Book Review: The Lawyer and the Laundress

When I finished my last audiobook on Hoopla, I skimmed through the recommendations. The Lawyer and the Laundress had an interesting cover and promised a clean read. Lately, I've tried several popular titles and, quite far in, abandoned them. I abandoned Taylor Reid Jenkins' Atmosphere (despite the good writing and compelling investment in the story) when, halfway through, the main character visits a strip club and is titillated by the experience. Census, by Jesse Ball, was stilted. It also failed to be engaging or clean. Interested in Claire Foy's movie H is for Hawk, I attempted to read that book prior to seeing the film. It was quickly abandoned and I'm glad I didn't go to see the movie with my husband, despite my love of Claire Foy's performances. Finally, I just abandoned The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. It gets discouraging.

The Lawyer and the Laundress takes place in 1837 Canada, during a time of political unrest. A widowed lawyer, James Kinney, is struggling to raise his feisty daughter Evie. She is miserable at her lessons under a strict and ineffective teacher. As such, she seeks the friendship of the laundress, Sara O'Connor. Sara is no ordinary laundress, as she knows French and effectively teaches Evie. James eventually seeks Sara to serve as Evie's governess. As romance blossoms between the two of them, political unrest threatens their lives.

For a debut novel, this was well-written and engaging. The characters are compelling. Evie is delightful. The plot moves at a reasonable pace with plenty of conflicts. Most of all, I appreciated the tasteful treatment of the romantic tension simmering between Sara and James. Christine Hill Suntz manages to write it with sizzle, without smut. Why can't all authors stick to that?