Meg Clark believes in the “hokey pokey” theory of life, which demands that you put your whole self in; she even teaches it to her kindergarten students. But after the love of her life betrays her, and her father takes a flying leap off the pedestal she set him on, Meg has a hard time putting this theory into practice. What’s the point of opening yourself up if your heart comes back a little more broken each time?

Now only one man receives Meg’s full devotion: her nine-year-old son, Henry. She’s happy with her single-mom life. She and Henry are taking on the world in their own lively way, and it’s enough. Still, sometimes love finds you, whether you’re ready or not.

Love comes to Meg in the form of Ahmed Bourhani, an exotically handsome Iranian-American who befriends her and Henry over a game of chess in a coffee shop. Meg knows that second chances require a leap of faith, and the result is more often a complicated mixed bag than a neatly packaged happily-ever-after. Sometimes in order to heal you have to hurt, but most of all you have to live your life and put your whole self in.