Arabella Davis, a North American scholar with romance on her mind, disrupts the settled lives of two wealthy Chilean brothers. The eldest, Diego, is appalled by Bella's brash behavior and does his best to discourage her outlandish adventures—even enlisting the aid of his CIA friend.

His younger brother, however, delights in her misadventures until a military coup, one backed by the U.S. government, makes any kind of acting out too dangerous. Then, he, too, becomes protective.

From their family's hacienda, Mil Flores, Bella fights to protect her now-fragile husband and ensure his scholarly legacy.. Her own work, five novels challenging General Augusto Pinochet's reputation, will eventually win her acolades in Chile and around the world. What it brings to Bella Riveiro short term, however, is danger.