In Spotlight and Shadow

I'm not even sure where to begin with this book. Dual timeline. Old stage props. A jewel theft. Second chance romance. Celebrities. A detective. A journey to find a birth parent. Chasing dreams. So many almost kisses. Meddling Grandmas  

This book had it all and more. I don't know how the author does it, but I loved both timelines. I truly couldn't fathom how the pieces would fit together and the timelines would connect, but she weaves the story so well that it keeps you coming back for more. You can also tell when an author enjoys and puts a lot of effort into the history of a story. This book had elements of history that brough depth to the timeline. 

Sterling and Sophie work together when she is set up as the jewel thief. But they have a less than happy backstory-can they get passed the awkwardness and clear Sophie's name? 

Elise and Peirson, childhood best friends, work together to solve a mystery. But they haven't spoken to each other in years after a heartbreaking moment causes Elise to pull away. Can they put that moment aside and solve the mystery? 

I loved the way Rachel wrote these second chance romances. The way each hero encouraged and protected the heroines. The almost kisses. The angst. The flirting. The laugh out loud moments. 

I enjoy mystery and intrigue, but I often find myself picking out the villain halfway through the book. However, Rachel Scott McDaniel has a way of keeping me guessing all the way to the end. I had no idea who the true Mirage was until they were revealed. 

About 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—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.

Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel

Title: In Spotlight and Shadow

Publisher: Barbour Fiction

Publication Date: February 1, 2023

**I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my honest thoughts. :)