"The Brickmaker's Bride," by Judith Miller

"The Brickmaker's Bride," by Judith Miller

In the clay-rich hills of the newly founded state of West Virginia, two families tentatively come together to rebuild a war-torn brickmaking business.

Ewan McKay has immigrated to West Virginia with his aunt and uncle, promising to trade his skills in the clay business for financial help. Uncle Hugh purchases a brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, and it's Ewan's job to get the company up and running again.

Ewan seeks help from Laura, the former owner's daughter, and he quickly feels a connection with her, but she's being courted by another man--a lawyer with far more social clout and money than Ewan. Resolving that he'll make the brickworks enough of a success that he can become a partner in the business and be able to afford to bring his sisters over from Ireland, Ewan pours all his energy into the new job.

But when Hugh signs a bad business deal, all Ewan's hard work is put in jeopardy. As his hopes for the future crumble, Laura reveals something surprising. Can she help him save the brickworks, and will Ewan finally get a shot at winning her heart?

This was a lovely story about the underdog winning through hardwork, devotion to his family and his love of God.  Ewan was a great lead character that you couldn't help but love.  In contrast Winston was the total opposite, the man courting Laura.  It takes Ewan coming into Laura's life to realize that Winston is not the man for her.

I loved the details written into this book, from the fashions worn, to how bricks were made.  It was a well researched book and made it easy for the reader to image all of these things.

Ewan's uncle was a man you didn't know whether to feel sorry for; due to being married to Margaret, whose main ambition in life was to be the creme of society and made everyone around her pay for her failures.  Or to to hate him for all his slippery ways.

Stars out of 5 : 4.5 A book where it is no surprise what the outcome will be, but it does have its twists and turns along the way to keep things interesting.  Well worth the read and the second book in the series will be released later on in 2015.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. 

Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".