Claudia "Ladybird" Johnson had always had a difficult life. With her 30th birthday fast approaching, she moves to the city in a desperate attempt to turn it all around. In a short period of time, her basic needs are met - she has new friends, a job, and a place to live... but she soon realizes that New York City is not the band-aid she thought it would be. Enter Victor Raines, a kindred spirit 30 years her senior. A professor of literature at Columbia, his confidence draws Claudia in, despite her initial reluctance. As their relationship develops, Claudia begins to discover a clearer sense of self than she ever thought possible. However, even as Claudia blossoms, Victor is deteriorating. Moody and withdrawn, every day he is less like the man she fell in love with. Together they struggle to make each moment count, but how long can she keep the fog from closing in?"This moving and tender love story ... will move every reader's heart." - Lurlene McDaniel, best-selling author of "Losing Gabriel: A Love Story."... gracefully rendered prose ... this is a novel notable for its compassion and authenticity." - Walter E. Butts, late poet laureate of New Hampshire "A beautifully written story about how a chance encounter has the power to transform..." - Cindy Dorminy, Author of Left Hanging and In a Jam