God’s plan hadn’t seemed to make sense, but then again, neither did sheet music at first glance. To most, it only looked like varying dots smattered across lines. But those notes were deliberate, placed for a specific purpose. And when all strung together, a song was created. He was the masterful composer of Elise’s life, a beautiful melody to her days. By His grace, she was more than willing to sing along. ~ Elise


My first Rachel Scott McDaniel book and wow! I was skeptical because dual timelines don’t usually keep my attention, the jumping back and forth can get tedious and distracting but not this one!

There were so many wonderful things about this story: two second chance romances, several mysteries to solve, surprising twists, family secrets to expose and best of all, the theme of forgiveness, using your talents to bless others, and having a Heavenly Father to trust and lean on when your earthly one is nonexistent. It was intriguing and interesting. Beautiful presented. Now I just need to read Above the Fold because I want to know more about Cole and Elissa.

“I’ve filled my life with many things, and I can walk away from all of it. But I won’t walk away from you.” ~ Pierson

Thanks to Netgalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

#rachelscottmcdaniel #inspotlightandshadow #christianfiction #timesplit #historicalfiction #historicalromance #cleanromance #netgalley

In Spotlight and Shadow is another skillfully executed dual-timeline jewel from super-talented storyteller Rachel McDaniel and a fitting addition to Barbour’s wonderful Doors to the Past series! This fast-paced read, splitting its time between modern day and 1920s Pittsburg, features two enthralling second chance love stories steeped in mystery and adventure. Both storylines drew me in quickly and kept me engaged. While each timeline follows its own journey, they complement and enrich each other merging beautifully in the end. The memorable characters captured my heart. Elise and Pierson along with Sophie and Sterling are two of my favorite fictional couples. Rich historical detail adds authenticity to the fictional tale. Witty banter, bits of humor, and musical analogies enhance the read. I especially appreciate the thoughtfully integrated spiritual truths concerning finding one’s worth in God. I think fans of mystery, romance, and history will love this book as much as I did.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Barbour Publishing via NetGalley with no obligation to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A dual-time novel set in Pittsburgh. Present-day Elise Malvern receives a proposal, complete with fake engagement ring, from a recent boyfriend who has ulterior motives. Her “fake” acceptance sets the tone for the novel. Elise is a violinist with stage fright who doesn’t know who her father is. Her high school boyfriend stood her up for prom and is now a country music star.
Sophie Walters was an actress in the 1920s who had to disappear right before she was to marry. Her jilted groom comes back into her life when he investigates jewel thefts at the theater. She doesn’t know who her father is and her mother refuses to acknowledge her.
A lot of similarities exist between the two women, but you don’t learn how they connect until the end. I often skip ahead to the ending to see if I want to read the whole book. Not in this case. I read straight through and enjoyed it.

Masterful mystery. I think I just found a new favorite author.

This split-time story bridges modern-day Pittsburgh and a vaudeville theatre in the roaring 20’s as two women, a century apart and both rejected by men in their lives, battle to realize their true worth, true dreams, and true love.

In the modern-day storyline, I really liked how no-nonsense marketing musician Elise is. Still mourning her mom, she embarks on an adventure to find her birth father with the help of her high school “sweetheart” Pierson, who just so happens to be a country music star who drives a truck (😍).

In the historical timeline, Sophie also grieves a mom she doesn’t really know AND battles to reclaim her reputation after being a runaway bride, rejected actress, and suspected jewel thief. I liked Sterling despite his doubting her. In fact, both leading men in this novel were charmingly protective!

I could not predict where the story was going next and although the modern-day side was slower to me (might be my steadfast affection for historicals, though), the twists at the end sucker-punched me!

Add in some poker-playing grannies who bet car washes and peanut M&M’s and my only complaint was I wanted more Grancy and Dorothea!

In Spotlight and Shadow features two women in search of value and worth. This dual timeline hits all the right notes in their journey to survive, thrive and overcome the challenges they are faced with along the way.

Musician Elise Malvern and actress Sophie Walters may have lived more than a century apart but they've both experienced hard times and setbacks, love and loss. The twists and turns author Rachel McDaniel puts Elise and Sophie through will have readers on the edge of their seats and rapidly flipping pages. As their parallel paths merge readers will experience the connection the women have to each other and their discovery their worth lies in who they are rather than what they do.

My favorite quote sums up the hope found In Spotlight and Shadow and in the hearts of readers too,
"I had dreams of stepping out of the shadows of my past and into the spotlight if my dreams."

