What do you think?
Rate this book
Second Sight
This classic, much-loved novel tells the story of Jennie Logan, a woman caught between two worlds, two times, and the two men she loves—one her husband and one an artist who may have died in 1899. David Williams’s novel is a thrilling read, part love story, part mystery—a tale of time travel (or is it madness?) that keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Now back in print, this exquisitely written book is not to be missed.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
32 people are currently reading
938 people want to read
About the author
David L. Williams
1 book3 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
b. 1939
b. 1939
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
January 31, 2025
1977
A love so strong it transcended the barrier of time!
Jennie decided to stay with her husband Michael, after finding out he had an affair.
The betrayal affected her so much that she could not move on, even though her husband had tried to make amends.
Since the betrayal, Jennie found herself unable to get intimate with Michael.
Jennie and Michael decided to leave the city of New York and make a new beginning in the country, start a new life and save their marriage.
They moved to upstate New York, to an elegant, old Victorian house.
One day Jennie found hidden in the attic a drawing of a Victorian white dress.
She got obsessed with it. She made a replica of the dress.
She put it on in the attic and as she was admiring herself in the mirror, she developed an excruciating headache and the room swirled around her.
She opened her eyes and the attic was transformed into an artist studio with Victorian decor.
She heard female screems coming from downstairs and a man repeatedly screaming 'Pamela, Pamela...' in despair.
Jennie was suddenly transported back to the present.
The next day, as Jennie was wearing the dress, she found herself in the past again.
She went downstairs and strolled outside.
From afar she saw a man on a horse drawn carriage coming towards her shouting 'Pamela '.
Another day she saw him on a boat on the lake.
Jennie would always disappear before he managed to approach her.
The third time she saw him, she did not flee.
He was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
He looked at her with intensity in his eyes, and told her that she was not Pamela.
He had thought that she was the ghost of his dead wife, and that she bear a striking resemblance to her.
His name was David, he was an artist and a grieving widower.
David was charming, a man of passion and intensity.
Jennie kept going back to see him.
They fell in love.
The year was 1899.
Curious Jennie visited the local Historical society. She learnt that David was a former owner of the house, and that he died young under mysterious circumstances, and that there was only one of his paintings saved and it was there at the museum.
When Jennie was shown the painting she was astonished.
The painting was of herself in the white Victorian dress.
Jennie confided in her husband about what has been happening to her.
She even took him to see the painting at the Historical society museum.
Michael had noticed that Jennie was drifting away from him for some time.
He assumed now that she was losing her mind.
He told her that David was a delusion and that he could not compete with a ghost.
Michael took her to a therapist.
The Therapist said that Jennie was unhappy and she was inventing this man in order to flee reality.
Jennie continued to bounce back and forth between the two realities.
David asked her to leave her husband and stay with him. She did not love her husband, he said.
Jennie admitted that she did once but not anymore. She wanted to be with David, she loved him.
It was the day Jennie knew that David would die.
Michael gave her a locket which she promised to always wear.
She told Michael that she was in love with David.
He told her David was not real.
She said that very night David was going to get killed. She had to go back to prevent it from happening, and then she was going to stay with David. She belonged there, she felt warm there, she wanted to grow old with him, have his children.
Michael told her that he loved her, he did not want her to go away from him.
And how he would ever know what happened to her if she run away with David, he asked.
She said she was going to find a way to get through and let him know.
It was possible, she said, to break the barriers of space and time.
Michael tried to prevent her from going upstairs to the attic.
They fought but she managed to get there and lock the door.
She put on the dress...
When Michael broke into the attic he discovered Jennie's lifeless body.
She was later buried.
Michael was preparing to move out of the house.
The removalists found hidden in the attic some old, dusty paintings, and asked Michael if he wanted them.
The paintings showed Jennie's life with David.
In one she was with her children, in another Jennie was wearing the locket Michael had given her.
In another was Jennie in old age.
