A Flickering Light (Portraits of the Heart, #1) (2024)

This is a book I wrote. But I'm posting this review for a Canadian reader who had trouble posting it. "In her indubitable way, Jane has exercised once again her God given gift for writing. With this story she brings to light a tale she has woven around her grandmother, Jessie Ann Gaebele’s life. It was a life which offers us a glimpse into the background of the little known profession --- early photography. By showing us Jessie’s keen interest in this art form, Jane has given those of us who live in this generation a gift few of us rarely see, that of beginning to understand the methods and skills, which had to be learned and were needed to produce fine photographs, in the early infancy of the craft. My own memories were unlocked and my appreciation to all those who left us early family photo’s is now very keenly appreciated. I recently had the opportunity of “digging out” and using some very old photo’s, which belonged to my parents, to reconnect with a family member I had never met. Because of that experience a bond was made between us that was highly emotional and we are grateful. Thank you Jane!!"

This was an enjoyable read for the most part. It is written somewhat like a memoir and told from the viewpoint of a teenage girl in the early 1900s. Jessie comes from a very religious family with very set ideas regarding women and "their place," but Jessie is a bit of a black sheep and despite some misgivings from her parents, she desires a career in photography. Photography in the 1900s was a mostly male dominated profession and the chemicals used often had negative effects on the users so it was a bit dangerous. Jessie, however, is not intimidated by this and becomes a photographer's assistant.

Meet Mr. Bauer. He has been married seventeen years, has lost a child, suffers mercury poisioning and pneumonia often, and his wife has banned him from her bed while suffering many strange maladies and headaches. It is no great surprise he somewhat falls for young Jessie and in turn, Jessie falls for the man who is teaching her so much. While Jessie practically runs the photo studio on her own half the time, the rest of the time, she is dealing with conflicting emotions regarding her married employer.

Having dabbled in a dark room myself, I was fascinated by the photography details, methods, and contraptions they used in 1907. I almost gave this three stars tho due to the very annoying Mrs. Bauer (her illness is never explained) and the self rightous, overly pious sister Lily. I wanted to jump into the pages and kick both the mentioned ladies in the arses. However, the fact that I could really visualize the early 1900s and my desire to read the next installment of Jessie's life brings it back up to a four star rating. The next one is due out in March of 2010. I look forward to finding out all that Jessie accomplished.

This book sounded very interesting to me, a young girl at the beginning of the 20th century becomes apprentice to a photographer in Minnesota, “biographical fiction” based on the author's grandmother. I was delighted when a generous winner of an Advanced Reading Copy passed it on to me.

As an ARC, it did have errors that most likely were corrected prior to publication, as I expect in an uncorrected proof. Aside from that, I'm afraid it is just not my kind of book. The author is a writer of Christian fiction, not one of my favorite genres, and I did not realize that when I requested it. Still, the book did not get as preachy as it could have. To me, the characters seemed a bit too much cut from cardboard. One of the characters was referred to as “damaged Roy” because he stuttered.

The story moved very slowly for my taste and was repetitive, sometimes boring to me. And, generally not being a romance reader, I really did not like the way the romance was developed. Although there were some insights into the photography of the period, I had hoped for more. I did enjoy the photographs included in the book, thought they were interesting and lovely.

I struggled with this book. A Flickering Light is dripping with jealousy, bitterness, animosity and only one likeable main character. "Young" Jessie kept me reading and by the end I was completely fed up with her to. I couldn't find any likeable thing about Mr. Bauer her love from a far interest. It was truly difficult for me to understand what drew this woman to this unfortunate man. She spent most of her life entangled in wretched drama. I never did find the light in this story. I will however say there are a few photos from the early 1900's in this book and I found them quite nice. I will not be able to find the strength to read the sequel to this tale. I unfortunately purchased it as well. I do have to clarify that I enjoyed the writing very much; just not the story line.

