Elizabeth Stafford, a plantation belle from Virginia, dreams of breaking away from her father's grasp and of being more than a proper Southern lady and wife. Her dreams seem possible at Madame Corday's Charleston boarding school, where Elizabeth learns to do a lot more than just sew. And when Elizabeth meets Union lieutenant Adam Cranfield at the Christmas ball, she is instantly attracted to his boldness -- instantly swept up by the promise of love and adventure. But to marry a Yankee would be unthinkable. The lines have been drawn between North and South. Which side will Elizabeth choose?

Be swept up in the lives of Elizabeth, Victorine, Hannah, and Rosamund as they fight for their beliefs and the men they love through the raging years of the Civil War.