Previously published in paperback under the name Donna Baker.

Rowenna Mellor's life in the small Cumbrian mill village of Burneside has already known hardship - she lost her mother young, but friends and the bond with her beloved brother kept her going. Now, in the spring of 1885, he too has been snatched away from her. Rowenna knows she must now devote to caring for her father, and even falling in love cannot be a free choice for her.

But a chance for salvation comes from an unexpected direction. To grasp the opportunity, Rowenna must risk everything - her good name, her liberty, and her heart - and defy the restrictions of her narrow life. Rowenna realises that starting a new life far away, under the wide open skies of Canada, will bring her freedom - but at what price? And will those she loves - and those she fears - find a way of following her there?