In a fascinating Cinderella tale that goes awry, anthropologist Cassandra Barrett falls in love with and marries a Hollywood legend. Alex Rivers is a prince in the world of movies; people sift through his garbage and prowl around to find anything they can touch, photograph, or gossip about that is associated with his life. In turn, Alex gives his fans what they want—the facade of a pleasant, highly-talented man, devoted to his work and his wife. They own several residences and possess more than they could possibly want. Alex and Cassie seem made for each other, their love forming such a strong bond that it takes on an almost-spiritual quality. What could go wrong? Both Cassie and Alex are products of damaged childhoods, where neglect and alcohol shaped their extreme need for love at all costs. Married on a movie set in Tanzania after a brief courtship, Cassie and Alex face a marriage that will always be plagued with paparazzi and the facade required of Hollywood's elite.

Cassie is haunted by the memory of her dearest childhood friend, Connor, whom she may have married had he not been killed by his own father. Connor visits her in her dreams and seems to try to warn her about the circumstances she is in. She has learned to pray to him when life gets too difficult. Cassie's mother was a drunk, and her childhood was devoted to taking care of her. Alex grew up in the Louisiana bayou, neglected and mistreated by his alcoholic parents.

A noted professional in her field, Cassie has made major strides in her career. She loves Alex, but learns very quickly to tread lightly, since his lightning temper can turn violent in an instant. Convinced she can help Alex with his demons, Cassie forgives him each time for his abuse, rationalizing and making excuses for him. But, when she finds she is pregnant, something shifts inside of her, and Cassie realizes that she must leave Alex to save her child.

William Flying Horse, an LA policeman newly relocated from his Native American reservation in Arizona, finds Cassie in a state of amnesia in the cemetery of an old church. She has no idea who she is and what her life has been about, but throughout this story, she eventually pieces together the sequence of events that brought her to this state. Alex is overjoyed to find her alive, and she returns to her old life, where everything seems new but vaguely familiar. When Alex turns violent again, her memory returns, and Cassie turns to William Flying Horse for refuge on his reservation. She spends her pregnancy in Will's word, an extremely different culture from the one she knows, and Cassie learns to love these people. Because of her, Will learns to love himself. Trying, once more, to return to Alex, who tells the press she has been away having their child in private, Cassie finally realizes that she must leave him forever.