In 1871, Chicago, Delia Spencer is attending a ball, even though she is only seventeen years old, she feels herself being drawn to Marshall Field who owns a dry goods place where all top society women go to purchase their clothing. Marshall always has the newest designs from France and other worldly countries. When Delia finds out that Marshall is thirty seven, she does not turn away from Marsh's flirtations, nor does he from hers. But when Delia finds out that Marsh is married with two children, she is very much aware that she must let this attraction go and continue on with her young life. When Marsh asks Delia to dance at the ball, she accepts graciously and finds herself looking into his eyes and falling even more in love with him. As they are dancing, many people at the ball are walking towards the windows, alarmed as to what they see. Chicago is on fire! Both Delia and Marsh go to the windows and cannot believe their eyes, it's been dry with little rain and now a large fire is burning most of Chicago.

After the fire is contained and stopped, many have lost their businesses, homes and even lives. Delia's family home is burnt to the ground and her family moves into a relative's house until their new one is built. She does not see Marsh for quite some time, until she gets word that Marsh has opened another dry goods store. She as all the women in society make their way to Marsh's new store and purchase new clothes for all had been burnt in the fire. Each time Delia runs into Marsh, they both feel that spark between them, but Delia will not make the mistake of being Marsh's mistress, she's too young and must start her own life.

She marries Arthur, a life long friend and as the years pass, Delia cannot understand why Arthur does not want to spend time in the marriage bed. As time goes by, Marsh and his family become neighbors of Delia and Arthur's. They get together in each other's homes trying to seal friendships, but Marsh's wife Nannie is extremely jealous of Delia and Delia has kept her distance from Marsh.

Not only is Nannie jealous, but she's addicted to Laudanum and her mental status is quite shakey. When Nannie takes her children off to visit her family in the Northeast, Marsh and Arthur become very close friends and eventually they start to include Delia. On one occaision both Marsh and Delia find out that Arthur is gay. This pushes both Delia and Marsh even closer together, in fact, so close they start having an affair in Delia's home with Arthur's knowledge of it. As long as both Marsh and Delia include Arthur in their outings.

Nannie is always coming and going, away on these trips. Apparently, her marriage to Marsh has become very rocky and Nannie becomes more and more out of her mind crazy. She performs some very horrible crimes to some of the characters in the book. I will not give any spoilers, but this woman who over does her drugs has truly lost her mind and is frightfully scarey. When Marsh tells Nannie that he's having an affair with Delia, it only gets worse, how much worse? Oh, you can never imagine how much worse, but Marsh and Delia still carry one their affair, even walking hand in hand in public and they both don't care what society thinks or says. Many years pass by filled with tragiedies, rebulding both their city and their lives and triumph. But will Delia and Marsh be able to live a decent loving life together? Have children and go their own way together? A recommended read!

WHAT THE LADY WANTS by Renee Rosen drew me in from page one as Ms. Rosen is an author one does not want to miss!