Cora Miller is fiercely independent and stubborn to a fault. Betrayed more than once by men she thought she could trust, she's learned to rely only on herself. As the oldest of four siblings, she feels responsible for leading her family safely on the Oregon Trail for a new start. Nathaniel Wilder is no stranger to the hardships and dangers of the wilderness. Raised with his brothers by a trapper in the remote mountains, he left behind the mistakes he's made in the past.

After a long winter in the remote Teton Mountains, Anna Porter is convinced that she's not cut out for wilderness living. Her heart yearns for a place where she'll feel at home, and she's ready to continue the journey she started a year ago along the Oregon Trail. Without an escort, she may be forced to marry a stranger out of necessity, until the least likely man agrees to accompany her.

Caroline Hudson has always gone after what she wants. Leaving the wilderness to pursue a medical degree in Boston would seem unfathomable to most. Being taken seriously as a woman doctor may be her biggest obstacle to overcome. An unexpected offer appears to provide every opportunity for which she had hoped, until a face appears from the shadows to remind her of what she truly wants.

Josie Hudson has survived horrors no one should ever have to endure. Retreating to the wilderness has allowed her to cope with the past by avoiding things that remind her of the ordeal. When a trusted mentor asks for a special favor, Josie is forced out of her place of comfort and directly into the unknown. Travis Wilder confronts life as a competition he is determined to win. Being second best to a girl is not an option. Agreeing to lead a group of pioneers on the Oregon Trail seems like the perfect opportunity to earn some respect.