Miserable and bound in a marriage she never wanted, Olivia Smith has played her part in The Nation's marriage system for the last ten years. She had two children and supported their schooling, cared for her mother and sister, and never used her Challenge Pass from the Marriage Reward System-showing everyone she believed in the life of The Nation.

Until now.

Determined to have something for herself, Olivia selects the Challenge Pass as her ten-year anniversary reward, which allows her three nights with state-sanctioned escorts at The Challenge Center. She experiences intimate encounters, uncovered secrets, and a decision that will change her path forever.

When Ethan, her true love, stands before her as a state-sanctioned escort, Olivia questions the last ten years of her life. To Ethan, Olivia is the last key to undoing The Nation and everyone who believes in its future. To Olivia, Ethan is the escape she's wanted, but now that he's in front of her, can she actually take the leap and leave the world she knows behind her?

In The Marriage Wars: Book One, Melissa Gowdy Baldwin's dystopian world asks us to question the role power and gender play in our need for connection, denial, and choice.