Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I am loving this series. This one I really liked with the mysteries of both time lines and the connection between them. It had me guessing.

In the modern story Devyn is a wedding planner on a retired paddle boat, the Belle. After breaking off her engagement, being humiliated on social media, she is sticking to what she knows best and keeping a low profile. But when Chase Jones find her dancing on the deck, she cannot tell him fast enough she is not interested. But when a mystery about the Belle is what he brings her, she is all ears.

Hattie Louis grew up on the boat, even if it wasn't by her real father. She knows how to do everything on there, and even to the dismay of some. But when Jack Marshall becomes First Mate, Hattie becomes a little perturbed. Then she learns here life has been a lie to keep her safe.

I enjoyed both timelines, which is unusual because normally I like only one. The mysteries and action in both is what kept my interest.

Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Publishing for this advanced copy.

This was a new to me author, but the author made my list of not just reading future publications, but also the backlist.

The Dual-time story was intriguing, captivating and brought the two stories together in a way which will have readers held their breath.

Though I loved the story, the interesting and strong females and the dashing male leads, there was a few revelations which I actually expected/guessed but the romance, the hope for a HEA and threatening villain, all added to my need to pick up the story at each available opportunity.

Each book in the Doors to the Past series can be read as a standalone.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.*

Another fun dual-timeline adventure. This time on a stream boat, and I enjoyed Devyn and Chase’s story, as they solve the mystery of a missing woman connected to his ancestor. I felt that the story was predictable, but that wasn’t a bad thing. It was a delightful read.

Undercurrent of Secrets by author Rachel Scott McDaniel is a split time novel and part of Barbour’s Doors to the Past series. I have loved every book in this series, including this one. Undercurrent of Secrets is set in 1920's Louisville, KY, and features the steamboat, The Belle of Louisville. This is fascinating to me because I live across the Ohio River from Louisville and have ridden on the Belle many times.

This is the story of Devyn and Chase who join forces and search for information about a girl in an old photo and what connection she has to the historic Belle of Louisville. Devyn works works thereon. Chase also agrees to assist her win a contest she has to promote The Belle of Louisville as a wedding venue. The author also takes us back in time where we meet Hattie Louis p, who worked and lived on the steamboat. There she meets Jack who might not be who he seems.

I enjoyed the characters, especially Hattie from the 1920's timeline. She was a fabulous character! The author did research and produced a well planned and well written book. The faith element in the book is strong. I loved that there is realistic spiritual growth displayed in the characters and timeless life lessons. Don’t miss this lovely book. I highly recommend it, and give it a 5 star rating. I received a copy from NetGalley but these are my honest thoughts.

Split-time novels aren't something I've read a lot of, but I'm finding that I love them, and this one was no different. I loved every second of this book; it's the best of both worlds - both a fun historical mystery and also a modern rom-com, each complete with swoon-worthy love interests and relatable heroines. The mystery built in a way that kept me intrigued the whole way through, the characters were great, the setting was easy to picture, and now I fully want to visit Louisville only for this riverboat, haha! The writing style was easy to follow, and while this was my first book from this author, I'm definitely going to be reading more in the future! I actually cried at the end? Happy tears, mostly, but it was very unexpected.

Overall, this was such a delightful surprise! Content warning for kissing... a lot of kissing, lol!

5 stars from me!

Undercurrent of Secrets is my first Rachel Scott McDaniel book, but it certainly won’t be my last. This book is part of Barbour’s Doors to the Past series, in which historic American landmarks feature in the setting of each book. Undercurrent of Secrets takes place in 1920's Louisville, KY, and features the steamboat, The Belle of Louisville. As is the case with many historical fiction books being published currently, this book features a dual timeline, and in the case of this book, the two timelines intersect to create important parts of the story. Definitely not a case of “let’s use a dual timeline because that sells books”! While I would love to see more historical fiction books without a significant romance plot line, the other plot lines of this book kept me reading. I especially enjoyed Hattie, from the 1920's timeline-what a great character! The faith element in the book is strong, and there is realistic spiritual growth exemplified in the characters as well. I look forward to continuing with the Doors of the Past series, as well as trying other books by Rachel Scott McDaniel.

