On the brink of the Civil War that set brother against brother, a stranger arrives in the Shenandoah Valley and promises to change young Sarah Worthington's life, forever.

Caleb Thompson, a charismatic craftsman from Northern Pennsylvania, defies convention in his pursuit of the strong-willed Sarah. His ultimate partnership with her leads to their harboring runaway slaves.

Caleb teaches Sarah about physical and intellectual love, as well as how to win at poker and defend herself with a rifle-activities generally forbidden for women.

When Caleb's time comes to fight for the North, Sarah refuses to let him go. She has him forge a promise made in hell, for which there is a price. Enter into their lives, Robert Hennessy, whose interest in Sarah is less than pure and whose plans are less than honorable.

Sarah and Caleb is the story of young love, innocence, freedom and survival-a tale where life and death, good and evil and timeless love exist side by side.

In this descriptive novel, one can see and smell the life and times before and during the onset of the Civil War, which features characters so real, you'll feel as though you love-and hate-right alongside them. Sarah and Caleb is every bit as sensual and evocative as Markowitz' Naked in the Rain, and with villains just as despicable.

This page-turner will keep your attention from breakfast until after you've had your midnight snack-and have you thinking about it for weeks.