Living in the coal town of Paradise, West Virginia is tough. Charlie's dropped out of high school to look after her drunken daddy and now he's in trouble with mine management. Her step-mamma is one size eight ruby slipper away from wicked witch. People disapprove of Charlie's relationship with handsome neighbor, Henry Henkle, and she wants a pet dog but there's no money to spare. When Henry helps her to get a Catahoula puppy named Patches, Charlie's sure better times are ahead. But one night of dark secrets, arson, and murder changes everything, sending Charlie far away from the mountains. When Henry is listed as MIA in a jungle war, everyone tells Charlie to move on. But she can't. And it is up to Charlie's dog to lead the way to a future Charlie and Henry never imagined.