It’s the summer of 1959 and the Palace of Versailles is hosting an event that will make history. It is an exclusive dusk-to-dawn ball in which a select group of American and French debutantes will be presented to international society and royalty. Amelia Alexander, who hopes to eventually go to law school, hesitates to participate in what she sees as an archaic and privileged tradition. But her indomitable widowed mother, Jane, encourages her to attend. Felicity Smith prefers to keep to herself, avoiding the older sister who torments her. But to get out of her sister’s shadow, Felicity decides to accept. For Caroline Taylor, the ball is an irresistible opportunity, but an unexpected heartbreak just before she leaves for France gets things off to a bad start. Then there’s Samantha Walker, an art history major with an overprotective father. Her excitement about the invitation is overshadowed by the emotional and physical effects of a past tragedy.