Attending her best friend's wedding, Emily Parks tires of being asked when she'll marry. At the reception, the most attractive guy she sees is the portrait of the former home owner killed during the Civil War. After a few drinks, she takes a walk to clear her head. When she pauses to admire the full moon reflecting on the fish pond, a mysterious fog materializes, and she tumbles into the water ... and into the past. Samuel Marshall's life is out of control. He's engaged to a girl he doesn't love and is over his head running his father's plantation. And his best friend wants him to fight in the Union Army. When a mysterious woman appears in his bed, the world comes into focus. She's refreshing and different, and he's falling in love. Everything would be perfect, except the Civil War is about to begin. How long does "ever after" have to last for it to count as happy?