It took me forever to get through this book...or maybe it just felt that way. I didn't care for any of the characters, especially Jessie, the main character. I grew tired of reading about how she felt responsible and guilty for her younger brother's accident and subsequent speech impediment. Her attraction to FJ was totally annoying, not to mention immoral, as well. Jessie tries to get away from FJ by moving to Milwaukee, yet when she gets there she finds that he has already set up lodging for her. Doesn't seem like Jessie's made much of a break from the much older, married FJ. Perhaps this story is improved upon in the upcoming second book of the series? Also, for supposedly being inspirational fiction, there's not much of a Christian message in this book.

Jesse is a young woman, 16 years-old living in a small town of Minnesota in the early 1900s, before the war. She is in love with photography and has found work in a portrait studio. Her passion is palpable and she has a kind though sickly boss to train her. He has numerous problems, with his unloving wife, that one son died at a young age and perhaps due to his lack of care, and that he is not very forward thinking in his insight into photography. He is against landscape or candid photography. He believes that photographs must take place in a studio where he can control all of the elements.

Both Jesse and Mr. Bauer develop affection for one another, but everyone around them goes into a tizzy. Her parents don't want her working for him because he had taken a lovely photograph of her. She has mixed up feelings. This aspect of the book is way over done. It goes on forever.

The strongest part is watching Jesse grow as a photographer and independent person and the care she has for her younger brother who had an accident as a toddler, for which she feels responsible, and who stutters uncontrollably because of it.

I held on till the end, expecting something to happen. I wish I'd ditched it. I've never read a book with so much whining and angst and repetition. It's saving feature is information about photography at that time in history.

I did enjoy this book for the historical aspect of the dawn of photography in the turn of this century. It was also a good exploration of human emotions and what a Christian has at our disposal to protect others from unhealthy preoccupations. This was the story of Jane Kirkpatrick's grandmother, and by virtue of that fact, a quite intriguing read. Our book club majority decided that the next book in the series would be a "must read"!

From the first page to the last I felt like Jesse's shadow, seeing what she saw, feeling what she felt, as she experienced new and confusing feelings that challenged her faith and the standards of a loving family and conservative community in an earlier time. This story is rich and compelling, blending love, acceptance and forgiveness into painful and difficult circ*mstances. A wonderful read.

It was OK. It had some interesting streams regarding turn of the century photography, how it involved dangerous chemicals and a male dominated profession ( which job wasn't at that time) but I just couldn't see how a young girl of 16 could find the older man (her employer) attractive or compelling.

Am reading an ARC of this book.
The author is quite accomplished.
I met she & her agent last fall at a writers' conference.

I'm giving this 3 stars with some misgivings. It started out as a solid 4 and a promising historical fiction novel. But then it turned into some kind of a slow-burning doomed romance, colored by too much trite morality, and I couldn't wait to be done with it. If you like "Christian" fiction this formula probably will work for you. I found it a bit cringe-worthy and won't be reading the sequel. I do like that this is based on real people - Jessie Gaebele was the first woman photographer in Winona. And it gave a good impression of what it was like to be a woman in 1907 with the dream of having her own career. Perhaps where this failed for me, is that we have the agony of an emotional attachment, without any actual resolution. It dragged on and on with all of the moral agonizing over deceiving yourself about your feelings, and religious beliefs that are crippling rather than helpful. There is a real love story here, but it won't be resolved until the next book. (At least I hope it is resolved in the next book - spoiler alert, but in real life, she did end up marrying the man who had captured her heart.) This should have been one book, rather than two. Without that resolution, this is just painful.

Description: Fifteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele loves nothing more than capturing a gorgeous Minnesota landscape when the sunlight casts its most mesmerizing shadows. So when F.J. Bauer hires her in 1907 to assist in his studio and darkroom, her dreams for a career in photography appear to find root in reality. With the infamous hazards of the explosive powder used for lighting and the toxic darkroom chemicals, photography is considered a man' s profession. Yet Jessie shows remarkable talent in both the artistry and business of running a studio. She proves less skillful, however, at managing her growing attraction to the very married Mr. Bauer. This luminous coming-of-age tale deftly exposes the intricate shadows that play across every dream worth pursuing–and the irresistible light that beckons the dreamer on.

