The Brickmaker's Bride

August 11, 2014
In this thin romance set in post–Civil War West Virginia, Laura, the strong-willed, beautiful daughter of the deceased owner of Woodfield Brickworks, has a problem that will surely keep any man from marrying her—any man, that is, but self-absorbed lawyer Winston Hawkins. Before that Hawkins declares his love, about halfway through the story, Miller (Daughters of Amana series) provides well researched details of brick-making and Reconstruction-era society. Laura is caught in the clash between those who aspire to the new upper class with all its snootiness and the workers, often immigrant, who dig the clay, shape the bricks, and fire the kilns. God-fearing, prayerful Scotch-Irishman Ewan McKay wants the brickyard he has just bought with his unscrupulous Uncle Hugh to succeed as badly as Laura does so that he can bring his beloved sisters to America. Laura’s attraction to Ewan is inappropriate, especially since he doesn’t know Laura’s secret. But as she assists him in setting Hugh’s shady financial dealings right so that the business can prosper, prayers are answered, greed is met with justice, and cruel circumstances are overcome. Agency: Books & Such Literary Management.

Starred review from October 15, 2014

Miller ("Home to Amana" series) sets her new series in post-Civil War West Virginia. Laura Woodfield's father was killed in battle, and with no male heirs to manage his brickyard, it is sold. The new owner's nephew, Ewan, is given the responsibility of developing a profitable business. Ewan is determined to do this honestly even though his uncle has made his money through gambling and manipulation, all to placate his social-climbing wife. When his uncle's poor business decisions result in possible foreclosure of the brickyard, Ewan's dreams seem about to crumble. A solution proffered by Laura's mother may not only save the brickyard but also provide Ewan a chance to win Laura's heart. VERDICT A well-constructed plot and believable characters demonstrate why Miller (A Simple Change) is popular with fans of historical fiction and romance. The characters' faith is woven seamlessly into their actions and is organically integrated into the plot, making this title a must-read.--Margaret Bentley, Shiawassee Dist. Lib., Owosso, MI

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October 1, 2014
Laura Woodfield is a strong Christian woman who must sell her late father's acclaimed brickyard to Irish immigrants Hugh Crothers and his handsome nephew, Ewan McKay. Ewan is committed to his biblical values despite his uncle's underhanded dealings, but propriety cannot squelch Ewan's feelings for beautiful and kind Laura as she helps him restart the brickyard operations. Tensions rise when he questions her courtship with condescending lawyer Winston Hawkins. When Winston threatens to reveal the secret that Laura fears will leave her a spinster forever, she must decide between resigning herself to a marriage that is slow to bloom, or risking rejection for the chance at finding true love. Best-selling inspirational author Miller launches her new Refined by Love series with this story of honesty and faith set in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia in 1868 and written with an elegance that reflects the social graces of the time. Readers will enjoy intriguing themes of personal, professional, and spiritual integrity; prejudice; and caring for those in need.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)