With tears in his eyes, Michael realised that the stories Jennie told him were true after all!
A love so strong it transcended the barrier of time!
Jennie decided to stay with her husband Michael, after finding out he had an affair.
The betrayal affected her so much that she could not move on, even though her husband had tried to make amends.
Since the betrayal, Jennie found herself unable to get intimate with Michael.
Jennie and Michael decided to leave the city of New York and make a new beginning in the country, start a new life and save their marriage.
They moved to upstate New York, to an elegant, old Victorian house.
One day Jennie found hidden in the attic a drawing of a Victorian white dress.
She got obsessed with it. She made a replica of the dress.
She put it on in the attic and as she was admiring herself in the mirror, she developed an excruciating headache and the room swirled around her.
She opened her eyes and the attic was transformed into an artist studio with Victorian decor.
She heard female screems coming from downstairs and a man repeatedly screaming 'Pamela, Pamela...' in despair.
Jennie was suddenly transported back to the present.
The next day, as Jennie was wearing the dress, she found herself in the past again.
She went downstairs and strolled outside.
From afar she saw a man on a horse drawn carriage coming towards her shouting 'Pamela '.
Another day she saw him on a boat on the lake.
Jennie would always disappear before he managed to approach her.
The third time she saw him, she did not flee.
He was the most handsome man she had ever seen.
He looked at her with intensity in his eyes, and told her that she was not Pamela.
He had thought that she was the ghost of his dead wife, and that she bear a striking resemblance to her.
His name was David, he was an artist and a grieving widower.
David was charming, a man of passion and intensity.
Jennie kept going back to see him.
They fell in love.
The year was 1899.
Curious Jennie visited the local Historical society. She learnt that David was a former owner of the house, and that he died young under mysterious circumstances, and that there was only one of his paintings saved and it was there at the museum.
When Jennie was shown the painting she was astonished.
The painting was of herself in the white Victorian dress.
Jennie confided in her husband about what has been happening to her.
She even took him to see the painting at the Historical society museum.
Michael had noticed that Jennie was drifting away from him for some time.
He assumed now that she was losing her mind.
He told her that David was a delusion and that he could not compete with a ghost.
Michael took her to a therapist.
The Therapist said that Jennie was unhappy and she was inventing this man in order to flee reality.
Jennie continued to bounce back and forth between the two realities.
David asked her to leave her husband and stay with him. She did not love her husband, he said.
Jennie admitted that she did once but not anymore. She wanted to be with David, she loved him.
It was the day Jennie knew that David would die.
Michael gave her a locket which she promised to always wear.
She told Michael that she was in love with David.
He told her David was not real.
She said that very night David was going to get killed. She had to go back to prevent it from happening, and then she was going to stay with David. She belonged there, she felt warm there, she wanted to grow old with him, have his children.
Michael told her that he loved her, he did not want her to go away from him.
And how he would ever know what happened to her if she run away with David, he asked.
She said she was going to find a way to get through and let him know.
It was possible, she said, to break the barriers of space and time.
Michael tried to prevent her from going upstairs to the attic.
They fought but she managed to get there and lock the door.
She put on the dress...
When Michael broke into the attic he discovered Jennie's lifeless body.
She was later buried.
Michael was preparing to move out of the house.
The removalists found hidden in the attic some old, dusty paintings, and asked Michael if he wanted them.
The paintings showed Jennie's life with David.
In one she was with her children, in another Jennie was wearing the locket Michael had given her.
In another was Jennie in old age.
With tears in his eyes, Michael realised that the stories Jennie told him were true after all!
June 9, 2020
This is a reread for me. I bought it a long time ago and spent too much money on it because it was all I could get at the time.
It's still a three star read for me. It started off well but got a bit stagnant in the middle. There was a bit too much of this for me. I love time travel and time slip but I'm not sure which of these the book fits into. It sort of falls between the two.
However, I did like most of it and will probably read it again some time.