I enjoyed the concluding chapters in the lives of Elise and Sophie and the way each story had a satisfying ending. I appreciate Barbour Books making a copy available for review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

IN SPOTLIGHT AND IN SHADOW by RACHEL SCOTT McDANIEL is a split time novel that has everything that makes up a really delightful read - unforgettable characters, brilliabt prose, an exciting plot, mystery and secrets, romance, plenty of humour and a twist in the end that brings both the timelines together. I particularly like the strong Christian message that is beautifully blended into the story.
Both Elise Malvern in present time and Sophie Walters in the past suffer from parental rejection, as does the charismatic Pierson Brooks. This affects the various characters in different ways; for example, Elise gets stage fright and feels worthless, until she realises that, although she is illegitimate she is not a mistake, and she is precious to her Heavenly Father who will never leave her.
Sophie Walters longs for the spotlight on stage,but is not too happywhen she is framed as a thief, nicknamed the Mirage, who steals jewellery in the theatre in which she has a small part in a play, acting as a thief. There is an emerald necklace that plays a part in both of the timelines…..
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you. All I can say is that I cannot recommend this most enjoyable book highly enough. It is the first book that I have read by this author and it most definitely will not be the last.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Barbour Publishing. The opinions in this rebiew are completely my own.

The past always affects the future as seen in the stories of two strong protagonists, Sophie Walters and Elise Malvern. Dual timeline stories are difficult to write, but the author does an excellent job of making two stories engaging and weaving them together into a story of redemption and second chances at love.

I loved the story of the past with the Low’s Penn Theatre with all of its opulence and the famous vaudeville actors as they were part of the acts there. The details in this time period were written in such detail that it was easy to be a part of the story.

The comparison throughout Elise’s story (modern era) of music to God’s plan for her were well done. It had me pause, think, and say, “Amen!” This is one of my favorite quotes,“He was the masterful composer of Elise’s life, a beautiful melody to her days. By His grace, she was more than willing to sing along.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Disclaimers: I received an advanced e-galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not obligated to write a good review nor did I receive any compensation for writing this review.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: This novel was intriguing, and I found myself really enjoying the dual timelines and the mysteries presented. I enjoyed the past timeline a hair more, but the fact that is not an immediate answer is to the author’s credit.

I’d give the past timeline a 4 and the current one a 3, hence the 3.5 stars. I thought the romance and development of the contemporary characters could have been executed slightly better.

As noted above, I greatly enjoyed the mystery of the past timeline as well. Sophie and Sterling were phenomenal characters, as was the supporting cast from that time.

However, I enjoyed this book greatly. The Christian elements are there, but less pronounced than some others I’ve read in the genre. Very subtly woven in.

So why 3.5 stars? I thought the characters in the present day could have been fleshed out more.

Can I read out of order? Yes, I did. And I wasn’t lost. The novels appear to be written by a variety of different authors as well, which I think helps. It appears to be a series of stand-alone characters.

Warnings/Side-notes: Minor violence. Minor themes of domestic violence weaved in.

The Wrap-up: An enjoyable, fun, cozy read. I enjoyed this one. For fans of Christian romantic suspense or Christian historical fiction give this one a go.

Love,

Danica Page

Another fantastic book in the Doors to the Past series. I've loved all of these books!

It's a dual timeline story. Elise's story is the modern part - she's a violinist afraid to audition for her dream position, runs into a former friend at his grandmother's party and they reconnect. She's also searching for a lot of answers about her family and mother's past. Sophie's story is the historical part - she's hoping to become a famous actress, until a mystery causes her to be in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, but reconnects her to a man from her past, too.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Rachel Scott McDaniel
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Series: Doors to the Past series
Rated: 4
Obtain: Borrow

