1831 New South Wales Reeling from her mother's death Madeleine Barker-Trent arrives in the newly colonised Hunter River to find her father's promises are nothing more than a halcyon dream. A day later after a dubious accident she becomes the sole owner of a thousand acres of bushland with only three convicts and handsome overseer Daniel Coulter for company. Determined to fulfil her family's aspirations Maddy refuses to return to England and braves everything the beautiful but wild Australian country can throw at her - violence danger the forces of nature and loneliness. But when a scandalous secret and a new arrival threaten to destroy all she's worked for her future looks bleak ... Can Maddy persevere or should she simply admit defeat? A captivating historical tale of one young woman's grit and determination to carve out her place on the riverbank. PRAISE: 'Richly detailed inspiring and romantic - this engrossing story of a brave young woman overcoming insurmountable odds brings to life the early years of the Hunter Valley with clarity and authenticity.' - Tea Cooper author of The Cartographer's Secret
