A decade after Cathy, Christopher, and Carrie escaped from their grandparents' attic at Foxworth Hall, Petals on the Wind continues to follow the twisted plight of the family as they attempt to put their sordid past behind them, but soon discover certain secrets can't be left behind. When Cathy finds herself in an abusive relationship with a fellow dancer, Julian, Christopher and Cathy are forced to face the forbidden feelings they developed for one another while coming of age during captivity. But when tragedy strikes the Dollangangers once again, Cathy returns to Foxworth Hall to confront her grandmother and seek revenge on her mother with a plan to seduce her husband Bart. When Christopher runs to Cathy's side, the two are determined to start over again - together.

It's 1970 ten years after the attic. The siblings Cathy (Rose McIver), Christopher (Wyatt Nash), and Carrie Dollanganger (Bailey Buntain) escaped to a better life with Dr. Paul Sheffield. Corrine (Heather Graham) has married Bart Winslow (Dylan Bruce) who still doesn't know the existence of her children. Olivia Foxworth (Ellen Burstyn) is bedridden and is at the mercy of Corrine. Cathy and Christopher are still attracted to each other. Cathy is dancing ballet and runs to possessive abusive fellow dancer Julian Marquet (Will Kemp). Christopher has sweet Sarah Reeves (Whitney Hoy), the daughter of his mentor. Meanwhile Carrie is getting picked on at the private school and desperately wants parental guidance. Cathy has a son with Julian but he's killed in a car crash. Minister Alex Conroy (Ross Philips) proposes to Carrie but she has great doubts about herself. Carrie invites Corrine to her wedding but she rejects her. Carrie can't take it any more and eats a rat poison donut just like her twin brother. That's the bullet points for the first half.

As with most novel adaptation, it is difficult to boil everything down and come up with a flowing story. This TV movie feels abrupt and jarring. It hits on the bullet points and has very little connective tissue to tie everything together. The actors are very capable led by Rose McIver. She carries most of this well. Wyatt Nash is not as compelling and comes off as wooden. Heather Graham has a lessened role and Ellen Burstyn has even less to do. Burstyn is reduced to a few scenes in bed with heavy makeup. As a TV movie, it's reasonable but not that great.