Back of the Book: “A Gem of a Mystery Takes Center Stage
​Walk through Doors to the Past via a new series of historical stories of romance and adventure.
Elise Malvern has a habit of letting people down. Her former boyfriend who hoped she’d be his bride. Her grandfather who hoped she’d take over the family’s auction company. But mostly she’s disappointed herself. What’s the point of pursuing her passion as a violinist, if she is too scared to audition for a seat in the Pittsburgh Symphony? Her internship at the elegant Heinz Hall places her in the wings of the stage, but never on it. By accident, she discovers an old stage prop. Her instincts tell her there’s more to the paste necklace than meets the eye. Whether a good idea or not, she accepts help from a childhood friend, who happens to be country music megastar—Peirson Brooks. Peirson and Elise share a history; one she doesn’t care to repeat. The more involved they become in the mystery, the more things get tangled, including her heart.
A century earlier…
Sophie Walters longs for center stage, her name on the marquee, and all that jazz, but climbing her way into an acting career is more difficult than she imagined. Having spoiled all her chances in Hollywood, she returns to Pittsburgh, accepting an insignificant role in a popular production. She watches her dreams pass by from behind the curtain at the illustrious Loew’s Penn Theatre. She finally gets the coveted spotlight, but not for her talent. No, her surge to fame is all one terrible mistake. Somehow, she’s suspected to be a notorious jewel thief known around Pittsburgh as The Mirage. The man she pleads for help is none other than the man she jilted at the altar five years before, Sterling Monroe.”

Impressions: This was a lovely dual timeline story. I greatly enjoyed the anticipation to see how these stories would come together, and I was delighted in the interesting way the author did so. The characters and plot were suspenseful and intertwined with romance and faith. This was an easy to read and easy to recommend book.

Quotes: “‘You’re looking at the entire score and getting overwhelmed. Remember, every song begins with one note. Start there. Then go forward measure by measure.’” -It is always a good reminder that all tasks have steps. We need not get overwhelmed by the end goal but focus on the beginning and taking a step forward.

“Her emotions were so all over the map, she needed a GPS to track them.” -This just made me laugh because I’ve been there. Have you?

“’Talking about myself gives me hives. Being invisible is easier.’” - I am like this, however my nervous habit is to talk making me not invisible and more long-winded in a logorrhea conversation. It has often brought me to foot in mouth moments of embarrassment.

I loved this story and the authors' writing style, filled with humor, wit, excitement, and mystery. I liked how the author gives readers a front row seat into this mysterious, delightful dual time-line novel.

The story and the settings are brilliant, witty, romantic, and suspenseful. I enjoyed the fact that both timelines had a mystery to solve. I was emotionally invested in both stories as each uncovers clues that bring them closer to a nail-biting reveal at the end.

Readers first meet Elise Malvern who plays the violin on and off the stage. Her heart’s desire has been to be in the orchestra. She is trying to deal with her current situation, which involves the battle with stage fright. Elise has an audition scheduled for the Pittsburgh symphony orchestra. She needs to be cured by the audition date. She gets some unexpected help from an old school pale who’s in town for his music teacher’s birthday. They haven’t seen each other since high school. He was her best friend growing up. He went his own way after they graduated and never looked back. Her heart broke, they were best friends (or so she thought)

Pierceson and Elise grew up together, could they be friends in current time? He did come to this party. Elise thinks,…”While the rest of the world made decisions at 5 G speed, her pace was more AOL dial-up.” There was a lot to think about as they catch up at the party. They act as if all those years never separated them.

Then readers meet Sophie Walters actress extraordinaire, she plays a thief in the show and the investigator, inspector Sterling Monroe , a man she left at the altar 5 years ago responds to his question, “Anything suspicious?” (as he tries to put the puzzle together and catch the jewel thief.

Sophie responds, “Everything in my line of work was suspicious. I performed with twenty other people whose united skill was make-believe. But he’d meant if I’d seen anything about the robbery.”

This was an intriguing read I couldn’t put down. The characters felt real and jumped off the page and into my heart. This is a great escape and would be a wonderful book club pick. There is so much to discuss. I loved this novel. This is a Must Read and this author is one to watch.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book by the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I absolutely LOVED this story!! It's a split time and I loved both time periods equally.

If you like laughing out loud you'll LOVE the "current" time storyline. Of course, mix in a mystery, romance, and strong faith, and you've got the recipe for a fabulous story. If you like your heart strings being pulled and a second chance romance with a mystery thrown in, you'll be in seventh heaven with the historical story.

Elise is living life not knowing her father and her mother having passed away. With an unexpected run in with her former boyfriend, she ends up chasing after a mystery of an emerald necklace. I loved seeing the world through Elise's eyes. While she deals with anxiety when trying to perform, her work at Heinz Hall is important to her. With Pierson back in her life, and challenging her to do "scary" things, they become quite the team. I will admit that I laughed so much throughout their storyline. At one point it was loudly! Their banter was fantastic. Pierson was SO great at helping Sophie challenge herself!