For a change, the film they made based on the book, was better than the book and I enjoyed it more.
The film is called The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan in case anyone is interested.
It's still a three star read for me. It started off well but got a bit stagnant in the middle. There was a bit too much of this for me. I love time travel and time slip but I'm not sure which of these the book fits into. It sort of falls between the two.
However, I did like most of it and will probably read it again some time.
For a change, the film they made based on the book, was better than the book and I enjoyed it more.
The film is called The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan in case anyone is interested.
August 10, 2020
Where has this book been hiding all my life?
I was drawn mostly by the description, since I'm a sucker for a good time-travel romance. I wasn't bothered by how quickly (immediately) Jennie and David fell in love with each other, but that's mostly because I'm not bothered by the insta-love trope, at all. At times, I actually felt frustrated by Michael's behavior, but I came to pity him, as he kept seeing his wife going crazy (or so he thought).
I loved each and every character in this book, and I also watched the movie based on it. I believe the movie was kinda rushed in contrast to the book, but it was still enjoyable. Well, this book is going to my 'most favorites' pile and, in all honesty, I'm going to read this again soon!
I was drawn mostly by the description, since I'm a sucker for a good time-travel romance. I wasn't bothered by how quickly (immediately) Jennie and David fell in love with each other, but that's mostly because I'm not bothered by the insta-love trope, at all. At times, I actually felt frustrated by Michael's behavior, but I came to pity him, as he kept seeing his wife going crazy (or so he thought).
I loved each and every character in this book, and I also watched the movie based on it. I believe the movie was kinda rushed in contrast to the book, but it was still enjoyable. Well, this book is going to my 'most favorites' pile and, in all honesty, I'm going to read this again soon!
December 30, 2019
A novel firmly set in its time, and I mean 1977. Given the writing style and lack of sexual tension, the concept feels before its time. Today time travel stories are common (there’s entire smut genres devoted to them, as well as fiction/sci-fi), and while this novel was certainly not the first to address the concept, it was possibly the novelty of the idea that made this novel popular ten years before I was born.
Unfortunately, while I found it rather quaint and certainly not boring, several factors are lacking.
There was absolutely no sexual tension in the novel. And while there is a rather moving one-and-a-half-page description of the sublimity of storms, when that turns out to be a metaphor for orgasm it made me roll my eyes. It’s not unsurprising that Jennie’s journey has nothing to do with self-discovery or self-worth and 100% to do with leaving one man for another. While this is definitely a result of the 1970s (mis)conceptions of what women want with their lives, it was rather annoying.
It was interesting to see how Jennie’s mental state was perceived by her husband and the doctor, and while you can understand Michael’s concerns (as I wasn’t entirely certain Jennie was, in fact, sane myself), the novel makes him such an unsympathetic person you hardly cared about him.
Despite the end result of the tale, this novel reminded me of a less compelling The House on the Strand. If you want to read a much more interesting old-ass time travel novel, I suggest that instead.
Unfortunately, while I found it rather quaint and certainly not boring, several factors are lacking.
There was absolutely no sexual tension in the novel. And while there is a rather moving one-and-a-half-page description of the sublimity of storms, when that turns out to be a metaphor for orgasm it made me roll my eyes. It’s not unsurprising that Jennie’s journey has nothing to do with self-discovery or self-worth and 100% to do with leaving one man for another. While this is definitely a result of the 1970s (mis)conceptions of what women want with their lives, it was rather annoying.
It was interesting to see how Jennie’s mental state was perceived by her husband and the doctor, and while you can understand Michael’s concerns (as I wasn’t entirely certain Jennie was, in fact, sane myself), the novel makes him such an unsympathetic person you hardly cared about him.
Despite the end result of the tale, this novel reminded me of a less compelling The House on the Strand. If you want to read a much more interesting old-ass time travel novel, I suggest that instead.
June 16, 2017
Blah... I don't know.... I skimmed a lot of the book.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and then almost half way through I felt it drag a bit. I didn't really like Jennie or Michael or David...