I am consistently amazed at Ms. Kirkpatrick’s historical fiction books. They not only bring to light the person they are written about but many social and cultural differences in that time period.
I had never even considered all photography in the early 20th century involved until I read this book. Jessie Gaebele was a bit of a modern woman in the sense that she wanted more than anything to pursue a career in photography. Women just didn’t do that; they weren’t supposed to have careers at all! Even though she still lived at home under the watchful eye of her parents, she managed to follow her dream. I believe her confidence and poise came from her all-consuming love of taking pictures.
In that era it was a bit more than just grabbing a Polaroid or digital camera. I had never considered how dangerous it was until I read about Jessie. The chemicals used to process the pictures were toxic not only to touch but the fumes were poisonous too. Photographers often suffered from chemical poisoning that made them very ill and ultimately dementia and organ failure. In addition to the chemicals there was the danger of explosions and fires from the flash powders that could kill or maim. Given how protected women were during this time, you can understand how bold Jessie’s pursuit was! This doesn’t even take into account that she was only 15 years old at the time!
Her opportunity came when she is hired as an assistant to Mr. Bauer of Bauer Studios. She would gain experience and knowledge to hopefully someday open or studio. Although she was young she proved herself a quick learner, talented and responsible. I learned right along with Jessie as she apprenticed. I never thought of how the only lighting they hand was natural light from windows, or how skilled one would have to be to pose subjects considering this.
Her new job brought her face to face with something she had never dreamed of; she became emotionally attracted to her employer. Matters were further complicated because he was not only married (albeit very unhappily to a petty nervous wife in fragile health) but he was also 26 years older than Jesse! Before long Mr. Bauer returned that attraction. This was not a sordid tale as one might think. It is a beautiful story of having self-control in the face of strong, sinful temptations and staying true to God rather than giving into fleshly desires. Her close family’s intuition and God’s convicting hand kept Jessie from straying. The author was very tasteful in handling this.
The book is made even more exciting because it is based on the life of Jane Kirkpatrick’s grandmother who was a photographer during that time and even owned her own studio! The vintage pictures placed at the beginning of various chapters were so special. They were actually taken by the author’s grandmother! I always look forward to Jane Kirkpatrick’s books. They are in a league of their own!
Be sure to go to http://www.jkbooks.com/ and check out more of Jane Kirkpatrick’s wonderful books! I received this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Jessie Gaebele loves photography. Her mind frames potential images everywhere she looks in her Minnesota town. Jessie is fortunate enough to find a placement at FJ Bauer’s photography studio where she burgeons into a working and professional woman whose hand at portraits and talent for putting “sitting” clients at ease prove her a natural.

I enjoyed this turn- of -the -century tale about a spunky woman who has the rare chance to make something independent of her self: regardless of the social constrictions of her time and circ*mstance.

Kirkpatrick does a notable job of creating the dark room world of Jessie, her friend Voe and the imitable FJ Bauer. Likewise, the portraits of domesticity: whether at Jessie’s home with her stern parents and challenged brother or at the Bauer residence: which, when unveiled, is a formidable look at a crumbling marriage guised by poise and outward appearance.

I often felt I was walking down a street with Jessie, peering above the wrought iron gates to mansard roofs and wafting lace curtains to gaslights and cozy hearths. Kirkpatrick does a remarkable job of painting life as it was. In fact, as is often my highest compliment as an imaginative reader, she made me nostalgiac for a time period I never lived in.

You will recognize from previous entries that the insertion of ephemera rarely inspires me in fiction, but Kirkpatrick uses it well. As this is a fictionalized biography of her grandmother, Kirkpatrick has numerous photos Jessie took or posed for and these loan an interesting and unusual physicality to the plot. Your imagination is somewhat stopped by virtue of the fact that you know what Jessie looks like: a plain, proper, probably well-mannered woman of her time.