Getting to know Sophie in the past was more heart wrenching and where the mystery starts. Sophie was a fun character to get to know and for the life of me I couldn't figure out a) why she left Sterling at the altar and b) how the timelines would be connected. When Sophie finally explains what happened in her past I was incredibly surprised. I liked Sterling's broody and strong presence in her life.

I enjoyed how both storylines unfolded and was absolutely absorbed in the story. The faith that was evident in the characters lives showed how God made an impact in their lives. I appreciate when authors use characters to share the Truth of the Savior. It was well done in this story.

Excellent book! This story could not be any better, I loved every minute of it! In Spotlight and Shadow is a very well written dual timeline story filled with intrigue, humor, and second chances.

I just loved both timelines. The present day one with the banter and the camaraderie and the humor, so many times I found myself laughing out loud. The sweet romance and plot twists in both timelines kept me turning pages and reading late into the night.

In both timelines, the heroine did not know her father. Both are stories of second chances.
The beautiful message of whether we have earthly fathers that are wonderful, or earthly fathers who fail us, we have a heavenly Father who loves us, came shining through.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, author Rachel Scott McDaniel did a beautiful job and I highly recommend it. It's now one of my top two favorite books in the Doors to the Past series.

My thanks to the author for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Rachel Scott McDaniel weaves a story of intrigue and mystery. I was not sure what to expect going into this book, but I loved seeing the history tie into the present. I am not always a fan of time travel, but I did love this one.

I really enjoyed this story. I loved the witty banter between the two main characters in the present-day part of the story. This one was a little "lighter" on the true-history side than some of the others have been but overall, it was suspenseful and full of twists.

I loved this latest in the Doors to the Past series, another masterful split-time from Rachel Scott McDaniel. A bit of intrigue and a bit of romance, with a dash of family and relational drama. Dual settings of stage acting and musical performance make for intriguing story lines. Add in themes of identity, career, and hobbies for an insightful novel!

A complicated storyline which took a lot of concentration to get into the story, but was well worth pressing on. The characters felt very real and could have been my family.

This book is part of a series "Doors of the past" but can be read as a standalone novel. What connects the books in the series, is that all books have a dual timeline - one from the past and one from the present. In this book, the past was the 1920's which was a fun era to read about.

I found the dual timelines very easy to follow and I enjoyed both stories. Both stories touched on a second chance romance with a side of mystery. I liked the theme of finding your worth in Christ.

I receive complimentary books for various sources including, Netgalley, Authors, and other such sources. I am not required to write a positive review and have not received compensation.

Rachel Scott McDaniel gives readers another stellar novel with "In Spotlight and Shadow", her second contribution to the wonderful Doors to the Past series. Alternating between the present and 1920s Pittsburgh, the book's dual timelines converge, albeit not until the very end. The common thread came as a complete surprise to me.

McDaniel paints a vivid picture of Pittsburgh in the Roaring Twenties, complete with the charming fashions, speakeasies, and the up-and-coming Loews' Penn Theater. Her attention to historical detail is evident. Present-day Pittsburgh is true-to-life as well. And her characters leap off the page! They are so well-drawn, from the four main characters to secondary ones. The wagering grandmas are simply a delight. Banter is lively and witty; the improv scene is quite unique.

This author's prose is simply beautiful. This novel is interspersed with lovely inspirational quotes. “If God doesn’t view you as an outcast, what right does anyone else have to do so? In His eyes, you’re not illegitimate. You’re His beloved.” Another clever quote is “In the center of life is the word if, but don’t let that keep you from living.”

Rachel Scott McDaniel has been a favorite author of mine since I read "Undercurrent of Secrets". As a lifelong Louisvillian, I was incredibly impressed with her attention to detail. I've since read all her other works.

Thanks to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for an ARC of this engaging novel.

In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel haunts the reader as they travel back to the past in an old abandoned theater. What happened? Why is it important? This is a dual timeline piece, which has become very popular with authors lately. The present day heroine wants to discover who her sent her a mysterious package with something important inside. She wants to discover who her father is. She is a little stage fright even though she really wants to perform. On the other hand, Sophie, a century earlier, is in the limelight, but mysterious things appear to be disappearing. She wants to discover who is stealing all the items. In both timelines, there is an element of romance that has been touched on before. Both characters know the person they are actively pursuing a relationship with. One of my favorite aspects of this story is the historical setting. A theater with all the glamour, glitz, and betrayal. What is better than that? Overall, In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel delivers a theater mystery from the 1920's that reaches into the future and affects the lives of Elise in the present. I really enjoyed this story.

I received a complimentary copy of In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel from Barbour Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.