1. The Lawyer and the Laundress. Christine Hill Suntz. 2025. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] [5 stars, christian fiction, christian romance, christian historical fiction]
First sentence: She hadn't thought a person could be so hungry that just the sound of cooking could make a mouth water.
Sara O'Connor, the laundress, is struggling to get by. She has a secret (because of course she has a secret) about her past. James Kinney, the lawyer, is struggling as well--although not financially. She's a widow. He's a widower. They are brought together by his daughter, Evie. Evie hates, hates, hates the current 'school' she is attending. It's not a school-school. She's attending lessons with one of the children in the neighborhood who has a governess. Sara witnesses Evie's great unhappiness and the two bond. Because Sara speaks up for Evie, she loses her job but Evie is safer. When Evie falls ill, it is Sara who is sent for to nurse her back to health....which ultimately eventually leads to a marriage of convenience. And has there even been a marriage of convenience novel that doesn't end with them being madly in love with each other?!?!
Christian romance is undoubtedly predictable. YET that doesn't take away from the enjoyment. This one is set in Toronto, Canada in the 1830s. Do I know American history? Yes. Some decades better than others. Do I know anything at all of Canadian history? NOPE. Thus though certain elements of this one were predictable enough in places, there was plenty to keep my interest.
The romance worked for me. I think there was chemistry between these two almost from the start. Their attraction was in some ways instant. BUT the relationship was not. It took time. It took conversations. It took circumstances. She had lessons to learn. He had lessons to learn. I definitely liked these two together.
The writing was solidly good. In a perfect world, there would be half-star ratings. I would easily rate this one 4 1/2 stars. I think that's where it belongs. It was GOOD fun. I loved reading this one. It was not the most amazing book I've ever read. BUT it was GREAT to spend time with these two AND EVIE. One of my favorite elements of this one was that Evie was HOOKED on Ivanhoe. She wanted to read more, more, more, MORE. She was always talking about the characters. Since Ivanhoe is a favorite of mine, this helped me love the characters even more.
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