I felt like the romance between Jennie and David wasn't well explained or developed. It was just a "magical" insta love. I understand this was only 221 page book, but there were still plenty of pages to develop the romance more, and leave a lot of the other stuff out. I also hate the way Jennie treated Michael toward the end. The author tries make you dislike Michael because he is a non-emotion type of guy and because of a previous affair he had, but in reality it just made me feel sorry for him.
This book also had no steam factor to it. Which normally I don't mind so long as the story and romance is well developed, but with out either of those it was a bust in my book.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book and then almost half way through I felt it drag a bit. I didn't really like Jennie or Michael or David...
I felt like the romance between Jennie and David wasn't well explained or developed. It was just a "magical" insta love. I understand this was only 221 page book, but there were still plenty of pages to develop the romance more, and leave a lot of the other stuff out. I also hate the way Jennie treated Michael toward the end. The author tries make you dislike Michael because he is a non-emotion type of guy and because of a previous affair he had, but in reality it just made me feel sorry for him.
This book also had no steam factor to it. Which normally I don't mind so long as the story and romance is well developed, but with out either of those it was a bust in my book.
October 14, 2013
Unknown gem: all 5 stars on Amazon. IMPORTANT: Movie title is different than book title:"The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan" is the movie. Movie DVD thru amazon ( A keeper). I have read many time travel books & given several reviews on each. This is by far, is my favorite. Read the book & watched the movie. I had to order the movie (DVD) dated 1979 and most importantly: it was renamed, " The Two Worlds Of Jennie Logan". Book title was, " Second Sight by Williams". Why did they have to make it confusing? They have just recently brought it back in new print! I am so glad I ordered the movie! The main character was Lindsay Wagner and she was wonderful. This begins with a married woman finding an old wedding dress in the attic. When she puts the dress on, she is taken back in time. Of Course, there is another man in the past. I will not say more about details. I don't want to ruin it for you. There is a very dramatic twist at the end. I really wasn't expecting this ending, but it was great. This book, plus movie are keepers on my shelf. This is not like the newer time travel books. Although, not old fashioned- it just has a special sense about it that is fascinating! In the LAST 5 minutes of the movie, you cannot imagine anything going right. Then, there is a wonderful unforeseen twist. You will not be disappointed in the book or movie. I don't know how they got all this in just 224 pages- I would definitely buy the movie. The ONLY place I could find it was Amazon, although Alibris may have it. The book is now in NEW PRINT! I got the movie only because there is no possible way they could show all the deep emotions in a book. It is coming back-which is great! The movie may be a bit more pricey, but it's a keeper! The two titles are confusing! I don't know why they changed the title (mistake). So, you have to look up each one :one under books & the other under movies. Again: I recommend the DVD or read the book first, then the DVD is a MUST. The movie shows more feelings & details. I know it is usually the other way around: books are better...not this time.
August 10, 2018
I'm a little surprised that no one brings up Matheson's Bid Time Return in reviews. It was the inspiration for the movie Somewhere in Time, much as Second Sight was for The Two Worlds of Jenny Logan, and there are a number of similarities. Are the main characters in each novel truly experiencing time travel, or are they simply nuts? Time travel heavily involves textiles (I'm serious). Your true love is waiting for you in the past. Like that.
Williams creates his McGuffin early on during a conversation about the meaning of life. His prose is serviceable, though it never rises to the kind of romantic heights this kind of story needs. I was interested in the plot (in a nutshell: can we change the past?) more than the characters, who remained bland throughout. To tell the truth, it reminded me of Dark Shadows, constantly reshuffling relationships with the same cast.
I read it at the beach, and as a beach read it was okay. If this sort of thing is your cup of Victorian tea, though, I would start with Bid Time Return.
