Samantha Bentley and her cousin Ross have been an illicit item for years. When Ross becomes involved with the submissive Dr. Louisa Richmond, Sam senses Ross's waning interest in her own volatile and domineering personality. She reads the classic novel Venus in Furs, which inspires her to experiment with being his slave for a month. Dr. Louisa is determined not to be left out, however, and when she shows up at Sam and Ross's country hideaway, there is a sudden shift in the rituals of power and punishment. Submitting to the sexual whims of others changes Samantha's idea of how far she's willing to go, and each cathartic act of humiliation pushes her further into the realms of liberation and pleasure.