There are no second chances for life versus death in the remote hollows of the Appalachian Mountains. Alma Lee Holcomb, a young woman of sixteen and her younger brother, Jacob, discover this when a tragic accident takes the lives of their parents, Winfred and Grace. The children's lives are turned upside down, far beyond anything imaginable. Setting their grief aside, they immerse themselves in the task of surviving within the isolation of Winder Hollow. But their triumph over adversity is short-lived. When nineteen-year-old Alma Lee is confronted with a life-threatening illness, they are forced out of the hollow and into a modern world that is completely foreign to them. Courage and an undying bond between brother and sister serve them well in the modern world. Alma Lee and Jacob make their way in this uncharted territory, while never abandoning their humble beginnings and the mountains they love. Jacob and Alma Lee come full circle when they return to Winder Hollow. The culmination of their dedication to a dream ends in a wave of emotions, as a memory from the past is revealed.