Arriving in the new land as an unprepared squatter during a ruthless winter, Perry discovers life in the unfamiliar territory is cruel. Even before the war, beatings, pillage, lynchings, and murder stalk the region as brutal lines are drawn between those supporting and opposing slavery. Perry's dream of establishing a farm, finding love, and starting a family is beset by dramatic hurdles and soul-wrenching decisions at every turn.
As he struggles to carve a successful farm out of the wilderness, he grows through relationships with the local constable, a pair of freed slaves, a bartending couple, a shopkeeper, and a "genie." He meets the love of his life, an angelic but mysterious young schoolteacher who also plays piano at the bar. Surviving the war and winning her heart become his obsessions.