Sally Smelt hated her job as a waitress at a hotel in Beckham, Massachusetts, so she followed the example of her friends, Belle and Maggie, and replied to a letter for a mail-order bride. Her destination was Alaska, a territory that had only belonged to the US for a short time.

Tom Harlan was lonely. As a lumberjack in Alaska, he had no way to meet single women, so he sent a letter to Massachusetts to find a mail-order bride. He corresponded with Sally all winter, promising to bring her to him when the snow melted.

When Sally and Tom meet, Sally is convinced Tom doesn't like her. He will barely answer her questions, let alone speak without her prompting him. She is certain he isn't attracted to her.

When they reach their home in Yeti, Alaska, Sally is excited to see her friends again, but more than that, she's happy to have a home of her own.

Will Sally and Tom be able to work out the differences between them? Or will Sally's ambition keep them apart?