Filled with excitement and trepidation, Jeanie Munro is returning to India and her husband Mungo, having been forced apart from him by the Second World War. Together, they can start their longed-for family. But post-war India is in a ferment of change and the undercurrents of tension begin to disturb their tranquillity. Still grieving for her beloved brother, killed in action, Jeanie tries to make the most of her new life. Her only true friends are the Lomaxes, a family haunted by scandal and owners of the glamorous Raj Hotel. She is especially drawn to handsome, fun-loving Rick - but knows she must not allow their mutual attraction to grow. Then, just as Jeanie is becoming reconciled to her lot, long-buried secrets come to light that shake her world to the core - and leave her facing the hardest decisions of her life.