The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz

 

Title:  The Heiress and the Woodsman

Author:  Christine Hill Suntz

Narrated by:  Cassandra Campbell

Publisher: Tyndale Fiction

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 25 minutes

Source: Thank you to, @christinehillsuntz, @tyndalehouse, @crazy4fiction, and @greatreadsbookpromo for the gift copy of physical version of The Heiress and the Woodsman.  I purchased the audiobook copy from Audible.

What is the setting of your current read?

Charlotte Carruthers is trying to hold her family estate near Toronto together.  Her mother died years ago, and the family fortunes have foundered.  Her brother Simon left, and rumor has it that he has joined the rebels.  Reputation is everything to Charlotte’s ailing father, the famed hero Major Carruthers of the Battle of Waterloo.  Charlotte runs off into the wilderness to find her brother to bring him home to help restore the family’s fortunes and standing.  She hires guide, Joshua Robertson.  Joshua needs the money to buy out his brother’s indentured servant contract.  His farm in the bush is not producing enough to afford this extra expense.  Will Charlotte find her brother?  Will Joshua free his brother?  Will these two find a connection?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I liked Joshua and Charlotte’s relationship through the story.  They slowly grew to know and understand each other.  They are both caring people that like to help others.

·       I enjoyed the novel The Lawyer and the Laundress last year and I liked that some of the characters from that novel made an appearance in this novel.

·       The setting is 1830s Canada near Toronto and the wilderness north. I was very interested in the Canadian history.

·       I would label this book as a historical romance, adventure, clean read, and inspirational.

·       I liked the look at community and how it is important.  I also enjoyed the look at what makes a family.

·       I loved the relationship between Charlotte and Scarlett the horse she raised.

·       This book had great characters.  I liked Fulton.  He works at Charlotte’s family estate and helps to care for her.

·       I listened to audiobook, and it was very engaging.

·       I do wish there was a map in the physical version. I would have liked to track their travels through the wilderness.  I know where Toronto is, but I wasn’t sure where the bush or wilderness discussed where at.

·       I liked the journey in this book and also enjoyed the aftermath.

Overall, The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz is an engaging historical romance adventure set in the wilderness of Canada in the 1830s.  I recommend it!

The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

What country would you set a new book?  I realized that while I love L.M. Montgomery, I don’t read many books set in Canada.  The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Sutz is set in Toronto Canada in 1837.  I read this while on a camping trip to Duluth, Minnesota.  I just returned this evening and I am a bit late with my post.

Sara O’Conner is a young widow trying to make ends meet as a laundress.  She befriends a motherless child, Evie, and through her, her father James.  After Evie falls ill with scarlatina, Sara nurses her back to health and stays on as her governess.  Sara’s new role in the home causes scandal across town.  Why is a laundress so educated?  What secret is she trying to hide?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the romance between Sara and James.  It was slow burn, and a marriage of convenience.

·       I loved Sara and Evie’s relationship.  It was made all the more special as Sara had lost her own mother as a child. She sympathized with Evie and did not want her to have the hard life that she herself endured.

·       I loved Henry, a poor young waif, who is sharp and knows all that is going on around town.  He helps Sara, Evie, and James through many pickles.  They help him too.

·       Ivanhoe is featured prominently throughout the novel and the characters enjoy reading and discussing it.  I still need to read Ivanhoe!

·       I had never heard of the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.  I enjoyed learning about it in the story and the author’s note at the end of the novel.

·       This is my first book by Christine Hill Suntz and it won’t be my last!  It is hard to believe this was her debut novel.  It was very beautifully written with great characters.

·       Sara has lost her faith through life’s trials, but James has kept his own faith.  Sara has a journey back to faith in this novel. 

·       This was a clean read.

·       There were great discussion questions at the end of the book.

Overall, The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz was an engaging historical romance with wonderful characters set in Toronto in 1837.  I highly recommend this fabulous debut.

Book Source:  Thank-you to @christinehillsuntz @tyndalehouse @crazy4fiction @austenprose for the review copy as a part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour.