Annalisse and Dennis seem to be living the American dream until Annalisse's secret past and the effects of post-traumatic stress syndrome threaten to destroy her family. This skillfully crafted novel explores the long-term effects of personal tragedy in haunting flashbacks of Annalisse's former life— flashbacks that are interwoven with a passionate romance and reveal a person entirely different from the woman Dennis thought he married. But as each revelation increases the emotional gulf between them, Dennis's investigation of a toxic waste incident ignites the wrath of a former political ally and an industrial firm that will go to any lengths to cover up a shocking crime.