Victor Byrnes, a former Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, is tapped to guide expeditions for scientists through the bush of Senegal, Mali, and Guinea in 1978. His knowledge of the savannah and jungle also make him a target for more dangerous intentions. Doria Blake, the wife of British businessman Nigel, longs to return to her heart's desire as a botanist and developer of natural medicines - a career she abandoned to follow her ambitious husband. When Doria and Victor connect, they discover ways to help each other as they journey separately into the bush. Their adventures and discovery transform their personal goals, their lives, and the lives of those around them. Forbidden love, traditional African medicine, ancient rituals, ruthless diamond smugglers and more, drive Doria, Victor, and Nigel to the edge of sanity and death.