It's a hot summer along the Mississippi River, and the Civil War still rages on, bringing devastation to countless lives. But David Rocklin, wealthy son of a Richmond planter, hasn't been touched by the suffering. Until now. A surprise meeting with a feisty redhead (who is Confederate to the bone) forces David to make a choice: Will he join the Confederate army and fight for the southern slavery he believes is wrong? Or will he risk losing the one woman he's ever loved? As a secret threatens to destroy him and all he's ever worked for, David makes an unlikely friend, and a startling discovery about the nature of forgiveness.