Born into poverty in a small desert town in the American Midwest, Thea Kronborg is one of seven children. But Thea is exceptional, a fact recognized by a discerning few, including Ray Kennedy, who longs to marry her but whose fate it is to set her free. With her rugged will and pioneer spirit, Thea carves her way from Moonstone, Colorado to Chicago, from Dresden to New York, culminating in a triumphant debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Thea has become...

" Laura Rose White is one of the most gifted riverboat pilots on the Missouri River--her late father taught her and her brother Joe everything he knew, and even named their family's riverboat after her. But in 1867, the idea of a "skirt" being a captain is unheard of. At least until Joe takes ill and dies in the middle of a trip, leaving Laura grieving and halfway upriver with a full cargo. She successfully takes charge of the crew and expertly guides...

As the mistress of her brother's Missouri plantation, Miss Elizabeth Blair has learned to play her part as the perfect hostess - and to not ask questions about her brother Walker's business affairs. When Walker's political aspirations lead him to organize the Wildwood Guard in support of the Confederacy - and to offer his plantation as the center of operations - Libbie must gracefully manage a house with officers in residence and soldiers camped on...