Ruth Blackison and Ned Haskell have fallen madly in love. They are taking the plunge and marriage is just a few short months away, but unfortunately for Ruth, true love never involves just two people. There is a whole new family of in-laws to meet, and Ruth is having problems learning to understand her unpredictable mother-in-law, let alone liking her. Is the woman merely difficult, or is there something more dangerous in her demeanor? Ruth also meets Ned's close-knit circle of friends whose past relationships seem more tangled than most. She quickly realizes that without the friends' approval, it could be a short engagement. At a time when she should be looking forward to a happy future, Ruth begins to get caught up in the past. Is she imagining things, or are Neds friends still bound by complex, shifting balances that have the power to tear people apart?