Sydney Blake begins the novel uprooted from her stable life and thrown into a crisis after discovering the affair between her college boyfriend Hunter and her roommate Tori. Shocked by the pair’s blatant infidelity, Sydney finds comfort in her new friend and neighbor Ridge Lawson, who invites her to move in with him and his friends. Desperate not to rely on her disapproving parents, Sydney moves in with Ridge and embarks on a life-altering journey through desire and self-discovery.

An independent and aspiring music teacher, Sydney grapples with the disapproval of her lawyer father who wishes for her to follow in his footsteps and pressure from her unfulfilled mother, who encourages Sydney to live life for herself. Despite her unhappiness in her relationship with Hunter, Sydney struggles in the aftermath of his affair while simultaneously growing attached to her new roommate Ridge. When Ridge offers Sydney the opportunity to write music for his band, Sydney finds a creative outlet in her songwriting, which allows her to express her conflicting emotions about her break-up and rising desire for Ridge.

Through their forbidden relationship, Sydney begins to question her own understanding of infidelity, seeing it for its complexity. She navigates the intimacy she shares with Ridge against her passionate dedication to independence.