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The Brickmaker's Bride by Judith Miller

brickmakers brideThere is tension in the hills of West Virginia--and it isn't just because of post Civil War resentment. No, the tension here is between Ewan Mckay--a young Irish immigrant and his Uncle Hugh who wants him to manage the brickworks he is buying. The two decide to purchase the brickmaking operation from a Civil War widow and her daughter, Laura. Ewan is keen to make the business successful so that he can care for his younger sisters, but his uncle's gambling is a constant worry. He finds an unexpected ally in Laura, however, who loved visiting the brickworks with her father and who is a skilled bookkeeper. She wants to see the brickworks become successful once again--and Ewan wants to get to know her better. As Ewan tries to win Laura's heart and make the brickworks successful he is deeply discouraged by all of the obstacles--including a rival suitor for Laura's hand--that block his path to success.

The well developed tension between the characters kept me from wanting to put this book down and I wondered how Ewan and Laura were going to manage to get together and also save the business. I also appreciated the details about brickmaking and and how the historical happenings of the time period and place were woven into the story. Laura shined as a strong female character and the Irish background of Ewan's family was captured well. Their Irish brogue and customs added quite a bit of liveliness to the story, as did the impish nature of Ewan's sisters. This all made for a very memorable read and I will definitely be interested to read more of the series.

Go Further

Judith Miller lives in Topeka--when she isn't traveling to research her next novel--and she is now fortunate enough to be able to pursue her writing career full time.   Here is how she says she got her start in writing: My first novel, Threads of Love, was conceived when I was commuting sixty miles to work each day. I wanted to tell the story of a pioneer girl coming to Kansas and the faith that sustained her as she adjusted to a new life. When the book was completed, I tucked it away. I had absolutely no idea how publication of a book occurred and had given no thought to the concept. However, through a co-worker, I was directed to Tracie Peterson who, at that time, worked down the hall from me. Having never met Tracie, I was totally unaware of her writing career, but God intervened and the rest is, as they say, history. My writing has continued since then, and Tracie and I have even co-authored several series together.

Read more about Judy on her webpage and in this interview by fellow Inspirational author Suzanne Woods Fisher.

If you enjoyed the history behind the story you may want to explore the topics of  brickmaking; The history of West Virginia and/or Irish customs.  I particularly enjoyed the celebration of Hogmanay that is included in the book.

For similar reads check out authors like Lori Benton, Lynn AustinRobin Lee Hatcher, and Tamera Alexander.  And I highly recommend the online magazine Family Fiction if you are an avid reader of the Inspirational genre.

Happy Reading!

 
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