In 1927 Boston, Marie Tranton, vivacious and in love, thinks all handsome men are like Douglas Fairbanks. But once she becomes engaged, she sees a side of her fiancé she doesn't like. She goes for a walk to think and wanders through the fog into a strange garden.In modern-day Boston, Rick Lauman is one of the nice guys who finish last—especially in the romance department. His matchmaking sister gives him a 1920s book to lure him to a theme party. When he sees the young woman who's just walked into his garden, he's stunned. Why? She's the image of a girl in the book.Both Marie and Rick become convinced she's wandered into the future. Frightened and homesick, Marie walks in the garden every morning to try to get back home while Rick waits, wondering if she's going to come back.Unlike all the women Rick has dated, Marie is guileless and open, but he resists falling in love with her. After all, she could walk out of his life any morning. But he doesn't want her to marry her fiancé. According to the book, that man abused her. Rick decides to show her how a man is supposed to treat a woman. But spending so much time with her, he can't help falling in love.