In Marshall's Bayou in 1918, a drought is drying up wells and weakening cattle. But no matter how bad things get, Alberta Strickler will never leave her home in southwest Louisiana again. More importantly, she'll never let a man rule her life the way her father has--no matter how much the sight of him moves her. Isaac Broussard, an easy-going Frenchman, rides in with a herd of cattle, strong and steady in the swirls of dust. Determined to clear his mind and decide his future, the bayou seemed as good a place as any to think. Then he meets a headstrong woman and knows she's the one for him. Trouble is, he can't seem to get her to see his way of thinking. With the social prejudices of the marsh and Alberta's father working against them, can Isaac convince her that they belong together? If he does win her heart can he make the commitment in a time when things are ever changing?