Samantha Reynold's family is on the brink of ruin.  They needed money to pay the debt at the general store and food for the table.  With her brother returning from the Civil War without an arm, he doesn't harbor any liking for going on a cattle drive.  So Samantha decides she's going to go and earn that hundred dollars herself - only disguised as a boy.  At sixteen, with her hair cut off, she could pass for a boy, if only long enough to get her family that money.

At twenty, Matthew Hart has seen enough in the War to last him a lifetime.  Convincing Jake to take on the boy seemed like a good idea at the time, but now they're stuck riding together, eating together and the last thing Matt wants or needs is a friend.  However, his protective feelings of being a brother to the boy suddenly turn awry when he discovers that Sam is really a girl!  Now feelings of brotherly friendship turn into something else and Matt is forced to make a decision that could either drive them closer together or tear them apart.

Hailed as a teen romance, I began reading it from that perspective.  Undoubtedly it has a sweetness to it that "older" romances lack.  The problems of Sam's family troubles could seem alien to today's teens, especially when set against the backdrop of a cattle drive.  That aside, the emotional conflict between Sam and Matt feels genuinely like what today’s young teens would feel; uncertainty, jealousy, insecurity, but determination and hard work will help you reap the rewards.  I think Ms. Heath has set a fine example for young girls to follow in doing what is required of you no matter the cost.  Young love is looked at sweetly, with all the heartwarming discoveries of first love.  And yes, I do believe Ms. Heath will win herself some new fans who will grow up with many Heath books in their future.