Life is not just another rodeo for shooting star fourteen-year-old Carol ORourke in rural Montana. She goes from a life on the road of one rodeo to the next to one that is very differentliving with a family. She is rescued by Ben Sterler, his wife, and children while they were traveling on vacation. She grows up in a fairly normal family situation, but her past in the rodeo is never far away. As a young woman, Carol falls into the Long Island club and bar scene, working as a bartender. She stays in close touch with Sarah Sterler, who she grew up with and also rescued in another much more serious way. Carols earlier life with the Sterlers, particularly Ben, the father, suddenly catches up with her one day. Her life progresses at a rapid, furious, and often violent pace at this time, bringing friends and lovers into the fray with her.