I very much enjoyed learning about the dissonant opinions treating photography as art and commercialism. This tied well to my previous read, Cramer’s Summer of Light.

As a Christian novel, this book is rather lightweight evangelically. Kirkpatrick is more interested in spinning the yarn of her grandmother’s youth as a developing photographer and this is not the soap box from which she will breach fire and damnation. That being said, there is a calm and subtle symbolism of light that Kirkpatrick uses deftly: especially in a sermon preached a Christmas Eve candlelight service.

At the heart of this unique romance is the attraction between the young Jessie and her employer, FJ Bauer: who is some twenty-odd years her senior.

This coming of age tale evokes the awkward emotional development of a girl who is confused by the feelings racing through her. I applaud Kirkpatrick on her ability to take the reader through the whirlwind of susceptible Jessie’s emotions ---also, through the returned infatuation of her married employer who loves his family but is starved of affection and often the slightest touch.

This was an engaging read and I look forward to reading more of the series.

I didn't like this book because of the love story that developed. The girl was just wanting to learn to be a good photographer. She learned from her employer great techniques and was ready to work for him or to go out on her own. She and the employer got feelings for each other. He is a married man. That is why I don't like the book. It also took forever to say anything from one chapter to another.

Jessie Ann Gaeble is born in the late 1800’s. During this era, many children do not attend high school. They find jobs to support their family or start their career. Jessie is one of these children.

She loves to take pictures. She is interested in every aspect of photography. Jessie is overjoyed when her uncle gives her a camera one year and she treasures it with every breath that she takes. She takes it wherever she goes because she never knows when a butterfly will flit by or the perfect setting of the sun will occur.

It is during her teenage years, 15 to be exact, that she begins her apprenticeship with a photo studio in town. She decides that being a photographer will be her career. She wants to learn the business of running a studio. The photographer is hesitant to bring her into the profession because he fears that she may seek employment elsewhere after he has trained her. This will be a gamble that he needs to take. So, he agrees to teach her the business for 6 months without pay. She agrees and finds this life very exciting and is eager to learn. During the 3 year span of working beside him, romantic notions rush into her head. She realizes that he is married and has children, but since she has never been in love, she does not know how to deal with matters of the heart.

Oh, how my father loved to take pictures. In that respect, this book was interesting to me. It was rather tedious reading because I think the author rambled on too much about the photographer’s family life. I just wanted to read about the photography aspect of the book. Toward the end of the book, I felt as if the author was writing a romance book instead of a historical fiction one.
A Flickering Light is a memoir about the Kirkpatrick's grandmother and her photography career. Kirkpatrick does a very job depicting the lives and the context of that era.

Set in the early 1900s this Christian historical centers around Jessie Gaebele who has a heart for photography. She finds herself working for Mr. F.J. Bauer in his studio and darkroom, learning the techniques. As time passes, Mr. Bauer suffers debilitating illnesses at two separate times, leaving Jessie and her friend Voe running his studio, while he recovers at home with his wife and children. Jessie proves more than competent as she excels at both the art and business side of studio photography. She branches out and encourages F.J. to do the same, (photographing at a parade and wedding). The conflict is that working closely with "Mr. B," as they sometimes call him, proves to be dangerous ground for Jessie.
The historical detail in this novel was interesting and educating. Kirkpatrick deals with subjects such as the beginning stages of photography with its related illnesses and women's roles during that era. We see motor cars and horse drawn carriages, and there is a scene including President Taft.
I found the main plot line a little slow moving and was more engaged in the side stories involving both the Gaebeles with little Roy, and the Bauers with their past and present trials. The secondary characters were well developed and added depth to layers of the story. I appreciated Jessie's transformation and growth in her faith although it felt a little fast at the end of the book.
Kirkpatrick creates believable characters in illuminating settings. Readers learn about history and human nature as well as the beauty of grace and second chances.
I am glad that there will be a follow up book, An Absence So Great due out later this year. There were a couple of unanswered questions and unresolved problems, especially in the engaging side stories that I hope to see addressed!

