One night her friends coax her into escaping from her virtual prison and attending a scandalous ball, where she wears a borrowed gown and black mask, which conceal her identity. At the party, two men solicit her sexual favors: her beastly brother-in-law and Seth, an older, scarred version of the boy she loved as a child (but who loved her younger sister). When a one-night tryst results in pregnancy, Jane and Seth agree to a marriage of convenience, although each secretly loves the other. While Jane displays courage, intelligence, compassion, and tolerance to those in her life, Seth is just the opposite. Because of her tender feelings, she moves from the oppressive atmosphere of her brother-in-law’s home to Seth’s residence, which is nearly as suffocating due to his repressed feelings and domineering personality. Other than physical attraction and fond memories of the past, it’s hard to see what Jane finds so appealing about the man who closed his heart to love, rejects her advances, and hurls abusive comments toward her.

Although as a Cinderella story, the reader knows the ending before the book is even opened, a few loose ends remain untied in this version: Where will Jane’s stepson live when he returns from boarding school? What happens to Jane's sister, a prominent player in the story? What becomes of Jane’s lustful, thieving brother-in-law who mishandled her inheritance? It’s asking just a little too much of readers to believe all of them live happily ever after.