Thanks go to @NetGalley and @BarbourPublishingInc. for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a dual timeline story that connects by a mystery. I liked the characters and it was very well written.
Many thanks to Barbour Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion

Undercurrent of Secrets is part of a series about different historical sights in history. The series is written by different authors and there is no connection between any of the books. It is a great way to be introduced to different authors .
Undercurrent of Secrets was a a slow start for me. And it was challenging to follow along the change between timelines. It was so interesting to learn some of the history of steamboats. This book was filled with mystery, intrigue and a good dose of romance. Now that I have been introduced to this author, it will be fun to other books she has written.
I received a copy of Undercurrent of Secrets from Netgalley with no obligation to write a review.


posted on amazon, good reads, B&N

This split-time set aboard a steamboat was a lovely read! Slightly suspenseful, with lovely bits of romance, it was everything a book should be. My second visit to the Doors to the Past series, it's made me decide to read every title.

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 fiancé 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.

Undercurrent of Secrets is the 4th book in the Doors to the Past series written by various authors with each story featuring two different women belonging to different centuries, going through similar life events and at times shows the connection between them. I haven't read the previous books in the series. But the stories are such that they can be read as a stand-alone.

I haven't read a lot of Christian stories earlier; so I didn't know what to expect from this book. And the book actually turned out to be quite engaging, slightly intriguing and very much interesting. I wouldn't call it something which you can't put down but it stays on your mind even when you have to be away from it due to other works.

This story is based on a 100 year old steam boat The Belle of Louisville - two women, born 100 years apart, are closely linked with the boat. Devyn Asbury, who is recovering from a terrible breakup, is the wedding organizer for weddings happening on that boat, after it has been converted into a wedding venue. Hattie Louis, born a century earlier, is the unofficially adopted daughter of the captain of the boat and knows the in-and-out of the boat though she is officially not a member of the crew. The story travels between the both of them where both get intrigued by a new man they come across in their lives.

As the story travels along, we get to know who actually Hattie was and that she may or may not be related to Devyn. The journey of both the women towards their love has been done tastefully. In fact, I liked both their love stories. The author has done a good job of maintaining the intrigue element to the last pages, not that it was difficult to guess where the story was going, and still manages to keep us hooked into the women's lives. If you are looking to read something light, but will also touch your heartstrings with two sweet love stories, then this is the book for you.

My thanks to Rachel Scott McDaniel, Barbour Books, and Net Galley for the ARC of THE UNDERCURRENT OF SECRETS.
A time-slip, dual-time novel which goes from the current day to the 1920s. Devyn is part of a team of events managers on a steamboat, the Belle of Louisville and Chase Jones is trying to discover what happened to his great grandmother at the beginning of the 19thC when she too was crewing the steamboat. There are mysteries to be explored, complicated by Devyn's attraction to Chase Jones. Undercurrent of Secrets is not my usual kind of read, but I enjoyed it. A good one for the holidays.

I really enjoy the books in this series. I love the romance and adventure and mystery that many of these books have. I loved how this book took you on a tour of the past and how the two time lines intersected to tell a beautiful story.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

This is a well written and engaging dual timeline book. Based in the 1920s and present day, you will find your heart aching for both Hattie and Devyn. There are lots of twists and turns. There is mystery, intrigue, and romance. The characters are well developed and you will be invested in their lives. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, you are in for a shock. The two timelines flow together and you will be held captive until you’ve read the last word, closed the book, and sit back with a sigh, a smile on your face, and a feeling of contentment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Fiction for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Undercurrent of Secrets is a duel time-line book and it flowed together so seamlessly. It was a very intriguing book to read, just when I thought I had it figured out a very unexpected plot twist occurs.I loved the settings of the past and present and the plots. There is intrigue,romance and plenty of adventure. I found it fascinating that the steamboat was built in Pittsburgh, having been born and raised in Pittsburgh this is a part of it's history that was unknown to me. The boat has had several names, the original being Idewild which the only Idewild I had heard of being Idelwild amusement park in Pennsylvania. I really enjoy this series for many reasons, one being that a lot of of the story is based on fact. Be sure to read the author's interesting notes in the back of the book. Informative book, I enjoyed the author's writing style and now I'll need to see what else she has out.

Pub Date 01 Sep 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Rachel Scott McDaniel has given readers a book full of romance, mystery, adventure, history, and faith. Not only has she blended two timelines effortlessly, but she managed to keep me on my toes, and offer surprises along the way. I did not see one twist coming at all, actually two twists. And I LOVE THAT!!! I don't want to always figure everything out, I'd rather the author punch me with something I wasn't expecting.

I did favor the contemporary timeline just a teeny bit more, but that's because, well, Chase is so dreamy. He was just so charming and witty, just how I want my hero to be. And the way he flirted with Devyn? Um yeah....... sign me up. I'll read that kind of banter anytime. Honestly their story was fantastic. It wasn't like, oh I saw you and I love you. McDaniel took her time with them. Sure they flirted a lot even in the beginning, but it was almost fake, something to pass the time (and I don't mean that in a bad way, I just mean the characters didn't know how to interact with each other). The more time they spent together, the more they learned about each other, the better their relationship got.

