"A girl like that is only interested in your money, son . . ." In 1876 when the Southern Pacific Railroad connected Los Angeles to the rest of the country, men and women flocked westward, lured by the promise of sunshine and riches. Deborah Holt's father hired on the railroad as a common laborer, seeking the mild California climate as a cure for his tuberculoses. The hard work and long journey, however, only hastened his death. Deborah and her mother were left alone in the little town of Los Angeles, but their ability to smile through their tears touched the hearts of those who came their way—especially Ridge Farrington, the son of a wealthy landowner. Deborah and Ridge soon develop a deep love for each other...but can that love outlive the sniffing boundaries of social class, family interference, and conflict in Christian faith?