Cover Image: Behind Love's Wall

Behind Love's Wall

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Member Reviews

Negative thoughts can become a reality. The more we think negative, the more it becomes true.

I am from Michigan. One of our favorite places to go on vacation is Mackinac Island. Reading this book was taking me on that vacation. I was staying at The Grand Hotel without leaving my home. I could picture the places that Carrie Fancett Pagels wrote about. Her research was spot on.

Lily and Willa lived in different centuries but shared similarities. They both were guarded and had secrets. Both were afraid that if their secrets came out it could change everything they knew and loved.

I loved the book. It had intrigue, romance and so much more!! This book is part of a series called Doors To The Past. This book invited me in that door and gave me a chance to visit this wonderful part of Michigan once again.

I received this book from Celebrate Lit and Barbour Books to review.

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2 women 100 years apart search for their pasts...

What could be better than a book that is part of a series I'm really enjoying, is written by an author I like, and has some old friends and new as characters?

Even if it hadn't been part of the excellent Doors To The Past series I would have wanted to read Behind Love's Wall because of its author, Carrie Fancett Pagels, and the intriguing back cover copy. Hidden journals, dark secrets, and secret identities are right up my mystery-loving alley.

Most of the stories by Carrie Fancett Pagels that I've read have been set on Mackinac Island and it's easy to see why. In Behind Love's Wall her vivid descriptions of the island, and particularly the Grand Hotel, are full-color and to die for. Someday I have GOT to visit the island!

Once again, I was impressed by Carrie Fancett Pagels's dedication to flawed characters. These people feel so real because they struggle with the same things that we do. Frustration, fear, depression, even migraines and stage fright. As an avid reader it's nice to read a novel now and then that reflects the truth that people of faith really do have problems too, both emotional and physical.

I have liked the Doors To The Past series since the first book. Each one has a dual timeline, which, I'm sure, isn't always the easiest to write. However, Behind Love's Wall perfectly merges the 100+ year gap, weaving the two threads together and skillfully connecting the two mysteries into one.

I'll admit that this is one of the rare times that I did like the historical thread more instead of both of them equally. The somewhat repetitious mention of masks/Covid kept distracting me after the first few times in the contemporary thread.

Behind Love's Wall was the perfect title for this book and it's a great addition to the Doors To The Past series. Carrie Fancett Pagels did a great job merging this story with several of her other books and you won't want to miss any of them...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

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Behind Love's Wall is a part of the Doors to the Past Series. I'm having a difficult time reviewing this time-slip novel because there were aspects that I loved...and aspects I did not. The historical part of this book was fabulous. I really enjoyed the characters, the setting, the mystery. It is well written and I really enjoyed it. However, the present day section of the story was frustrating. Covid, and all of it's aspects (masks, socially distancing, etc) play a pretty predominate part of the story. I just could not get past that. I did finish the story, and again really enjoyed the historical half, especially the characters. But when I read I want to escape into another world...not relive the one we're currently living.

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

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Willa is a renowned interior decorator, who lands the job of redesigning the Grand Hotel. She acquires the journal of a young woman named Lily who previously worked at the Grand over 100 years ago, and reaches out to her descendent. As she and Michael begin to dig into Lily's past she begins to unravel the mysteries of her own past.

A mysterious dual timelines novel that follow two women as they fight to make their way and find love 120 years apart on Mackinac Island. A little slower to start as I got accustomed to all the characters and how the stories would fit together. I especially liked Lily's story because of all that she had to overcome, as well as her kindness and strong faith. She is very strong despite everything going on around her, and I think I found her more relatable and down to earth.

Overall, an intriguing read bridging the past and present, as secrets are revealed and our heroines get a chance at love. I also liked how supportive and Lily and Willa's friends were through the obstacles they faced. A well researched read, as well as relatable in the contemporary not to distant 2020.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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Behind Love's Wall is a dual story line that takes place in one of my favorite places of Mackinac Island. The contemporary storyline has Willa coming home to Michigan to redecorate the amazing Grand Hotel and to learn more about her own past. In 1895, Lily is a traveling singer who is hiding from her past when she lands at the Grand Hotel to sing for the summer. Will she find peace once her past is exposed.
Both storylines are good stories on their own and together are wonderful. If you love storylines or Mackinac Island, this is a great book for you.
I received a complimentary copy of the book via NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

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I struggled with this book which is surprising since this historical fiction and Christian fiction are right up my alley. I ended up not finishing, but I’m still giving it 3 stars because I’m pretty sure it’s my problem and not the book. My current mood and the references to COVID is what finally brought me to DNF. It’s hard enough in real life (knowing people who have died from it) that I don’t want it invading my fiction life too.

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Behind Love's Wall is a time split novel with characters that were over a hundred years apart, but were connected with similar issues and a mystery that spanned those years.

