Set in England from the 1880s through World War I, this enthralling romantic saga tells the story of a remarkable woman who defies London's aristocratic society and attempts to build a department store that will rival Selfridge'sThe plump, plain daughter of a successful shopkeeper, Beatrice Bonnington has no illusions about her looks--or her marital prospects. So when she receives a proposal from the dashing William Overton--a man she's secretly desired for years--Beatrice can't believe her good fortune. Knowing her husband will never wholly belong to her, she turns her energies to the other great passion of her life: her family's department store. As she endures tragedy, betrayal, and the horrors of war, she builds Bonnington's Emporium into a titan of commerce that rivals London's Selfridge's. But with all of her worldly success, she never stops loving William. One more challenge awaits Beatrice--the battle for her husband's heart.