A young American man finds his desire to marry a French aristocrat thwarted by the rigid social codes and moral complexities of her aristocratic family. John Durham, an American in Paris, seeks to marry Fanny de Malrive, a woman separated from her husband, the titular Madame de Treymes. He faces opposition from the de Treymes family, who prioritize the preservation of their name and social standing over individual happiness. The narrative examines the friction between American idealism and the entrenched, often opaque, traditions of the French upper class. The prose maintains a third-person perspective, focusing on the psychological maneuvering of the characters within the confines of Parisian high society.

Readers and critics frequently note the precision with which the author dissects the social mores of the period. Discussion often centers on the moral ambiguity of the characters and the stark contrast between the protagonist's straightforward American perspective and the complex, often duplicitous, nature of the French nobility. The pacing is described as deliberate, allowing for a deep examination of the psychological stakes involved in the central conflict. Many highlight the effectiveness of the atmosphere, which captures the stifling nature of the aristocratic environment without relying on overt melodrama. The work is often cited as a prime example of the author's ability to render complex social interactions with clarity and nuance.