Georgia, 1852: When Merciline Constance Radcliffe—Merci, to her friends and family—is forced into a hasty marriage to a stranger, Wallace Trask, a man double her age and a resident of Savannah, she wonders what her future will hold at his mysterious plantation, Blazing Oaks. It is only when she meets Wallace’s three sons, each young man more handsome than the other, that she truly experiences anxiety over her loveless marriage and predicament. Each of Wallace’s sons entices Merci in different yet sexually delectable ways, and she finds herself battling to remain faithful to her husband, despite his dominant and severe hand.

But after several months, when her husband suddenly dies under dark and eerie circumstances, leaving a will stating that whichever of his sons first produces an heir with Merci within 2 years will inherit the family plantation and business, or otherwise allow the vast holdings to fall solely into her hands, does she fear for her personal and emotional safety amidst the rapacious and assertive brothers.

Each of Wallace’s sons—Aurick, Lakeland, and Dante—could simply win her over with the blink of an eye, despite their marital status or emotional ties, since their winsome good looks and athletic musculature is more than hard to resist. But Merci, however, must decide which son, if any, is more worthy to share her bed and produce an heir for his sake, or even allow herself to fall under their various spells and forfeit her glorious agricultural empire.

But if she doesn’t relinquish her body and soul to one of the brothers, will she forfeit her true love? Or will she suddenly find herself the next victim of “mysterious death”?