The Heirloom Garnet Brooch has passed to the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter for as long as any woman in the family could remember. Lauren thought she had inherited a valuable piece of jewelry from her mother. However, what she received was a brass brooch set with red glass crystals and manufactured in the 1800's. The appraised value was $10.00. But along with the fake crystals came a strong family tradition that gave strength and courage to each generation. Follow the path of the garnet brooch back through the lives of nine women from Virginia, Ohio, Florida, and Indiana to discover their stories along with the truth behind the tradition. The triumphs, heartbreaks, and challenges of these women play against the background of war, economic downfall, disease, racism and deceit from the 1860s to the present time.