Set during the waning years of the Victorian era, 1885-1900, this historical novel tells the compelling tale of the creation and early years of the Hotel del Coronado. As entrepreneurs Elisha Babcock and Hampton Story quickly discover, it takes more than a dream to turn the barren island of Coronado, California into a world-renowned, destination resort. The story is told through the eyes of young Ava Hennessey, whose family runs the island's stables. Ava's adventures, along with historical characters (John D. Spreckels, Jesse Shepard, Kate Morgan, L. Frank Baum) are intertwined with the trials and triumphs of the audacious founders.