This is a fictional biography of the author's grandmother during the first decade of the 20th century in Minnesota (while she was 15 - 18 years old). Jessie Ann Gaebele loves photography - especially landscapes - and dreams of owning her own photography business one day. As the middle sister, who has completed 8th grade, in a family that struggles financially, when it is Jessie's turn to get a job to help out, she is hired by photographer, F. J. Bauer as his assistant (along with friend, Voe Kupp). Jessie quickly reveals that she is not only artistically talented, but talented in business as well. She is slower to acknowledge the nature of her feelings for Mr. Bauer (married and the father of several children), although they are clear to some of her friends and family. The book is told through three points of view and includes some 1st person musings on actual photographs of/by Jessie Gaebele and their relevance to the events of the story. There's lots of information about turn-of-the-century photography, and views of women in business and in general, and life in the mid-west, but the emphasis is more on exploring the nature and impacts of truth, love, guilt and forgiveness. It's a thoughtful, interesting book. I'll look for the next book, Shimmering Grasses to learn more about Jessie and her family. (This book makes an interesting companion to The Whistling Season and A Reliable Wife for depictions of midwestern America from 1905-1910.)

I am a fan of Jane Kirkpatrick's books because I always learn something about history, geography or inventions and I enjoy learning while I'm being entertained by a good book. I also appreciate Kirkpatrick's stories because she doesn't rely on smut to carry her plots forward. However, A Flickering Light demonstrates that a potentially good story gets lost by having too many characters introduced with too much side clutter that detracts from the central character. Jessie needed to stand out more in this story. I needed to know more of her thoughts, her highs and her lows. She was a stone character without passion. There was too much said about Mrs. Blake who actually came across as more of a central character almost then Jessie did. The story of Jessie would have worked better if we had been given more depth into the person of Jessie so that we could care about her more.

I very much wanted to like this story. I didn't know when I started the book that it was based upon Kirkpatrick's grandmother. Perhaps the grandmother was too close to Kirkpatrick to put a more passionate face on Jessie? My father was a pioneer in early photography and I grew up in his darkroom at his side, dipping my hands in chemicals, coughing in the fumes, learning how to hand tint portraits and so forth. Only this background kept me reading this book. The story line just didn't grab me and I so wished that it would have. I wanted to care about the characters but I just didn't.

Jane Kirkpatrick is a brilliant writer and I was impressed with the prose and character development of this story.
I do object to the label of Christian Fiction. Certain characters actions seem to be repeatedly breaking biblical principles. The characters seem to have rather lukewarm faith.
Nevertheless if you remove the label the story is reminiscent of Willa Cather. Kirkpatrick has a gift for character development.
Jessie is a surprisingly relatable character despite the fact that she is carrying on a relationship with a married man. At times she reminds me of Tess from Thomas Hardy. She tries very hard to do the right thing but has a marvelous knack for making stupid choices.
Fred is a hero I have a hard time supporting. His relationship with Jessie reeks of dominance and his attempt to control her life is disturbing. In addition their differences in ages especially when Jessie is underage would be completely illegal today.
Mrs. Bauer was perhaps one of the best drawn people in the story. She is clearly mentally ill and yet she tries hard to do the right thing. You cringe at her unkindness and yet you see her misery.
The only characters that did not ring true was Jessie's family. They were unkind and judgmental. Lilly especially was simply awful.
On the whole I would recommend this book although the moral element was a bit iffy.

