An independent woman, 24-year-old Eva Trammell is the novel’s protagonist. Haunted by her traumatic childhood, she moves to New York City in search of new experiences. Her relationship with her mother remains tenuous in the aftermath of her working-class mother’s marriage to a wealthy man whose son sexually abused Eva from the ages of 10 to 14. Eva’s mother keeps Eva under constant surveillance, which adds a layer of tension to their relationship. Eva’s move to New York City marks a shift away from an existence that her past controls.

After meeting fellow sexual abuse survivor Gideon Cross, Eva must confront the demons of her past. She grapples with her insecurities, which convince her to believe in “the unraveling of circumstances too good to be true” (282). Fearing that her insecurities will dismantle the progress made in her relationship, Eva learns to recognize the patterns of behavior that threaten to sabotage her chance at happiness. She learns to trust Gideon as an emotional and sexual partner and overcomes her fears to find unshakeable trust and undeniable chemistry.