The story takes place in the middle of the World War Two period starting in September 1943 in a place now known as "Lost Cove" just outside of a small Tennessee town by the name of Hamilton deep inside the Great Smokey Mountains. Margaret Fay Kidwell and Anna Marie Carter, daughters of lumbermen living in Lost Cove had decided to make some changes in their lives by leaving the Cove in search of employment in Baltimore, Maryland with the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company to help with the War effort. Hamilton, Tennessee didn't have very much to offer young people as far as employment was concerned so most of them drifted off to other locations. Neither of these two girls wished to become housewives raising children and to be stuck in the Cove for the rest of their lives. Anna Marie had read an article in a newspaper she found giving details of employment in Baltimore. She begged and pleaded with her dearest friend Margaret Fay about leaving, telling her since Jeb, her boyfriend and a tobacco farmer that had been drafted into the Army and was serving overseas and her boyfriend Jim had been killed at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 it was their patriotic duty as citizens to do what they could to help with the war effort. With very little money and a lot of nerve these two young, inexperienced country girls from Tennessee left the Cove for Baltimore not knowing if they would be hired to work, if they could find a place to live or if they would even get there. With a lot of determination, their life long friendship and lady luck riding on their shoulders they started a new life for themselves. With the help from newfound friends they were able to achieve what would turn out to be a very interesting and exciting adventure.
