When Ellis's sister and widowed father both announce their engagements, Ellis decides it's time he thought about marriage too. And when Cassandra—young, beautiful, smart, and as cynical as he is—pays attention to him, he's tremendously flattered and becomes involved in the conversion process of Cassandra's much older, not so beautiful, but far kinder sister, Hera. Ellis eventually becomes disenchanted with Cassandra and develops real love for Hera. But even though Hera likes Ellis a lot, she rejects his romantic advances 1) because she feels it would be disloyal to her sister, 2) because she is still struggling with being a recovering alcoholic and not altogether sure she=s strong enough to handle a relationship, and 3) because Ellis is, himself, struggling with his testimony.