In 1847, sixteen-year-old Sabra, facing a forced marriage, enlists the help of Jacob Bates, an old mountain man, to take her to the mountains of the American west, where she hopes to raise good horses while hiding from her wealthy but cruel father. But danger lies within the wilds of the mountains too, and when Sabra finds herself alone, her life takes many turns, eventually forcing her from her mountain home. Fighting for her freedom and the life of her child, she eventually finds her way back to the beauty of her beloved mountains, the horses she loves, and the one man who has her heart.