite Sterling being hurt, he helps her. In the process, though, they become closer. Is this a second chance for them? Who really is stealing jewels around Pittsburgh?

The second timeline of the novel is modern day Pittsburgh at Heinz Hall, which is the home of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Elise Malvern is an intern at Heinz Hall who has dreams of trying out to be a violinist for the Symphony. She is too scared to do it, so she enters a deal with her childhood friend and crush, country musician Pierson Brooks. During all of this, Elise receives a mysterious package that contains a violin ornament and an old coat with an emerald necklace (which refers to The Mirage story line). Elise thinks the package came from her father (who has been absent from her life). She decides to find out the real identity of her father, with Pierson’s help (her mother passed away years ago). Through her preparation for the violin audition and the investigation into her father, Elise and Pierson grow closer. But will Elise let the love between them blossom or will she be too scared?

I had just recently been exposed to the dual timeline novel in Christian fiction. It is growing on me. The mysteries in both timelines were very well done. The romances were sweet with enough tension and suspense to keep the reader glued to the book. Both Sterling and Pierson were very different heroes, but likeable in their own way. Sophie and Elise were likeable heroines, but very flawed women that had to overcome obstacles.

In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel
This story takes place in Pennsylvania in the 1920’s and the present day. We meet Elise in the present, along with Kinsley, Grancy, Pops, Dorothea, Pierson and Meredith. 1920’s are Sophie, Violet, Lina, Gerard, Llyod, Joe, Sterling, Greer and a few others. Sophie is trying to make her way in the theatre and has a bit part in a play as we start out. Elise is a photographer as well as helping in her grandfather’s auction house. One thing she does is highlight something from the past, which happens to be the same theatre Sophie performed at years ago. A random delivery takes her on a journey, which slowly evolves between both time periods until all the pieces fall together. This story grabs hold quickly and keeps the pages turning until the conclusion.
A complimentary copy was provided by Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. A review was not required and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Split-time perfection! Rachel Scott McDaniel does it again with another fabulous split-time inspy romance! There’s so much to love about this book that I could ramble on for days. Instead, I’ll just name a few things . . . Double the romance, discovering the ties between the past and present stories, the witty banter between the characters, the suspenseful mysteries, the faith elements. This book was a page-turner for sure!

Duel timeline, two swoony love stories, a jewel heist mystery, and a sprinkling of God’s grace - who wouldn’t love a story like that?! I thoroughly enjoyed flipping back and forth between present day and the roaring 20’s as Rachel transported me between two beautifully created interconnected stories. I laughed out loud, I cried a handful of times, and I ended the story with a smiling heart!

Rachel Scott McDaniel is always a winner for me, and her latest was no exception. In Spotlight and Shadow provided two beautiful romances and a relatable theme of forgiveness and second chances.

Elise and Sophie are both wonderful heroines with relatable flaws and weaknesses they struggle to overcome. Pierson and Sterling are both well-developed foils who provide plenty of romantic tension and a high swoon factor.

The spiritual arc about God as our Father and His love for us is both beautiful and timely. We can always use a reminder of that.

Overall, In Spotlight and Shadow is a captivating dual timeline novel with a compelling plot and relatable characters.

This fascinating book has perfectly interwoven timelines and I was on the edge of my seat for many times as I tried to puzzle things out! Both timelines have a mystery to solve, and I loved the connections between the historical and the contemporary parts of the story.

The characters are well written and intriguing, and I enjoyed getting to know them all better throughout the story! The pace is perfect, and I found it hard to put the book down because any time I got to the end of a chapter I just had to know what would happen next.

Both romances are second chance, which is one of my favorite romance tropes, and I enjoyed seeing how both romances played out. The banter is witty, the romance is sweet, and I laughed and swooned multiple times while reading!

I loved this book and I am looking forward to reading more books by Rachel McDaniel!

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

In Spotlight and Shadow is Rachel McDaniel's latest book, due to come out February 1,2023. It can be pre-ordered now wherever books are sold. It is a split time novel. The setting is in Pittsburgh in the present day. Elise Malvern dreams of being a famous violinist like her deceased mother. Her problem is stage fright. Growing up she had a best friend, Pierson Brooks-- a country singer Super Star. He decides to help her with her problem so that she can chase her dream. Meanwhile, in 1926, Sophie Walters also has a dream. She wants to be a Hollywood actress but that fell through and she ends up with seven lines in a Pittsburgh theater. She doesn't become famous but infamous as a jewl thief called The Mirage. How both young ladies overcome the mysterious happenings that go on in both eras. That you must discover by reading this page turning novel!! Pre-order yours today!! I received this ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This was my first read of 2023 and an EXCELLENT start. Both storylines grabbed me, and the way they connected was magical and compelling. You will fall in love with Elise and Sophie. And Pittsburgh's history is layered in such a fun and interesting way into the story. From beautiful writing to swoon worthy heroes, this book has it all.