Williams creates his McGuffin early on during a conversation about the meaning of life. His prose is serviceable, though it never rises to the kind of romantic heights this kind of story needs. I was interested in the plot (in a nutshell: can we change the past?) more than the characters, who remained bland throughout. To tell the truth, it reminded me of Dark Shadows, constantly reshuffling relationships with the same cast.
I read it at the beach, and as a beach read it was okay. If this sort of thing is your cup of Victorian tea, though, I would start with Bid Time Return.
July 2, 2018
Nice light reading. Enjoyed
October 9, 2015
Excellent novel. This is the book upon which the movie, "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan" is based.
I like the author's handling of the questions of what is reality, as well as how many might handle the idea that their loved one or friend might be going insane. The time barrier is easily surmounted at first with the aid of a lovely dress whose design harkens back to the 1890s, but later, it is Jennie Logan herself who controls her position in each time.
The reader experiences Michael's growing frustration as his wife rapidly drifts further and further away from him and Jennie's fascination with a slower, more perfect time. David Reynolds is a man of passion, an artist with strong feelings, a virtual enigma in our time. How can Jennie resist the gentle pull of his love and affection?
I enjoyed reading this book almost as much as I did watching the movie. Thankfully, the screenwriters largely adhered to the original story line.
I like the author's handling of the questions of what is reality, as well as how many might handle the idea that their loved one or friend might be going insane. The time barrier is easily surmounted at first with the aid of a lovely dress whose design harkens back to the 1890s, but later, it is Jennie Logan herself who controls her position in each time.
The reader experiences Michael's growing frustration as his wife rapidly drifts further and further away from him and Jennie's fascination with a slower, more perfect time. David Reynolds is a man of passion, an artist with strong feelings, a virtual enigma in our time. How can Jennie resist the gentle pull of his love and affection?
I enjoyed reading this book almost as much as I did watching the movie. Thankfully, the screenwriters largely adhered to the original story line.
June 22, 2015
Not sure it's possible for any time-travel romance to ever surpass this!
I just finished reading this beautiful love story,and I am awed by how well it is written,and even more so because it was written by a man!His desciptions of the scenes put you there,and he makes you feel what the characters are feeling.At the end my heart was racing and my fingers cramped from gripping the book,lol! I just love it when a book is able to have such an effect on me.
Highly,highly recommended for all those who love love stories,and you get the bonus of the element of mystery and suspense.
There is once instance of two curse words used,one being God's name used in vain,and one love scene that is not detailed.
I just finished reading this beautiful love story,and I am awed by how well it is written,and even more so because it was written by a man!His desciptions of the scenes put you there,and he makes you feel what the characters are feeling.At the end my heart was racing and my fingers cramped from gripping the book,lol! I just love it when a book is able to have such an effect on me.
Highly,highly recommended for all those who love love stories,and you get the bonus of the element of mystery and suspense.
There is once instance of two curse words used,one being God's name used in vain,and one love scene that is not detailed.
June 2, 2010
I saw the movie based on this novel when I was a teenager. The movie was entitled, "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan". Lindsay Wagoner played the lead role. Twenty-something years later I was describing it to my co-workers and caught the bug to find it again. My search led me to this book. The book filled in many more of the gaps. The ending did raise many questions - much too life-after-death for my taste at the time. The movie was much more simplistic. The relationships in the book were more involved and a bit more confusing. I probably wouldn't suggest to a serious reader but OK as a quick, mindless read. I don't think this author has published anything else.
March 12, 2017
Loved it. Another great time travel book. I saw the movie decades ago and loved it. The book is exactly the same, probably better, because of additional details. There were a few slight differences. I believe the movie had Jennie find the dress in the attic where the book has her make a replica of a dress from the period. The only thing I disliked was the question left at the end about David's death. The movie left no question that Jennie changed the past by her interference. But the book is evasive. I liked the ending of the movie better...the look on Michael's face when he discovers the truth. That scene is unreal.
March 4, 2014
I only read this because it was a book club pick for the Time Travel group and the male moderators let it default to the female moderator since it's a time travel romance.
