Best Seller
Hardcover
$28.00
Available on Apr 27, 2027 | 368 Pages
Set in Nevada’s breathtaking high desert, where water is more precious than gold, this captivating series debut tells a powerful tale of family conflict, divided loyalties, and romantic drama, as change in the name of progress threatens the land, its inhabitants, and a treasured way of life that’s rugged but free.
From a time beyond memory, the Banderas River has supplied lifegiving water to the town of Wickiup and the surrounding cattle ranches. But plans to block it with a massive concrete dam are moving forward. The lake created will rise to cover the town, destroying all in its path, including the cherished wildlife. For chief engineer Noah Blackhurst, the dam means jobs, profit, and plenty of water. Not everyone sees it that way.
For Cass Taggart, whose family owns the valley’s largest ranch, the losses will be made even more devastating by the forced, brutal removal of the canyon’s magnificent herd of wild mustangs, led by a regal stallion and his mare. Cass knows the drill—her abusive ex-husband works for the Bureau of Land Management and will lead the operation. The horses will be rounded up with helicopters, penned, separated from their tightknit family bands, and auctioned off or sent to slaughter in Mexico.
But Cass intends to put up a fight.
She’s been photographing the horses, planning to flood social media with images to rouse opposition. She doesn’t expect her efforts to turn shockingly deadly—or to bring her into close contact with Noah. Too close. For while they’re adversaries, they’re also powerfully drawn to one another.
As corrupt politics and family infighting escalate, tensions rise across the valley. Cass, too, is torn apart as she clashes with Noah. Still, she’s determined to show him what’s at stake—for the land, and for them both.
From a time beyond memory, the Banderas River has supplied lifegiving water to the town of Wickiup and the surrounding cattle ranches. But plans to block it with a massive concrete dam are moving forward. The lake created will rise to cover the town, destroying all in its path, including the cherished wildlife. For chief engineer Noah Blackhurst, the dam means jobs, profit, and plenty of water. Not everyone sees it that way.
For Cass Taggart, whose family owns the valley’s largest ranch, the losses will be made even more devastating by the forced, brutal removal of the canyon’s magnificent herd of wild mustangs, led by a regal stallion and his mare. Cass knows the drill—her abusive ex-husband works for the Bureau of Land Management and will lead the operation. The horses will be rounded up with helicopters, penned, separated from their tightknit family bands, and auctioned off or sent to slaughter in Mexico.
But Cass intends to put up a fight.
She’s been photographing the horses, planning to flood social media with images to rouse opposition. She doesn’t expect her efforts to turn shockingly deadly—or to bring her into close contact with Noah. Too close. For while they’re adversaries, they’re also powerfully drawn to one another.
As corrupt politics and family infighting escalate, tensions rise across the valley. Cass, too, is torn apart as she clashes with Noah. Still, she’s determined to show him what’s at stake—for the land, and for them both.
Author
Janet Dailey
Janet Dailey‘s first book was published in 1976. Since then she has written more than 100 novels and become one of the top-selling female authors in the world, with 300 million copies of her books sold in nineteen languages in ninety-eight countries. She is known for her strong, decisive characters, her extraordinary ability to recreate a time and a place, and her unerring courage to confront important, controversial issues in her stories.
Learn More about Janet Dailey