Reeling from the fallout of a tough trial, criminal defense attorney Claire Stanfield escapes to the home of a childhood friend in Alaska and discovers a passion for dog sledding. Now she's about to compete in her first Iditarod. When the race is over, she will return to Portland, Oregon, to resume her law practice and honor a promise. Romance with an Alaskan man is out of the question, especially one with secrets. But her heart doesn't seem to be listening as she and the mysterious musher from Nome confront 1,049 miles of harsh terrain, extreme weather and sleep deprivation to reach the Bering Coast.Dillon shouldn't be attracted to the woman. She embodies everything he walked away from six years ago. But her dark amber eyes remind him of aged whiskey, and that's a problem. Her questions stab at a trauma he thought buried so deep he would never have to face it again. He looks to the upcoming race for solitude, his dogs for salvation, as he plays his strongest card – denial.