The last thing Jarena Harban wants to do is leave her friends in Georgetown, Kentucky, and travel to the plains of Kansas. But her father, an ex-slave, craves owning his own land and won't be deterred. Jarena says goodbye to her beau, Charles, and along with her twin sisters and father, she travels to Nicodemus, Kansas, to live in an all-black town. But when they finally arrive, everyone is stunned to the core. What they'd been promised wasn't what they received. How will they be able to survive the harsh prairie winter with the few supplies and little food they have on hand?

Dr Samuel Boyles is quick to jump on the band wagon of pioneers heading to the Kansas frontier. He's excited about helping to establish a new community in the West. But his wife, daughter, and son don't hold his vision, and can only see that they've come to a horrid little town with no social life. When Dr. Boyles learns of the coloreds starving in the nearby town of Nicodemus, he is compelled to help and solicits his family's assistance.

As things get desperate for Jarena and the Nicodemus community, they know only God can help them. Will they get the help and supplies they need to survive? Or will this winter be their last?

First Dawn is Book One in Judith Miller's new series, Freedom's Path. She takes readers on a fascinating journey to a difficult time for many Americans. Right after the end of the Civil War, many colored folks became sharecroppers with high rents and low pay. Often times, things were even worse than they had been before when they were slaves. With hearts full of hope, a handful of sharecroppers capture a dream and head for Kansas as landowners. But a heinous betrayal threatens to destroy their dream before they even have a chance to put in their first crop.

It's a wonder that any of our ancestors lived through the severe winters of the plains. Judith Miller does a wonderful job showing the difficulties these early pioneers faced and how they had to bond together in order to survive. Creative characterization brings the characters to life right before your eyes. Black meets white on the harsh Kansas plains, and things turn gray when lies and deceit are revealed. People's lives are transformed as they face trials and tribulations without giving in, and their faith gives them the fortitude to continue on. Don't miss a chance to read about a fascinating time in American history. ($12.99, 379 pages)