Bound by duty and honor to her father, the beautiful Helen matters her cousin, Philip Felmere, in hopes that love will follow. That same dedication to duty and honor prevent Helen from following her heart as she meets Felix Gordon. The genuine goodness of Felix brings a spark of life to Helen and inspires her own creativity. Having been raised with logic and reason in an age of faith, Helen is yet attracted to strong faith in others, like Felix. The ongoing battle between faith and reason plays itself out as a struggle within Helen, who ultimately must decide where she stands. This first Sarah Barnwell Elliott was well received and very favorably reviewed on its first publication in 1879, with two more printings following.