The novel takes us inside the life of a young veterinarian, from intern to licensed vet. Kylie encounters big egos, small budgets, grand intentions, and hollow triumphs. Does she have what it takes to survive a lonely internship in rugged Montana, grueling hours at a prestigious equine hospital in Kentucky, and worse, her own self-doubt when the decisions are hers alone? Kylie has taken an oath to help animals, but no one told her how hard it would be not to dwell on the mistakes -- the medicines she might have prescribed, the lives she could have saved. A horse scheduled to be euthanized is given a respite. An illiterate man learns to read so he can better care for his puppy. A neurologically-impaired kitten might provide a key to understanding storage diseases in humans. In , readers discover the successes that make the practice of veterinary medicine a joy, and sometimes a heartbreak.