Penelope Everly is set to be married to a complete stranger, a man she has no intention of marrying. But upon meeting Victor VanDaught, she finds herself enamored with the man she was determined to hate. Following Victor to university, Penelope becomes enthralled with the world of academia she finds herself thrust into. The young couple agrees to pretend to be betrothed in order to keep their meddling parents at bay while they each pursue academic interests. But a handsome professor, a promise made to Death, and a series of unsolved murders on campus throw everything into chaos.