In 1848, a time when sail was giving way to the swift power of steam, Mina boards the sailing ship Victoria, headed for a new life in America. Orphaned and alone, under the protection of her friend Mr. Serle, Mina is, like the Victoria, at the mercy of the winds of fate. But what awaits both Mina and her protector in New York is a world rich with opportunity and danger.

As Mr. Serle, a master chef, finds work in a bustling hotel, Mina tries the life of a salesgirl and then joins the downstairs kitchen of a wealthy family, where she soon proves her exquisite touch with food. But mysteries swirl all around the Westervelt home, and soon they engulf Mina too. As she tries to navigate the shoals and eddies of hidden affairs and powerful secrets, and as her feelings for the mysterious Mr. Serle subtly begin to shift, a remarkable series of events begins to unfold. For Mina, an extraordinary adventure begins, one that will take her far away from New York—and bring a sudden, surprising change of heart…and an unexpected gift of love and responsibility.

From the gaslit streets of old New York to the cargo-crowded waterways of the Erie Canal, from one man fighting a personal battle of faith, duty, and desire to another scarred in body and soul by was, Bread and Dreams is filled with marvelously drawn characters and vivid images.