Melva Tipton lives in Chilhowee, Tennessee. She is a feisty, outdoorsy, young girl with her own mind, which is encouraged by her parents, Noah and Nancy Tipton. Noah is the owner of Tipton Mercantile. Melva sees a handsome man, Burl Whitehead and decides she will marry him.

Meantime, Melva receives another botched proposal from her best friend's brother. She turns him down, causing a rift in the relationship with the sister which never mends.

Burl is in no mood to be caught. But circumstances change his mind. After their marriage, Melva has a hard but idyllic life until faced with a terrible tragedy. This precipitates a decision she must make. Like before, Melva heads for her Secret Place where she mulls the problem with the help of the family Bible. When a voice in her ear whispers, "Melva, I have chosen you, why haven't you chosen me," she must make a decision. This choice will change her life.

This book is set against the building of the ALCOA dams on the Little Tennessee River, prohibition, the before, during, and after World War I, and the measles epidemic and depression of the thirties.