A headstrong young woman seeks her destiny on the American frontier—and soon discovers that the man she swore she would never love is the man she needs.

Beautiful Emmalee Alden escapes an orphanage when a black-eyed rogue spirits her aboard a Missouri-bound riverboat. Blind to Garn Landar's true nature and fearing for her life, Emmalee makes a fateful choice—she sells herself into servitude to a wagon train heading West.

Obsessed with attaining independence and swept-up in the fever of land rush, she realizes too late that claiming land is only half the battle. There is farming, ranching, bone-deep toil, and constant vigilance against those who would seek to dispossess her. When Garn reappears in Emmalee's life, she needs his help more than ever—but can she trust him?

A spirited tale of romance, adventure, and the eternal mysteries of the human heart, The Passionate and the Proud brings two unforgettable characters together at a pivotal moment in American history.