This transformation of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth into a powerful, modern story of one woman's struggle with independence and love is "a beach read with a touch of literary pedigree....A rich romp" (Elle).A modern Edith Wharton heroine returns to the hothouse of Cleveland society, raising eyebrows as she struggles to reconcile her desire for independence and her need for love. Eleanor Hart had made a brilliant marriage in New York, but it ended in a scandalous divorce and thirty days in Sierra Tucson rehab. Now she finds that, despite feminist lip service, she will still need a husband to be socially complete. Navigating the treacherous social terrain where old money meets new, she finds that her beauty is a powerful tool in this world, but it has its limitations, even liabilities. Through one misstep after another, Ellie mishandles her second act. Her options narrow, and now she faces a desperate choice.