Juliette Hart-or J.K. Hartling as her readers know her by-leaves Colorado to strike out on her own following the accidental death of her husband two years prior, after answering an advertisement in a ladies magazine for switchboard operators in Anchorage, Alaska. She knows nothing of the territory or its largest city-simply that she must get away from the suffocating grief of her mother-in-law. Once firmly ensconced in the Lawrence Boarding House for Single Ladies, she determines to use her off-time wisely and continue writing her romance novels. Someday, she hopes to write full-time and move into her own home. And get a cat.

Patrick Bruder lives and works in the social elite of Anchorage, Alaska, and should have the pick of any woman in town. Instead, his physical and emotional scars keep him in the background, spending spare time with married couples. As assistant manager of the Anchorage Citizens and Miners Bank, which his father founded after striking it rich in the gold fields, Patrick's future has already been decided for him. Smallpox scars remind him of how precious life is, and following his fiancee's betrayal many years before, he carries a broken heart and a strong resolve to avoid women. At all costs. He supports the local art scene, traveling to San Francisco and beyond often, but still finds evenings lonely. He needs a pet. Not a dog, as his father is allergic. Maybe a cat.