Fourteen-year-old Grace MacLean and her friend Judith go horseback riding in upstate New York on a winter morning, but their horses lose their footing on ice and slide onto a road, where Judith and her horse are killed by a jackknifing truck. Grace has her right leg amputated, and the frightening incident leaves a lasting trauma not only on Grace but also on her horse, Pilgrim. Grace's mother, seeking Grace's recovery, feels there's a link between...

Allie Hamilton and Noah Calhoun meet one evening at a carnival. But they are separated by Allie's parents who disapprove of Noah's unwealthy family, and move Allie away. When Allie doesn't hear from Noah after several years, she meets and becomes engaged to a handsome young soldier named Lon. Allie, with her love still alive for Noah, stops by Noah's home to check on him. Seeing that their reunion has rekindled a passionate romance, Allie must now...