And we cannot leave out strong willed Hattie! Oh how I enjoyed reading about her character. The entire time period really. All leading up to some pretty exciting events (I may have held my breath), and the truth about how the two stories connect with each other. Brilliant. It was just brilliant. And beyond that, the ship itself was almost like a character in the book. It was fascinating to read about, and McDaniel clearly put her heart and soul into the book and research. I didn't really want it to end truthfully. But the good thing about books is that you can read them again! :)

All in all, this was a fabulous dual timeline novel that contemporary and historic fans will enjoy. The rich history, sweet romance, and intriguing plot lines will have them turning the pages as fast as the can! I highly recommend Undercurrent of Secrets! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Undercurrent of Secrets is a dual-timeline novel, part of the new Doors to the Past series from Barbour Publishing (and thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review).

In the present timeline, Devyn Asbury is mostly over her humiliating breakup from social media mogul Travis Leeman. She’s working as the wedding coordinator on the Belle of Louisville, a traditional paddleboat steamer. She entered the boat in the Once Upon a Wedding contest, and is now a finalist in the Timeless Wedding Venue category.

But she didn’t get the original email .. which means she now has less than six weeks to plan and pull off an award-winning function. Designer Chase Jones asks Devyn to help with some research. He’s trying to find the identity of the woman in an old photograph that appears to have been taken on board the Belle. Devyn agrees, as long as Chase helps with the invitations for the important event. The two get closer as they work together to track down the mysterious woman and … well, you know. This is a romance novel, after all.

In the past timeline, Hattie Louis is happy on board the Idlewild, the paddleboat steamer that has been her home her entire life. But her happy life is threatened by Jack Marshall, the new first mate, who takes over Hattie’s role and who appears to be hiding a secret.

Even worse, that secret might involve illegal behaviour implicating the Idlewild’s captain, the only father she has ever known. I did find the opening chapters a little confusing. The opening line was brilliant:

Some engagements end in happily ever afters, and some just end ... on social media.

But this brilliant line gave me the impression the relationship had just ended (especially as the novel begins on what would have been Devyn’s wedding day). In fact, I think the relationship had ended months before – perhaps a year. Knowing that up front would have explained why Devyn was open to a relationship with Chase—because she’d moved on.

Once I worked that out, I really got into the story and enjoyed watching Devyn and Chase search for clues to the identity of the mysterious Hattie of Chase’s photograph. The search was even more interesting once it became obvious that Chase’s Hattie was Hattie Louis.

One of the fun parts of reading dual timeline novels is working out how and when the timelines intersect, then trying to predict what’s going to happen in the past to end up with the present we know about. I’m pleased to report that Undercurrent of Secrets had a couple of excellent twists which were a complete surprise to me, and to Devyn (although, in hindsight, one shouldn’t have been a surprise to Devyn …)

Hattie was definitely my favourite character. She was intelligent and plucky, as well as being multi-talented (and I even found out what a calliope was). The historic parts of the story felt authentic, and the author’s note at the end showed how much of the story was based on fact. (Yes, there really was an Idlewild, and she did survive.)

However, it was the modern heroine, Devyn, who learned the most important spiritual lesson, and I liked the way the author wove that into the plot. And I did like the fact Devyn was prepared to hold out for someone better. While I love reading romance novels, it would be great to see more novels that show marriages—good and less good.

Overall, I very much enjoyed Undercurrent of Secrets, especially the unique setting.

Recommended for fans dual timeline Christian romance.

I think this one might be my most favorite out of the series yet! I loved the setting and how the past and present wove together, The twists to the story were quite clever!

This captivating, unputdownable treasure exceeded my highest expectations! It is a story of family and faith, romance and mystery, and SO MANY secrets! The plot twists and turns with surprises around every curve. The richly drawn characters in both storylines captured my heart and soul. Gifted storyteller Rachel McDaniel, with her flowing expressive prose, brilliantly and seamlessly weaves together two compelling stories into one extraordinary time-slip novel. Both storylines, set a century apart, are equally interesting and captivating and are tied together beautifully as the mystery unravels. The romance in both storylines is sweet and tender. I appreciated the strong faith element flowing naturally throughout the book. True historical facts and people believably infused into the fictional story add interest and authenticity. This is the kind of story that stays with you long after the last page is turned. It is a must read addition to Barbour’s amazing Doors to the Past series—a series of stand-alone novels by various authors. I loved this book and highly recommend it and the series especially for lovers of historical romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.