In February 1887, Caitriona Wallace and Emile Nouguier meet in a hot air balloon, floating high above Paris. But back on firm ground their vastly different social strata become clear. With constraints of class and wealth, Cait and Emile must decide what their love is worth. Seamlessly weaving historical detail and vivid invention, Beatrice Colin evokes the revolutionary time in which Cait and Emile live. To Capture What We Cannot Keep, stylish, provocative and shimmering, asks about a woman's place in that world, the overarching reach of class distinctions, and the sacrifices love requires of us all.