Michael Mullen-born into wealth and solid family ties-is an unlikely hero. He lives a blessed life in 1880s Philadelphia society, but when his sister, Lucy, disappears, his entire world will soon change. This strong, confident professor of literature must leave his sheltered life and go west. His journey leads him to a rough ranching town in northern Colorado, where he'll have to learn to survive while trying to discover why his sister was taken. Never having left the city before, Michael is tested at every turn. Colorado is about as far from home as he could be, and he feels clumsy, awkward, and horribly out of place. His situation hardly improves when he meets Sarah Donnelly and her three brothers, a family that may be able to lead him to his sister. Sarah is rash, temperamental, and the furthest thing from a lady Michael has ever seen-and her three brothers prove to Michael at every opportunity that the West is not for the meek. With the help of the Donnelly family, Michael must learn to survive and master the skills needed to confront his fears-and face off against the greatest threat to his own family.