Joanna Trollope has brought Austen's characters and their story into the 21st century. When their father unexpectedly dies, the three Dashwood girls - Elinor, Marianne and Margaret - must face the harsh reality of a life where they no longer have the home or the financial security that they have always taken for granted. As they come to terms with life without the comforts of either their country house or an inheritance, Elinor, a sensible architecture student, and Marianne, a passionate, musical free spirit, are also confronted by a world where their choices are abruptly limited by their new and alarming circumstances.