Nell is born to a new century, her life forged in the expanses of the New Zealand High Country. She yearns to go beyond the confines of family expectation and vows to keep alive the flame of her inner freedom. Yet that freedom is tested: by her husband's pride and the rigours of family life on a Maniototo sheep station. Her trust is betrayed. Another love must be reckoned with. Tragedy befalls her. Two wars, a pandemic and the Depression keep Nell tethered by duty. Is it even possible for a woman of Nell's era to carve her own path? Nell dares to step beyond the bounds; she revels and stumbles in love; encounters the perils of a woman's life and of motherhood; she embraces the consolation of friendship and seeks a worldview that can hold it all. Readers will resonate with the quintessentially New Zealand character of Nell - her failings and her integrity, her compassion and strength.
