The year 1848 is a tough year for 19 year old Josephine Chastain and her family. Jo is a smart woman and full of book knowledge. Leaving Missouri for Oregon and a new future, difficulties and tragedy strike the family. Jo is struck down with typhoid fever. Declan Callahan, a large, uneducated Irishman finds her ill and returns her to the wagon. Declan has a colored past which includes the kidnapping of Jo's sister, which was merely an order from his boss. Declan is now the hired hand for their wagon train. Being the only one who has had personal contact with Jo, they are both forced to be left behind with Declan to care for her while in quarantine and later return her to her parents in Oregon. Her mother devises a "fake marriage" to keep them from being ostracized by the residents of the fort.

Quarantined in a tiny cabin in Fort John, Jo is delirious while Declan cares for her physical needs and paying exorbitant amounts of money to two men who determine the quarantine and therefore have the ability to control their future. As Jo begins to resurface to the living she is still drawn to the handsome man from the wagon train. Being an outspoken woman, she eventually convinces Declan to take her virginity. As they are continually held captive, they make a decision to escape in the middle of the night. Now they are on the run from the two men who intend to have all their money. Facing wild wolves, loss of their horse, an insistent bear and hardships of near death from mauling and drowning, they work their way, mostly on damaged feet, to find her sister's farm in Wyoming for shelter and from the men still tracking them. With the perils behind them and still yet to happen, Declan declares he is not good enough for Jo and must leave her. Jo, heartbroken, cannot understand his thoughts since they have both declared their all-consuming love for one another. It takes time for Declan and his broken heart to come to terms to ask forgiveness. But now is it too late with all he has done?

If its excitement and escapades with a very book smart young woman, this is the read for you. The characters are exciting and quite amusing. This will give you a feel for the hardships and trials of the old homesteading days where the country was wild. This story is Book 10 in the Malloy Familyseries. I thoroughly enjoyed THE PROSPECT. It was chucked full of trials and tribulations of the past as well as much humor and trysts of a head strong young woman with tons of knowledge and no experience determined to keep her man.