The Lawyer and the Laundress

Author: Christine Hill Suntz
Genre: Historical Romance
Pages: 368
Release Date: June 10, 2025
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Lawyer James Kinney isn’t looking for love, and laundress Sara O’Connor doesn’t want to be found. When their paths cross in a British colony on the brink of rebellion, a marriage of convenience may be their best hope of survival.
 
Canada, 1837. Widower James Kinney knows his precocious daughter, Evie, needs more than his lessons on law and logic, but Toronto offers few options. Classes with the neighbor children seem ideal until James discovers Evie is secretly spending her time with Sara O’Connor, a kind and mysteriously educated servant. For propriety’s sake, James forbids their friendship. But then Evie falls victim to the illness ravaging the city, and James must call upon Sara’s medical knowledge and her special bond with Evie to save his daughter’s life.

When Sara’s presence in his household threatens scandal, however, James offers an unexpected solution: become his wife, in name only, and help him raise Evie to be a proper young lady.

If Sara can ignore the sparks she feels when they’re together, his logical proposal could keep her secret secure forever. But soon, the forces of rebellion unravel their tidy arrangement. When James is accused of treason, Sara must find the courage to face a past that could save her husband’s life.

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Reviewer: Adriann Harris

The Lawyer and the Laundress is a beautifully written Christian historical marriage-of-convenience debut novel by Christine Hill Suntz. Filled with just the right mixture of love, faith, and adventure to keep readers totally interested from beginning to end.

I became totally enthralled in this fantastic story featuring a down on her luck laundress, Sara O’Connor, and single father, James Kinney, who was trying to raise his daughter, Evie, while performing barrister duties and dealing with the rebellion in 1837 Upper Canada.

Suntz is a great storyteller and her style of writing is so engagingly captivating that I immediately connected with the characters and could visualize everything throughout this awesome story. I am amazed that this is her first novel, and am looking forward to reading what she writes next.

If one enjoys reading sweet historical marriage-of-convenience stories, I highly recommend The Lawyer and the Laundress. You will not be disappointed!

A complimentary copy was provided courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers via NetGalley through Interviews & Reviews. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Diana Lea

I had such a good time with this debut novel by Christine Hill Suntz. The Lawyer and the Laundress, is a historical fiction based in Toronto, Canada in 1837. There we meet James Kinney, barrister, widower, and a single father to Evie. 

Sara O’Connor and her Grandmother live in nearby Irish-town. Sara is the laundress at a local Inn where Evie attends finishing school. Once Evie and Sara meet, they develop a strong friendship. That turns out to be a problem as society of this date was quite divided by wealth vs working class.

While this story is primarily a romance, it also has a couple of mysteries. Though Sara is currently a laundress, she demonstrates confidence and learning that are beyond that station. James’ place in The Upper Canada Rebellion is brought into question by the authorities.  

The pacing is fast moving and keeps it highly interesting. Historical details and revealing bits about the mysteries swept me along to new parts of the story. I repeatedly found myself smiling at the amusing banter between characters. 

I certainly am looking forward to more of her writing and I highly recommend this book to those drawn to the early days of life in the north. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews. Opinions in this review are my own. 

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

The Lawyer and the Laundress by Christine Hill Suntz is a delightful historical fiction novel that readers will find hard to put down.

Set in Toronto in 1837, we meet Sara O’Connor, a laundress with a secret. She meets Evie, the daughter of James Kinney, and the young girl becomes quite attached to her. Often running away from her classes just to be with her.

James Kinney, for his part, can’t understand what it is about Sara that sets her apart from other servants. She seems well-educated and yet lives in the impoverished Irish Town. When Evie runs away to find Sara (after she loses her job), she ends up getting very sick and James turns to Sara for help in saving his daughter. The relationship that develops was sweet, and I enjoyed this blooming romance (with secrets) very much.

I have never read a novel by Ms. Suntz before and I was very impressed. In fact, I could not put this book down and read it in one day. I loved the faith element and Sara’s growing trust in the Lord. I also enjoyed that this was set in Toronto, where I grew up. The rebellion by William Lyon Mackenzie was a part of my Canadian history that I was completely unaware of, so it was neat to read about it. This rebellion, along with the added mystery of who was framing James for treason, kept this book moving.

If you enjoy historical fiction with a sweet marriage of convenience trope, you will love The Lawyer and the Laundress. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley for my honest review.

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Reviewer: Katie Slocum

“But the God of all grace, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.”

Victoria is the new queen. Toronto is on the brink of rebellion. The lawyer wants no part of it. And the laundress is not all she appears to be.

From the main characters to the antagonist and everyone in between, they all felt very real to me. Told with highly developed characters and detailed descriptions, the plot was easy to follow and picture in my mind. The pages flew by, the last coming before I was ready. I felt totally immersed in 1837 Toronto, hearing the bells ring, seeing the rebellion, smelling the stench of the harbor, mourning great loss, and feeling even greater love. From the squalor of Irish Town to the finest estate in the city, this was a unique setting for historical fiction and I loved every minute of it while also learning a great deal about this piece of Canadian history.

Set in a spirited time and place with vibrant characters, this captivating story will not leave you even long after the last page. I definitely want to read more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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