In 1972, a time of tumultuous political and social change, Clare and Lowell are idealists on opposite ends of the spectrum. Lowell is an ambitious grad student preparing for an elite career in the Foreign Service and Clare is an earnest, freshman antiwar activist. When they meet at Indiana University, an unlikely passion begins. Detours is a sensual and intelligent romance that explores politics, culture, and self-discovery in a story that spans more than a decade, following Clare and Lowell, whose lives and experiences range from the States to Beirut, Mexico City, and Kuwait. Their journey is spellbinding and unforgettable.