A Portrait of Emily Price

by Katherine Reay
Hennepin County Library paperback 335 pages
genre: Christian fiction, romance

I like this author! Dear Mr. Knightley is my favorite of hers, then this one, then The Bronte Plot. I love the literary allusions! Overall, it's a pretty light read and we had a nice discussion last night at book club. There are so many passages I marked!

Page 39 - Emily on Ben - "Then he turned and looked at me and not a muscle moved. I liked that. It felt as if he understood the proper speed of things, the proper weight of life, and it didn't intimidate him. He didn't need to fill it up with clutter."

Page 94 - Rachel (the woman whose fire-damaged house Emily is helping to restore) talking to Emily about feeling in love - "But marriage should be like that too. . . . you can feel just that alive every day - as long as you don't forget. After all, you get to be with that one guy - for you, the adorable no-contractions guy - who lights up your world and shares it with you. For me, he makes good coffee and sings to me." This actually makes me sad, because we know that something is wrong between Rachel and her husband, but we never find out what or why (or if they resolve it). I like it because it makes me think of how much I love Louie!

Page 106 - Emily reflecting on family and how people thought of their families - "Ben used warm words like laughter, love, teasing, and hugs. Words that tasted sweet and coated you. Joseph, if he did have anything to say, used words from my lexicon: obligation, work, duty, challenge. Hard words I could tap with my small finishing hammer."

Page 110 - "I hadn't thought of restoring the pictures as 'romantic,' but I guess it was. Planning a surprise for no reason other than to bring another person delight was, in fact, romantic."

Page 118 - Judge and Mrs. Briggs ' ". . . I don't have that kinda time right now. You would'na believe how busy you can get once ya retire." This made me think of my mom!

Page 162 - Emily's third day in Italy, after two cappucinos and no breakfast - "'I don't think two was a good idea.' The flying sensation held the distinct possibility of tipping toward a crash landing."

Page 253-4 - The conversation between Emily and Father Matt about prayer and what to do - "I've been praying, too, and I think I needed this painting, and you. I've been praying for years now, for a revelation. Not something epic. Just something in my heart. I've felt old and tired and joyless for too long." . . . "We all have doubts, fears, and we forget. We forget who we're called to be sometimes, and by whom." . . . "It somehow reminds me that joy isn't a feeling, it's a truth."

The end of Chapter 39 hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't want to ruin it for others.

Page 315 - Emily talking to her sister Amy - "'I love you, sis.' Her voice sounded like she was throwing out a line. Fishing. Maybe for the first time ever, I caught it. 'I love you too.'" The change in relationship between the sisters was one of my favorite parts of this book!

Loved it. Will continue to read Reay's stories.