Jessie

At the center of this novel is Jessie Benton Fremont, who was married to John C. Fremont, an explorer and politician whose work helped push American expansion into the West. The story follows Jessie as she travels to California to join her husband and set up a home there just as the Bear Flag rebellion unfolds.

The book evokes the Old West of that period through its narration, and it draws on historical research to ground the setting. Its main focus is Jessie's own life rather than her husband's career.