After staking their claim on the untamed frontier, brothers Heath, Luke, and Aaron Jackson build a thriving cattle ranch through strength, hard work, and sheer determination. As the ranch rapidly grows, the nearby town experiences a boom of its own, assisted by the railroad’s westward expansion.

Brandy Coleman's face is flaming red. As the owner of a barn for retired horses, she's had her share of mishaps, but nothing can compare to this deeply embarrassing moment. She is looking up at a stranger who has the dreamiest hazel eyes she's ever seen, and a six pack beneath his open shirt that is making her toes curl. The problem? Her hose burst and squirted water everywhere, leaving her hair a tangled mess and her clothes absolutely drenched.

Widowed rancher Heath Wolfe worries he's making a big mistake by bringing Willow McAllister home to his ranch. A known troublemaker around town, she can't seem to keep a job or avoid skirmishes with the law, so the town marshal implores Heath to help. While Heath agrees to employ Willow, he certainly won't allow misbehavior, and he's even prepared to take the willful young lady over his knee for a sound spanking if warranted.

For 18-year-old orphan Callie Broderick, going west as a mail-order bride seems to be the only hope she has for a decent husband. But when she sets out for the gold-mining town of Sacramento with nothing more than the clothes on her back and a stagecoach ticket, she quickly discovers that the trip will be quite a bit different than she expected. As a former soldier, Jude Johnson is used to difficulties of all kinds during the arduous journey west, but he has never had to deal with trouble like Callie before.

Rissa has been hurt, badly, and the idea of marriage - to anyone - is enough to make her run. Kane finds occasion to take the beautiful, stubborn woman in hand many times over the course of their budding, heated relationship, but will he be able to convince her to stop making him pay for the sins of her ex? Will an ultimatum bring about the desired reply or will Rissa run like the wind?