In the battle between Henry VIII and the Roman Church, young tomboy Julian Upton wants to be a priest when she grows up. But the king and Thomas Cromwell, his chief minister, have other plans. Julian's family is the benefactor of Hawkswold Priory in Yorkshire. Julian befriends young monk Hugh Warrenham who is destined to be ordained. But their relationship gives Cromwell reason to scrutinize Hawkswold as he systematically dismantles Church framework and influence. When her father dies, Julian is sent to an abbey on the moors to become a nun. But the abbey is destroyed before she can take her vows. Without resources or a home, her survival depends on her ability to use the skills she taught herself as a child. When the troops seize Hawkswold, Father Hugh is free to go to France and follow his vocation. But first he must find out if Julian is safe. Romance, survival, faith, and adventure lead both Julian and Hugh to odd friendships and dangerous undertakings as lines blur in the battle for the England's devout.