Lilly (1895) and Willa living in 2020 were both young women who were pretty much on their own making their way with their unique talents. Lilly was a singer and Willa was a star of her own HGTV show. I liked how the author compared them. Both were stars in their own time with stage names and wore their 'costumes' for the public. Both also fall for men that they never thought they would fall for. They each have tragic family stories with secrets that along with them we the reader get to uncover.

The author touches on some sensitive subjects like mental problems, eugenics, and even covid. It was really interesting how though the times were different they paralleled one another. This was an intriguing time slip novel of romance and mystery and family secrets.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

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I absolutely fell in love with this book. I felt like I was there on Macinac Island with Lily and Willa, even through the different time periods. The historical aspect of the story was alive with rich detail that took me right into the story and the mystery hooked me from the very beginning. Both Lily and Willa are struggling to find where they belong, and though they have fine careers, they're still seeking something that's just beyond their reach. This story takes the mystery and weaves it so well between the two timelines that I couldn't even pick a favorite. I had to read to the end, no matter what, just to see the conclusion finally work out. Excellent book.

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I loved the chance to travel to The Grand Hotel (I had to look up pictures of it after reading this book. I didn't realize it was so gigantic!) and the two mysteries that collide from the past and present. I was a little confused by some of the references to Willa's mom having died when she is young, but then the talk of her mom and sister, so I felt like some clarification would of helped. I still enjoyed the story!

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Behind Love’s Wall, the latest addition to the Doors to the Past series by Barbour, is a great dual timeline novel. Penned by Carrie Fancett Pagels, herself originally a “Yooper,” this romantic mystery is set on the magical Mackinac Island. Having a passing familiarity with the area, I enjoyed Ms. Pagels's description of the Island, its landmarks, and the Grand Hotel itself.
I had a little trouble with the dual timeline at first. This is unusual for me, as I generally read many dual-timelines without feeling lost. Eventually, I closed the book with a well-satisfied feeling that all things worked out, and there were some great twists and surprises that truly made the novel delightful. Bravo for a stunning conclusion!!
The author’s notes were of great interest to me. They elaborate so well on the author’s research and separate fact from fiction, which I love.
Be prepared for the unexpected! Many of the main characters surprised me, like Michael. I really empathized with him as he struggled. I especially connected with Lilly, the heroine of the early timeline. How many times do we humans worry about a malady running through bloodlines or obsess over some parental issue we are sure we will inherit? Faith is a gentle aspect, bringing in hope and release from self-made prisons.
Recommended!
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher via Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

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I, of course, loved the setting for this book. Mackinac Island is one of my favorite places in the world so it was great to visit there and remember the setting.

I found it interesting that the author choose not to mention the scent of horse manure when describing the smells when we get to the island because it definitely there.

I recently heard an interview the author did and she acknowledged that she wanted to be true to the time so she included COVID and wearing masks in her story. I also heard another author says that readers say it’s too early to read about COVID in our fictional books. I have to agree with the second opinion. I read to escape, especially the pandemic, I don’t want to read about other people living through it while I currently am. But I understand the author’s reasoning.

This book did get more interesting as I read and as a music person I appreciated Lily’s talent and desire to sing.


A copy of this book was given me through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

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I enjoy history and liked learning about the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island but there were so many characters in both the past and present day chapters of this dual time story that I had trouble keeping everyone straight! My favorite character was Lily, a singer, from the late 1800s. There are walls to be torn down in both the hotel and people's hearts. I received a complimentary e-book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.

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This story is written with a dual timeline —the present and 1895. It takes place at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. Lily, a singer, and her cousin Clem, pianist entertain guests at the hotel in 1895. Lots of crazy and unsavory things happen before, during and after their time there. I really enjoyed this doors to the past book.

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Behind Love's Wall is part of the Doors to the Past series. This is a series of standalone novels written by a variety of Christian fiction writers and as such, you can read one or all...and in any order too.

This book tells the story of two women 120 years apart, and while the author did a great job at creating both characters and stories, I must admit that I really enjoyed the part of this story that took place in the past much more. I think for me this had much to do with the fact that this took place in 2020--- with all that goes along with that. While I've read other books that mention COVID in passing, most tend to take it on as if it's already passed, not right in the midst of it, and this one was definitely in the midst of it with all the restrictions that it brought and still brings. While I can appreciate the truth in that, I also enjoy reading as an escape and I think for me personally, I just wasn't ready to deal with these real world goings on in a fictional setting. This is definitely more of a personal preference than anything to do with the writing though. Still, it did impact some of my enjoyment of the modern storyline. That said, I overall enjoyed the mystery of the story and seeing how it all would unfold and how the two stories would come together. If you enjoy a dual timeline story, this is certainly one to check out.


**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

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Behind Love's Wall was a delightful sweet duo time book about one of my favorite places in my state. Mackinaw island. It reminded me how wonderful the island is, including the residents. I love the mystery that haunted the book. I also enjoyed that the author included a heavier subject of mental illness. Not only the treatments that were tried, but also what works.
I recommend this book for anyone looking for a romance that has a bit more to it. It does give you a wonderful picture of Mackinaw and will make you want to visit and learn its secrets.

