When Kate McGovern reads the journals given to her by her grandmother, her life changes forever. Written by a distant relative, the fascinating journal tells the story of Katherine Collins during the mid-eighteen hundreds in Ireland. Katherine is a free spirit, but to keep her family from the embarrassment of her indiscretions, she is forced into a loveless marriage. She must make a new life for herself in a hostile environment. When the Irish potato famine begins to take its toll on her family, Katherine's husband makes the decision to leave Ireland and move to America where they become a part of the mass exodus to the California gold fields.
As Kate continues to read the journals, she begins to unravel the mystery of a missing necklace and a small portrait that were a part of her family's legacy.

Marlene has written a story within a story, a definite page-turner that stays with you long after you read the last page.