Wallace Johnson longs to leave country life behind him. Vowing to find a way to pay for and graduate from college, he doesn't realize the price he will have to pay to get it. Not only does he have to fight against his dad's pre-conceived plans of following in his footsteps of living on a farm, he also has a crooked sheriff and a childhood nemesis to deal with, as well as family loss, all before his eighteenth birthday. Leaning heavily on his brother to guide him, Wallace grows up quickly in a world where moonshine affects the lives of those dearest to him. Through it all, he falls in love with his high school sweetheart. However, after a time of separation without any word from her, they finally reunite and Mary reveals secrets of her past that might hinder their future together. Wallace now has a choice to make. Will he leave the country life in which he was raised to pursue a career as a writer? Or will he forget all his dreams for the woman he loves?