Single, mid-thirties Mary is the fourth generation in her family to own Cunningham's Books and Bookish Things. When wealthy developer Daniel Purdy sees the opportunity to develop a whole city block and sends his minions to persuade her to sell him her property, she turns them away. The city officials and most of the people she knows are ranged against her. Then when Purdy himself turns up, she finds herself unaccountably drawn to him.But she already has a boyfriend. Or does she? She's not sure why a catch like Peter should want a plain Jane like her, and he's making no commitments.And there are the people who depend on her. Her friend whose special-needs son works with her in the bookstore and the poor old fellow who comes in every day for coffee and a muffin and to read the newspapers.But money is tight and everyone knows independent bookstores are on their way out. Can Mary hang onto the life she has, let alone imagine a different one? Wanting to make the right decisons for everyone, is she in danger of making the wrong ones for herself?