Ned Snodgrass, a bookkeeper in a sleepy village in Upstate New York, has had his heart torn to pieces more times than he's kept track. His heart goes a-thudding when Misty Vale, a beatific yet aloof graduate student, walks into his bookstore. Despite his plight, her heart remains cold.
But when Ned rescues Cupid from drowning in the river, the love god rewards him with the ultimate chance—one magical arrow, to be used upon any human being he desires. The offer seems too good to be true, for the chain-smoking, rambunctious god of love is far from the charming, rosy-cheeked cherub of endless Italian paintings. Can Ned trust Cupid's word, or is there something sinister in the love god's intent? Will Ned's love for Misty Vale end in happily ever after, or will he pay for cheating the rules in the game of love?