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Behind Love’s Wall is an engaging trip to Michigan’s Mackinac Island, in present day and during a time of intrigue.

TV Interior Decorator Willa visits the island to consult on a possible redesign at the island’s Grand Hotel. During her time there, she discovers a journal in a disused room. A room that at the center of a possible murder scandal.

One hundred and twenty years prior, popular singer Lily arrives with her cousin Clem to entertain guests for the season. She’s desperately trying to hide her past, with a mother thought to have burned down a mental health asylum while a patient there. Until she starts to fall in love with the son of one of the doctors who died in the blaze. How could their relationship ever survive what her mother did?

Meanwhile in the present, Willa works with one of Lily’s descendants, a handsome landscape architect troubled by health issues. As Willa finds the truth about the past, surprising secrets about her own family are revealed, meaning her life will be forever changed.

The two plots, separated by 120 years mirror each other in such a clever way, I can’t imagine how much time was spent devising this clever plot. The relationships in each time will warm readers hearts, even as mysteries intrigue and keep the pages turning.

I definitely recommend this book by a clever and insightful author.

Behind Love's Wall
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I love dual time -line stories that go from present to an historical era. This book in particular was different than other dual time-lines because to me it connected two main characters by the secrets that both had to uncover. I loved how the author has the story flow seamlessly in different time periods without feeling lost in the story. The connection between Lily and Willa are emotional and draw on their struggles with trust and loss.

Lily has always felt like she could never reveal who she really was for fear that she would be connected to a crime. How sad that she had to keep herself from making friends and longing to know the truth about her mother. Breaking down the walls Lily has built around her emotions is a challenge for one particular person. Their relationship was nice to follow as they share about theirselves.

Willa is a very successful person who has come to the Mackinac island to redesign part of the Grand Hotel. I did enjoy the history behind the hotel and how it tied back to Lily. Willa is also dealing with secrets from her past which she hopes to solve soon. I was anxious to see if Willa would find out about her family and finally resolve what has been hidden from her for so long.

I felt more of a connection with Lily and her story because she was a character that had flaws that seemed realistic. She worried about inheriting her mother’s mental illness and being accepted by others. What I thought was interesting was how both time periods had a character dealing with mental illness. The author does a good job of expressing how mental illness can affect many people in different ways.

When a diary is discovered the pieces started to come together for me. In those pages were the raw emotions of insecurity, hope and faith. The author does a good job of having faith flow throughout the story in a way that brings characters to know that God was there in the midst of their struggles. The other quality I really liked was how the journal became a symbol of freedom and allowed both women to find closure to their past.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.

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This is the only book I have read that incorporates the 2020 pandemic into the plot, and the author makes it realistic without being overbearing. The dual timeline, pairing the 1895 setting with the modern one in the same place. And the intriguing characters are somehow connected, although the large cast is sometimes hard to all keep straight. I loved all the twists and surprises, with the increasing suspense and surprises. I have never been to Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel, but the book brings it to life and made me want to visit in person. It’s fun to see the two stories reveal mysteries from the past whose tentacles reach into the present day as the plot lines intersect and entwine as secrets gradually come to light. The novel also includes some romance along with some unsavory situations in the characters’ pasts. Love and forgiveness play a vital role. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own. #BehindLovesWall #NetGalley

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Behind Love’s Wall is a dual-time novel, set during the late 1800’s and the year 2020, on Mackinac Island. I really enjoyed learning about the location and the history there. The descriptions were lovely, and made it easy to picture the setting. I also enjoyed Willa’s search for her birth family, and her search to uncover secrets kept by Lily. Lily’s story was also interesting to me, as mental health back in the 1800’s was a much more taboo issue than it is today, and I’ve read very few books that explore it. I also enjoyed the romance between the two couples, though it definitely took a back seat to the characters’ own personal struggles. I did feel that the multitude of characters was a bit much, and I forgot who was who a few times. Overall though this was a good one, and I’m glad I read it. The mystery was definitely my favorite part. This was my second read from the Doors to the Past series, and it won’t be my last.
Thank you to Netgalley and Barbour Publishing for my review copy; all thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

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I have enjoyed visiting Mackinac Island before, so I particularly liked the well written descriptions of this island in this novel. It was easy to visualize the scenery. I am also a fan of HGTV and I thought the premise for this story was creative—finding an old journal in a home undergoing a renovation? Um, yes, please! I liked the dual timeline and the connection of the characters. I do think there was some confusion initially with the amount of characters in the two timelines and it took me a bit to keep everyone straight. However, eventually I got the rhythm of the dual stories figured out and settled in for a good read. I liked the mysterious and surprising parts of the novel. This book might be the first one I’ve read that incorporates so many aspect of real life in 2020 (I read a lot more historical novels), but I appreciate that the author created a reality that’s authentic. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and have really liked this creative series from Barbour publishing!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Tours. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

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