Susy Branch and Nick Lansing are typical Wharton heroes: popular, attractive, and much poorer than their “international set” friends. Like Lily Bart in
The House of Mirth
, the two depend on the largesse of more privileged acquaintances to get by. Recognizing in each other a desire for the finer things in life, they decide to get married and, knowing that their friends will happily provide fabulous accommodations, live rent-free on an extended honeymoon until either one of them finds a better match—at which point they will amicably divorce and sail off into their separate, wealthier sunsets.
But a romantic tour of Europe can confuse even the most mercenary hearts. And when a friend asks for a favor in exchange for the use of her palazzo, Susy and Nick realize that everything in this sophisticated world comes at a price: one that their hearts and consciences may no longer allow them to pay. . .