From the best-selling author of Lily and the Octopus, a heartwarming and bittersweet story about finding love and courage in one of the most romantic cities on Earth.

New Yorkers Paul and Darren have planned a winter holiday in Venice. But when their five-year marriage suddenly unravels, Paul endeavors to make the trip alone, despite his heartbreak and anxiety. Far outside his comfort zone, Paul has a mission: to see if he can be adventurous, fearless, free. In short, to become someone new.

Soon after arriving in Italy, he notices a small, scruffy, self-assured dog trotting alongside a canal with the confidence he so desperately wants for himself. This street dog and his instincts for survival lend Paul's trip a singular purpose - to determine how his new four-legged friend thrives on his own. A string of additional sightings culminate in a seemingly magical encounter that leads Paul to feel real connection - to a dog, to a foreign city, and, most important, to himself.