Crystal, Colorado, is known as the diamond of the Rockies, a mining town where what lies beneath is the only thing truly valued. Overrun with men seeking their fortune and women bound by circumstance, it hosts both dreams and nightmares with little surety for tomorrow. Yet Crystal is surrounded by beauty of a natural kind and offers an independence that Carina Maria DiGratia could never find at home. Driven by hope and vengeance, Carina is old enough to be certain of her own strength, young enough to be caught unawares.

Two men take her under their wings, but both are not what they seem. Will Carina discern the truth and confront the turmoil hidden within her own heart in time to prevent tragedy?