Life is not fine for Samara Tuttle, but shes coping. Her overworked mother is distant and cold, and her mothers boyfriend, Q, attacks Samara when she tries to clean up after his lazy, Funyun-loving self. Samaras a loner. But all of this changes when Mr. Halbrook arrives at school. Samaras English teacher takes ill, and in steps Mr. Jerome Halbrook, a suitwearing, blue-eyed African American man who uses Marvells To His Coy Mistress to inspire a spirited discussion about poetry, love, and truth. Soon Samara is borrowing his collections of poetry, and then she cant stop thinking about Mr. Halbrook. Soon Samara is confiding in him about her less-than-fine past, and dreaming of a different future. But when Mr. Halbrook disappearsand it appears that he may not be all that he seemedwill she be able to picture a future without him?From the Hardcover edition.