Ivy Westfall is beyond the fence and she is alone. Abandoned by her family and separated from Bishop Lattimer, Ivy must find a way to survive on her own in a land filled with countless dangers, both human and natural. She has traded a more civilized type of cruelty, forced marriages and murder plots for the bare-knuckled brutality required to survive outside Westfall's borders. But there is hope beyond the fence, as well, which Ivy discovers when she is befriended by a group of people who've managed to live off the land for years. Ivy slowly becomes accustomed to the rhythms and customs of this new life, all the while trying to forget those she left behind in Westfall. When Bishop Lattimer reappears in her life, Ivy struggles to assimilate his presence, torn between love and fear. She comes to understand that true love is unconditional and opening her heart again requires that she accept the risk of pain. Ivy and Bishop settle into a life beyond the fence, but when word comes that Ivy's father and sister have staged a coup and Westfall has descended into a state of chaos, Ivy makes the difficult decision to return home with Bishop by her side. Ivy returns to Westfall stronger than when she was cast out, sure of her heart and loyalties and ready to take a final stand for what she believes is right.