In Spotlight and Shadow by Rachel Scott McDaniel
#11 in the Doors to the Past series
Publication Date: February 1, 2023 by Barbour Publishing
Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance
5 Stars!
Summary/Description
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—Pierson Brooks. Pierson 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.
In Spotlight and Shadow is beautifully written by multi-award-winning author of Christian romance, Rachel Scott McDaniel. I highly recommend In Spotlight and Shadow to everyone who wants to read superbly written romance and/or historical fiction. This dual-timeline novel is set in present day and 1927. With the author’s impressively descriptive writing style, our senses are immediately engaged with every word as it leaps off the page. The depth of each story and how the stories intertwine result in sweet and exhilarating perfection.
The main characters -- Elise, Pierson, Sophie, and Sterling -- are developed multidimensionally with strengths and weaknesses. Due to many reasons each of them tugged on my heart strings. They clearly demonstrate that cultivating friendships, sharing each other’s burdens, and being selfless truly matter.
Marvelously witty banter, splendid bits of humor, delightful musical analogies, and integrated Biblical truths make In Spotlight and Shadow a beautiful novel. I would love to detail the beautifully tangible truths shared throughout this book but, of course, it would be best for each reader to discover these priceless gems for himself/herself!
Fabulous twists spun throughout the mysteries kept my attention and made my fingers turn the pages more and more quickly!
I appreciate the eArc of In Spotlight and Shadow received from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley.com. I was not required to write a review or paid to do so. The words above are my honest review. When In Spotlight and Shadow is released (02.01.23), I will post this review to Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and ChristianBook.com, my blog, and each of my social media platforms.
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