When Tess Kelley realizes her daughter Jenny Kelley still isn't over her divorce from musician Rick Meadows, the irresponsible, ever-absent father of her little boy Jesse, and thus fails to make progress with friend and promising potential fiance Miles Healey, she places an ad on her daughter's behalf on a lonely hearts internet website. She then starts an anonymous relationship through the dating service with charming British-born literature professor Peter Campbell, who lives in America. Then Peter comes to meet Jenny in person, but who will end up with whom or stay alone?

In a world of condescension and uncalled-for remarks, Nunt feels the urge to ingratiate herself with others—otherwise no one will acknowledge or befriend her. With extreme compulsion rather than passion, she’s doing so many things at once to please everybody, utterly unaware of an imminent loss that will shatter all of her wishes.