A new series by Judith Miller

The American Civil War has been over three years and much of life has returned to "normal" but for Laura Woodfield, life will never be the same.  Her father had such dreams for his West Virginia brickyard but those dreams weren't meant to be for he wasn't one of the lucky ones to return home at the war's end.  The time has come to sell the business and let go of her father's dreams, handing it over to two Irishmen, Hugh Crothers and his nephew Ewan McKay.  Determined to see the brickyard and the new owners successful, Laura and Ewan work together to make it so and it isn't long before there is a connection between Laura and Ewan even if lawyer Winston Hawkins has other plans for her. Making a few bad decisions may spell disaster for the business, ruining Ewan's chance to bring additional family member from Ireland and his opportunity for love.

Being a lover of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia who has their own brickyard, I loved the setting.  Once a part of Virginia, West Virginia has only recently become their own state in this novel and I can just see the brickyard having experienced it in Williamsburg, even if the technology has changed a bit from the 1774 portrayal in Williamsburg to the post Civil War here.  The characters are well developed, believable, both lovable and enough to make you angry at times (depending on the character). No surprise coming from Judith Miller since I have never read anything by her that I didn't enjoy.  The downside?  It is a series and this is only book 1 but The Brickmaker's Bride is a story in and of itself so can easily stand alone.  This makes book 2 just something to look forward to, right?

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and am in no way obligated to leave a positive one.  Two thumbs up for Judith Miller's Refined by Love new series!