2The love between a troubled young woman and her dog is at the heart of this inspirational and quirky story. At nineteen, Lily is lost. Surviving a loveless childhood in suburban Los Angeles, Lily sets off on her own multi-year version of a walkabout. A self-described bookworm and nature nut, Lily lives with one foot in the real world and the other in the mystical and wondrous natural world. More at home with animals than with most humans, she explores California's mountains and coastal beach towns. After finding Blue, a puppy who was beaten and left to die in a dumpster, they become inseparable.

Blue's and Lily's life together careens back and forth from California to the Southwest. Fueled by drugs and alcohol, Lily falls into a depression and forgets about the people who love her and those she loves, including Blue. When he almost dies, Lily is shaken to the core and knows her apathetic life must change. She and Blue find an isolated, idyllic California river to camp beside for the summer. With weeks of swimming in the river and sleeping under the stars, they become strong and healthy...until they are confronted with a shocking and violent experience. Will Lily survive? Will Blue?

In Lily's search for salvation, she meets Norma, the mother she never had; Ethan Tanaka, a dedicated artist in New Mexico; and Big Mac, a hunk of a man who knows himself and his boundaries; plus the array of animals who come alive on these pages. This novel is a spirited and haunting outsider story of resilience and hope.