After losing her father and an accidental death (out of self-defense), Samantha and Annabelle, basically strangers to each other, decide to leave everything behind out of desperation and fear. Disguised as boys to arouse less suspicion, they are befriended by a band of cowboys, and with this accepting group, we see a glimpse of how their lives play out in the open country (and how it was even still an issue there) as they meet others and travel to their various destinations on the many routes out to California.

I am not a western or period piece reader, and I loved this book. Sam and Andy were lovable, believable, and strong characters. Sam was second-generation to a T, and I loved the way she (both the character and Lee herself) articulated the "rules" of a man's world, along with the "rules" she grew up with as a second generation immigrant...I love the way Sam struggled to find a balance between her culture and her life experience and rested in the tension between the two. Lee's imagery and word pictures were simply gorgeous, and she has an ability to capture much depth in everyday dialogue. Really amazing book. I'm looking forward to reading more of Lee's works! :)