From an extremely young age, Emma Randall has been fascinated by stories of the Wild West and the California Gold Rush. The daughter of an aristocratic family in mid-nineteenth century Baltimore, Emma feels disconnected with the social life of Baltimore society and without direction … until she makes the radical decision to go West on her own, leaving everything and everyone she knows behind. Emma secretly convinces her family’s servants to teach her to cook, take care of livestock, and perform other skills she deems necessary for life in the unpredictable West. At the young age of twenty-one, when she can no longer stand the frivolous focus of Baltimore society, Emma boards a train to the great unknown adventure awaiting her in the California West. “Barbara Hettwer has written a wonderful new book that is historical, well written, fascinating to read and, I suspect, the first of many novels yet to be written.” -Stephen Willey, Proprietor 1859 Historic National Hotel & Acclaimed Restaurant