There is something so captivating about a story set inside a historic theater – the velvet curtains, the painted backdrops, the whispered secrets hidden in the rafters.
Today I’m thrilled to share the official cover reveal for The Darling’s Daughter by Sydney Schmied, and it is absolutely breathtaking.
From the soft elegance of the heroine’s profile to the bustling 1912 streetscape below, this cover perfectly captures the heart of the story: beauty layered over danger, trust shadowed by secrets, and a love story tested by truth.
Title: The Darling’s Daughter
Author: Sydney Schmied
Series: The Majestic Theater
Genre: Historical Romance
Why This Cover Works So Beautifully
The visual storytelling here is powerful.
- The heroine turned slightly away, reflective, guarded, strong.
- The Majestic Theater anchoring the lower half, a character in its own right.
- The muted, vintage tones, perfectly fitting the 1912 setting.
- The subtle romantic suspense tension layered beneath the elegance.
It tells you immediately: this is historical. This is mysterious. This is emotional.
And I love that.
Where to Buy:
If You Love…
- Historical romantic suspense
- Theater settings
- Redemption arcs
- Secrets from the past
- Faith woven into a story without overpowering it
- Slow-building trust between wounded characters
Then this one deserves a spot on your preorder list.
About the story:
A woman chasing the truth. A man running from his past. And a secret that threatens the fragile trust between them.
Angelica Woods has spent years haunted by questions surrounding her mother’s suspicious death. When she takes a job painting backdrops at the Majestic Theater — the very place her famous actress mother once warned her to avoid — she never expects to find cryptic notes and bloodstained evidence tied to an old murder.
But the deeper she digs, the clearer it becomes: her mother’s warning wasn’t superstition. It was protection.
Architect Trace Ackerman is determined to build a respectable life far removed from his former mistakes. Renovating the Majestic Theater is meant to symbolize his fresh start. Instead, it pulls him straight into Angie’s dangerous search for answers — and awakens feelings he never planned to risk again.
As rumors swirl and danger closes in, Angie and Trace must decide whether uncovering the truth is worth risking not only their lives… but their hearts.
Set in 1912 Ohio, this romantic suspense promises murder, betrayal, faith, forgiveness, and a love strong enough to withstand the past.
About Sydney Schmied
Sydney Schmied writes sweet and intriguing Gilded Age historical romances with a whole lot of faith. She is a 2023 ACFW First Impressions Contest finalist and a 2024 Genesis Contest Semi-finalist, as well as a Scrivenings Press Get Pubbed Finalist. When she is not writing, she enjoys reading, painting, and a good cup of coffee or a London Fog.
Learn More at Her Site
Looking for book recs…
Adventures in Literature 
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