The Heiress and the Woodsman by Christine Hill Suntz: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Charlotte Carruthers must find her brother. Joshua Robertson needs the funds to free his. On the road into the Canadian wilderness, they become reluctant allies in a race to save their siblings before brewing rebellion tears the colony apart.

Canada, 1837. Charlotte is determined to hold onto her family’s crumbling estate—the last vestige of their former place in Toronto society before her mother’s death and her father’s financial ruin. But when her missing brother Simon is suspected of aiding a political rebellion, Charlotte heads north to find him before his impulsive decisions ruin what’s left of their family’s standing and break her ailing father’s heart.

Joshua has worked tirelessly to carve a home from the wilderness for the younger brother he was forced to leave behind, only to learn his first harvest is nearly worthless and his brother has been sold into an indenture Joshua can’t afford to redeem. When a stranger offers him work tracking down a settler in the bush, he’s desperate enough to agree.

Nothing has prepared Charlotte for the challenges of surviving the wilderness. When Joshua comes to her aid, she offers to pay him for guidance through the bush. Though he knows a spoiled city girl will slow him down, he can’t refuse the money. As Charlotte and Joshua face the dangers of travel through rough terrain, admiration and friendship grow, even as class divides and hidden truths complicate their bond. But when they are caught in the crossfire of rebellion, they must decide if the futures they’ve fought for are truly their hearts’ desire—or if something unexpected awaits.

Clean and wholesome historical romance with reluctant allies and secret identities tropes
Filled with love, faith, and adventure
Perfect for fans of Julie Klassen, Laura Frantz, and Tamera Alexander
Includes discussion questions for book clubs

The Author

Christine Hill Suntz knew she wanted to write novels the day she finished Anne of Green Gables, and she's been lost in her imagination ever since. Her love of language led her to study French and German and pursue a graduate degree in Comparative Literature before finding a home teaching high school French. Her work has won numerous prizes, including the 2022 ACFW Genesis competition.

Christine lives in Ontario on a hobby farm with her family, a flock of chickens, one attack rooster, and a herd of entitled goats. When she's not writing or teaching, she enjoys trying out historical recipes on her (mostly) willing family.

Book Review

I'll be honest, this is one of those books that I absolutely judged by its cover. I don't know what it was, but something about this cover caught my eye and I had to read it, so I went into it blindly without having the first clue as to what was going to happen. Thankfully, the story inside was just as intriguing. Both Charlotte and Joshua are searching for their brothers and end up as reluctant allies as she hires him to help guide her in her search. I don't know much (if anything) about Canadian history of the time, so that was interesting to learn more about... and the secrets unraveled throughout the story and slow burn romance kept me turning the pages to see how it would all play out. I found myself very much enjoying these two together and rooting for them to get their answers... and their happily ever after. This book follows the author's previous The Lawyer and the Laundress, and there is apparently some crossover, but not having read the previous myself, I was able to enjoy this one with no problems.  If you enjoy Christian historical romance, this is certainly one to check out. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/4b41MKM