Eli Hayes knows what it takes to survive. A lesson he learned at a young age when he witnessed the death of his mother along with hundreds of others during the Mountain Meadow Massacre. Living in a Mexican border town where resources are scarce and safety is a myth, he’s organized a way to stay alive by robbing rich stagecoaches and giving the bounty to his poor townspeople.

Hannah McKinney has maintained her moral compass while faced with the devastation to her family and lands during the civil war. When seeking a new life and refuge in the arms of her betrothed, her optimism is sorely tested by robbers who steal her few remaining possessions, including her wedding dress.

When Hannah meets the man she’s to marry, a scar on his hand gives him away as the despicable bandit who broke her resolve, and she is faced with the decision to marry a handsome stranger with a corrupt soul or face the realization that Eli Hayes might be right.

Is hope really only a lie?