In The Romantic Imperative,young Vida Cleary says,Every woman believes in the possibility of the Great Romance. It is her birthright. Marshall says, Our birthright is always at risk in the face of reality. Vida marries her romantic ideal, Dorsey Danzie: rich, flamboyant, brilliant, and elusive. The following morning, Dorsey drops a bomb - presumably a cock-n-bull story she must accept. Vida reacts by fleeing to Southern California where for the next twenty-five years she raises her daughter and writes best selling novels that eviscerate the value of romance. The day arrives when she confronts Dorsey.