 After the break up of her marriage, photographer Samantha Taylor retreats to the sanctuary of friend Caroline Lord s California ranch. An excellent rider, Samantha is initially given a frosty welcome by the ranch hands, but she begins to gain their respect as they see that she is more than able on a horse and in their environment. Samantha falls in love with ranch hand Tate Jordan, and they share a deep and passionate love until Tate finds out that Samantha s ex-husband is popular and wealthy news anchor Warren Taylor. Ashamed by his profession and his  status , he leaves the ranch. Samantha is heartbroken once again and tries to assuage her pain by embarking on a project photographing the  real  cowboys of the west. Whilst visiting a ranch in California, Samantha breaks her back in an accident and is paralysed, and must learn how to walk - and ride - again. Caroline Lord tragically dies but leaves her ranch to Samantha, who turns it into a riding school for paralysed children. Through this enterprise, she begins to heal from the pain of Tate s desertion, the loss of her friend and her own paralysis. Tate returns to the ranch after hearing of Caroline s death and finds Samantha there. Can they both overcome their own demons and learn to love each other again??