Title: Undercurrent of Secrets (Doors to the Past #4)
Author: Rachel Scott McDaniel
Pages: 256
Year: 2021
Publisher: Barbour
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
The author sets her tale in the late 1880s and alternates her chapters from then to the current time. Devyn Asbury is a wedding coordinator aboard the Belle that is docked in Louisville. Devyn is a computer whiz who just went through a very public as well as humiliating breakup. In order to have time away from all the fall out and attention, Devyn goes “offline” and lives a very quiet life.
When Devyn’s latest challenge is winning the Timeless Wedding Venue contest, she needs help! Her boss gives her romantic books to read to help generate ideas and bring Devyn out of her heartbreak. However, it is when she meets Chase, who helps her with his graphic designs that she just might have a lifeline to save her heart’s desire from sinking.
The intriguing part of the novel is the agreement formed with Devyn helping Chase solve a mystery, and Chase helping with his graphic design for the wedding contest. But there is more to the mystery that Chase brings, and it ties the Belle, Devyn and Chase together in a way that is exciting and suspenseful!
The story ends up really in a heart-grabbing climactic conclusion, though the start for me was slow. However, if readers are patient, the ending is so worth the wait! I love historical fiction because they authors take nuggets of the past and make them come alive in the present!
The Doors to the Past series is a group of books that are connected not by a common thread, plot, or characters, but series in name only. Each book is written by a different author who takes a piece of history and weaves a compelling tale. The three previous books are The Lady in Residence by Allison Pittman, Hope Between the Pages by Pepper D. Basham and Bridge of Gold by Kimberley Woodhouse. Right now, Goodreads lists future book titles as Behind Love’s Wall, High-Wire Heartbreak, Love’s Fortress and A Promise Engraved.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )

Barbour Publishing’s Doors to the Past series just keeps getting better and better! Each standalone, dual-timeline story is penned by a different author and features a combination of romance, mystery, and faith. Barbour stands out to me for its excellent series these last few years, including but certainly not limited to Brides of the Mayflower and True Colors. Something that I truly appreciate is when I read a book that I otherwise may not have and love it so much that I know it will be one of my favorites for the year. “Undercurrent of Secrets” fits the bill, and the literary finesse that Rachel Scott McDaniel demonstrated in her debut, “Above the Fold,” becomes even more prominent in this fourth Doors to the Past book.

As the two storylines in “Undercurrent of Secrets” emerge, a delightful cast of characters surfaces. In the present, Devyn Asbury serves as wedding coordinator for The Belle of Louisville, trying to blend into the background after a disastrous end to her engagement, while her 1926 counterpart, Hattie Louis, lives an unconventional life on the river as the adopted daughter of an elderly steamboat captain. Both young women find the course of their lives altered by unexpected revelations and unforeseen romance that has enduring reverberations. Mystery creeps into Devyn’s already-full schedule through the appearance of Chase Jones and an enigmatic photograph from a century ago, while new first mate Jack Marshall’s arrival interrupts the steady flow of Hattie’s routine. The turbulence is reflected in Jack’s words, “I’m just wondering if your voice is the sound of an angel guiding me along, or a siren drawing me in to my demise.”

One aspect of split-time fiction that seems to characterize the genre, and one that speaks to me, is the theme of belonging to two different worlds, or feeling caught between two existences. A nostalgic identity crisis, of sorts. Whether this plays out as being drawn to the past in order to resolve something that happened there, or being either ahead of one’s time or old-fashioned, this premise lends itself to the heart of stories such as “Undercurrent of Secrets.” I love how McDaniel connects her characters, and how the contemporary characters unearth the mystery and intrigue surrounding those of the past, as a puzzle to solve rather than just having the answer handed to them, with faith leading the way. As Devyn proclaims, “Love is bold. It doesn’t cower, but expresses itself. Think of Jesus. What He did on the cross was bold. He gave His life without any guarantee that anyone would love Him back. It was daring and beautiful.” The intersection of the characters’ stories intertwines throughout the narrative, coalescing at the very end in a satisfying conclusion that brings together all of McDaniel’s skillfully dropped hints. Above all else, trusting God to guide us through every high and low, allowing Him to be the captain of our lives, is the most important message. For “God had a way of leading His children. It may not be the course Devyn had imagined, but as long as she stayed in the current of His love, she knew she could rely on Him in both the still and the troubled waters. He was faithful to steer her through it all.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own. ( )

As part of the Doors of the Past Series, this book continues an expectation of well-written books with well-developed characters. I tend to either love or not love dual timeline stories, and this one I loved. Devyn and Chase Jones occupy center-stage in the present-day portion of this story. She serves as a wedding coordinator for The Belle of Louisville.

Having once dreamed of being a wedding coordinator myself, I loved that aspect of this book. Chase Jones shows up just as they are preparing the riverboat for the judge from the Timeless Wedding Venue contest. But with a mysterious photograph, what is his real purpose for being there? The chemistry between these two added quite a bit to the story.

In the past, Hattie Louis works aboard the riverboat as one of only two women on the ship. I love her no-nonsense approach. She knows how to take care of herself. When Jack shows up, it made me wonder why he was there? Again their storyline kept me interested.

I felt like the author handled the timeline transitions beautifully. I loved the twists and turns the storyline took. So if you enjoy dual timeline historical Christian stories, check out this book for yourself.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, but this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

What I think you should know:
Undercurrent of Secrets by Rachel Scott McDaniel is part of the Doors to the Past series. This story is a time slip novel with one of the storylines being contemporary and the other being set in 1926. The story is centered around The Belle of Louisville which was named the Idlewild in 1926 and the women who loved the boat.

What I think about this book:
Oh My heart, I LOVED this book, both stories captured my heart. The contemporary story contained Devyn who is a wedding planner aboard The Belle of Louisville and Chase Jones who is seeking information about a woman who was once photographed aboard the Idlewild. I found Devyn’s story to be very interesting. I tell my husband all the time that I am so thankful that we grew up in the days before all mistakes were documented on social media. I really felt for Devyn and understood how she wanted to move past how her ex fiance betrayed her so publicly.

On the Idlewild in 1926 Hattie’s story starts with her discovering that her beloved boat will be going to another and she will no longer have a place on the boat she has called home most of her life. I loved Hattie and her unconventional role as she sought to navigate a life different than she expected.

I adored this book and the beautiful love stories that unfolded on each timeline. I will definitely read more from both the series and the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own. ( )

4.5 Stars

In Undercurrent of Secrets, Rachel Scott McDaniel tackles the dual time genre with precision as she carries readers through current day and the 1920s with a mystery that kept me on my toes and double the swoony romance.

In modern day, Devyn and Chase work together to solve the mystery of a photo while planning for a once-in-a-lifetime event aboard the Belle. In the past, Hattie and Jack find each other in the midst of the activity of the same boat which carries cargo along the Ohio River.

McDaniel intersperses the chapters of the book in such a way that a discovery in the present seamlessly leads to more details of that discovery in the past. It made me need to turn the pages. Add in a few twists along the way, and this is one book you will devour from start to finish and then want to pick up again to see what you missed the first time around.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. ( )