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Riley Donovan is a young businessman who dreams of success and is determined to make his own way in life, no matter how shady or disreputable that path may be. After gathering investors to open a lumber mill in Oregon, Riley sets his sights on Nadeen Rebillett, a Boston socialite who enjoys her independence but also craves adventure. After a fast courtship and wedding, the two are off on their journey to build a life together, but Nadeen soon learns that Riley isn’t as charming as he’s made himself out to be.
Enter Travis Stoneking, the Donovans’ new neighbor in Linkville, Oregon. Like Riley, Travis is determined to make a name for himself, having left behind a cushy job in his father’s law firm. Unlike Riley, however, Travis has a gentler nature. With Travis’s arrival in Oregon, Riley realizes that his plans might be ruined, while Nadeen might finally find the love she thought she had.
Although the book is dialogue heavy, it is still a rather fast and enjoyable read. Set in The Gilded Age of America, the novel tells a classic story of adventure, risk, and romance against a Western backdrop. As with any sweeping story, the author takes her time to lay down the foundation and introduce her characters before having them all interact with each other. For example, it isn’t until almost a third of the way through the book that Travis’s path finally intersects with Riley’s and Nadeen’s. In this sense, the book is broken up into three acts: before Oregon, en route to Oregon, and living in Oregon. The physicality of the journey is just as important as the emotional journeys the characters go through because it brings out their true colors.