Marie O'Conner has done just fine for herself-thank you very much. She runs a popular diner in a small Ohio town and has a wonderful twelve-year-old son named Christian. Although she's not in a relationship, she enjoys a rich fantasy life.

Sometimes, though, Marie feels as if her life has been on hold since high school. She got pregnant at seventeen, and the father, Roger Cooperman, was less than thrilled. After Christian's birth, he left, and now he only drops by when the mood strikes him.

Marie doesn't regret having Christian, but she never dreamed that her biggest accomplishment would be cooking legendary french fries for her customers. She's not ashamed of her business-but in her heart, she knows she wants more.

Everything changes the morning Roger's pickup truck roars into the diner's parking lot. In the back lies a broad-shouldered, bearded hiker that he accidentally ran over and injured. When Marie agrees to let the man recuperate in her old guesthouse, her routine is upended, and she's yanked out of her comfort zone.

Marie has wanted change for so long. Now that it's in her grasp, will she risk what she has for what she desires?