Is the handsome young naval officer her enemy or her destiny?
Leaving behind memories of a broken heart in her native America, Bailey Templeton embraces a challenging future when she arrives to teach the unruly children of Sydney Cove, Australia. Brought to the settlement by mistake, Bailey must battle to maintain a position intended for a man. Angered by the naval officer who stands in her way, the handsome Captain Grant Hogan, she throws herself into the challenging task of winning the hearts of the emancipist families.

Bailey's determination to make a difference in the lives of the children infuriates the controlling hierarchy of Sydney Cove. Harassed and threatened, Bailey soon finds her own life in danger, and her new friends, the Farrells and the Prentices, are imperiled by her very presence.

Must she leave behind the children? If she stays, will she survive the wrath of the corrupt junta? And will she ever be able to open her heart and love again?