Uh.
Books like this are the reason I always have to justify reading or liking a romance. The love story here is based on nothing. Their mysterious attraction is never explained. The method of time travel doesn't make much sense.
Anyhow, I don't feel like bothering with a real review. The twisty ending brings it up from 2 stars to 2.5 stars, but I'm going to have to round down since 3 star books are merely "meh" while this one was a firm "bleh".
Uh.
Books like this are the reason I always have to justify reading or liking a romance. The love story here is based on nothing. Their mysterious attraction is never explained. The method of time travel doesn't make much sense.
Anyhow, I don't feel like bothering with a real review. The twisty ending brings it up from 2 stars to 2.5 stars, but I'm going to have to round down since 3 star books are merely "meh" while this one was a firm "bleh".
February 20, 2013
I've heard my mom go on about the made-for-TV movie "The Two Worlds of Jenny Logan" for ages and ages. One thing led to another and I found out it was a book, so I interlibrary loaned it and don't regret the decision.
Williams' story about a 20th century woman who can magically transport back to 1899 when donning a replica dress is short and not entirely unpredictable, but it was charming and enjoyable. It actually surprised me how well it has stood the test of time.
Fans of time travel novels will probably enjoy. Too bad used copies go for astronomical amounts of money.
Williams' story about a 20th century woman who can magically transport back to 1899 when donning a replica dress is short and not entirely unpredictable, but it was charming and enjoyable. It actually surprised me how well it has stood the test of time.
Fans of time travel novels will probably enjoy. Too bad used copies go for astronomical amounts of money.
March 10, 2017
I couldn't finish this book. I've seen the movie, "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan" a bunch of times when I was little, and again just recently. I saw in the opening credits that the movie was based on this book so I decided to get it from the library.
I have to say, maybe it's because I've seen the movie so many times, but it was so much more entertaining than the book, (usually it's the other way around). The book really bored me and I just couldn't waste any more time avoiding reading because I just wasn't interested.
I have to say, maybe it's because I've seen the movie so many times, but it was so much more entertaining than the book, (usually it's the other way around). The book really bored me and I just couldn't waste any more time avoiding reading because I just wasn't interested.
March 3, 2014
I just didn't enjoy reading this that much. Could go 3 stars, bc it's really sorta a 2.5 star book for me. I did like the ending. But I'd rather not have the book be used by goodreads' algorithm to generate recommendations .... So, 2 stars.
Would like to see the movie based on the book, starring Lindsey Wagoner, "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan".
Would like to see the movie based on the book, starring Lindsey Wagoner, "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan".
March 6, 2017
Awesome! This is a must read, if you enjoy love stories involving time travel.
December 3, 2018
I didn't finish this book. I got too annoyed with it. The protagonist was two-dimensional -- a frail woman, who has very little understanding of herself. Defending her wanting to look good for a husband who has cheated on her, 'because what wife wouldn't,' is utterly infuriating. While her therapist suggests that her lack of anger or bitterness is unrealistic -- correct! -- the story implies that her growing infatuation with a man from the past will render such emotional work unneccisary. People don't work that way! There's no indication that this will be a mistake and she will realize it, as the heroine is heading toward the mystery man as predictably as in a cheap romance. Furthermore, while the mystery man is attractive and classically masculine, the author frequently uses the words "force," and "intense" to describe him -- sounds a bit menacing, but the threat doesn't register on our hapless protagonist. Furthermore, while the prose is competent, things that didn't work for me: word repetition, especially in describing characters -- there was one that was illustrated as "stout," several times on one page, continuity, the dress has a row of buttons up the back, when first described, she needed someone else to button it up, then, afterwards, she's able to fasten it all the way by herself and lastly, all the characters lacked depth and adhered to stereotypes. The book felt dated and shallow.
