It is the glittering center of the new West, brash young San Francisco, dominated by the luxurious Palace Hotel, where tycoons mingle with famous artists, politicians, and the young American aristocracy. Where 18-year-old housekeeper Sierra O'Nielle, still smarting from a flirtatious gentleman's snub, realizes it is time to face reality and remember her place -- until she sees Joseph Harlan, the handsome son of a wealthy cattle rancher. The sizzling electricity that flows between them is impossible to ignore....

Joseph has come to find a suitable bride. His father will do anything to keep him from a maid. Until the fateful April night Sierra is thrown into Joseph's arms as the earthquake of the century devastates the city. Suddenly they are bound together, racing through the cobbled streets seeking shelter from raining bricks, panicked crowds, and the wall of flame that threatens to devour all that is left....

This book has been graded for interest at 12-17 years.

There are 208 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 1999 by Simon & Schuster .

Kathleen Duey has written more than forty books for children. The Unicorn's Secret is based on a dream she had when she was at school. She lives in southern California.