Nora Palmer’s goal of becoming a photojournalist is almost within her grasp, but her father won’t pay for her tuition unless she completes Firecamp, a demanding summer work program involving fire mitigation in the rugged Colorado national forest. Fallon Monroe spent her precarious youth wishing and waiting. Firecamp is her chance at stability and a meaningful life. Despite getting off to a bumpy start, Nora and Fallon’s relationship deepens, even as they are honest about their incompatible plans for the future. But when it’s Nora’s photography that creates a rift between them, their split is abrupt and painful.

Ten years later, Nora has achieved her dream. So why does that summer still intrude into her memories? When an alert goes out for a major forest fire in the area, Nora covers the Women’s Plus team working in advance of the flames. Fallon is now the unit leader and can’t be distracted by Nora’s unexpected arrival if she’s going to keep her crew safe and help save the forest. But what can she do about the heat between them that has never cooled?