May 11, 2018
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time because I loved the TV movie that was based on it. (The Two Worlds of Jenny Logan, which is a better title than Second Sight.) I'm so glad that I finally got to read it. It was good. Not as good as the movie (of course it's been a long time since I saw it and I was a child and saw it through different eyes), but still good. Of course it is dated (since it was written in the 1970s.) If you've seen the tv movie, this is worth the read. If you haven't, it MIGHT be worth the read. (Remember it's 1970s and reads as such...Jenny doesn't have a job, her doctor talks directly to her husband, etc.) Characters could have (should have?) been better developed, but overall a "nice" story.
July 12, 2017
This book has always been a favorite of mine along with the movie made from the book, "The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan". It's a cult favorite. The love story is sweet between Jennie and David and I found myself wanting Jennie to find a way back to be with David. I loved the descriptions the author wove in to give a sense of time and place without getting too "wordy" and going over the top. I loved the interactions between the characters who seemed to pop off the page. I won't give away the ending, but for me, I was hoping for something a bit different. If you like time-travels, then you'll like this book.
February 10, 2020
I did not really like Second sight in spite of being a sucker for time travel books. The movie was almost better than the novel, but both were too sugar coated for my tastes. I like a good romance - Outlander is a great serie- but in Second sight there is no character development. It is literally love at first sight for both David and Jennie, which makes the entire thing terribly fake. Jennie is the most uninteresting woman I have ever read of, Michael is irritating and David just shout and smile too much. Add a lot of historical inaccuracy and the plot does not stick very well. I was rather bored through the entire novel and had great difficulty to even finish it. It is a shame, it could have been good with less superficial protagonists. The writing is not bad and if you are into sugary romance then you can give it a go.
November 10, 2025
(3.5 stars) Jennie Logan and her husband have relocated outside of New York City in hopes of repairing their relationship after his affair. Jennie finds a picture of a woman in an old-fashioned white dress in the house and finds out about the tragic history of the artist who once lived in the house. She has the dress recreated by a friend. When wearing the dress, she is stunned to find herself transported back to the artist’s time. But is this real or is Jennie descending into madness? The story interplays her historical encounters and growing love for the artist with her life with her husband and her therapy sessions. The ending takes on an unexpected twist.
June 15, 2024
Love this book! Back when it was published in 1977 I was newly married and working in my first job as a librarian - and ordered this book for the small library where I was employed. I read it and loved it. Love the story of time travel, of other worlds, and of a simpler time. Could not find it for years and finally found a paperback copy. Just finished it - again - after 47 years. Just as good!
January 31, 2024
I purchased this book specifically because it was the reason one of my favorite movies, “The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan” starring Lindsay Wagner was released. I wanted to read the book that inspired movie and make comparisons. The book surely did not disappoint. If you are a lover of time travel and Period books, this one is for you.
May 11, 2025
This was a reread. I first fell in love with this when it was the tv movie with Lindsey Wagner back in 1979. I’m a lover of all things time travel related so it made an impression on young me. I was also a big fan of the Bionic Woman. After reading the book again recently I still loved it. Corny here and there but still 5 stars for nostalgic reasons.
January 13, 2026
Jenny Logan is in a loveless marriage when she comes across a dress in the attic of their new home. The home is old and so is the dress. When she puts it on she's transported to the 1800s where she falls in love with a caring man. This is a classic time travel romance story that's an enjoyable read. There is a movie based off this story too!
March 27, 2019
This is the book upon which the movie, "A Portrait of Jennie" was based. It is a wonderful time travel story! I reminds me very much of the movie, "Somewhere in Time" which is one of my all time favorite movies!
December 18, 2022
I was happy after years of looking , I was able to get a copy. I love the move "The Two World's of Jennie Logan" which is based off this book. There are some differences between the 2 but I love them both
January 4, 2018
Loved the book and the movie.
April 10, 2018
A very good romance story involving time-travel, though I did enjoy the made-for-TV move "The Two World's of Jennie Logan, starring Lindsay Wagner, a bit more than the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews