Fishtail, Montana, is home to Anne and Pitt Pollock, owners of the successful Pollock ranch. Overlooking the Pollocks' property, is the ranch belonging to Bill and Pattie Brown. The two couples have known each other since childhood. Their sons Peter Pollock and Matt Brown are also the best of friends. When they and two other local kids meet Juliet Marshall, new to town after her parents' bitter divorce, the five of them are soon inseparable. But one August afternoon, their latest adventure takes a dangerous turn-and quickly escalates into a battle for survival-when they find themselves trapped on Granite Peak. In the aftermath of this one fateful event, devastating secrets are revealed, new love appears on the horizon, and families are forced to reconsider what they once held dear. In The Challenge, Danielle Steel deftly weaves a story that is a portrait of courage and a striking tale of the bonds of love and family.