A Flickering Light by Jane Kirkpatrick in the first in the historical fiction series A Portrait of a Woman. Kirkpatrick has fictionalized the story of her grandmother Jessie Gaeble who worked as a photographer's assistant in 1907 Winona, Minnesota for F.J. Bauer. Jessie is a feisty, tiny girl of fifteen when she starts working at Bauer's studio with her own ideas about how photographs should be taken. Bauer takes her under his wing and teaches her how to pose photos, develop them, and run a studio, which is necessary when he succumbs to occasional mercury poisoning leaving him unable to run the business for months on end. Bauer has a less than perfect marriage, and the two are drawn together by their common love of their craft. Kirkpatrick has an unusual talent for creating incredibly real characters. It's the rare book that is so great that its characters find their way into my dreams. For me, that's an indicator of a book that is far above the masses of similar books in the genre. I am completely pulled into the story, and when the final page is turned, find myself missing the characters inside. Thank goodness this is a series! Kirkpatrick captures turn of the century life in a small Midwestern town and fills it with characters the reader can't help but take to heart.

Jessie Gaebele is an amateur photographer in 1907, Minnesota. She loves nothing more than to take pictures of the beautiful landscape and the people she loves. When she is hired at the Bauer Studio to assist in developing photos and learning how to run the business, she knows she is headed in the right direction for her life and career.

There are hazards that come with the territory; the explosive powder used for lighting, and the toxic chemicals used for developing the prints. It is considered a man's profession, and life-threatening when the mercury poisoning hits. Yet Jessie works deftly and skillfully at every aspect of running a studio. What she can't seem to manage, however, is her attraction to the married F.J. Bauer. Will photography reveal the person she really is, or will it expose her for what she can never be?

I had mixed emotions about this book as I knew before I even opened the book that there was the undercurrents of a possible emotional affair between an older married man and a young woman. But despite all of that, I was pleasantly surprised with what I discovered. The author portrayed a perfect mix between the human fallacies we all are born with, and the power of forgiveness from not only those we love, but God himself.

This is the first book I have read by Kirkpatrick. She visited our local bookstore and I purchased an autographed copy of her book. I'm glad I did. Kirkpatrick bases her book on family history, drawing from old photographs, verbal history and documents/letters to weave a tale largely based on the lives of actual people, including her Grandmother Jessie (lead character). Jessie is a young 16 year old in the early 1900's. Raised in a family with strong Christian values, Jessie is a young lady ahead of her time. She loves photography and dreams of having her own studio. She starts to realize her dreams when a married gentleman with children hires her to assist in her photography studio. Her love for photography grows as does her attraction to the man who is helping her develop her artistry. The author does a wonderful job of describing the photography profession and hazards associated with it such as mercury poisoning. She uses chapter titles such as "The Pose" and "To Much Exposure" to relate the photography to relationships. All in all, it's a great book about love, faith, making the right choices, independence and of course, photography.

There were two aspects of A Flickering Light that drew me in personally. The story is set around 1907 in Minnesota… a time frame and location I recently researched for my own ancestry. My grandparents came from Browerville, Minnesota and were married in 1909. Also, like the main character I also worked for a professional photographer for three years, from the age of 15 to 18, thus many memories were sparked (enough so that I Googled Richard Weede the photographer for whom I worked).

Overall, I enjoyed Kirkpatrick's novel. The historical details were interesting and educating (beginning stages of photography and its related illnesses, women’s roles during the era, motor cars incorporating into life, etc.). The story line was intriguing because it was based on the life of the author’s grandmother. Often ‘real life’ seems unbelievable, which was at times my reaction to the attraction Jessie had for the married and sickly photographer.

I did find it hard to initially get into the story… I was finally interested around chapter five. I am glad that I stuck with it! Kirkpatrick’s use of Ezekiel 47:12 as a life verse for Jessie brought me to study that passage in scripture.

Another wonderful Jane Kirkpatrick novel! I just love her writing and this one did not disappoint. Written about Jane's very own Grandmother, this story brings Jessie Gaebele's love of photography and dreams of her own studio alive. Jessie is a young girl, working to help out her family and just happens to get a postition that she loves, at a photography studio in her hometown of Winona, Minnesota. Jessie's joy at learning her trade and expanding her talent is only dampened by her worry over her little brother, Frog, and her families growing discomfort over her relationship with her boss, Mr. F.J. Bauer. Mr. Bauer is a married man who see's Jessie's talent and spends extra time tutoring her. Mr. Bauer has re-occuring bouts of mercury poisoning which plaqued photographers of this time and Jessie proves herself invaluable in the running of the studio during his lengthy absences.

