Sixteen women from very different backgrounds are all eager for a fresh start, and Mr. Hamilton Drake of the Ladies Emigration Society has promised them all just that.  All they have to do is board the train taking them to Nebraska, where they can cheaply obtain enough land for a homestead.  But things aren’t going to work out quite the way the ladies hope.  Although it is quite true that Southern Belle Caroline, General’s widow Ruth and her son, tough Sally, "doctor" Nellie, huge capable Ella and her lively mother Zita, plus a few more are going to have an interesting time ahead of them...

Here is a story about fresh starts, old wounds, forgiveness and finding that God hasn’t forgotten about you, even if His plans aren’t what you asked for.  It is also a real page turner, bringing the old pioneer days just after the Civil War to vibrant life, as the women and their new friends set to work making their dreams reality on the prairie.  This part nicely balances out the trials and tribulations faced by the various characters, who certainly aren’t going to have it easy, but whose journeys make for rewarding—and uplifting—reading.  I haven’t read anything else by this author but I am going to seek out every one of her other books.  If you enjoy this type of fiction, this is a prime example of it.