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A review by perilous1
The Lawyer's Luck by Piper Huguley
4.0
3.5 Stars
For Lawrence and Realie, it’s not exactly love at first sight. But their relationship does start out with a bang… Unfortunately, it’s the gunshot variety.
This inspirational historic romance is a quick read, offering a glimpse of perspective into both slavery and the maltreatment of Native American tribes during this time period (1840’s.) It’s told in alternating third-person POVs between tightly-wound and proper Lawrence—a lawyer of mixed Native and African American heritage, and brazen tomboy Aurelia (Realie)—a runaway slave determined to escape to Canada.
Huguley combines strong prose with distinct characterization in her telling, deftly switching between Lawrence’s flowery-yet-masculine phraseology and Realie’s blunt, course, and clipped vernacular. The premise is intriguingly plot-driven, and the romance element itself is sweet and mild. (I would have preferred a bit more by way of sensual tension, but that’s just me.)
I actually found Lawrence difficult to like for a good bit of the book—as his single-minded career drive and pride in his education gave him an aloof air and tinged his expressions of faith in rigidity. (I spent the whole first chapter deeply annoyed that he hadn’t bothered to learn the name of his rented horse.) Realie, on the other hand, had the kind of gruffly pragmatic, spitfire spirit this reader could relate to. What she lacked in formal education she made up for with intuition, acumen, and sheer grit. Watching the two of them butt heads over differences in background and experiences forms the primary backbone for both the conflict and the entertainment quality.
This novella comes in at just 82 pages. As a sample of Huguley’s work, I’m not convinced it does her enough justice. It does, however, include at the back of it the first few chapters of The Preacher’s Promise—which takes place 22 years later and post-emancipation. In those chapters was a marked increase in richness and depth of emotional connectivity. To the point where I’m not only interested in getting a hold of the complete copy, but I would also recommend other readers consider starting there.
All in all, a good read. I just wish it were longer!
For Lawrence and Realie, it’s not exactly love at first sight. But their relationship does start out with a bang… Unfortunately, it’s the gunshot variety.
This inspirational historic romance is a quick read, offering a glimpse of perspective into both slavery and the maltreatment of Native American tribes during this time period (1840’s.) It’s told in alternating third-person POVs between tightly-wound and proper Lawrence—a lawyer of mixed Native and African American heritage, and brazen tomboy Aurelia (Realie)—a runaway slave determined to escape to Canada.
Huguley combines strong prose with distinct characterization in her telling, deftly switching between Lawrence’s flowery-yet-masculine phraseology and Realie’s blunt, course, and clipped vernacular. The premise is intriguingly plot-driven, and the romance element itself is sweet and mild. (I would have preferred a bit more by way of sensual tension, but that’s just me.)
I actually found Lawrence difficult to like for a good bit of the book—as his single-minded career drive and pride in his education gave him an aloof air and tinged his expressions of faith in rigidity. (I spent the whole first chapter deeply annoyed that he hadn’t bothered to learn the name of his rented horse.) Realie, on the other hand, had the kind of gruffly pragmatic, spitfire spirit this reader could relate to. What she lacked in formal education she made up for with intuition, acumen, and sheer grit. Watching the two of them butt heads over differences in background and experiences forms the primary backbone for both the conflict and the entertainment quality.
This novella comes in at just 82 pages. As a sample of Huguley’s work, I’m not convinced it does her enough justice. It does, however, include at the back of it the first few chapters of The Preacher’s Promise—which takes place 22 years later and post-emancipation. In those chapters was a marked increase in richness and depth of emotional connectivity. To the point where I’m not only interested in getting a hold of the complete copy, but I would also recommend other readers consider starting there.
All in all, a good read. I just wish it were longer!