Does everything happen for a reason? Sixteen-year-old SARAH LEVIN finds that particular idea hard to believe when she and her family are forced to flee their home in mid-19th century Germany for America. Tragedy strikes when a hurricane capsizes the ship, sending Sarah into a raging sea. Washed ashore, starving and alone, she staggers into a settlement in Mexico and collapses in the village's church. The priest and his custodian nurse her to health. Sarah's encounter with murderous bandits brings Charro Cisneros, a young rancher, to her rescue. Charro then volunteers to escort Sarah to America. In the course of the trip, Charro becomes enchanted by Sarah's beauty, resourcefulness, and courage. Meanwhile, she grows enamored by his rugged good looks and quiet competence, as well as his mischievous nature that matches her own. Charro and Sarah are drawn to each other by their unprofessed love but held apart by insurmountable barriers. On the verge of a breakdown and severe depression, Sarah undertakes a perilous journey back to Mexico and seeks closure on the loss of her parents. When Charro learns that Sarah has set off across the wild rangelands alone, he races after her. But, is he too late?

Sarah Cisneros believes her sixteen-year-old twin sons, Adam and Benji, are far too young and far too innocent to participate in the ranch's upcoming cattle drive. But the boys are insistent and are eager to build the legacy of Dos Encinos. This will be one last adventure before they head off to college. Adam sustains serious injuries during a stampede while on the ride. As he recuperates in the small central Texas village of Comanche, he becomes enamored with the innkeeper's daughter, Martha Taylor. Adam and Martha pledge to wait for each other as Adam enters medical school in Fort Worth, Texas. Meanwhile, Benji pursues his dreams of becoming an architect. After graduation from medical school, in spite of more enticing and lucrative opportunities to settle in an urban community, Adam returns to Comanche, re-unites with Martha, and starts his medical practice. He doesn't realize the hostilities and personal threats he would face in bringing new concepts of medical treatment to a community served only by charlatans and untrained doctors. Adam must rely on his heritage of strength from the pioneer cattlemen of south Texas his Dos Encinos legacy to guide him through the strife he faces.

Sarah Levin Cisneros returns from her honeymoon to face a quandary: should she continue school and pursue a career as an advocate of human rights, or should she relegate her life to being Charro Cisneros' wife, raise a family, and settle into the comforts of living as the matron of the gigantic Dos Encinos Ranch? Luisa, wife of Charro's partner, Carlos Resendez, encourages Sarah to do both. After graduation, Sarah becomes a contributing editor to the San Antonio Express newspaper. Her controversial articles, strongly flavored with women's rights issues, make Sarah a popular figure among women's rights activists and suffragists. In an effort to demonstrate to the people of Texas that women are capable of being more than mothers and homemakers, Sarah participates as a working vaquero on a perilous cattle drive. Childbirth burdens Sarah's already packed schedule of writing, speaking, and promoting the suffrage movement. But while she is away, a tragedy at home rekindles her dilemma. Guilt-ridden from her self-perceived negligence as a wife and mother, should Sarah continue her leadership role as a women's rights activist, or should she return to Dos Encinos to solely be Mrs. Charro Cisneros?

Dallas Police Lieutenant, Vince Palter, accused of theft, misconduct, and suspected of murder, is determined to right the wrong that ruined his law-enforcement career. As a Deputy Sheriff in Corpus Christi, Texas, two years later, he is placed in a position of having to investigate a washed-ashore murder victim and finds that it is linked to the very scam responsible for the two year-old wrongful accusation. The FBIs involvement in the case leads to Vinces affiliation with an FBI Organized Crime Task Force Team assigned to investigate an international scheme involving nuclear missile solid-fuel that could jeopardize the security of the country and world peace. Compelled to perform in accordance with family tradition, after going undercover, he fights to preserve his relationship with his eighteen year-old son, with aspirations to follow in his fathers footsteps in law-enforcement.

Josh Lehman and Luke Sanders enter Texas Northwestern University on football scholarships and excel as winning players, Josh as a quarterback and Luke as a wide receiver. Luke's disabling knee injury terminates his football career but lucrative offers from professional teams tempt Josh away from his ambition to go to medical school. After soul-searching decisions, Josh turns his back on the offers so he and Luke can attend medical school together. Josh becomes a cardiovascular surgeon and Luke an anesthesiologist. They face every conflict they encounter in the medical field with the resolve: "It's just another game." Luke settles into the happiness of married life with a child but Josh's marriage is marred by infidelity and drug abuse. His wife's lover, Donnie Bradford, needs a life-saving operation that only Josh can perform. Josh's first reaction is to refuse. When Josh takes a position as consultant for Salzman Electronics, a producer of high-tech medical equipment, his knowledge of Salzman's new research project places him in personal jeopardy. With Donnie's untimely death, Josh is charged with murder. A surprise ending reveals more than just the perpetrator of the crime.

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