Henry Roth is an obsessive-compulsive & somewhat misanthropic writer of children's books. His illustrator & only friend, Rudy, dies after a successful collaboration on their series of children's books " Marty the Beaver." Henry is under contract to produce another Marty book for Christmas. His publisher, assigns penniless, lovelorn illustrator Lucy Reilly (Mandy Moore) to work with Henry. Ex-boyfriend Jeremy, who dumped her two years ago shows up apologetic, having dedicated his new book to her. She & Henry go to a house on the shore to work. Will love bloom amid the rocks, or is Henry a bump on Lucy's road to Jeremy? Rudy's voice, from the grave, gives Henry counsel.