Shelby Amelia Bruneau is as headstrong as she is beautiful. At seventeen, she's been in more scrapes than her family can tolerate. Her father has decided only marriage will settle her down, and he's even chosen a husband for her: Justus Calhoun. But Shelby vows never to submit to such a man. It's not until after her wedding night that Shelby sees the ad. This is her chance for freedom! With a new name and without her wedding ring, she escapes to California. When Shelby arrives, nothing is as she expected. The picturesque mountain town is merely a giant mud hole; the only culture, an on-going poker game. Then there's Eli Bullock. A ruggedly handsome young man, his will is as strong as Shelby's, and she finds herself intensely attracted to him. But Shelby came to California to get away from a man, not to find one! Can she suppress the desire in her heart before it destroys her future?

Eden Moran's sweet smile belies her true nature. An Irish beauty with hair as black as night and eyes like emeralds, she has the wild Irish temperament to match. Eden's options are few when she sees the ad for brides. Her father has skipped town with their money, leaving Eden nothing but a short note and a large hotel bill. California could be her chance to start over, maybe even settle down . . . But Eden quickly realized changing isn't easy. She'd rather chase adventure than a husband. Soon she's renowned throughout the county for her poker skills, her good humor, and her dazzling smile. The only man not taken in by Eden's charm is handsome Josiah Bullock. But when the two become linked in a high-stakes gamble, Eden discovers a passionate young man under that serious veneer. And she's fallen in love with him. Will Josiah accept her invitation to tame this wild Irish rose?

Ivy Nesbitt, sweet-faced and modest, has been ruined by a vicious lie. Her first love has left her; her reputation has been shattered. All she has to look forward to is a life of spinsterhood. It's her sister's idea to go to California. Ivy doesn't care either way. She can't even consider marriage when her heart is broken forever, but maybe the change will help. The change definitely helps. California brings out a strength in Ivy she never even knew she had. And to her pleasant surprise, the dashing Justus Calhoun has taken a liking to her. If Ivy can keep down her inner demons, perhaps she'll find happiness after all! But then Jamie Rayburne, Ivy's first love, steps back into her life. She's torn. How can Ivy choose between her old love and her new?

Although a year younger than her sister, Mattie Nesbitt has always been considered the stronger of the two. But even she feels the weight of despair as they face an uncertain future. Mattie has nowhere else to turn when she sees the ad for brides. Perhaps this is their way out. If she and her sister can find husbands, they won't be fated to a life of loneliness and poverty. But in California, Mattie discovers she doesn't need a husband. She can make her own way . . . disguised as a man. So with the right clothes and a new haircut, Mattie becomes Matt. Then Mattie meets Sam Jackson Brand. He's as untamed as the Sierra, and his tempestuousness has impassioned Mattie. Mattie knows she must tell Sam the truth. But she has his respect as a man. As a woman, will she still have it—and his love, too?

As a free black woman living in California, Opal Pollard has made a good life for herself. She has her own successful business and she's engaged to a wonderful man. But when her past comes rolling into town, Opal must lose everything she has worked for if she wants to keep her freedom.