This is a beautifully written story. I loved the insights into the early photographic world and the photo's of Jessie that were included. Cannot wait to get my hands on the second in this series and follow Jessie's life for a lit bit longer!

Early photography did not make use of flickering light.
The "flickering light" in the title could refer to how this young woman's burning passion to become a photographer was frequently damped by circ*mstances surrounding women in this era. But it also could refer to the confusion in her affairs of the heart, which also burned. Other reviews give enough of the plot. Let me just say that I found this book to be surprisingly engaging as it showed a young woman who would not admit to herself, until almost too late, that she had gone against her own moral code and had fallen for a married man. At times the characters seemed a bit stilted and naive, but it could well reflect how people really thought in those time. I respect historical authenticity and this book certainly has it as the Ms. Kirkpatrick has novellized her own grandmother's life. I look forward to the next installment.

A slow-moving story about a young woman in the early 1900s who aspires to become a photographer. Jessie Gaebele takes a job as an assistant to photographer F. J. Bauer, a man whose marriage has suffered since the accidental death of his young son. Jessie and Bauer are drawn to each other and, though they never actually commit adultery, they do share intimacy. When Jessie's secret desires are revealed to her family, she realizes she must leave town altogether to escape the temptation of forbidden love.

Kirkpatrick captures the restrictive era in her descriptions of Winona, Minnesota, and early photographer but some of the dialog is awkward and she repetitively describes Jessie's futile attempts to deny her attraction to Mr. Bauer and vice versa.

I do not read much Christian fiction so I can't compare to other works in this genre but this story was over-long and rather tedious.

Well, I'm absolutely captivated by Kirkpatrick--and am headed toward reading everything she's written. Her historical fiction is rich with imagery, with characters of depth, powerful in emotion and thought, with authentic conflicts.

Jessie Gaebele is a gifted young woman who has a dream of becoming a photographer--long before women are recognized in that field. Her goals, her values, her dreams set her life in motion, when an unintended potential romance with her married employer creates moral and relational crises in her life. Kirkpatrick handles the entire situation with discretion and sensitivity. The emotional and spiritual turmoil is real!

Outstanding. Kirkpatrick is meticulous in her research and her characters walk into the readers' hearts and lives. I ached for Jessie--for her dreams, her longings for love, her choosing to do the right thing.

Emotionally draining!! The author draws you into the life of an young girl in the early 1900's with a passion for photography. It is very interesting to learn about "old school" photography but the story quickly get's to it's main and emotionally draining focus. This book is primarily about the development of an inappropriate relationship that occurs between the young shopkeeper and her married employer (26 years her senior!). The author does "too good" of a job of depicting her thoughts, emotions, and struggle over her attachment to this unhappily married man and his children. 3/4 of the way through, I am quite sick of the emotional strain and the absurdity of such an attraction!! The story DOES (finally) have a redemptive ending.

I liked the topic of a woman in the early 1900's trying to become a professional photographer (traditionally a man's job). I thought there was a lot of technical info about photography, but I'm sure a professional would say it was all over simplified. The book was a slow read for me, and I threatened to put it down a few times. I finished it.

Then, at the end of the book, the author mentions a sequel. Sigh. I might check it out to see what happens to the Gaebele family.

Also of interest in the author's notes section, apparently this is the 'true story, imagined' of the author's grandmother. The author did plenty of research on Winona, MN and her own family as well as 1900's photography. Interesting. :)

I really appreciate Jane Kirkpatrick's ability to write good historical fiction. I have enjoyed most of her past novels of this same genre, and this one didn't disappoint either. The real life character she researches and creates a story around in this book is her own grandmother, Jessie Ann Gaebele - a young photographer in the early 1900s(a time period in which photography was an emerging art form and women photographers were very rare). I love the way she incorporates accurate details from the time period to give the reader a true sense of what life was like for the people who lived back then.