As the French revolution ravages her country, Desiree Clary and her family stand in the shadow of the guillotine. But a chance encounter with Napoleon Bonaparte, the ambitious and charismatic young military prodigy, provides her an escape. When her beloved sister Julie marries his brother Joseph, Desiree and Napoleon's futures become irrevocably linked. After a passionate courtship, they become secretly engaged and vow to meet in Paris once his career has been secured. But Desiree's newly laid plans turn to heartbreak, due to the rising star of Parisian society, Josephine de Beauharnais. Swept to the French capital, Desiree is plunged into the inner circle of the new ruling class, becoming further entangled with Napoleon, his family, and his Empress. But her fortunes shift once again when she meets Napoleon's confidant and star general, the indomitable Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. When these two men become political rivals and military foes, Desiree will have to choose the love of her new husband or the love of her nation and its Emperor. In order to survive in this treacherous world, Desiree must learn to rely upon her instincts-and her heart.